Tag: Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup

Ginetta unveil championship changes ahead of new season

Ginetta have unveiled a handful of changes to two of its leading championships ahead of the 2020 motorsport season.

Taking centre stage on the British Touring Car Championship support bill, the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup is set to expand to house three classes moving forward.

Having operated a two-tier structure since 2014, a new Pro/Am class will be introduced with the aim of continuing to bridge the gap and cater for drivers wanting to work their way through the ranks.

The Am class will return to its original purpose as a home for gentlemen drivers wanting to compete in a more relaxed fashion, with Pro/Am designed to cater for young, less experienced drivers a class to race in before going on to compete with the front-running Pro competitors.

Elsewhere, the Ginetta Racing Drivers Club has also undergone a format change with the introduction if a two-class structure taking place.

Serving as a platform for drivers to make their car-racing debuts in a welcoming, competitive and cost-effective environment, the series has proven to be a smash-hit in recent years.

From 2020 onwards, the main GRDC class will be open to drivers of any experience level; thus providing existing competitors the opportunity to continue their driver development in the series whilst also opening the door for a raft of new faces.

The series will also continue to cater for novice competitors by introducing a Rookie Class. Entrants will continue to benefit from an all-inclusive package, with a first class service seeing their cars prepared and run by the experienced team at want2race.

The GRDC will be amalgamated onto the back of the G40 Cup grid at all five of the UK based events in support of the British GT Championship, with the drivers nominating four rounds to count towards their final championship points.

To find out more information on the variety of different championships that Ginetta have available, head to https://www.ginetta.com/.

TOCA extends Ginetta partnership for further three years

TOCA have confirmed that Ginetta will remain on the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for a further three years, extending the successful partnership between both parties.

With 2019 marking the 12th consecutive season that Ginetta has been a part of the BTCC support package, the Yorkshire company will continue to take centre stage until the end of the 2022 season at the very least.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship has been a mainstay since 2008, while the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup joined a year later in its former incarnation, the Ginetta G50 Cup. This year, the two series have had the largest average grid numbers on the support bill across the season.

Since 2016, the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge has also made regular guest appearances. Next season, all three championships will once again entertain the BTCC crowds around the best circuits in the UK including Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Silverstone.

Alan Gow, BTCC Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to have extended our partnership with Ginetta for a further three years. Its entertaining and fiercely-fought support championships are a longstanding and valued fixture on the TOCA package.

“The career ladder from the Ginetta Junior Championship into the GT4 SuperCup and beyond is proven and unique in British motorsport, with a host of former Ginetta drivers now competing in the BTCC – it is fantastic to see.”

Lawrence Tomlinson, Ginetta Chairman, added: “Ginetta has been the biggest presence on the BTCC support bill for over a decade now and we are delighted to extend our partnership with TOCA for a further three years.

“With the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge and Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup all in action across the season, we’re able to showcase to everyone the Ginetta career ladder we offer drivers.

“Competing on the TOCA package offers our drivers unrivalled broadcast and print media coverage, as well as great exposure to thousands of fans at each of the race meetings for themselves, the teams and their sponsors.

“We are looking forward to seeing our championships continue to flourish on the TOCA package in 2020 and produce captivating racing for the trackside crowds and the live ITV4 television audiences.”

Provisional calendars for the 2020 Ginetta season can be viewed here: https://www.ginetta.com/news/provisional-calendars-announced-for-2020-ginetta-season

Champions crowned on sensational final weekend of TOCA support race action

It wasn’t just the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that took centre stage at Brands Hatch this past weekend (October 12/13) as five championships on the TOCA support bill also produced a blockbuster show around the Grand Prix circuit.

Returning to where the 2019 season had begun back in April, a bumper trackside crowd soaked up a feast of entertainment as the battle for supremacy came to its conclusion.

After nearly 20 years on the TOCA package, the Renault UK Clio Cup bid farewell with an action-packed two races which saw Jack Young become the youngest-ever champion in the one-make series.

On what proved to be a tense showdown for the Clio Cup contingent, Young narrowly edged out Max Coates in the second race of the day to score victory, and with it the title for the final time. Brett Lidsey had triumphed in the opening encounter.

