Tag: Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres

British Truck Racing Association Championship stars on memorable BARC weekend at Snetterton

The British Automobile Racing Club enjoyed a memorable final visit to Snetterton for the 2018 season this past weekend (September 8/9) as five championships continued their campaigns.

Headlining the action were seven races from the British Truck Racing Association Championship. Having been out of action since late July, the heavyweight behemoths of the BTRA returned with title battles further intensifying.

Division 1 had looked like it would take on a familiar feel as reigning champion Ryan Smith set his stall out as the man to beat in qualifying, storming to pole position. Converting his front row start into a superlative victory in race one however that was to be his only triumph as others came to the fore.

Simon Reid, Terry Gibbon and David Jenkins, who triumphed when both Division 1 and Division 2 were combined, shared the spoils to round off the seventh event of the season.

Luke Garrett took another step closer to Division 2 glory as he bagged a brace of wins whilst Steve Powell and Brad Smith also picked up a victory apiece as well.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship enjoyed a milestone moment at the Norfolk venue too as it staged its 500th race in the second encounter of the weekend. David O’Regan emerged victorious from race one, heading Dale Gent and Reece Jones.

Reigning champion Scott Bourne wrote his name into the history books later in the day as he triumphed in the series’ marque race. In a league of his own, Bourne headed O’Regan and Gent to keep his title aspirations firmly alive.

Connor O’Brien was perfection personified in the pair of Mighty Minis Championship races as he surged to a pair of victories. A dominant drive in race one saw O’Brien take the chequered flag by more than 17 seconds ahead of David Kirpatrick and Alex Comis.

The Super Mighty Minis hotshot then headed Nevan Kirkpatrick and championship protagonist Jo Polley to make it a weekend to remember.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres saw two contrasting days at Snetterton as the title battle took another pivotal swing. On Saturday, Stephen Whitelegg affirmed his status as one to watch as he produced a scintillating hat-trick of wins.

Day two during the weekend saw Miles Rudman, Marcus Pett and Matthew Pape each take a win

Rounding off the weekend were a brace of races from the Dunlop Endurance Championship. Laurent de Meeus and Jamie Stanley dominated in the Sprint category as they piloted their FF Corse Ferrair 488 Challenge machine to victory in the shorter 50-minute duels.

The longer two-hour race was won by the KTM X-Bow pairing of Mike McCollum and Sean Cooper in their Track Focused – Oakfields Advisors Ltd-backed car.

For the full classification of results from all sessions at Snetterton, 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.

British Truck Racing Association Championship headlines bumper BARC event at Snetterton

The British Truck Racing Association Championship returns to action this weekend (September 8/9), headlining what is set to be a bumper two days of track action around the long straights and demanding curves of Snetterton.

As the 2018 campaign moves towards the business end of the season, title battles are set to further intensify around the Norfolk circuit with five categories primed and ready to duke it out.

Having not competed since late July at Donington Park, the British Truck Racing Association Championship will pick up where it left off with a scheduled eight races set to be run and a 23-driver entry list confirmed.

In Division 1, reigning champion Ryan Smith has been a one-man juggernaut at times and has built up a sizeable advantage at the summit of the standings. On course to retain his crown, Smith could well put himself in an even stronger position this weekend if he adds to his impressive win tally.

Smith’s nearest challengers as it stands is former champion David Jenkins and multiple race winner Jamie Anderson, both of whom are not to be discounted. Other drivers to keep an eye on include ten-time champion Stuart Oliver, Luke Taylor and Richard Collett.

Luke Garrett finds himself in a similarly comfortable position at the top of Division 2 and the MAN driver will be keen to replicate the clean sweep he recorded at Donington Park. With 15 victories to his name thus far, Garrett will have his sights set on the top step of the podium.

Bidding to reel Garrett back in is Brad Smith, Steve Powell, John Powell, John Bowler and Simon Cole, amongst others.

The Dunlop Endurance Championship will bring a jaw-dropping array of GT machinery to Snetterton for a 50-minute sprint race and a longer two-hour encounter as well.

Matt Greenwood and Sarah Moore currently hold top spot in the Endurance rankings whilst Michael Igoe and Adam Wilcox lead the way in the Sprint category. With another bumper entry list confirmed, which includes Renault UK Clio Cup series leader Max Coates, this weekend is set to be an enthralling one for Britcar.

Lea Wood and Scott Bourne will resume their battle in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship with a pair of races set to write the latest chapter in what has been a memorable season. As it stands, there is nothing to separate the pair at the top of the points.

Whilst Wood is gunning for his maiden championship in the popular series, Bourne is bidding to make it back-to-back triumphs and a slip up for either of them could prove costly in the remainder of the season.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres campaign will resume at Snetterton too with John Mickel aiming to retain his title. In what has been a frenetic season for the Legends contingent, wheel-to-wheel thrills and spills are all but guaranteed at Snetterton as 25 cars get ready to battle it out across six races.

Behind Mickel; Steve Whitelegg, Miles Rudman, Jack Parker, Sean Smith and Paul Simmons are all firmly in title contention and could make their own impact.

