Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship – Page 4

Pickup Truck Racing’s track return headlines Mallory Park race day

The highly anticipated return of the Pickup Truck Racing Championship headlines this Saturday’s (May 1) race day at Mallory Park as the series hits the track for the first time since November 2019.

Making the difficult decision to press pause on its plans for the 2020 campaign and not run any events due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the championship sat on the sidelines last year and instead focused on this season.

Keen to make up for the adrenaline-filled entertainment that was unable to take place last year, the championship boasts a bumper entry list that is headed by 2019 title winner George Turiccki. After being unable to defend his crown last year, Turiccki technically enters the season as the reigning champion and he will be focused on securing back-to-back crowns.

Leading the chase for Turiccki are perennial contenders Michael Smith, Dale Gent, Mark Willis, Reece Jones, David O’Regan, Daniel Petters and former BTCC race winner Matt Simpson, amongst many others including a number of rookies.

Another category that will lift the curtain on – brand new season is the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship. Home to some of the most iconic MG models to have gone into production, there is something for everyone when watching this championship take centre stage.

Offering a cost effective route into motorsport, the series operates a multi-class system with the ethos that car must remain as per the production specification with only limited performance modifications permitted to ensure competitive motorsport at affordable costs.

Notable names to look out for include Jim Baynam, Mark Baker, Fergus Campbell, David Amphlett and Stuart Plotnek; all of whom were firmly in the mix for outright and class honours over the course of 2020.

Additional track action will take place over the course of the day courtesy of the Avon Tyres Northern & Super Classic Formula Ford Championship and Darlington & District Motor Club.

To find out more information on this Saturday’s race meeting at Mallory Park, including links to live timing, event timetable and final instructions, CLICK HERE.

2020 Season Review: Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship

They say that variety is the spice of life and that was certainly the case for the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship this past season, which enjoyed another outstanding year of competition.

Despite the unprecedented nature of running a condensed campaign, the illustrious category continued to flourish as it took centre stage at Brands Hatch, Mallory Park, Snetterton and Silverstone – crowning three champions along the way.

The Classic Class provided waves of entertainment over the course of the nine-race schedule as two stalwarts of the championship went toe-to-toe in their battle for supremacy, taking the fight down to the wire.

Both David Amphlett and Jim Baynam have become synonymous with the MGOC down the years and the duo had everyone on the edge of their seats as they duked it out for honours, ultimately being separated by a single point in the end.

Kicking his season off in style with a win, Amphlett kept the points consistently ticking over before picking up a pivotal second victory at the Silverstone finale. For Baynam, missing the season-opener ultimately proved costly as he had to play catch up from the second event of the year.

At the wheel of his trusty MG ZR, Baynam chalked up six wins from the remaining seven races to narrowly miss out on being crowned champion once again.

Class F was won in a slightly more comfortable fashion as Mark Baker stormed to savour the spoils of a championship victory. Tallying four wins over the course of the season, the MG F racer showcased his class as the superior force in the category.

Elsewhere, the trio of Martin Wells, Stuart Plotnek and Simon Kendrick also picked up class wins but none of them could stop Baker in the end.

Fergus Campbell capped off the list of winners as he triumphed in Class Z. The MG ZR ace was often the driver to beat overall and his class victories made him an unstoppable force on his way to the title.

Silverstone plays host to blockbuster BARC bonanza

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Silverstone this past weekend (October 10/11) to produce a spellbinding two days of action which saw champions crowned and battles lines drawn.

Thrills and spills have been a staple of the Classic Touring Car Racing Club this year and the annual visit to the Home of British Motor Racing proved to be no different as it signed off for the year with a string of spellbinding encounters.

Simon Jeffs was in a league of his own in the combined Pre’66 and Pre ’83 races whilst Andrew Wilson showcased similar levels of dominance in the amalgamated Pre ’93, Pre ’03, Thunder and BOSS contests.

