Tag: Mini Challenge JCW Championship

2020 Season Review: Quaife MINI CHALLENGE

Filling the boots of the UK Clio Cup on the British Touring Car Championship support package, the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE came with a wealth of expectation and excitement this past year and it duly lived up to the hype as it produced a stellar campaign, resulting in Nathan Harrison being crowned champion.

Viewed as one of the country’s leading tin-top, single-make categories and billed as a unique stepping stone up the UK motorsport ladder, the series has become synonymous with no-holds barred, close-quarter racing – and 2020 proved to be no different.

Boasting a bumper entry list for what was a condensed season, the JCW contingent saw no less than seven drivers visit the top step of the podium whilst a further five also picked up silverware along the way.

After narrowly missing out on the crown in the year previous, Excelr8 Motorsport’s Harrison entered the season as one of the title favourites and he underlined his talents with a sensational performance to finally lift the coveted crown.

Wins at Donington Park, Silverstone and Snetterton were vital in his march towards the summit of the standings however it was his relentless consistency that really provided the building blocks for his championship challenge.

Picking up a further three podium finishes as well as several other big points, Harrison had enough in hand at the final round to wrap up the title in style.

Despite being crowned champion, Harrison didn’t have things all his own way and he was ultimately pushed all the way to the final chequered flag of the season. Dan Zelos, former champion Ant Whorton-Eales, Max Bird, Lewis Brown and Max Coates were his main protagonists over the course of the campaign.

As Harrison savoured the glory of capturing the overall title, several other competitors enjoyed championship success as well. Isaac Smith secured the Rookie Cup whilst Zelos was crowned Graduate Cup winner. Elsewhere, the Directors Cup went the way of James Griffith.

Champions to be crowned throughout unmissable TOCA support package

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that will crown champions at Brands Hatch this weekend (November 14/15) as titles will be decided throughout the TOCA support package as well.

Taking centre stage alongside the UK’s premier motorsport series since the 2020 campaign roared into life back in August, each support championship has served up a feast of entertainment over the course of the past three and a half months.

In the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, a three-way battle between Bailey Voisin, Tom Lebbon and Josh Rattican will come to a head across two blockbuster encounters. All three have been a force to be reckoned

Voisin enters the weekend in the box seat, holding an 11-point lead over Lebbon who is looking to make history as the first-ever Scholarship winner to win the main prize in their first year. Rattican meanwhile is a further ten points back, well within striking distance.

Will Burns sits on the cusp of being crowed Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup champion for the first time, having been runner-up on two previous occasions. The Rob Boston Racing driver has been the man to beat for a majority of the season, scoring no less than five victories and a further eight podiums to-date.

Burns’ nearest challenger is Gus Burton, who has proven to be a revelation during his maiden campaign. Burton will need things to fall his way however he has shown he is more than capable of running towards the front in the ultra-competitive series.

The Quaife MINI CHALLENGE has proven to be a smash-hit during its first year on the TOCA support package and it too will crown a champion around the Indy circuit of the famous Kent venue.

Nathan Harrison holds the lead but with Ant Whorton-Eales, Dan Zelos, Tom Rawlings and Max Bird all hot on his heels, the stage is set for an enthralling battle for supremacy.

It’s set to be all to play for in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost as the single-seater category brings the curtain down on another season with three scheduled contests.

Zak O’Sullivan and Luke Browning are tied on points so it will be a simple case of whoever outscores the other will be crowned champion.

One championship that has already been settled is the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, with Harry King have secured an unassailable lead last time out at Snetterton. King has been the benchmark driver during his rookie year and will undoubtedly look to put the exclamation point on what has been a scintillating campaign.

To find out more information on this weekend’s finale at Brands Hatch, such as links to live timing and commentary, click here.

Titles decided during dramatic Brands Hatch TOCA support showdown

Alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch this past weekend (November 14/15), high drama ran throughout the TOCA support race championships as titles were decided and champions were crowned.

Bringing the curtain down on an unprecedented season which has consisted of nine events crammed into just three-and-a-half months, treacherous weather conditions added to the spectacle over the course of two blockbuster days at the Kent venue.

History was made in the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship as Tom Lebbon secured the title following a tense finale. Tallying a pair of second place finishes, the Elite Motorsport driver became the first Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner to win the overall crown at the first attempt.

