Tag: Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship

BARC heads back to Brands Hatch for latest two-day event

Brands Hatch will welcome back the British Automobile Racing Club to Kent this weekend (May 11/12) with six championship readying themselves for another pivotal event on their 2019 calendars respectively.

In what is the latest visit to the Indy circuit for the BARC, the two-day event is the latest chapter in what is proving to be another vintage of motorsport for the Club and its championships.

Topping the bill will be a pair of one-hour races from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. With two events at Silverstone in the books already for Britcar’s premier series, the 1.2 mile Brands Hatch layout will welcome an awe-inspiring line-up of illustrious supercars, all of which will be set to go wheel-to-wheel.

Ferrari 488 Challenge’s lockout the top two spots in the standings and they could well be the car to beat. Tim Gray’s Praga R1T will also be one to watch having been a force to be reckoned with already whilst several other car and driver combinations will be eyeing success.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series is back in action for the second time this year and all signs point to another pulsating event. Three races will be run across both days and both the third and fourth generation Clio will be

Ronan Pearson, James Colburn, Nic Harrison and Simon Freeman were just a few of the stars at the curtain-raiser and they will all, along with several others, be keen to mix it at the front of their respective classes.

It has been a lengthy wait for the second Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship meeting, having initially kicked off their season at Oulton Park in March. With some of the most iconic MG machinery from all eras battling it out for supremacy, the championship is not to be missed.

Notable names to keep an eye on across both days include multiple champion Jim Baynam, Stuart Plotnek, Fergus Campbell and Steve Darbey.

The Kumho BMW Championship has starred at Oulton Park and Castle Combe so far and that theme will likely continue this weekend. Pitting some of the best models from the German manufacturer against each other, the production-based series continues to be a smash-hit.

Garrie Whittacker has emerged as the man to beat so far however the likes of Lucky Khera, James Card and Trevor Ford are amongst several leading contenders out to halt his momentum.

Showcasing some of the best saloon cars competing today, the BARC Tin Tops Championship will be back in action at Brands Hatch for the second time this year. Having produced a mesmerising pair of races last month, another variety-filled grid is set to line up and duke it out for supremacy.

Capping off the weekend’s action will be several demonstration runs from the all-new SmarTrack Series Elite. Designed to appeal to both amateurs and more experienced racers aged 40 and above, the brand new series will hit the track with two Jaguar Project 8 cars.

Giving drivers the opportunity to fettle their cars as well as give the public its first taste of the category, Series Elite will hit the track on four occasions over the course of the weekend for further mileage to be clocked.

To find out more information, including a timetable and links to live timing, click here.

BARC serves up six-tastic Silverstone spectacle

The home of British motorsport, Silverstone, played host to a memorable two days of British Automobile Racing Club action this past weekend (March 30/31) as six more championships launched their 2019 campaigns.

In what is a traditional fixture on the Club’s early-season calendar, the International configuration of the Northamptonshire venue once again showcased a raft of wheel-to-wheel battles across all categories.

Headlining Saturday’s action was a pair of races from the Dunlop Endurance Championship, which boasted a record 36-car entry list. With a pair of one-hour encounters setting pulses racing, Tim Gray proved to be the man to beat in race one at the wheel of his VR Motorsport Praga R1T.

Gray took on the Lamborghini pairing of John Seale and Marcus Clutton, prevailing to narrowly take the chequered flag by little under two seconds. Seale and Clutton ensured they savoured victory too by dominating race two, lapping the entire field in their striking Huracan.

The Michelin Clio Cup Series saw the spoils shared as Luke Pinder and Simon Freeman took a win apiece. The pair were inseparable for a majority of the weekend as they vied for top spot in the Race Class with Ronan Pearson and Paul Bell rounding off the podium in each race respectively.

James Colburn bagged a brace of victories in the new-for-2019 Sport Class, whilst double Road Class champion Nic Harrison also enjoyed a double-winning performance as well.

Having reigned supreme in the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship last year, Pete Sparrow began the defence of his title in fine style as he romped his way to a pair of victories – setting his stall out as the man to beat once more.

Rick Morris also enjoyed a stellar weekend as he too scored a pair of wins, this time in the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Heading what was a stellar entry list of experienced single seater racers, Morris was a tour-de-force in the opening encounter to fend off Mark Armstrong and John Village.