Signing off for another year, the CTCRC also celebrated its champions, with more information on them published at https://classictouringcars.com/.

The Caterhams Graduates Championship brought the curtain down on another vintage year of competition with Harry Senior missing out on completing a hat-trick of wins by a mere 0.080 of a second.

Bagging top spot in qualifying, Senior cantered to wins in races one and two before looking to complete a clean sweep in race three. Jamie Ellwood however would ultimately prevent Senior in the end as he got the nod on the line by the smallest of margins.

Alex Solley enjoyed a near perfect weekend in the Junior Saloon Car Championship as he finally halted the juggernaut form of Lewis Saunders. Bidding to become the first two-time champion in the series, Saunders had won every race up until Silverstone but Solley ended that streak in style.

Storming to pole position, the teenager edged out Saunders in both races to bolster his own hopes of lifting the coveted crown at the end of the season.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship served up a handful of pulsating contests too, boasting bumper grids and eye-catching wheel-to-wheel battles. VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison and Jim Hepworth reigned supreme in the opening Endurance Class encounter before RAW Motorsport’s Ben Dimmack and Steve Burgess did the same in race two.

Britcar’s Trophy Class enjoyed its biggest grid of the season and it didn’t disappoint either as Amspeed’s Adam Howard and Chris Boardman powered their BMW M3 E36 to the top step of the podium in both races.

Amalgamating together to boast a bumper grid, the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club and Max5 Racing Championship served up an abundance of entertainment over the course of the weekend, with two races on Sunday proving to be a highlight.

David Mellor and Fergus Campbell each took a win apiece in the MG category whilst Paul Roddison reigned supreme amongst the Max5 contingent, triumphing in both contests.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action was action from the BRSCC Formula Ford Championship and the Tiedman Trophy.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Silverstone, click here.

Champions to be crowned as BARC speeds into Silverstone

Champions will be crowned at Silverstone this weekend (October 10/11) as the British Automobile Racing Club takes centre stage for what should be a blockbuster two days of track action around the famous National layout.

In what has been an unprecedented year which has seen a scaled down and condensed 2020 season, several championships will bring the curtain down on their campaigns at the Home of British Motor Racing – and it is not to be missed.

The Caterham Graduates Championship kicked off their season with a taster day at Silverstone in February and it feels only right that things have come full circle for the one-make series as it caps off another stellar year of on-track entertainment.

Bumper entry lists have produced enthralling wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the field this year and that theme is set to continue as champions are decided in Classic, Sigmax, 135 and 150 classes.

Titles will also be decided in the Classic Touring Car Championship as the battle for supremacy comes to a head between the main protagonists across each category.

Action from the Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars, Shell Oil Pre 83′ Touring Car Championship, Laser Tools Pre-93 Touring Cars Championship, Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars Championship, Toyo Tyres Pre-2005 Production Touring Car Championship, Burton Power Products Blue Oval Saloon Series and the Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship will undoubtedly set pulses racing.

Silverstone could see Lewis Saunders take a step closer to title glory in the Junior Saloon Car Championship as well. Looking to become the first double champion in the series, Saunders has been perfection personified this year – winning every race so far.

Leading the chase for Ciceley Motorsport-backed teenager is Charlie Hand, Alex Solley, Benjamin Greenhill and Molly Dodd, to name but a few.

Edge of the seat entertainment will be provided by the Dunlop Endurance Championship across both days as its Endurance and Trophy categories take centre stage with a pair of races eacg. Marking the penultimate round of the season, every point is set to be crucial in deciding the destiny of each title come the end of the year.

Notable names to look out for during the course of both days include Paul Bailey in his Ferrari 488, VR Motorsport’s Jack Fabby and Garry Townsend, Barry McMahon and the Peugeot RCZ duo of Rob Smith and Charlie Campbell – amongst many more.

Sunday will also see the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship and Max5 Racing Championship join forces and amalgamate their grids for two all-action contests around the challenging 1.64-mile circuit.

