TOCA support package ready for party in the park at Oulton

The TOCA support package is back to full capacity this weekend (June 9/10) with five championships descending on Oulton Park for the latest event of the 2018 season.

With three categories only making the annual visit to Thruxton last time out, the hugely popular Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship supporting cast are back to full strength and ready to steal the show.

It has been a frenetic three events for the Renault UK Clio Cup and that is only set to continue at the Cheshire venue, with James Dorlin leading the way. The Westbourne Motorsport driver enters the weekend in control of the championship standings and with momentum on his side having won four races in-a-row.

Keen to extend that winning run, Dorlin will be one to watch although a host of front runners are all waiting in the wings, keen to score a win and end Dorlin’s victory streak. Max Coates, Paul Rivett and Daniel Rowbottom have all been firmly in the mix thus far, and along with a host of others, should be not be discounted at all.

The Ginetta Junior Championship is guaranteed to provide edge-of-the-seat entertainment wherever it goes and arriving at Oulton Park, Adam Smalley controls the standings after scoring a win and a second place at Thruxton.

Flying the flag for Elite Motorsport, Smalley has been one of many leading lights so far this season along with Louis Foster and Luke Browning, fellow race winners and the drivers that occupy second and third overall.

Having not raced at Thruxton, the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup returns to action this weekend with Charlie Ladell looking to pick up from where he left things as the dominant force. On the podium in every race thus far, as well as scoring three wins, the Rob Boston Racing driver has established himself as the early pace-setter, but his rein could come under a threat from a host of contenders.

Carl Boardley, Harry King, Tom Roche and Jac Constable are all firmly in the mix towards the front and none of them can be overlooked to take the fight to Ladell this weekend.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is back on British soil and back on the TOCA package too after racing at Monza shortly after Donington Park. Returning from its traditional trip overseas, the one-make category currently has Dino Zamparelli leading the way after a string of impressive performances.

Spearheading the Redline Racing charge, Zamparelli has lived up to the mantel of title favourite so far but pressure from the likes of Lewis Plato and George Gamble will test him further.

Rounding out the track action from the TOCA support paddock this weekend will be three high-octane single seater encounters from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost.

With nine races in the books already, Ayrton Simmons remains the man to beat at the top of the standings have notched seven podium finishes already. Consistency has been key for the JHR Developments driver but the pack is chasing him and leading it is multiple race-winner Kiern Jewiss – a youngster who is getting better as each round passes.

Also in the mix for outright honours this weekend will likely be the Red Bull duo of Jack Doohan and Dennis Hauger, as well as Fortec Motorsports’ Johnathan Hoggard.

TOCA support championships shine bright at Thruxton

The fastest circuit in the UK, Thruxton, provided a fitting venue for the latest rounds of four championships on the TOCA support package this past weekend (May19/20) – with a bumper crowd being treated to plenty of on-track entertainment.

In scorching conditions, the home of the British Automobile Racing Club once again served up the perfect blend of high-speed thrills ’n’ spills that many have become accustomed to.

James Dorlin was once again the benchmark in the Renault UK Clio Cup, extending his run of wins to four with another double at Thruxton. Starting on the front row alongside Max Coates for race one, the Westbourne Motorsport driver was one of three drivers to lead the opening encounter, with Coates and Daniel Rowbottom the other pace-setters.

Producing a daring move at more than 110mph on Rowbottom, the youngster went on to take the win whilst Coates and Rowbottom scrapped for the remaining podium positions.

Dorlin further cemented his status as the man to beat in the series at the moment as he romped to a commanding victory in race two. Jumping pole sitter Paul Rivett off the line, Dorlin was never headed as he took his fourth win of the year and with it, the championship lead.

Spoils were shared in the Ginetta Junior Championship as Patrick Kibble and Adam Smalley took a win apiece. Never short of producing entertainment, the teenage racers tackled Thruxton in fine style. with Kibble taking his maiden win after Smalley was handed a time penalty.

The Elite Motorsport drive ensured he wasn’t to be denied in the second frenetic 12-lap race after battling with James Hedley to take the win and with it, the points lead.

Joining the TOCA package for the first time this season, the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge proved to be a smash-hit. Two pulsating races saw Geri Nicosia and Max Bird each take a win whilst James Kellett and Alex Toth-Jones also scored podiums.