Lebbon had been in the thick of a three-way title fight alongside Josh Rattican and Bailey Voisin for a majority of the season but came good at the end, triumphing in sensational style. Rattican and Josh Millar would claim the final race wins of the season.

In the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Will Burns was finally crowned champion after a superlative campaign. Having twice been a runner-up in the series, the Rob Boston Racing driver made no mistake this year as he paired raw speed with consistency to net the title.

Burns wrapped the championship up in the opening encounter as Adam Smalley and Gus Burton shared the remaining spoils of the 2020 season.

Having made their mark during their first year on the TOCA support bill, the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE signed off a stellar debut season with two enthralling bouts. As Max Bird and Lewis Brown took a win apiece, Excelr8 Motorsport’s Harrison held his nerve to deliver too formidable drives which would prove good enough for the title.

After clinching the title at Snetterton last month, Harry King put an exclamation point on his domination of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB with another stunning display. Sweeping the competition aside this year, the Porsche GB Scholarship winner racked up his 11th and 12th wins of the season to sign off the year as a worthy champion.

The final title to be decided around the Indy layout was the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with Luke Browning emerging as the victor in dramatic circumstances.

Zak O’Sullivan won the final round of the year however heavy rain hit the circuit and, on the grounds of safety with the entire field on slick tyres, the race was red-flagged. Half points were awarded and that swung the pendulum back to Browning, crowning him champion by four markers.

To view the full classification of results and championship points for each category, click here.

BTCC Season Finale at Brands Hatch to go ahead as planned

Series organisers, TOCA, have confirmed that the British Touring Car Championship season finale at Brands Hatch on November 14/15 will go ahead as originally planned.

This past Saturday (October 31) saw Prime Minister Boris Johnson address the nation and announce that England will enter into a four-week national lockdown from Thursday 5th November to Wednesday 2nd December at the earliest to combat the spread of coronavirus.

In light of the restrictions that are associated with this impending lockdown, the Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed that elite sport will continue behind closed doors during this next lockdown period.

Since the resumption of racing on July 4th, the BTCC has been classified under the elite sport bracket and has operated behind closed doors, without spectators. The BTCC will therefore continue to race, bringing the curtain down on its 2020 campaign at Brands Hatch and crowning a champion.

Titles will also be decided on the TOCA support package as the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and Quaife Mini Challenge take centre stage as well.

The BTCC has worked tirelessly to maintain the safety of its drivers, teams, staff and all personnel through its own strict protocols that actually exceed those of the government guidelines. TOCA will continue to ensure those protocols are strictly adhered to, so as to provide a very safe and secure environment for all participants at our final event.

Harry King clinches Porsche crown as remaining TOCA title battles intensify at Snetterton

Harry King became the first champion to be crowned on the TOCA support package this year at Snetterton over the course of last weekend (October 24/25), securing an unassailable lead in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB whilst title battles intensified elsewhere.

Joining the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at the Norfolk venue for the penultimate event of the season, the TOCA support package served up a sensational two days of racing where the main protagonists battled to stay in contention ahead of next month at Brands Hatch.

One title that has already been sewn up is Carrera Cup GB after King was provisionally crowned champion at Snetterton. Having been the class of the field since debuting at the start of the season, the Porsche GB Scholarship winner put himself out of reach of his main rival and team-mate Josh Webster.

As he has done for a majority of the campaign, King proved to be in a league of his own on-track as he claimed two commanding victories to seal the title with a race meeting to spare.

Will Burns put himself on the verge of clinching the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup crown after scoring a win and a second place during the penultimate event of the season.

Having been vice-champion twice, the Rob Boston Racing driver is now within touching distance of the title after another strong performance. Burns claimed a lights-to-flag victory in the opening encounter before Adam Smalley and Gus Burton went on to triumph later in the weekend.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship is delicately poised heading into the Brands Hatch finale with just 11 points separating Bailey Voisin and Tom Lebbon at the summit of the standings.

Scholarship winner Lebbon enjoyed a dream weekend around the challenging 2.97-mile track as he powered his way to a sensational hat-trick of race wins. The Elite Racing ace became the first driver in two years to complete the clean sweep, and he provisionally wrapped up the Rookie title as well.

It’s set to be a tense showdown in the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE JCW in November as Nathan Harrison bids to covert his now 27-point lead over Ant Whorton-Eales and Dan Zelos into championship silverware.

Harrison produced a stunning drive in the opening encounter to tally his third win of the season before Isaac Smith held off Max Coates to claim his maiden victory in the series in race two.