The battle to be crowned champion in the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup also went down to the wire around the iconic Kent venue over the course of the weekend, with Harry King prevailing to clinch the coveted prize.

Entering the weekend with a slender lead over main rival Will Burns, the Elite Motorsport driver produced a virtuoso performance to power his way to a pair of race wins and then a third place to secure the championship in the final race as Tom Hibbert scored victory.

James Hedley became the Michelin Ginetta Junior Champion of 2019 after he converted his healthy point lead into an unassailable advantage in race one. Bagging bonus points for pole position in qualifying, the Elite Motorsport ace triumphed in the opener to seal the title.

Lorcan Hanafin and Will Martin would claim the remaining two race wins of the season as the next generation of motorsport stars made their mark.

With the title having already been won at Silverstone, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB signed off their 2019 season in style with two pulsating races.

Former champion Josh Webster claimed race honours in the opening encounter before newly crowed champion Dan Harper underlined his credential with victory in the final race of the season.

The battle to be champion in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost went down to the wire as well, with Zane Maloney edging out Sebastian Alvarez to lift the coveted title in the final round.

To view the full classification of results from each championship that competed at Brands Hatch, click here.

The TOCA support package will return in 2020 alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship once again, with the opening rounds taking place at Donington Park on March 28/29.

Three drivers in the hunt for Ginetta GT4 Supercup crown as 2019 finale looms

After countless twists and turns throughout the season, the destiny of the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup will be decided at Brands Hatch this weekend (October 12/13) with three drivers all in the hunt to be crowned champion.

Harry King, Will Burns and Tom Hibbert will head to the Kent venue in contention for the coveted crown and with three races set to play out around the iconic Grand Prix circuit, it is all to play for.

Elite Motorsport’s King moved back to the summit of the standings at Silverstone last time out courtesy of a double victory, increasing his tally to seven across the season. Having graduated from the Ginetta Junior Championship, King has been one of the stars of the show this season.

However, holding a slender seven-point lead leaves the battle for supremacy wide open and King will be wary of the chasing pack in his pursuit of the

Rob Boston Racing’s Burns leads the fight to overhaul King and the former BTCC racer has been the epitome of consistency throughout the campaign, scoring 14 podium finishes in total.

After narrowly missing out on the title in 2016, Burns will be more determined than ever to succeed this time around and clinch championship glory.

Ready to capitalise on any mistake made by the top two will be Triple M Motorsport’s Hibbert. Trailing by 52 points, Hibbert has plenty of ground to make up but with four wins to his name already and likely to be on maximum attack, he can’t be counted out just yet.

Championship silverware will also be up for grabs in the Amateur Class too as Colin White, Nathan Heathcote and Jack Oliphant battle it out for overall honours.

Just nine points separate veteran White and British Rallycross convert Heathcote, whilst Oliphant could yet still spring a surprise and come to the fore as well.

Outside of both title battles, a number of drivers will be keen to bring the curtain down on their 2019 campaigns in style. Reece Somerfield, Carlito Miracco, Fin Green and Tom Barley have all starred at times and will be worth keeping an eye on.

To find out more information on this weekend’s Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup season finale, including links to live timing and timetable, click here.

TOCA support championships deliver all-out Silverstone action

It is set to be a dramatic final weekend of the season amongst the TOCA support championships in under two weeks’ time after an action-packed penultimate meeting of the season at Silverstone.

One title that won’t be decided at the Kent venue however will be the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, which was decided at the Northamptonshire venue as Dan Harper reigned supreme to be crowned champion.

In only his second season in the ultra-competitive championship after previously winning its Scholarship programme, the Northern Irishman became the youngest ever driver to win the title – getting the job done in the opening encounter.

George Gamble enjoyed a peerless weekend out front as he bagged himself a pair of race wins, the first coming in tricky conditions as he rolled the dice and ran with slick tyres on a drying track.

In the Renault UK Clio Cup, the battle for the coveted one-make series title is set to go down to the wire between Max Coates and Jack Young following another exhilarating weekend of racing.

Brett Lidsey claimed his first-ever win in the series in the opener before drama ensured in race two. Young would be victorious and move into the lead of the points as Coates was involved in a multi-car incident, sending him spinning down the order.