In the F4 British Championship, the action proved to be enthralling from the get-go, with a lively opening race seeing Kiern Jewiss score victory. Applying pressure to Dennis Hauger throughout the race, Jewiss snatched the lead in dramatic fashion at the final chicane, making contact along the way.

Race two of the popular single seater category saw Jewiss take victory again, setting him up to be in with a chance of winning £10,000 if he completed a sensational hat-trick. Unfortunately, the Double R Racing driver was to fall short of the big prize as Jack Doohan bagged his first win of the year.

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

The TOCA package returns, along with the Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, on June 9/10 at Oulton Park.

TOCA support package returns to full strength ahead of pivotal Silverstone weekend

The TOCA support package returns to full strength at Silverstone this weekend (September 15/16) with five championship gearing up for what will be the penultimate event of the 2018 season.

Taking on a starring role alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship throughout the year, the TOCA package has once again proved entertaining, with twists and turns coming around every corner almost.

Those twists and turns are likely set to continue in the Renault UK Clio Cup, which returns to action after missing the annual trip north of the border to Knockhill. With four races remaining, two of them around the National layout of Silverstone, it is still all to play for in the battle for supremacy.

Max Coates leads the way currently but his advantage is a slender one with just seven points separating himself and former champion Paul Rivett. Westbourne Motorsport’s James Dorlin is also still in contention, albeit 30 points behind, and can’t be discounted from pushing his bid for a maiden Clio Cup crown up a notch.

On top of the main protagonists, the likes of Daniel Rowbottom, Mike Epps, Bradley Burns and Jack McCarthy have all shown that they too can mix it at the front on a consistent basis.

Adam Smalley sits at the summit of the Ginetta Junior Championship with two events to run and the Elite Motorsport drivers looks good value for his lead. Despite having not won a race since Snetterton, the former Scholarship victor has been the epitome of consistency and will be keen to further extend his advantage at Silverstone.

Hot on the heels of Smalley is Louis Foster, the form driver in the series as it stands. Four wins from five races have vaulted him into second in the standings, whilst Luke Browning isn’t too far back either. All three drivers stand a mathematical chance of walking away with the title although the question still remains who it will be.

In the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Charlie Ladell will bid to take a step closer to championship glory with another solid points haul over the course of the weekend. Having led the standings since the opening round, Ladell has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the year.

Ladell’s chief title rival is Carl Boardley and fresh off the back of his foray into the BTCC, the series veteran will be eager to eat into the 20-point deficit that he has to make up on the Rob Boston Racing driver.

Dino Zamparelli meanwhile will be looking to put a bit more daylight between himself and Tio Ellinas in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. Just four points separate the top two as it stands and the Redline Racing entrant will be keen to bridge that gap as he bids to clinch the crown he narrowly missed out on in 2017.

The title fight remains wide open in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost with Kiern Jewiss leading the pack. The Double R Racing driver has been top of the tree since Oulton Park but his advantage has slowly been cut, with Ayrton Simmons giving chase.

Dennis Hauger, Jack Doohan and Patrik Pasma are just three more drivers that have made their presence known this year and all three could still stake their claim, starting this weekend in the three scheduled races that are set to be run.

With title aspirations set to further strengthen as well as some diminishing, the battle for supremacy around the home of British motorsport is set to be an enthralling one.

For all of the event information for Silverstone, including an event timetable and links to live timing, click here.

Half-way marker approaches for TOCA support categories at Croft

There have been all manner of high-octane thrills from the TOCA support championships this season and the action is set to intensify in North Yorkshire this weekend (June 23/24), with four categories heading to Croft.

Like the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, the traditional summer break awaits the TOCA package following this weekend and it is all to play for in every series.

Yorkshire’s own James Dorlin and Max Coates will be keen to draw on what is expected to be plenty of home support in the Renault UK Clio Cup. In what is set to be a battle of North vs South, the Yorkshireman will go wheel-to-wheel for supremacy.

Westbourne Motorsport’s Dorlin arrives at Croft with a slender four-point advantage over the Pyro driver. Five wins on the bounce have been the foundations of the teenagers charge to the summit and he will be keen to continue his winning ways. Coates, who lives a stones throw from Croft, ended Dorlin’s winning run at Oulton Park and he too will be itching to taste victory.

Whilst the top two have been grabbing the headlines, a host of other drivers are firmly in the mix to, including proven race winners Paul Rivett, Lee Pattison and James Colburn. Also in contention is Dan Zelos, Mike Epps, Jack McCarthy, Daniel Rowbottom and Jade Edwards – who will look to bounce back from a big crash last time out.

