Tag: MINI CHALLENGE Trophy

Vertu Motors named as new MINI CHALLENGE UK title sponsor

Organisers of the MINI CHALLENGE have announced a new title sponsorship agreement with Vertu Motors – part of the Vertu Motors Group – for the 2023 season.

The new partnership will see the popular single-marque series rebranded as the ‘Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE’ and will cover both the headline JCW class – which competes exclusively on the British Touring Car Championship support bill – and entry-level Trophy class.

Vertu Motors branding will feature on the windscreen of all competing cars across both classes, as well as on support vehicles and around racing venues up and down the country.

Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Vertu Motors plc, said: “I am delighted that Vertu Motors is now an Official Partner with MINI CHALLENGE for this coming season. We have worked with the organisers for several years now and have admired their commitment, passion and enthusiasm for this series.

“Our Group’s brands already have strong roots in motorsport and a history of support across a multitude of disciplines, from the Birmingham Superprix in the 1980s, to sponsorship of Channel 4’s coverage of the Formula 1 in recent years, and of course, our Bristol Street Motors British Touring Car Championship team with EXCELR8 Motorsport.

“We strongly believe that this new partnership with MINI CHALLENGE, a very exciting, ‘Best of British’ motorsport series, epitomises many of the characteristics the Vertu Motors brand embodies including precision, innovation, technical advancement, commitment, determination and teamwork. We look forward to supporting each race weekend and connecting fans and communities with our ever-growing brand.”

Antony Williams, Championship Director for The Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE, added: “We’re incredibly excited and grateful to have the Vertu Motors brand on board with us for this coming season. Their enthusiasm and support have been brilliant already.

“The MINI CHALLENGE is the UK’s premier single-make race series and offers a great opportunity for drivers to put their skills to the test at some of the best tracks this country has to offer.

“The Vertu Motors group already holds brands that are well-known for championing motorsport at all levels, and we’re excited to see the Vertu Motors retail brand, which includes a multitude of MINI dealerships nationwide, fly the ‘chequered’ flag too. We’re all looking forward to the season ahead!”

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Brands Hatch – November 5/6

It’s the penultimate meeting of the season for the British Automobile Racing Club this weekend (November 5/6) and fireworks are set to fly at Brands Hatch as champions are crowned.

On what promises to be a captivating title deciding weekend at the Kent venue, the gloves are set to come off as the battle for supremacy intensifies across two action-packed days.

Headlining the weekend’s action will be five blockbuster races from the British Truck Racing Championship, where the destiny of both the Division 1 and Division 2 crowns are still up for grabs.

Also taking centre stage on the live stream will be the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, MINI CHALLENGE Trophy and Mini 7 Racing Club Winter Championship.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 11:40 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 10:05 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Brands Hatch including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

Champions crowned in contrasting conditions at Donington Park

Champions were crowned in contrasting conditions this past weekend (October 22/23) as the British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Donington Park. 

On what proved to be an action-packed title decider under the flightpath of East Midlands airport, five championships put on a feast of entertainment for those in attendance in both wet and dry conditions. 

The British Endurance Championship concluded its inaugural season in dramatic fashion, with the destiny of the title being decided in the final few laps of what was a captivating two-hour contest.

After a frenetic start – which saw the safety car make three appearances in the opening 15 minutes – the finale of what has been a year to remember soon settled down, with a number of different teams hitting the front. 

Heading into the final half hour, title contenders Wayne Marrs and Tom Jackson put their Rob Boston Racing Mercedes GT3 to within touching distance of the crown as they assumed a lead they would ultimately never lose.

Needing to overturn a slender two-point deficit, Marrs and Jackson did all they could do up front and behind, things were soon set to fall their way to ensure they wrote their name in the history books as not only race winners but champions. 

On course for victory in Class C and the overall title, a small mistake by the RNR Performance Ferrari 458 Challenge – driven by Chris Goddard, Charlie Hollings and Jamie Stanley – in the closing stages ensured victory for the Mercedes pair.

Team BRIT wrote the latest feel-good chapter in their ever-growing story by clinching the overall title in the Britcar Trophy. Heading into the final round of the year holding a narrow advantage in the points, Chris Overend and James Whitley did enough to guide their BMW M240i to championship glory.

Whilst many eyes were transfixed on the battle for title supremacy, Rob Boston Racing took a clean sweep of endurance wins over the course of the weekend. William Stacey piloted the stunning Lotus Elise to a brace of wins in significantly different conditions, with the first coming in torrential rain and the second just as the sun set on a dry track. 