Elsewhere, Zak O’Sullivan and Luke Browning shared the spoils across three enthralling F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost races to set up a thrilling finale that will see the pair head to Brands Hatch level on points.

To view the full classification of results from all TOCA support championship sessions at Snetterton, click here.

Brands Hatch Indy will play host to the final event of the season for the TOCA package on November 14/15, with champions set to be crowned.

All to play for as TOCA support package descends on Snetterton

It’s all to play for on the TOCA support package this weekend (October 24/25) as five championships descend on Snetterton for what will be the penultimate event of the 2020 season.

Taking centre stage alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at the Norfolk venue, title battles are set to reach fever pitch ahead of next month’s season finale at Brands Hatch.

In the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship, Bailey Voisin heads to Snetterton as the driver to beat despite enduring a weekend to forget at Croft last time out. Scoring seven wins so far this year, the R Racing driver has been in superlative form and he will need to continue that if he wants to remain at the summit of the standings.

Hot on the heels of the teenage sensation however are a host of hungry contenders that are all keen to claim the crown. Scholarship winner Tom Lebbon has been a revelation whilst Josh Rattican finds himself in a fine run of form which has included three wins across the last four meetings.

The Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup is heading towards a fascinating crescendo with Will Burns in the box seat with five races remaining. Burns has twice been a runner-up in the series and is hoping this is finally the year he clinches the coveted crown, however he has fierce opposition to beat before doing that.

Rookie Gus Burton is Burns’ closest challenger whilst Tom Hibbert, Adam Smalley and Jamie Falvey may yet have their say on the destiny of the title too.

Harry King’s maiden year in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB has been nothing short of mesmerising and the Team Parker Racing driver will this weekend bid to take a step closer to the overall title.

Holding a 28-point lead over nearest rival Josh Wester, the Scholarship winner enters the penultimate event of the campaign as the driver to beat, and you’d be hard pressed to bet against him given his performances this year.

Two races from the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship is bound to get pulses racing also as a bumper grid embarks on their fourth event of the season. Serving up a feast of entertainment wherever they go, the one-make tin top category sees just a solitary point separating the top two, Ant Whorton-Eales and Nathan Harrison.

The pair have been the standout performers so far this season however both will need to keep an eye on the chasing pack as the likes of Dan Zelos, Max Bird and Lewis Brown are all in the mix too.

Rounding out the weekend’s action will be three contests from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Just 13 points separate Luke Browning and Zak O’Sullivan at the top of the standings.

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

TOCA support championship deliver blockbuster entertainment at Silverstone

Silverstone played host to a memorable two days of TOCA support race action this past weekend (September 26/27) as five championships continued their 2020 campaigns around the 1.64-mile National layout.

Sharing centre stage alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at the Home of British Motor Racing, wheel-to-wheel battles were a constant theme across the weekend as each category edged closer towards the business end of the season.

As they have done all season, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship served up a feast of entertainment where there was high drama and a string of notable performances.

Bailey Voisin emerged as the big winner from the weekend as he powered his R Racing G40 to a brace of wins. Georgi Dimitrov claimed the remaining victory, keeping his calm amidst a truncated race two to score his fourth win of the year.

Making their third and final appearance on the TOCA support bill this year, the Protyre Ginetta GT5 Challenge produced a sensational two races with Josh Malin claiming a near-perfect score to claim the championship lead.

Malin powered his Richardson Racing machine to the top step of the podium in both races to put himself in prime position to be crowned champion with just two races remaining.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB saw redemption fall the way of Harry King as he made a return to winning ways. After seeing two wins slip away at Thruxton, King was back on the top step of the podium in emphatic style, taking a commanding victory ahead of Will Martin and Sam MacLeod in the opening encounter.

Race two would see King reign supreme once again as he powered his way up the order to score victory and in doing so, take a step closer to clinching the title. Matthew Graham settled for second after leading for much of the race whilst Martin rounded off the podium.

Spoils were shared in the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship across three feisty races around the famous Northamptonshire venue. Nathan Harrison converted pole position into a commanding race one victory before Ant Whorton-Eales strengthened his series lead with a win in race two.

Jamsport Racing’s Tom Rawlings then held off race-long attention from Callum Newsham and Ronan Pearson to prevail from a frenetic third encounter.

The weekend was rounded off by three scintillating contests from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. Alex Connor, Zak O’Sullivan and Casper Stevenson each took a win apiece.