In race two, Morris then prevailed from a nail-biting 17-lap affair ahead of 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey – who was making a popular return to the series – whilst Armstrong picked up another rostrum finish.

Spoils were shared in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship races as William Sharpe and Steve Darbey won overall. Never short of entertainment, the multi-class series is home to some of the most iconic machines from the MG brand however it was to be the MG ZR that reigned supreme – a car that Sharpe and Darbey both piloted.

Capping off the weekend’s action in Northamptonshire was a raft of races from the Caterham Graduates Championship. Another category which has forged a name for itself in recent years, amalgamated grids ensured there was plenty of action throughout each class.

The combined Mega/Classic/135/125 races came down to Luke Tzourou and Kevin Barrett, with the pair nip-and-tuck with each other and ultimately taking a win apiece. Elsewhere Samuel Wilson emerged as the man to beat in the Sigmax and 150 races as he romped to a brace of wins ahead of Jamie Ellwood.

To view the full classification of results across all championships from Silverstone, click here.

Silverstone beckons for six action-packed BARC championships

Silverstone awaits the arrival of the British Automobile Racing Club this weekend (March 30/31) with six championships kicking off their 2019 campaigns.

As the new season begins to gather momentum, the BARC descends on the home of British motorsport once more to tackle the International layout, with enthralling entertainment expected to keep fans on the edge of their seats throughout both days.

Topping the bill for the weekend is the Dunlop Endurance Championship which has attracted a record entry for the second year running. Boasting a grid of 36 jaw-dropping machines, Britcar is enjoying a period of rude health and that is only set to continue with tweaks having been made to the race format.

This weekend’s opening event sees the introduction of two one-hour races instead of the previous 50-minute and two-hour encounters, thus further enticing more iconic machinery to the grid. In addition the class structure has also been altered however that won’t wave from the likes of Ferrari, BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, Mercedes and more going wheel-to-wheel.

Nostalgia single seater thrills will come in the shape of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship this weekend with two races scheduled to take place. Harking back to the days when the category was a feeder series to Formula 1, the racing remains the same

Experienced racers such as Stuart Kestnbaum, Mark Armstrong and Rick Morris are amongst the favourites to shine whilst attention will also be paid to former BTCC champion turned presenter Tim Harvey, who is back behind the wheel of a Van Dieman.

It’s a new chapter for the Michelin Clio Cup Series this year too as they introduce the fourth generation car into the newly formed ‘Sport Class’. Having been a haven for tin top thrills down the years, the Clio Cup Series is set to scale new heights with as it looks to the future.

Both the Race and Road Class categories boast bumper grids too, with a new champion set to be crowned in 2019 following Ben Palmer moving onto new pastures. Nic Harrison meanwhile remains the man to beat in the Road Class as he bids to become a three-time title winner.

The Caterham Graduates Championship has become synonymous for close-quarter action down the years and that theme is set to continue this weekend. Four classes will duke it out in amalgamated grids with more than 40 cars confirmed to kick off the season in style.

Jamie Ellwood, Robin Webb, Mark Carter, Ben Winrow and Jon Curry are just a few of the drivers that have flourished in the past and could be potent threats over the course of both days.

Small in stature but never short of entertainment, the 2CV Parts.com Classic Racing Championship is back for another year and with another healthy entry list. Following on from a frenetic 2018 campaign which saw Pete Sparrow clinch the title, the series is back for another year – kicking off the season this weekend before a raft of events between now and August.

Capping off the weekend’s BARC action are a pair of races from the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship. Showcasing some of the most iconic machines from the iconic manufacturer, all eras of MG are fielded in this multi-class category, with battles raging throughout the grid.

Jim Baynam, Steve McDermid and Simon Kendrick are just three drivers to look out for as they all bid to kick their campaigns off on the right foot.

To find out more information regarding this weekend’s event at Silverstone, click here.

BARC serves up scorching weekend at Thruxton Summer Truckfest

The British Automobile Racing Club served up a scorching weekend (July 7/8) both on and off the track at Thruxton, with seven championships tackling the fastest circuit in the country.

Amidst the heatwave the UK is currently revelling in, a bumper crowd turned out in force across both days to watch a variety of categories write the latest chapter in their 2018 campaigns.

Stealing the show was the British Truck Racing Association Championship, which staged a total of eight fraught races. Division 1 saw reigning champion Ryan Smith produce an emphatic display as he kicked off the weekend from storming to pole position. From there, the event belonged to Smith as he surged to four wins from four races, extending his championship lead in doing so too.