Rounding off the action at Snetterton will be a set of races from the Mighty Minis Championship. Despite being small in size, Mighty Minis pack a big punch and fans can expect to witness cars four abreast on countless occasions. Jo Polley has been a revelation of sorts this year and enters the weekend as the form driver.

BTRA headlines blockbuster Brands Hatch bank holiday weekend meeting

The BTRA Truck Racing Championship headlined what proved to be a bumper bank holiday weekend at Brands Hatch (April 1/2) for the British Automobile Racing Club, with a total of seven championships in action.

Tackling the infamous Indy layout of the Kent venue in mixed conditions across both days, a bumper crowd was treated to a feast of wheel-to-wheel battles.

In the heavyweight Truck encounters, Division 1 served up a host of storming races with Stuart Oliver kicking off proceedings with victory in race one, narrowly pipping David Jenkins. Roles were reversed in race two however as Jenkins got the better of Oliver to clinch his maiden win of the season.

Despite joining Mat Summerfield as a late entry reigning champion Ryan Smith showed his class on day two as he romped to a host of victories.

In Division 2, Luke Garrett was in similar form as he set his stall out as an early title contender, triumphing on three occasions. John and Steve Powell were the other victors in the more production-based category.

The Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres was back in action too for their second event of the year and six races being run. Day one saw Miles Rudman notch his first win of the season before 2017 runner-up Ben Power scored wins in race two and the grand final.

Defending champion John Mickel hit the front on day two with a win in race one before Rudman once again underlined his speed with a second triumph of the weekend. Following a high speed crash earlier in the day on the pit straight, Will Gibson bounced back to finish the day on the top step of the podium.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship saw Lea Wood exert his dominance with a near perfect weekend as he romped to a brace of wins. The former BTCC racer scythed his way through the field in the opener before stamping his authority as a serial title contender in race two with an equally impressive performance.

Dominance was the norm in the Kumho BMW Championship and Scrapco/Avon Tyres Intermarque Championship too as Colin Wells and Malcolm Blackman clinched double wins respectively.

Rounding the list of race winners was Rod Birley, who was back on track in his rebuilt Ford Escort RS, and Adrian Bradley – both of whom took to the top step of the podium in the amalgamated BARC Modified Saloon Car Championship and BARC South East Tin Tops Championship races.

For the full classification of results, click here.

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.

Brands Hatch set for BARC Easter extravaganza

Brands Hatch is primed for a bank holiday weekend of blockbuster proportions on Sunday and Monday as the British Truck Racing Association Championship roars into life for another season.

Headlining what is a bumper programme of track action around the Indy layout, a mammoth crowd is set to descend on the Kent venue for an Easter extravaganza of thrills ’n’ spills.

Weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing more than 1000bhp each, nothing quite compares to British Truck Racing. This weekend’s opening event will see a total of seven races run across both Divisions, however the landscape of both has changed.

In the top tier, double and reigning champion Ryan Smith has elected not to return, meaning his title is very much up for grabs. Leading the list of contenders that fans will be looking out for is multiple champion Stuart Oliver, prolific front runner Dave Jenkins and Luke Taylor, amongst others.

Division 2 champion Mika Makinen will also missing from the grid this year, opening the floodgates in the more production-based category. Former title holder Adam Bint will be keen to get back to winning ways whilst the likes of Simon Cole, John Powell and Luke Garrett lead the long list of fellow contenders.

Elsewhere, one man that will be defending his title this year starting at Brands Hatch is Scott Bourne. Climbing to the top of the Pickup Truck Racing Championship mountain in 2017, Bourne is back with a new livery and the coveted number one adorning his truck.

In what has been a strong off-season for the championship as a whole, with an influx of entries being submitted, the popular category is set for another memorable year. Usual protagonists Lea Wood, David O’Reagan, Michael Smith and Mark Willis are all joined by a host of familiar and new faces – making the opening two races impossible to call.

Following on from a memorable opening weekend in mid-March at Oulton Park, the Legends Cars National Championship with MRF Tyres are back in action. Making the first of three visits to Brands Hatch this year, a bumper grid of the 5/8 scale machines are set to put on a show across the six races that are set to be run.

Jack Parker’s opening round consistency has placed him at the top of the standings however he has a host of race winners nipping at his heels. Will Gibson and Steve Whitelegg both took wins at Oulton Park and sit second and third in the points, with reigning champion John Mickel not far behind either.

Fans of all things BMW will be drawn to the Kumho BMW Championship, which gets underway this weekend too. Open to all models of the German manufacturer, the championship will once again run a multi-class system depending on specification.

Notable names to look out for during the season-opener include Russell Dack, Giuseppe Callari, James Card and Gareth Montgomery.

Rounding out the weekend’s jam-packed race programme will be the three categories from the BARC’s South East Centre; the BARC Modified Saloon Car Championship, BARC South East Tin Top Championship and Scrapco Metal/Avon Tyres Intermarque Championship.

All bringing together a diverse range of machines to their individual grids, a wealth of local talent is set to shine through over the course of the two days.

One of the big stories will lie in the Modified Saloon Car races as Rod barley bids to get back on track following his high speed crash at the same venue last November, injuring him and causing substantial damage to his Ford Escort RS.