James Hedley remains in sight of lifting the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship crown after an action-packed weekend in the one-make series. James Taylor scored a spectacular double whilst Will Martin also triumphed on a sensational weekend for the Juniors – setting up a thrilling showdown.

The Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup will be settled at Brands Hatch too after a pulsating triple-header which saw Harry King return to the top of the pile. Entering the weekend trailing Will Burns, the Elite Motorsport driver stormed to a pair of race wins to put himself in the pound seat with just three more races remaining.

Tom Hibbert triumphed in the third race to maintain his hopes of the title, setting up a three-way fight for the coveted title.

Rounding out the weekend’s action at Silverstone were three more races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Spoils were shared between Louis Foster and Sebastian Alvarez meaning that the battle for the single seater title will be decided at the season finale.

To view the full classification of results from all championship sessions over the course of the weekend, click here.

Champions will be crowned as the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support categories battle it out for one more time in 2019 on October 12/13 around the Grand Prix layout of Brands Hatch.

Battle for title supremacy set to intensify as TOCA support championships head to Silverstone

It’s crunch time on the TOCA support package this weekend (September 28/29) as Silverstone plays host to what is set to be a pivotal penultimate event of the 2019 season for all five championships.

Whilst the title battle in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship continues to intensify, the battle for supremacy elsewhere is likely to ramp up with every point proving crucial in deciding who will walk away as champion.

After missing Knockhill, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB returns to action for its second trip of the year to Silverstone. Having featured around the Grand Prix layout on the support bill of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the fastest one-make series in will now take to the shorter National configuration for two more action-packed encounters.

In the championship battle, Dan Harper holds the initiative with four races left to run and the Northern Irishman finds himself with a healthy advantage. Behind, the trio of Lewis Plato, Josh Webster and George Gamble are all within striking distance and none of them should be counted out as it stands.

The Renault UK Clio Cup has produced its fair share of drama throughout 2019 and with just two events now remaining, the action is only set to ramp up. Just four points separate Max Coates and Jack Young, who have been locked together all year, and it looks likely that their duel will go down to the wire.

Jamie Bond remains a constant threat in third place whilst the likes of Brett Lidsey, Jade Edwards, Ben Colburn and Ethan Hammerton are all expected to be in the mix too.

James Hedley will look to edge closer to title glory in the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship this weekend, with three pulsating encounters scheduled to take place. Having only finished off the podium in three of the 20 races run so far, the Elite Motorsport driver is in the pound seat.

Having the led since the season-opener, Hedley looks to be the teenager to beat but the likes of Zak O’Sullivan, Will Martin and Casper Stevenson, all of whom are still in contention, can’t be discounted either.

The Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup has seen the title pendulum swing back and forth in recent events and this weekend’s trip to Northamptonshire is set to be pivotal in deciding the outcome of who walks away as champion.

Will Burns controls the state of play as it stands having finished in the top three in the last eight consecutive races. Whilst the 2016 vice-champion has been in fine form, he will have to maintain it over the course of the weekend’s three races as both Harry King and Tom Hibbert will look to chase him down.

Rounding out the weekend’s action will be three races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – Powered by Ford EcoBoost. As it stands, a total of six drivers remain in mathematical contention for the single-seater title, with Zane Maloney in prime position at the summit of the standings.

To find out more information on this weekend’s pivotal Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship event at Silverstone, click here.

TOCA support championships take centre stage north of the border

The battle for supremacy on the TOCA support package further intensified at Knockhill this past weekend (September 214/15) as the race to be crowned champion continued towards its crescendo.

On what proved to be a pivotal weekend north of the border; the Renault UK Clio Cup, Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup and F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost all took centre stage.

Having made headlines for much of the season already, the Renault UK Clio Cup made a triumphant return to Scotland with the top two in the standings sharing the spoils.

Max Coates soaked up race-long pressure from his main title rival Jack Young in the opening encounter to record his seventh win of the 2019 campaign before Young then came out on top in race two, leading from start-to-finish.

James Hedley took another step close to be crowned champion the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship as he netted an impressive brace of wins.

The Elite Motorsport driver proved to be in formidable form from the get-go as he powered to the top step of the podium in races one and two, strengthening his position at the summit of the standings.

Race three around the tight and twisty Fife venue belonged to Douglas Motorsport’s Lorcan Hanafin, who netted his maiden win in the championship.