Whilst Smith topped the podium, a host of other drivers including Stuart Oliver, Luke Taylor, David Jenkins, Jamie Anderson and Simon Reid all scored rostrum finishes.

In Division 2 there were to be three different winners from four races, with Steve Powell emerging as the man to triumph twice. Powering his way to pole position, Powell took a dominant lights-to-flag victory in the opener before then replicating that performance in the combined Division 1 & 2 race at the end of the weekend.

Brad Smith and Luke Garrett were the other victors from the class with Smith’s victory proving to be a popular one as he broke his 2018 winless duck.

In the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, reigning champion Scott Bourne closed the gap to points leader Lea Wood with a dominant double. In two frenetic encounters, Bourne prevailed from both races narrowly pipping Wood, with just a tenth of a second covering the pair at the chequered flag each time. Mark Willis rounded out the podium in both races too.

Ben Palmer emerged as another double winner from the weekend as he continued his unbeaten run in the Michelin Clio Cup Series. Despite missing out on pole position, the defending champion produced two stellar performances to strengthen his advantage at the summit of the standings. Nic Harrison did the same in the road class of the series, sweeping his way to a pair of wins.

Spoils were shared in the Mighty Minis Championship as Greg Jenkins and David Kirkpatrick took a win apiece. Dicing for the lead in both races, Jenkins bested Kirkpatrick and Alex Comis in race one before the roles were reversed in race two, with Ian Slark rounding off the podium.

Dean Sullivan and Simon Kendrick emerged victorious from the weekend’s two Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship races. Sullivan narrowly pipped Kendrick to the chequered flag in race one before the latter then produced a devastating display to win by more than 11 seconds. Stuart Philps was unable to stop the squabbling duo and instead had to settle for third place in both races.

The Kumho BMW Championship races had a familiar feel to them as Colin Wells took a pair of win. Wells was the dominant force from the outset and despite the best efforts of James Card, Piers Reid and Darren Fielding, the experienced racer wasn’t to be denied.

Rounding off the weekend’s action was a host of races from the APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship. In the amalgamated Sigmax/ Sigmax VCT duels, Samuel Wilson and Oliver Gibson scored a win apiece whilst Jamie Ellwood, Jonathan Curry and Steve McMaster each took podiums.

The weekend’s Mega, Sigma & Classic races had Declan Dolan take honours in race one before Simon Griffiths struck to score a win of his in the second bout. Ben Winrow and Andy Skinner also picked up silverware too.

For the full classification of results from all of the weekend’s action, click here.

BARC championships set for Thruxton Summer Truckfest scorcher

The British Automobile Racing Club is gearing up for a scorching weekend (July 7/8) on and off the track at Thruxton as seven championships resume battle in Hampshire.

As the UK revels in World Cup fever and the summer heat, the fastest circuit in the country will play host to a diverse range of categories, all of which are ready to set pulses racing.

Headlining the weekend is the British Truck Racing Association Championship, in association with Truck & Driver. Back on UK soil after starring at the Nurburgring last weekend, the heavyweight series will likely provide unmissable viewing with eight races scheduled to be run.

In Division 1, defending champion Ryan Smith leads the way having won ten races thus far. Firmly focused on lifting the title for a third successive year, Smith will be one to watch, as will the chasing pack that will be keen to reel him in. David Jenkins, Stuart Oliver and Jamie Anderson are all firmly in the hunt and will be ones to watch.

Luke Garrett has established himself as the man to beat in Division 2 and he will also be looking to extend his championship lead at Thruxton. Four wins at Nurburgring underlined his credentials however John Powell, Steve Powell, Simon Cole, Brad Smith and many more can’t be discounted from closing the gap to Garrett.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship makes its annual visit to Thruxton with the title battle delicately poised. Lea Wood bagged the lions share of success early on in the season but a resurgent run of results from reigning champion Scott Bourne sees the pair enter the weekend split by a handful of points, with David O’Reagan and Michael Smith also on the fringe of entering the fray.

Two races from the Michelin Clio Cup Series will give tin top fans plenty to smile about, with one-make series undoubtedly set to dazzle. Home to the third generation Clio Cup car, the series has seen unrivalled dominance from defending champion Ben Palmer, winning every race staged thus far. With a long list of contenders all nipping at his heels, Palmer could either further extend his run or see it come to an end in Hampshire. Nic Harrison meanwhile will be looking to get back to winning ways in the road class.