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

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support categories now head to Croft Circuit on October 10/11 for the next event of the 2020 season.

Show stopping weekend on the horizon for TOCA support bill at Silverstone

Silverstone’s National layout plays host to the latest instalment of the 2020 season for five TOCA support championships this weekend (September 26/27), where blockbuster entertainment is all-but guaranteed.

Having travelled the length and breadth of the country alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, the business end of the campaign begins at the home of British motorsport – and it is set to be a show stopping two days.

Thrills and spills have been a constant theme of the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship and the pendulum at the summit of the standings has continued to swing back and forth as each round has passed.

Scholarship winner Tom Lebbon is the latest driver to lead the standings but with three encounters scheduled to take place and the likes of Bailey Voisin, Josh Rattican, Georgi Dimitrov and Joel Pearson breathing down his neck, things could change in an instant.

Embarking on their second event in as many weekend’s, the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge returns to the TOCA package with an enthralling title battle brewing.

Jonny Wilkinson, Josh Malin, Gordie Mutch and James Taylor have been the lead protagonists throughout the season thus far and the quartet will undoubtedly be the ones to watch around the flowing 1.64-mile Northamptonshire venue.

In the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Harry King has proven to be in a league of his own at times however two punctures at Thruxton when in a race-winning position has seen his advantage in the points slashed.

Likely to be the driver to beat, King will hope to open up his advantage in the standings once again whilst Josh Webster, Will Martin and Ross Wylie – amongst others will continue in their pursuit of the Scholarship victor.

The Quaife MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship is also back in action at Silverstone with its own title battle gathering pace. It has been all-out action in the tin top category so far this year and as it stands no less than six drivers are in the mix for the coveted prize.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action will be a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost. JHR Developments ace James Hedley holds the momentum as it stands after clinching a sensational hat-trick at Thruxton.

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

BARC publishes COVID-19 guidelines for Competitors and Officials

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

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

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

BARC Competitors Guidance (v3 21 July) – CLICK HERE

BARC Officials Guidance (v2 22 July) – CLICK HERE

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

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

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

Knockhill provides latest stop on the calendar for TOCA support championships

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that will look to put on a show at Knockhill this coming weekend (August 29/30) as the championships that make up the TOCA support package will also be in action north of the border.

Capping off what has been a busy month with the annual trip to Scotland marking the fourth race meeting in the last five weeks, the battle for supremacy across five categories is only set to intensify around the undulating 1.27-mile layout.

Missing last weekend’s meeting at Oulton Park, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship returns to action with Bailey Voisin in control of proceedings at the standings summit. Winning twice at Brands Hatch, Voisin has the early initiative however he will need to be at his best if he is to hold onto it across the weekend’s three encounters.

Scholarship winner Tom Lebbon and rookie Georgi Dimitrov have both triumphed this year too and neither can be discounted out from standing on the top step once gain. Throw into the mix the likes of Josh Rattican, Zak Taylor and Freddie Tomlinson and you’ll begin to see why it is anyone’s game.

The Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge made its first appearance of the season on the TOCA package last week at Oulton Park and is back for more at Knockhill.

Josh Malin, Jonny Wilkinson and James Taylor emerged as the star drivers less than a week ago and the trio will undoubtedly be in the mix this time round once again.

Not featuring since the start of the month, the latest instalment of the  MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship will be played out around the twists and turns of the Fife venue.

At Donington Park, spoils were shared between Ant Whorton-Eales, Nathan Harrison and Max Coates but the depth of talent in the grid means another three drivers could come to the fore this weekend including the likes of Dan Zelos, Lewis Brown and Kyle Reid – to name but a few.

Edge-of-the-seat thrills and spills has been a staple of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB this year and arriving at Knockhill, Harry King holds the best hand in the points after three events.

Five wins from six races has been a dream start for King, this year’s Porsche GB Scholarship victor, and it will be hard to bet against him from adding to his tally. Josh Webster, Scott McKenna and Matthew Graham will lead the fight to overhaul the former GT4 Supercup champion.

Rounding out the weekend at Knockhill will be three more races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost.

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Knockhill, including links to live timing and the event timetable, click here. ITV4 will broadcast live coverage of Sunday’s action from 10:40.

Entertainment aplenty as TOCA support championships roar into life at Donington Park

Donington Park played host to a memorable two days of track action on the TOCA support package this past weekend (August 1/2) with five championships kicking off their 2020 campaigns in blockbuster fashion.