The Ginetta Junior Championship is renowned for producing a feast of entertainment and that is expected to continue across the weekend’s three races. A proving ground for the next generation racers aged 14 to 17-years-old, the series will see a trio of races be played out on what is home soil for the manufacturer.

Heading into the fifth stop on the calendar, Adam Smalley leads the way in the points having paired consistency with three race wins. Smalley doesn’t have things his own way however as impressive rookie Louis Foster and four-time race winner Luke Browning are on the hunt and shouldn’t be discounted at all.

Charlie Ladell has been a tour-de-force in the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup up to now and it would be hard to bet against him further strengthening his position at the top of the standings. On the podium in every race thus far and taking five wins, the Rob Boston Racing driver has a healthy points lead, however he can’t rest on his laurels.

Hot on his heels are Carl Boardley, Harry King, Tom Roche and Carl Shield; a quartet of drivers that are all capable of triumphing on any given day. With three races lying in wait for the popular series, all eyes will be on Ladell to see if he remain being the man to beat.

Single seater thrills will be provided by the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with three races also on the billing. Following a memorable outing at Oulton Park, Kiern Jewiss now leads the way with Ayrton Simmons instead taking on the role of hunter.

The pair have been the standout performers to-date, dicing countless times already. Expected to renew their on-track rivalry this weekend, Jewiss and Simmons will be looked at as the favourites for victory however threats are coming from all angles.

Jack Doohan, Sebastian Priaulx, Johnathan Hoggard and Dennis Hauger have all topped the rostrum at one stage and there is no question why they can’t again.

Tickets will be available to purchase on the gate on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, priced at £15 for Saturday, £30 for Sunday and £38 for the full weekend. Children 15 and under go free when accompanied by an adult whilst gates open at 08:00 both days.

Ginetta gears up for milestone year with launch of flagship championships

In what is set to be a milestone year for the manufacturer as it celebrates its 60th anniversary, Ginetta are set to hit the track for 2018 with its flagship championships.

Descending on Brands Hatch on Wednesday 14th March, the Yorkshire-based powerhouse officially launched the Ginetta Junior Championship and Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup for the forthcoming season.

Both part of the highly-regarded TOCA support package, the two categories are set for another blockbuster year with bumper grids confirmed for both.

Catering for drivers aged 14 to 17, the Ginetta Juniors have made a name for themselves down the years for producing plenty of edge-of-the-seat thrills in front of the ITV4 cameras and huge trackside crowds.

This year, another crop of old and new faces are set to duke it out for the coveted crown, all looking to follow in the footsteps of Tom Gamble – who walked away as champion in 2017.

Notable names to look out for as the season goes on include Adam Smalley, Matt Luff and Fin Green, all of which are back for another season and set to battle against a wealth of rookie youngsters.

Elsewhere in the GT4 Supercup, a fascinating blend of youth and experience is set to go wheel-to-wheel with all eyes fixed on replicating Callum Pointon’s achievements last year.

Carl Boardley is set to be one driver many will be keeping a keen eye on having challenged at the front of the field on countless occasions. Harry King graduates from Juniors whilst the likes of Michael Crees, Charlie Ladell and Jac Constable are all ones to watch.

Speaking at Brands Hatch, Sales Manager Ian Fletcher, said: “We are looking forward to the 2018 season, one that is a commemorative one for Ginetta as a whole.

“This year we are celebrating our 60th anniversary and the culmination of our LMP1 FIA WEC programme as well as all of our other championships.

“Once again both the Junior and Supercup championships look to be in great shape and I am sure it will be another memorable year for all involved.”

For more information on Ginetta, head to www.ginetta.com

TOCA support package ready to blast into life for 2018

Brands Hatch is set for an enthralling weekend (April 7/8) of wheel-to-wheel, edge-of-the-seat thrills as the TOCA support package blasts into life.

Following months of hype and anticipation, five championships will join the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at the Kent venue to kickstart their 2018 campaigns.

Serving as the perfect stepping stone for drivers to graduate into the BTCC down the years, the Renault UK Clio Cup boasts another bumper entry list for this year. With champion Mike Bushell moving on to the BTCC, the quest to find a new title holder begins around the Indy circuit and there are no shortage of contenders.

Multiple champion Paul Rivett will be one to watch, as will the ever-impressive Max Coates, who returns for another crack at clinching the coveted crown. Throw into the mix the likes of Lee Pattison, James Dorlin, Mike Epps, Jack McCarthy and James Colburn, to name a few, and you begin to see how competitive this years crop of contenders are.