Small in stature but packing plenty of power under the bonnet, the Mighty Minis Championship is never short of entertainment and that theme will likely continue at Thruxton. Sometimes at least four abreast on track, the Minis will be on top form, as will the leading contenders. Stuart Coombes and Lee Polman find themselves in a straight forward battle for the Mighty Mini class while Jo Polley currently leads the way in the Super Mighty Mini class.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship has served up plenty of memorable moments so far and this weekend should be no different. Split into five different classes depending on model, the series has continued to thrive this year, boasting bumper grids throughout. Graeme Smith, Robert Winrow, Jonathan Curry, Declan Dolan and Mark Johnson lead their respective classes into the weekend.

Elsewhere, the Kumho BMW Championship will showcase the very best of the German manufacturer with a great mix of models from down the years. The action has been fast and furious up to now and the flat-out thrills ’n’ spills show no signs of letting up as the series descend on Andover.

Rounding off the action will be the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, which brings the best models of iconic brand onto the sam tarmac to go wheel-to-wheel. Notable names to keep a watchful eye over include Jim Baynam, Martin Willis and Stephen McDermid.

BARC championships dazzle at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club produced two days of memorising racing this past weekend (June 2/3) at Donington Park, with six championships in action.

On what was a scorching event both on and off the track, the Leicestershire-based venue proved to be a fitting backdrop for the latest chapter of championship action across all categories.

In the BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns, three high-octane encounters served up a feast of thrills ’n’ spills. At the wheel of his Mallock MK23, Clive Wood proved to be the driver to beat as he charged to a trio of victories – all by more than ten seconds.

As Wood emerged as the yardstick for those behind to beat, a host of contenders all picked up rostrum finishes. Ian Crombie, Monika Arvidsson, Peter Richings and Michael Mallock all secured silverware over the course of the weekend too.

Boasting an entry list of more than 20 iconic German machines, the Kumho BMW Championship delivered two action-packed races. In the opening encounter, James Card piloted his BMW M3 E46 to victory, a mere two seconds ahead of Piers Reid.

Missing out on top spot in race one, Reid made no mistake in the second bout of the weekend as he too drove his M3 to win, narrowly pipping Garrie Whittaker.

Dave Rees was perfection personified in the Mighty Minis Championship, bagging a brace of victories whilst Paul Roddison did the same in the Max5 Racing Championship. Roddison’s double further underlined his dominance in the one-make Mazda series as he extended his win tally to seven victories from eight races.

Fans of single seater racing were treated over the course of the weekend too virtue of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship.

Winding the clock back to a bygone era of open-wheeled racing, both races delivered exhilarating entertainment and ultimately saw Benn Tilley steer his Merlyn Mk20 to victory in both races. Ben Tinkler and Nigel Lingwood could only watch on and occupy the remaining podium positions as Tilley added to his impressive record in 2018.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship rounded off the action from the Club, bringing together some of the most iconic models from the much-loved marques.

Spoils were to be shared come the end of the weekend with Martin Willis in his MG F and Steve Darbey in his MG ZR taking a win apiece.

In addition to the BARC championship action, MSA British Superkarts also duked it out around the sweeping curves under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Rockingham serves up BARC weekend to remember

It was all-out action at Rockingham this past weekend (April 14/15) as the British Automobile Racing Club produced a blockbuster two days of racing, with a host of championships coming to the fore.

On what was the first of what are set to be many visits that the Club will make to the Corby circuit over the course of the 2018 campaign, wheel-to-wheel edge-of-the-seat thrills were on order from the get-go.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship roared into life for a new season with another jaw-dropping array of cars and drivers making up the entry list. In the shorter 50-minute sprint race, Richard Neary powered his Mercedes AMG GT GT3 to victory ahead of the Ferrari 458 GT3 pairing of David Mason and Ross Wylie.

Neary notched a second sprint race win later in the day as the longer two-hour endurance race began to unfold. Following a total of 79 laps being completed, Andreas Demetriou and Luke Williams of Black Mamba Racing stormed to take the chequered flag, a mere three seconds ahead of the KTM X-Bow duo of Mike McCollum and Sean Cooper.