Jimmy Broadbent and Gordie Mutch wrapped up the Praga Cup title in emphatic fashion, claiming two commanding victories. Arriving at the Leicestershire track firmly in control at the summit of the standings, the Fanatec Team 87 pairing laid down their marker to the rest of the field with a superlative lap in qualifying to clinch pole position. 

From there, Broadbent and Mutch reigned supreme – and in some style too – as they charged to victory in race one, giving them an unassailable lead in the series. With the championship sorted, Sunday’s second bout saw them put the explanation point on a dominant campaign by scoring yet another race win. 

The Classic Touring Car Racing Club produced an abundance of edge-of-the-seat entertainment as expected, with no less than eight races of nostalgic saloon car action playing out around Donington’s Grand Prix layout.

Barry Sime and James Ibbotson scored a win apiece in the Poultec Classic Race Engines Pre-66 Touring Cars contests whilst Colin Philpott and newly crowned Jaguar champion Tom Robinson did the same in the amalgamated Shell Oils Pre 83 Touring Cars and Berkshire Jags Jaguar Challenge races.

Elsewhere, spoils were shared between Andrew Wilson and Kirk Armitage in the Classic & Historic Thunder Saloons/Blue Oval Saloons Series races. Rounding out the tin top fun were two bouts from the combined Laser Tools Pre 93 & Super Tourers and Burty Haulage Pre 03 Touring Cars, where Jason Hughes and Stewart Whyte ran out as the overall winners. 

Matt Hammond ensured that the title fight in the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy will go down to the wire at Brands Hatch next month after scoring two impressive wins. 

On a weekend that could have seen Nelson King secure an unassailable lead in the standings, the reigning champion dug deep to keep the championship battle rolling on and maintain his faint hopes of securing back-to-back crowns. 

Hammond tip-toed his way round a sodden track to score victory in race one before then adding to his silverware collection in a frenetic finale. In-between those victories, Joe Wiggin came to the fore to score victory in race two.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Donington Park, CLICK HERE. 

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Donington Park – October 22/23

Champions will be crowned at Donington Park this weekend (October 22/23) as the British Automobile Racing Club takes centre stage at the Leicestershire venue for an action-packed two days.

On what promises to be a title deciding spectacle under the flightpath of East Midlands airport, the gloves are set to come off as the battle for supremacy further intensifies.

The British Endurance Championship will conclude its inaugural season with a two-hour contest whilst both the Britcar Trophy Championship and Praga Cup will also look to sign off their campaigns in style.

Thrills and spills will undoubtedly be served up by the Classic Touring Car Racing Club, with the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy also joining the bill for the penultimate event of their season.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 13:00 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 09:30 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Donington Park including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

BARC championships delivers spectacular Snetterton show

The British Automobile Racing Club produced a blockbuster two days of wheel-to-wheel entertainment at Snetterton this past weekend (September 17/18), with six different categories writing the latest chapter in their 2022 campaigns.

On what proved to be a weekend to remember on the 300 layout of the Norfolk venue, a bumper crowd flocked trackside to witness a sensational 26-race programme where the battle for supremacy had everyone on the edge of their seats. 

Whilst the on-track action took centre stage, the event also saw competitors, officials and spectators come together to pay their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away on September 8. 

Two minute silences were impeccably observed across both Saturday and Sunday, with all competing cars and trucks running tributes as well as officials and marshals wearing black armbands. 

There were twists and turns in the British Truck Racing Championship as the fight to be crowned champion intensified, with five colossal contests marking the start of the title run-in.

Division 1 saw Stuart Oliver make serious inroads towards the summit of the standings as he claimed a hat-trick of wins. Bouncing back from a heavy crash at Donington Park, the Volvo VNL driver dominated races one and two before then charging to victory in race five.

Championship leader Ryan Smith endured a rollercoaster weekend as he took to the track in a brand-new truck, having only had six days to build and prepare it; victory in race four would be his reward before he non-scored in the final bout. The remaining race fell the way of Richard Collett, who scored a popular first win of the season.

In Division 2, Luke Garrett endured his own mechanical dramas but still managed to score a pair of wins whilst Brad Smith, John Bowler and Jock Borthwick also visited the top step of the podium.

Miles Rudman and Will Gibson were the big winners in the Legends Cars National Championship as they each triumphed twice. Gibson was the driver to beat on Saturday before series leader Rudman came to the fore the following day – with the second of his two wins being his 50th in the one-make series. 