Joining the BARC over the course of the weekend will also be the BRSCC Formula Ford Championship and the Tiedman Trophy.

To view more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Silverstone, including where to follow live timing and to view the event timetable, click here.

BARC delivers spectacular Snetterton showstopper

Snetterton Circuit played host to a breathtaking two days of British Automobile Racing Club track action this past weekend (September 19/20) as six championships took centre stage in Norfolk.

As the condensed 2020 campaign reaches the business end of the season, every point is proving crucial in deciding who will and won’t be crowned champion, and with the stakes as high as ever it added up to an unmissable feast of entertainment.

Producing heavyweight thrills and spills, the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship made its mark with five tantalising encounters.

In Division 1, ten-time title winner Stuart Oliver powered his Volvo to a brace of wins whilst there were also victories for reigning champion Ryan Smith, Mark Taylor and Tom O’Rourke – who triumphed for the very first time in the series.

There were double wins in Division 2 as well as both Luke Garrett and Craig Reid stood on the top step twice whilst Steven Powell also got in on the action at the wheel of his MAN.

From the five tonne, 1000bhp monsters of the BTRA to the small but bonnet-punching Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres, the hits kept on coming over the course of the weekend at Snetterton.

Six frenetic races had fans on the edge of their seats and it was defending champion Miles Rudman that enjoyed the greatest success as he swept his way to a sensational hat-trick of heat wins. John Mickel scored a double of his own whilst Jack Parker picked up the spoils in the remaining race.

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club was in full force

Andy Robinson’s Ford Falcon proved to be the class of the field in the amalgamated Edmundson Electrical Classic Thunder Saloons Championship and Burton Power Products Blue Oval Saloon Series races whilst David Griffin did the same in the combined Laser Tools Pre-93 Touring Cars Championship and Simply Serviced Pre-2003 Touring Cars Championship encounters.

Victories meanwhile were shared in the Poultec – Classic Race Engines Pre ’66 Touring Cars and Shell Oil Pre 83′ Touring Car Championship races as David Howard and Mark Lucock each triumphed.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship once again boasted a healthy grid and the racing proved to be as thrilling as ever with Steve Darbey and Steve McDermid emerging as the drivers to beat, each of them taking a victory apiece.

Spoils were also split in the much-loved Sports Prototype Cup as well as James Abbott and Morten Dons stood on the top of the rostrum. There was also a podium finish for gold medal Olympian Sir Chris Hoy, who was making his debut in the series.

Rounding off the weekend’s spectacular action were races from the Mini 7 Racing Club.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions, click here.

You can also watch all of the action back online by clicking here.

Spectacular Snetterton weekend in-store for BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club travels to Snetterton this weekend (September 19/20) for a blockbuster event that will see no less than six championships take centre stage around the challenging 300 layout.

In what is one of the standout race meetings on the national motorsport calendar each year, the Norfolk venue is renowned for throwing up thrills and spills – and that theme looks set to continue on what is a pivotal event for many.

Headlining the action will be five titanic encounters from the BTRA British Truck Racing Championship. Lifting the curtain on its campaign at Donington Park last month, the heavyweight behemoths rumble into Snetterton with fireworks set to fly in both classes.

Division 1 currently sees an enthralling battle brewing with Ryan Smith, John Newell, David Jenkins, Stuart Oliver and Martin Gibson all split by just a handful of points. With the battle for supremacy set to intensify, any driver could establish them as the man to beat if they can piece together a strong weekend.

Elsewhere, Division 2 kicked into life with Steven Powell clinching a hat-trick at Donington Park whilst defending champion Luke Garrett also triumphed. Having gone wheel-to-wheel throughout last year, both Powell and Garrett look set to continue their duel for the crown.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres has proven to be as competitive as ever this year and six more races are expected to centre stage. As it stands, there is nothing to separate John Mickel and Daniel Clark at the top of the points.