Ben Palmer continued his dominance of the Michelin Clio Cup Series, making it four wins from four races with another double at Rockingham. Living up the mantel of defending champion, Palmer once again swept his way to the top step of the podium in both races, further strengthening his position at the top of the points. The road class saw Nic Harrison win twice too.

The Renault UK Clio Cup Junior Championship saw similar levels of dominance with Gus Burton propelling himself to the top of the point’s standings after notching two wins.

In the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Joel Wren staked his claim as a credible title contender with a double of his own. In what turned out to be another frenetic weekend for the Citroen Saxo category, Wren made a lightening start in race one to take a commanding lights-to-flag victory.

Despite finishing second on the road in race two, Wren was declared the winner following a post-race exclusion for Ben Kasperczak, making it a dream weekend for him. Kasperczak picked up a rostrum finisher in the opener with Steven Chandler. Frankie Taylor and Charlotte Birch meanwhile scored silverware in race two.

Scott Kendall and Nevan Kirkpatrick shared the spoils in the Mighty Minis Championship whilst the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw two wins go the way of Lee Sullivan in his MG ZR.

The curtain lifted on a new season for the Classic VW Cup with a variety of different models from the German brand doing battle. In what proved to be two thrilling encounters, Daniel Rose and Ken Lark proved to be in a league of their own, with Rose narrowly getting the better of Lark in his Golf to take both wins.

Rounding out the action at Rockingham was the new-for-2018 BARC Saloon Series, which also encompassed the Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge. Open to all manner of saloon cars, the latest series to align itself with the Club enjoyed a strong first showing.

Robert Burkinshaw claimed race honours both in the overall and the VTEC Challenge classifications whilst Alistair Lindsey and Jacob Carter took a win apiece in the BARC Saloons classification.

For the full race results from every championship, click here.

Contrasting conditions add to the BARC spectacle at Cadwell Park

The British Automobile Racing Club showcased a wet and wild visit to the picturesque Cadwell Park with five championships continuing their 2018 campaigns.

Mixed weather throughout the weekend provided tricky track conditions, adding further spice to the action, especially in the amalgamated BARC Saloons Series & Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Series races – both eventually won by Robert Burkinshaw.

Starting from pole, the Honda Integra driver produced an effortless performance to gap William Casswell, Phil Wright and Ashley Shelswell before taking the chequered flag. Race two mirrored the opener in what proved to be a race of attrition for the top positions.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship has provided some excellent racing all year and that was underlined throughout the breadth of the field during the weekend too. A narrow victory for Martin Wills ahead of Simon Kendrick in race one aided his solid points haul over the weekend, later adding with a second victory in race two.

The Classic VW Cup returned to action with Ken Lark in his Corrado 2994 taking victory over Toby Absolom’s Golf 3200. A tight battle between Alex Kite and Nick Sanderson for third on track gave the fans plenty to put them on the edge of their seat, with both serving up an enthralling show despite the treacherous conditions. Race one winner and pole sitter Lark suffered a non-finish in race two, leaving the path to victory win wide open for Absolom, who gratefully prevailed.

The penultimate event of the year for the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600s saw Benn Tilley extend his championship lead with a win in race one. A non-finish for Tilley in race two however allowed his rivals to strike with Nigel Lingwood notching his maiden victory ahead of Ted Pearson and former champion Stuart Kestenbaum.

Paul Roddison continued his winning streak in the Max5 Racing Championship as he added to his impressive win tally with another pair of triumphs. Roddison asserted himself in the opener to beat Ian Loversidge by nine seconds before turning the wick up in race two to take the chequered flag by more than 20 seconds.

Capping off the weekend at Cadwell Park was host of races from the Dunlop Mini Miglia Championship and Dunlop Mini Se7en Championship. Kane Astin and Rupert Deeth shared the spoils in the Miglia category whilst Scott Kendall reigned supreme in the Se7en class. Paul Nevill rounded out the long list of race winners in the Ford Saloon Series.

For the full classification of results, click here.

BARC kicks off new season at Oulton Park

Following months of preparation and anticipation, the 2018 motorsport season for the British Automobile Racing Club is set to get underway this weekend (March 17) at Oulton Park.

A traditional starting point in mid-March for the Club, the Cheshire-based venue will host four championships in what is set to be a blockbuster day of non-stop thrills ’n’ spills.

Boasting an impressive 33-car grid for the forthcoming season and keen to put on a show for those in attendance is the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres.