Making what proved to be an action-packed return to Knockhill for the first time since 2016, the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup delivered a feast of entertainment too with three pulsating races.

Title contenders Harry King and Will Burns notched a win apiece, the latter extending his championship lead at the same time, whilst there was also a win for series returnee Rob Boston.

Rounding out the weekend’s action were a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – Powered by Ford EcoBoost. Carlin’s Zane Maloney stormed to victory in the opener before Carter Williams and Louis Foster also triumphed.

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

The Renault UK Clio Cup, Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost will be next in action at Silverstone on September 28/29 for the penultimate event of the season.

Battle for supremacy continues as TOCA support package descends on Knockhill

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that will take centre stage at Knockhill this weekend (September 14/15) as four categories from the much-loved TOCA support bill will also be in action.

Travelling north of the border for the latest chapter in their 2019 campaigns, any number of twists and turns could yet take place as each championship heads towards its season finale – which takes place at Brands Hatch next month.

Making its first appearance in Scotland since 2015, the Renault UK Clio Cup heads to Knockhill with it all to play. In recent rounds the title battle between Max Coates and Jack Young has reached boiling point – so expect more fireworks at the front of the field as the crescendo approaches.

Just six points split Coates and Young with six races remaining however both will need to be wary as Jamie Bond is within touching distance, despite missing the opening event of the year.

Brett Lidsey, Ben Colburn, Ethan Hammerton and Tyler Lidsey are likely to make their mark during the weekend too so it is advised not to miss a single second of Clio Cup action.

The Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup returns to Knockhill for the first time in three years with Will Burns holding the initiative in the points. The Rob Boston Racing enjoyed a stellar weekend at Thruxton last time out to swing the title pendulum his way however he will need to continue his recent run of form if he wants to stay at the summit.

Harry King will be keen to bounce back from his recent travails whilst the pairing of Tom Hibbert and Reece Somerfield will be fully focused on remaining in title contention too. Meanwhile, Fin Green and Carlito Miracco bagged podiums at Thruxton and both will have their sights set on further progress.

Down the years the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship has become renowned for serving up fantastic racing and with three races scheduled to take place, more of the same can be expected.

Will Martin and Zak O’Sullivan delivered a highly entertaining battle at Thruxton and in-doing so, closed the gap to series leader James Hedley. In what is a crucial point in the series, both Martin and O’Sullivan will need to have another high-scoring weekend if they are to make further gains on Hedley who has finished on the podium in 14 of the 17 races this year.

Beyond the top three; Casper Stevenson, James Taylor and Ethan Hawkey will all undoubtedly be in the mix for outright honours too as the teenage racers deliver more exhilarating thrills and spills.

Capping off the weekend’s action at Knockhill will be a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, where the likes of Zane Maloney, Sebastian Alvarez and Carter Williams will renew their rivalries.

To ensure you don’t miss a second of the eighth TOCA meeting of the season from Knockhill over the course of the weekend, click here.

TOCA support championships shine at Oulton Park

Oulton Park played host to a memorable two days of TOCA support championship action this past weekend (June 29/30) as the sun shone and the Cheshire venue welcomed a bumper crowd.

Fresh off the back of producing a flawless performance in the Clio Cup Open at Paul Ricard the weekend previous, Jack Young enjoyed further success as he triumphed in the opening Renault UK Clio Cup encounter.

Having narrowly missed out on pole position, the Northern Irishman got the better of Max Coates and Jamie Bond to power his way to a third victory of the season. In race two, Young’s chances of a second win were extinguished exiting the first turn as he hit the barriers hard exiting Old Hall, ending his race on the spot.

Coates would take advantage to lead Bond and Ben Colburn across the line to record his fifth win of the year and with it, snatch back the lead in the points after four events.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB had a familiar face leading the way as Daniel Harper reigned supreme around the picturesque venue. Topping the times in qualifying, the JTR driver fended off a race-long challenge from Lewis Plato to record his latest victory in the one-make series.

George Gamble came to the fore in the second race as he converted his front row start into a commanding victory in front of a packed-out crowd.

In the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, spoils were shared between Tom Hibbert and Harry King – the latter who remains in control of the championship standings. Hibbert blasted his way to pole position and onto victory in the opening race but was unable to do the same later in the weekend.