Taking centre stage at the Leicestershire venue alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship behind closed doors, edge-of-the-seat entertainment ran throughout each race – setting the scene for what is set to be an enthralling season.

Making its first appearance on the BTCC support bill was the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship and it didn’t disappoint. Replacing the Renault UK Clio Cup, the popular one-make series proved to be a smash-hit as a 30-car grid duked it out across three races.

Ant Whorton-Eales underlined his credentials as a title contender as he triumphed in race one ahead of Nathan Harrison and Lewis Brown before Harrison himself struck back with a win of his own in race two.

Max Coates, a familiar name to fans of the BTCC package, then mad it three different winners from three races as he resisted the challenge of Kyle Reid to emerge victorious.

The latest crop of teenage superstars that make up the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship took on a starring role with rookie Georgi Dimitrov enjoying a stellar debut, taking two wins and a second place.

Spearheading Richardson Racing’s line-up, the British-Bulgarian racer lost out to Bailey Voisin in a frenetic opener before going on to be perfection personified for the remainder of the meeting, winning races two and three.

Will Burns also enjoyed a near-perfect weekend in the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup as he scooped a brace of race wins and a second place. Bidding to finally capture the crown that has so far eluded him, the former vice-champion was in unstoppable form as he led Gus Burton and Tom Hibbert in races one and two.

Burns’ hopes of completing a clean sweep however were ended by Burton in race three, who capped off a dream GT4 Supercup debut to claim a maiden win in the single-make category.

In the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Josh Webster and Harry King took a win apiece to open their 2020 accounts. King had led a majority of race one before being passed Webster whilst Esmee Hawkey made it a Team Parker Racing 1-2-3.

Race two saw no mistake from Porsche GB Scholarship winner King however as he produced a scintillating lights-to-flag drive to score victory ahead of Scott McKenna and Webster.

Rounding out the weekend were three ultra-competitive races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost where Alex Connor, Zak O’Sullivan and James Hedley shared the spoils.

To view the full classification of results across all sessions and championships, click here.

Several TOCA support championships will now head to Brands Hatch on August 8/9 to continue their 2020 campaigns.

TOCA support championships ready to blast into life at Donington Park

It won’t just be the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that takes centre stage at Donington Park this weekend (August 1/2) as championships from the TOCA support package will blast into life and begin their 2020 campaigns.

Marking the start of what is set to be a frenetic three-and-a-half months of racing, five categories will descend on the Leicestershire venue and hit the track for the first time since lockdown restrictions were eased.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship has an exciting new look to it this year with a host of new faces joining a small group of second year contenders on the grid.

Joel Pearson, Josh Rattican, Bailey Voisin and Freddie Tomlinson are four of those returning and the quartet will undoubtedly be in the mix for outright honours across the weekend’s three Junior races.

Of the rookie drivers that will be keen to impress on their debut; Scholarship winner Tom Lebbon, Tom Edgar, William Vincent and Josh Miller will be ones to watch – as will last years Winter Series victor Aston Millar.

In the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup, a mix of championship returnees and talented newcomers will come together for what should be blockbuster triple-header under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.

Will Burns and Tom Hibbert, title contenders in 2019, lead the entry list and will be hard to bet against however the likes of Adam Smalley, Tom Emson, Gus Burton and Fin Green shouldn’t be counted out either.

The Porsche Carrera Cup GB, the fastest and most successful single marque GT championship in the UK, has become renowned for producing edge-of-the-seat entertainment down the years and 2020 should be no different.

Boasting an entry list that includes the likes of Harry King, Josh Webster, Scott McKenna, Ryan Ratcliffe and Esmee Hawkey, the Carrera Cup GB’s two encounters shouldn’t be missed.

One new addition to the TOCA support bill this year comes in the shape of the MINI CHALLENGE JCW Championship, which replaces the outgoing Renault UK Clio Cup. Armed with a 30-car grid and equal machinery, the one-make tin top series has proven to smash-hit in recent years.

Notable names to keep an eye on across the weekend’s opening three races include Max Coates, Ethan Hammerton, Calum Newsham, Max Bird and Dan Zelos, amongst many more.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action will be a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with a bumper entry list primed to battle it our for the single seater crown.

ITV4 will present live coverage of all the race day action on Sunday with the broadcast scheduled to begin at 10:40.

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