Both have been at their brilliant best, and they will need to be to remain at the top, as the likes of Miles Rudman, Will Gibson, Connor Mills and Jack Parker will all be keen to make their mark.

Variety is the spice of life when it comes to the Classic Touring Car Racing Club and those in attendance will be able to see saloon cars from decades gone by going wheel-to-wheel across six amalgamated races.

Nostalgic tin top thrills will also come in the shape of the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship over the course of the weekend as well, with two breathtaking encounters scheduled to take place.

The Sports Prototype Cup’s sophomore season has been nothing short of sensational thus far and the good times are set to keeping come as the prototype category continues. Alongside the usual runners and riders, one notable addition to the entry list is former Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy – who will be making his debut.

Rounding out the action at Snetterton will be high-octane races from the Mini 7 Racing Club. Last month, the Se7en and Miglia categories took on a starring role alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event, including where to follow live timing and view the latest entry list, click here.

BARC publishes COVID-19 guidelines for Competitors and Officials

With the restart to racing in the UK now well underway the British Automobile Racing Club has updated its guidelines on how events will be run for both Competitors and Officials.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to adjust some of our practices and procedures in order to satisfy the requirements laid down by the government and most importantly to provide the safest environment possible for everyone involved.

In line with the guidance provided by Motorsport UK, the BARC will operate their race meetings as follows:-

BARC Competitors Guidance (v3 21 July) – CLICK HERE

BARC Officials Guidance (v2 22 July) – CLICK HERE

These guidelines have been put in place with the well-being of staff, competitors, officials and all potential visitors to our venues and events remaining at the forefront of our considerations at all times.

As it stands, all race meetings and events remain provisional and subject to change in accordance with the latest directives from the UK government.

To view the remaining post-lockdown 2021 events schedule, head to https://www.barc.net/events/.

Mallory Park set to stage BARC bank holiday blockbuster

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Mallory Park this coming Bank Holiday Monday (August 31) with an action-packed day of on-track entertainment lined up courtesy of three championships.

In what is the first of two visits to the Leicestershire venue by the Club this year, a busy month of racing will draw to a close with no less than nine races scheduled to take place over the course of the day.

Home to the next generation of rising stars, the Junior Saloon Car Championship has enjoyed a sensational start to the 2020 season with former champion Lewis Saunders setting his stall out as the driver to beat.

Scoring countless victories already, Saunders’ quest to become the first driver to be crowned a two-time champion is moving in the right direction. However, with the likes of Charlie Hand, Molly Dodd, Ruben Hage and Jake Weston – amongst others – all in front-running contention, Monday’s two races are far from guaranteed to fall the way of Saunders.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship roared into life at Brands Hatch at the start of the month and it didn’t disappoint. Running under a multi-class format, the single-marque category has proven to be a smash-hit down the years.

Notable names to keep an eye across the day’s trio of encounters include Fergus Campbell, a double race-winner at the Brands Hatch season-opener, as well as David Mellor, Steve McDermid and Steve Darbey.

Fresh off the back of two enthralling races at Donington Park last weekend, the Max5 Racing Championship continues to flourish with bumper grids primed to take centre stage.

Like the MGOC, the Max5 contingent runs under a multi-class system and it has already seen several star names come to the fore including the returning Jon Halliewell, Paul Roddison, Andrew Pretorius and Ian Loversidge.

Capping off the day’s action at Mallory Park will see new ground broken with the launch of an innovative set of Open Sports/Saloon Car races. Open competitors who drive open/closed roof Sports & Saloon cars, regardless of what championship or racing club they compete in, providing they meet current Motorsport UK safety regulations, the new initiative is proving to be popular.

The format guarantees that everyone will be racing against those doing similar lap times, irrespective of the car they are driving, leading to much closer competition. Classes will be changed post-qualifying and post-race if competitors run two or more laps faster in a qualifying session or race than their nominated class allowance stipulates.

To find out more information on this Monday’s bank holiday race meeting, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here.