Two races around the famed Brands Hatch layout will serve as the perfect starting place for what is set to be another enthralling year.

Serving as the first step on the motorsport ladder for aspiring racers, the Ginetta Junior Championship is set to provide plenty of excitement on the opening weekend of the season too.

Having had the likes of Lando Norris, Tom Ingram and many more cut their teeth in the championship down the years, this years crop of youngsters will be hoping to springboard onto great things too.

The 2018 intake of racers sees a blend of familiar and new faces line up on the grid. Ginetta Junior Winter Series champion Adam Smalley tops the entry list, returning for a shot at the outright title, however the likes of Fin Green, Luke Browning and Matt Luff lead the rest of the pack in trying to stop his charge – starting with this weekend’s two encounters.

Action from the Yorkshire brand will also come from the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup, with immense quality running throughout the Pro and Am categories. Setting its stall out as one of the top proving grounds for young racers in the UK, the championship is back once again, with three races set to be run at the season-opener.

Notable names to keep an eye on include Jac Constable, Michael Crees, Jack Minshaw, Carl Boardley and Ginetta Junior graduate Harry King.

A new champion will be crowned in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this year, due to title holder Charlie Eastwood moving on to pastures new. With a new car, new points system and new faces; the battle for supremacy this year is set to provoke serious intrigue.

Runner-up last year, Dino Zamparelli enters the season as an early favourite however he will have a whole host of drivers keen to take the fight to him at the front. Junior Scholarship winner Daniel Harper, George Gamble, Rory Collingbourne, Lewis Plato and Tio Ellinas are just a handful of contenders.

To cap things off, there will also be single seater action from the British F4 Championship. Despite the departure of Carlin, another stacked entry list has been confirmed for the 2018 edition of the popular series.

Arden, Fortec Motorsports, JHR Developments and Sharp Motorsport lead the way to Brands Hatch with the likes of Jack Doohan, Sebastian Priaulx, Ayrton Simmons and Patrik Pasma ones to watch.

Action aplenty on opening TOCA support package weekend

The TOCA support package was back in business at Brands Hatch this past weekend (April 7/8) with five championships kicking off their 2018 campaigns.

Once again competing alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, there was high-drama throughout each category as they battled challenging conditions across both days.

In the Renault UK Clio Cup, spoils were shared between two title favourites. Multiple champion Paul Rivett showcased his experience in the opening race of the weekend, only after making contact with Max Coates early on.

Coming off the better of the two, Rivett powered away from the pack to the take a memorable victory. Behind him, the wounded Coates was unable to hold of the advances of James Colburn and Daniel Rowbottom, both of whom rounded out the podium.

Coates was the clear race winner in a wet race two, taking control from the start before storming into a lead he would ultimately never lose. Behind him though the tremendous battle for the remaining rostrum spots were decided as Rivett and youngster Jack McCarthy recovered from early struggles to join Coates in lifting silverware.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB produced two different winners as well, with Dino Zamparelli and George Gamble taking a win apiece. Off the back of clinching pole position, Zamparelli asserted himself as one to watch this year with a dominant display in the curtain-raiser ahead of Tio Ellinas and Lewis Plato.

Plato had been on course to take race two honours until a mistake cost him, handing Gamble top spot on his first weekend in the series. Joining him on the podium was Ellinas and Zamparelli, who left the Kent circuit as championship leader.

The Ginetta Junior Championship delivered its usual mix of thrills ’n’ spills in true style, setting up what is set to be another fascinating campaign.

Last year’s scholarship winner Adam Smalley entered the season as one of the drivers to watch and he backed up his pre-season promise by grabbing the early advantage in the championship standings.

Claiming pole position in qualifying, the Elite Motorsport driver bagged victory in race one ahead of Ruben Del Sarte and Fin Green before then finishing hot on the heels of race two victor Luke Browning.

It is set to be a wide-open year in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup too with Charlie Ladell cementing his status as an early title favourite. The Rob Boston Racing was in imperious form around the 1.2 mile Indy circuit, taking two wins, with Carl Boardley capping off the weekend with a win of his own.

Rounding out the action in front a bumper trackside crowd was the British F4 Championship, which saw Ayrton Simmons enjoy a near perfect weekend, scoring a brace of wins. Sebastian Priaulx topped the rostrum in the remaining race.

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