King, as he has done on multiple occasions already this year, proved to hot to handle in race two as he piloted his Elite Motorsport machine to the chequered flag in style.

There was plenty of doorhandle-to-doorhandle thrills in the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship too, however none of that fazed Will Martin who continued his impressive run of form in recent events.

Riding a wave of momentum into the weekend, the Richardson Racing driver was perfection personified as he powered his way to victory in both races – throwing himself firmly into title contention at the same time.

Bringing the curtain down on the weekend’s action was a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Honda. Zane Maloney continued his recent run of form with victory in all three races, which not only extended his winning streak to seven in-a-row but also saw him awarded with ÂŁ10,000.

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

All five TOCA support championships will now press pause on their 2019 campaigns before resuming battle in little under six weeks at Snetterton on August 3/4.

Oulton Park to play host to blockbuster TOCA support package action

Oulton Park will bring the curtain down on the first half of the season for all five TOCA support championships this weekend (June 29/30) as the Cheshire venue stages the latest Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship event.

Taking centre stage alongside Britian’s premier race series, all five support categories will be looking to put on a show in front of an expected packed-out crowd before heading into the annual summer mid-season break.

Coming off the back of a double-winning performance on home turf, Max Coates will be looking to further close the gap to Jack Young in the Renault UK Clio Cup across the weekend’s two races.

Having shared the spoils up to now, both Young and Coates are set to continue their battle at the summit of the points as they each fight to gain the upper hand. However, the ultra-competitive nature of the tin top category will mean they will have to look over their shoulders too.

Ethan Hammerton, Brett Lidsey, Ben Colburn, Jade Edwards and Jamie Bond, among several others, will all been keen to throw themselves into race-winning contention and get on the podium.

Harry King heads to Oulton Park in control of the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup standings and the Elite Motorsport driver looks set to be a hard man to displace from the summit as the series continues with two races scheduled to take place.

Scoring a brace of wins at Croft, King rocketed to the top of the points and will be focused on extending his advantage around the Island layout. Reece Somerfield, Tom Hibbert and Mike Epps are just three drivers that can threaten King’s hopes of succeeding.

In the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, James Hedley will be looking to protect his healthy points advantage in the latest double-header of the season. Having triumphed three times already, the former Winter Series champion is in the pound seat as it stands but will need to keep the points ticking over.

Behind, the likes of Zak O’Sullivan, James Taylor, Gus Burton and Will Martin will all have their sights on closing the gap to the Elite Motorsport pace-setter.

Two more races from the jaw-dropping Porsche Carrera Cup GB will also take place over the weekend, with Daniel Harper currently residing as the man to beat. Victory at Croft last time out helped the Northern Irishman’s quest for the title but he will need to maintain his momentum.

Former champion Josh Webster along with George Gamble and Lewis Plato are just some of the protagonists with theirs sights set on Harper’s position at the Carrera Cup GB summit.

Rounding out the TOCA support action, as ever, will be a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford Ecoboost. Zane Maloney is the form man in the single seater category arriving at Oulton, riding high after winning the past four races in-a-row.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event at Oulton Park, including links to live timing, timetables and commentary, click here.

TOCA support championships put on a show at Croft

Challenging conditions only added to the edge-of-the-seat entertainment at Croft Circuit this past weekend (June 15/16) as all five TOCA support championships took centre stage alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship.

Virtue of the recent resurfacing that has taken place at the North Yorkshire venue, lap times tumbled across each series – making it a record-breaking weekend for the TOCA support package.

Arguably taking centre stage over the course of the weekend was home hero Max Coates who produced a near-perfect performance in the Renault UK Clio Cup. Hailing from nearby Scorton, Coates gave those in attendance plenty to cheer about as he scored two wins in the one-make series.

Coates led from start-to-finish in treacherously wet conditions to win Saturday’s opening race before then coming out on top in an epic showdown with Jack Young on Sunday. Dicing for the lead, Coates would finish second on the road however a time-penalty for on-the-road winner Young promoted the local man to the top of the podium once more.

Whilst Coates revelled in the euphoria of winning on home soil, Brett Lidsey and Jamie Bond also picked up podiums across both races too.