BARC championship serve up Brands Hatch thrills and spills

Brands Hatch played host to a memorable two days of British Automobile Racing Club track action this past weekend (August 1/2) as six championships took centre stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Whilst some categories continuing their 2020 campaigns and others starting them, the Indy configuration of the Kent venue proved to be smash-hit for competitors and spectators alike.

The Classic Touring Car Championship was one that was continuing its condensed season having starred at Cadwell Park last month. With bumper grids of tin top machines from a bygone era, there was something for everyone across the multiple races that took place around the 1.2-mile layout.

James Card and James Janicki took a win apiece in the amalgamated Thunder Saloons and Blue Oval Saloons whilst Alan Greenhalgh was unstoppable across both Pre 66’ Touring Car races in his Ford Falcon.

In the Pre 83’ category, Mike Luck enjoyed a trouble-free two races to cater to victory with Rod Birley doing the same in the two Pre 93’ & Pre 03’ spectacles.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship served up a feast of entertainment as it staged races in both its Endurance and Trophy classes. VR Motorsport duo of Danny Harrison and Jem Hepworth were the victors in the Endurance category whilst Trophy Class spoils were split between Charlie Campbell and Barry McMahon.

Lewis Saunders continued his relentless march towards a second Junior Saloon Car Championship title, sweeping to another brace of race wins to take his tally for the season to six.

Saunders didn’t have things his own way however as the Ciceley Motorsport-backed former champion fended off the race-long advances of Charlie Hand in both encounters, whilst Alex Solley clinched a pair of third place finishes.

James Card was another driver to leave the Kent venue with plenty of silverware, claiming both wins in the opening round of the Kumho BMW Championship. At the wheel of his E46 M3, Card dominated proceedings to kick-start the new season in fine style.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship was another category to see one driver take centre stage as Fergus Campbell lifted the curtain on the new season with a double-winning performance.

Piloting his MG ZR, Campbell led a bumper entry list throughout Sunday’s two races as David Mellor, Steve McDermid and Steve Darbey filled the remaining podium positions.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action at Brands Hatch were two races from the UK Sports Prototype Cup. Having debuted in 2019, the multi-marque series boasted a bumper entry list for the start of its sophomore season and it put on quite the show.

Alex Kapadia narrowly edged out Scott Mansell in the opener before Mansell struck back in race two, getting the better of Bradley Ellis to take home a share of the spoils.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Brands Hatch, click here.

Brands Hatch beckons for BARC championships

The British Automobile Racing Club makes the first of two scheduled visits to Brands Hatch this weekend (August 1/2) for what should be a spectacular two days of on-track entertainment, with no less than six championships in action.

Following on from successful events at Cadwell Park and Croft last month, this weekend will be a notable one for the Club as it will be the first for spectators to watch in person since motorsport resumed in the UK following the COVID-19 lockdown.

With a total of 20 races set to take place around the iconic Indy layout of the Kent venue across both days, thrills and spills will be all-but guaranteed across each category.

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Lewis Saunders has proven to be the benchmark driver thus far having scored an impressive three wins from four races. Bidding to become the first two-time champion in the series, Saunders has been in fine form but hasn’t had things all his own way.

Charlie Hand has been the other race winner and alongside the likes of Molly Dodd, Ruben Hage and Jake Weston, things are far from a forgone conclusion – especially with two more encounters taking centre stage this weekend.

Variety has always proven to be the spice of life in the Classic Touring Car Championship and that was on full show last month as a bumper entry list of tin top titans lifted the curtain on the new season.

Featuring cars built in 1966 through to the early noughties, the CTCRC has something for everyone. Expect the likes of Guy Smith, Stephen Primett, Alexander Owen and Andy Robinson to be some of the names dicing towards the front for outright honours.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship starred at Croft several weeks ago and it is set to do so once again in Kent as a feast of GT machinery will do battle across a pair of 50-minute races.