Kicking off what is set to be a frenetic 51-race season, spanning the length and breadth of the UK, the popular category will race three times around Oulton Park on Saturday, with all eyes on reigning champion John Mickel as he bids to defend his title.

Challenges to Mickel’s crown are set to come from all angles however with the likes of Ben Power, Jack Parker, Steve Whitelegg and Marcus Pett, amongst a host of others, set to take the fight to the multiple title winner.

Big grids are also expected in the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship, the jewel in the crown of the BARC’s North West Centre.

A mammoth 38-car grid has been confirmed for the opening two races of the season with a diverse range of cars set to duke it out for outright honours. One notable absentee however from the entry list is 2017 champion Joe Spencer, however he is hoping to compete in selected events later in the year.

With Spencer out of the picture, many eyes will be on the Saker duo of Paul Rose and Steve Harris who head the entry list. Throw into the miss the likes of former champion Paul Dobson, Dave Taylor and Garry Wardle and you will get just a taster of how competitive this year is set to be.

Close-quarter action is set to be a theme in the APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship too as they also roar into action for the first time this year.

Introducing a revised class structure and benefitting from the blend of old and new faces competing, the championship is set to go from strength-to-strength as it seeks to build on what was a stellar 20th anniversary last year.

Rounding out the on-track action for this one-day event is the Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship. Mixing nostalgia classics with some of the most recent models from the iconic brand, another jam-packed grid are set to battle it out for the multiple class titles that are on offer.

BARC championships set to dazzle at Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Donington Park this weekend (June 2/3) with six championships set to produce plenty of wheel-to-wheel thrills as they continue their 2018 campaigns.

With summer approaching and events coming thick and fast, this visit to the Leicestershire-based venue for some will mark the second half of the season – igniting title battles even further.

Having been in action just last weekend, the Max5 Racing Championship descends on Donington Park for another two races this weekend with it all to play for. Marking the fourth stop on the calendar, the multi-class category has served up plenty of entertainment thus far.

Paul Roddison enters the event as the man to beat having won five of the six races already. Winning five in-a-row, the series veteran saw his winning streak come to an end at Anglesey last time out as Jeremy Shipley took the chequered flag. Keen to strike back with further triumphs, Roddison will be one to watch however Shipley, Matthew Tidmarsh, Richard Smith and Josh Malin are set to all be in the mix.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns will be in action for the second time this season over the course of the weekend too. Kicking off their campaign at Brands Hatch, the popular prototype series is never short of producing close racing.

Mark Charteris, Steve Dickens and Michelle Hayward all took class victories around the Indy layout last month and the trio will be looking to add to their ever-growing silverware collections under the flightpath of East Midlands airport this weekend.

Small in size but packing a real punch on-track, the Mighty Minis Championship will undoubtedly be deliver a host of edge-of-the-seat moments. Boasting a bumper grid made up of the iconic car, Donington Park marks the halfway point in the season and it is all to play for.

In the more powerful Super Mighty Mini class wins have gone the way of Stuart Combes, Lee Polman, Greg Jenkins, Damien Harrington and Alex Comis – making picking a winner for outright glory at this event almost impossible to choose from.

Elsewhere in the Mighty Mini class, the likes of Seven Kirkpatrick, Scott Kendall and Jo Polley have all been the leading lights and each will be looking to add to their impressive 2018 resumes.

There will be a diverse range of machinery in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship as it too reaches the halfway stage of the season. Events at Oulton Park, Rockingham and Snetterton have set the tone already, with the likes of Jim Baynam, Stuart Plotnek and David Mellor as the perennial contenders to look out for.

Fans of single seater racing will be well catered for over the course of the weekend too via the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship. Taking a trip down memory lane of the once popular category, the jaw-dropping machines of yesteryear continue to spark great racing.

Mike Gardner, Mark Armstrong, Benn Tilley, Adriano Mederios and more have all tasted success this year and will be looking to do so once again.

Capping off the BARC competition will be a pair of races from the Kumho BMW Championship. Bringing the best models from the German manufacturer together onto one grid, the series has continued to keep going from strength-to-strength with Colin Wells, Ian Crisp and Russell Dack are three of just many drivers that have made their mark this year.

In addition to the feast of BARC action, the British Superkarts will also be in action around the sweeping curves of Donington Park.