Based in Yorkshire, Croft also proved to be a home event for Ginetta, showcasing action from both the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship and Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup.

Unsafe weather conditions meant that the opening Junior encounter had to be cancelled, however the second race did take place. Coming off the back of a breakthrough win at Thruxton last time out, Will Martin was bag in the winners circle as he produced an assured drive to triumph.

The GT4 Supercup meanwhile saw all three of its races take place, with Harry King further establishing himself as a main threat for the title with two wins. Tom Hibbert, who had been the man to beat in qualifying, opened his winning account for the season too.

History was made in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB too as the first-ever Pro-Am overall victory was taken by Team Parker Racing’s Karl Leonard. Race one of the series saw Daniel Harper continue his rich vein of form as he bagged a win in race one, despite suffering a late spin which almost saw him drop to second place.

Race two however was the history-making encounter as the heavens opened as the field completed their formation lap. All but three cars opted to dart into the pit-lane and bolt on wet tyres, setting up a titanic cat-and-mouse race.

As those on slicks battled the conditions, the wet runners began to claw their way into contention and following a safety car and late inside, Leonard emerged victorious to write his name into Carrera Cup GB folklore.

Heavy rainfall meant that only two F4 British Championship races took place, both of which were won by Carlin’s Zane Maloney.

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

All five championships from the TOCA support package will join the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Oulton Park on June 29/30 for the latest event of the 2019 season.

TOCA support championship title fights set to go up another gear at Croft

Croft Circuit won’t just welcome the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship this weekend (June 15/16) but also the hugely popular TOCA support package too, with a full complement of six championship all looking to take centre stage.

Following a pulsating third event of the season at Thruxton which saw just a handful of the customary categories compete, this weekend’s visit to North Yorkshire see’s the usual variety back on in action on a recently resurfaced track.

A home race for the manufacturer, Ginetta will be keen to put on a show and in the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, a show will undoubtedly be produced. In what has been one of the most competitive starts to a season in recent history, the battle for supremacy is wide open with Reece Somerfield leading the way.

Enjoying his best run of results in the series, five podiums from six races, Somerfield has been a revelation but he will need to fight tooth and nail to remain at the summit. Harry King, Will Burns, Tom Hibbert and Mike Epps are just a few of the drivers with their sights set on the top of the points.

The Ginetta fun won’t stop there however as the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship will also be in action for two thrilling encounters. Showcasing the next generation of UK motorsport talent, the single-make category has had fans on the edge of their seats so far and that theme is likely to continue at Croft.

James Hedley finds himself in the pound seat heading into the weekend with three race wins proving to be the backbone of his championship challenge. The competition is tough however with the likes of Zak O’Sullivan, James Taylor and Douglas Motorsport duo Gus Burton and Lorcan Hanafin all hot on his heels.

Unpredictability is one of the biggest traits when it comes to the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship and the flowing curves of Croft are set to ensure that continues no doubt over Saturday and Sunday.

Making their first appearance at Croft since 2016 will be the Porsche Carrera Cup GB. A popular draw wherever they go, the Carrera Cup is one of the fastest one-make championships around and this year’s crop of drivers look set to take the title fight down to the wire.

Second year star Daniel Harper is the early pace-setter after notching two wins however the likes of Lewis Plato, George Gamble and Josh Webster will all be notable names to keep an eye on as they bid to close the gap to the reigning Scholarship winner.

Whilst the Porsche Carrera Cup GB will be returning to Croft, the Renault UK Clio Cup will be paying its final visit to the venue as it continues its final season. Boasting a bigger grid, a majority of the cheers over the course of the weekend are likely to fall the way of local hero Max Coates.

Firmly in the title hunt, Coates will be keen to repeat his victory from last year and topple the two in the standings, Jack Young and Brett Lidsey. Northern Irishman Young was the man to beat last time out at Donington Park and with a partnership with Eddie Stobart recently announced, he will be a hard man to beat with momentum on his side. 

Also not to counted out of contention in the tin top series will be Jade Edwards, Ben Colburn, James Colburn and Aaron Thompson, amongst a handful more.

Capping off the weekend’s support action in the north-east will be three races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – Powered by Ford EcoBoost.

For more information on this weekend’s event, including links to live timing and the timetable, click here.