At Croft, the RAW Motorsport duo of Steve Burgess and Ben Dimmack, as well as VR Motorsport’s Danny Harrison, shared the spoils and while both will be keen to replicate that feat once again this weekend, the competition is likely to make it a tough fight to do so.

Whilst several championships will be back in action this weekend, Brands Hatch will also represent the opening event of what is now a condensed 2020 season for some.

One category which will be making its first appearance of the campaign will be the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship. Home to some of the most famous cars to ever be built, the cost-effective category has been much-loved for a number of years.

Notable drivers to cast a watchful eye over at Brands Hatch include series stalwarts Jim Baynam, Stuart Plotnek, Steve McDermid and Will Sharpe – to name but a few.

Fans of all things BMW will be well-catered for over the course of the weekend as the Kumho BMW Championship roars into life for another year.

Home to all manner of models that have been produced by the Bavarian manufacturer, rear-wheel-drive rules the roost and is a sight to behold across all classes.

Rounding out the weekend will be action from the UK Sports Prototype Cup, which is embarking on its sophomore season in 2020. Looking to build on the foundations that it laid down last year, the multi-marque series boasts an ultra-competitive grid so expect fireworks to fly.

To view all of the important information ahead of this weekend’s event at Brands Hatch, such as links to the entry list and timetable, click here.

BARC announces revised provisional 2020 calendar for remainder of the year

The British Automobile Racing Club can today (June 22) reveal its revised provisional calendar for the remainder 2020; kicking off on July 4/5 and running right the way through until November 22.

Following on from the suspension of UK motorsport in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Club has worked tirelessly to put together a calendar with the dates available that will suit each individual championship.

Unfortunately, both the British Hillclimb Championship and BARC Connaught Speed Championship have elected to cancel their 2020 campaigns, with the focus now on 2021.

To view the full revised list of 2020 British Automobile Racing Club race meetings, CLICK HERE.

All dates remain provisional and subject to change in line with the current and ever-evolving government guidelines. Spectators are currently not permitted to attend events at this moment in time.

Those wishing to enter a race meeting can do so via the BARC Competitor Entry System.

For those that do not have a Username to access the BARC Competitor Entry System or if you have a general enquiry, please contact BARC Competitors secretary David Wheadon via 01264 882209 or dwheadon@barc.net.

Guidelines for Competitors and Officials have also been published in relation to how BARC race meetings will operate moving forward. They can be viewed by heading to https://www.barc.net/barc-publishes-covid-19-guidelines-for-competitors-and-officials/

Tickets on sale for prestigious BARC Championship Awards Evening in February

Champions, marshals and officials are set to be honoured at the British Automobile Racing Club’s annual Championship Awards Evening on Saturday 8th February 2020, with the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth confirmed to once again host the prestigious event.

Celebrating the 2019 season in fine style, race suits and overalls will be swapped for black ties and ball gowns as the great and good of UK motorsport come together for what should be another unforgettable night.

Whilst those who emerged victorious from their respective categories over the course of the season will take centre stage, several other ‘secret’ awards will be handed out during the evening as well – adding further excitement to the spectacle.

Hosted by Alan Hyde, the star-studded evening is set to include a three-course dinner and raffle in addition to the customary trophy presentation. Entertainment will come in the shape of popular cover band ‘The Torn Off Strips’.

Tickets for the BARC Championship Awards Evening are priced at £75.00 for BARC Members whilst £85.00 for Non-Members. Click HERE to view and complete the ticket booking form.

For more information regarding the event, please contact: Mandy Curley, BARC Ltd, Thruxton Circuit, Andover, Hants SP11 8PN | Tel: 01264 882202 (direct) | Fax: 01264 882233 | Email: mcurley@barc.net

A limited number of rooms have been allocated at Chesford Grange Hotel on a Bed & Breakfast basis at Double £112 per room and Single £98 per room.

Once allocation has gone, the full rate may be charged. To book and pre pay for your accommodation with the hotel’s central reservations line, contact 0845 074 0060 and quote ‘BARC event’.