BARC championships battle mixed conditions at Oulton Park

The British Automobile Racing Club officially kicked off the 2018 season on track this past Saturday (March 17) with four championships doing battle around Oulton Park.

Marking the start of a new campaign, competitors and spectators were met with all manner of weather conditions as sun and snow battered the Cheshire venue.

Edge-of-the-seat thrills were delivered in droves from the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres as a 33-car entry list duked it out across three encounters.

Will Gibson snatched the early advantage as he stormed to victory in the opening race of the day, pipping reigning champion John Mickel and the ever-impressive Jack Parker. Gibson was unable to repeat his performance in the second race however as Steve Whitelegg surged to victory, with Parker and Miles Rudman in tow.

Come the final at the end of the day, Connor Mills proved to be the man to beat as he led home Parker, who made it a trio of podium finishes, and race one winner Gibson to take top spot.

Like Legends, the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Car Championship also boasted a bumper grid of more than 30 cars of all makes and models. Just one race instead of the timetabled two was run though and following a restart, Paul Rose emerged as the victor.

At the wheel of his Saker RAPX S1-400, Rose was in a league of his own as he took the chequered flag by more than 20 seconds. The battle for the remaining podium positions proved to be a lot closer though with just three tenths of a second separating David Harvey and Danny Bird.

The APL Health Caterham Graduates Championship also roared into life at Oulton Park with a host of new and old faces going wheel-to-wheel.

In the amalgamated Mega/Classic/Sigma/Sigman VCT races Declan Dolan continued his fine form from 2017 to take a brace of victories. The reigning Mega champion swept his way to a dominant double as Ben Winrow shadowed him in both races. Kevin Barrett and Roger Ford each picked up a third place each too.

Lee Collins was equally as dominant in the two Sigmax/Sigmax VCT races as he topped the rostrum in both. Collins led Oliver Gibson and Jamie Winrow in the opener before Winrow led the charge to try and beat him along with Ben Gillias in the second.

Rounding out action at the weekend was the Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship. In two frenetic races, some of the most iconic machines from the popular brand put on a show for those in attendance.

Piloting his MG ZR, David Mellor picked up victory in race one ahead of Martin Wells and Stuart Plotnek before Simon Kendrick, driving a MG F VVC, took the win in race two ahead of Plotnek and Stuart Philps.

For the full classification of results from all championships, click here.

BARC heads back to Cadwell Park for full-throttle weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club heads north to the undulating curves of Cadwell Park this weekend (September 8/9) with six championships set to continue their 2018 campaigns.

In what will be the latest visit to the picturesque circuit in Lancashire, the demanding layout of Cadwell is set to produce close-quarter action across the variety of categories competing.

A spirited trip down memory lane will be in order for the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship as they stage their penultimate event of the season. Showcasing the glory years of single seater racing, the open-wheeled series has been rife with high-octane moments throughout the year – and this weekend is set to be no different with two races set to be run.

Benn Tilley has proved to be the benchmark driver in recent rounds but the likes of Mark Armstrong, Stuart Kestenbaum and Ben Tinkler, amongst a host of others, will all be out to haunt his momentum.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship has served up another enthralling season of racing this year and shows no sign of slowing up heading to Cadwell. With all manner of models from the marquee manufacturer being represented on the grid, the multi-class series has proven to be a haven for entertainment.

Series veteran Jim Baynam finds himself leading the way in the standings however his lead could come under further threat if the likes of Stephen McDermid and Martin Willis score big points.

There has been a fair share of memorable moments from the Max5 Racing Championship this year which has largely been dominated by Paul Roddison. Holding a near-perfect record, Roddison will be keen to continue his winning ways whilst the likes of Jeremy Shipley bid to halt his progress.

Elsewhere over the course of the weekend will be a feast of tin top action from the Classic VW Cup, BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge.

Bringing together some of the most iconic machines from the German marque, the Classic VW Cup has flourished in its maiden season of having its own grids. A diverse range of machines will also been seen across the BARC Saloon Series and Dream Automotive Honda VTEC Challenge -each of them likely to take on a starring role.

In addition to the feast of BARC action, on-track thrills will also come from the Mini Se7en Championship and Mini Miglia Championship, both of whom starred at Thruxton’s 50th Anniversary Meeting in early June.

Fans of all things Ford will be well-catered for too as a pair of races from the Racing Fords series will also take place.

For more information on this weekend’s event at Cadwell Park, including a timetable and links to live timing, click here
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