Matthew Isherwood chalked up his second-ever victory in Saturday’s final whilst Sunday’s finale fell the way of multiple champion John Mickel, who used all of his experience to pip Gibson on the run to the chequered flag. 

Variety was the spice of life when it came to the Classic Touring Car Racing Club as some of the most iconic tin tops from down the years took centre stage across eight unmissable races.

James Ibbotson claimed a dominant double in the Poultec Race Engines Pre 66 Touring Cars, with Stephen Primett repeating the feat in the Shell Oils Pre 83 Touring Cars. James Everard and Robert Crisell meanwhile shared the spoils in the amalgamated Laser Tools Pre 93 and Burty Haulage Pre 03 Touring Car bouts. 

In the combined Edmundson Electrical Classic & Historic Thunder, Burton Power Blue Oval Saloons Series and Berkshire Jags Jaguar Challenge races, Jason Davies was imperious as he guided his Ford Sierra Cosworth to two impressive victories. 

Nelson King closed in on securing the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy crown as he scored his ninth win of the season. The Graves Motorsport driver edged out Nicky Taylor to take a step closer to the title; wins also went the way of Tristen Ovenden and Charlie Mann. 

Steve McDermid was perfection personified in the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship as he added two more wins to his impressive 2022 tally. The MG ZR racer led home Jack Woodcock in two action-packed races – the second of which ended prematurely – to move closer to retaining his title. 

Bringing the curtain down on the weekend were two enthralling contests from the Pickup Truck Racing Championship. On what was a pivotal outing for the series, Dale Gent charged to victory in race one before Reece Jones reigned supreme in a pulsating race two, edging out points leader George Turiccki. 

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Snetterton, CLICK HERE. 

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Snetterton – September 17/18

The 2022 season edges closer to its conclusion this weekend (September 17/18) as the British Automobile Racing Club speeds into Snetterton for what promises to be an action-packed two days of track action.

Headlining the event will be five blockbuster contests from the British Truck Racing Championship whilst the Classic Touring Car Racing Club will also provide unmissable entertainment with eight scheduled races.

Further thrills and spills are set to be provided by the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, Quaife Mini Challenge Trophy and the Pickup Truck Racing Championship.

As a mark of respect, and to recognise Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s life and service, the race meeting will pause for a two-minute silence at 12:50 on Saturday and 14:25 on Sunday.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 12:10 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 09:30 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Snetterton including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE. 

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

TOCA support championships produce Thruxton thriller

High speed thrills and spills were in full effect at Thruxton this past weekend (August 27/28) as the TOCA support championships wrote the latest chapter in what is proving to be another pulsating season. 

With the business end of the campaign coming into view, every point on offer proved critical for those in title contention; all of which led to edge-of-the-seat entertainment for those that had flocked trackside. 

James Kellett took a step closer to wrapping up the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup crown. Having been the driver to beat since the get-go, the Century Motorsport ace added two more victories to his impressive résumé to further cement his place at the top of the leaderboard.

Sunday’s second race had to be restarted following a serious incident on the run up Woodham Hill. As a result of the impact, the drivers involved, Colin White and Mike Brown, were taken to hospital for care and are in stable condition.

The Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship saw an abundance of edge-of-the-seat entertainment as the top two took centre stage. Will Macintyre clinched a pivotal victory in Saturday’s opener however he could do nothing to stop series leader Josh Rowledge from hitting back in race two later that afternoon.

Sunday’s third and final contest saw Rowledge recover from a high-speed on the run to the Complex to take his sixth win of the season and thus further extend his championship lead. 

History was made in the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA as Alex Dunne continued his march towards the title. Returning to the Hampshire venue with a healthy lead in the points, the Hitech GP rewrote the record books in commanding fashion. 

Two victories over the course of the weekend – his 10th and 11th of the campaign – saw him break the record for the most victories in a single season and edge nearer to the overall title. Oliver Stewart made it a weekend to remember for the team as he also triumphed for the very first time.

Spoils were shared in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, where the title race took yet another turn. Gus Burton converted pole position into victory in race one before reigning Sprint Challenge GB champion Theo Edgerton came to the fore in race two to claim his maiden win in the series. 

The Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy’s final appearance on the TOCA support bill didn’t disappoint either as the one-make category delivered a pair of blockbuster races. 

Tom Ovenden became the latest driver to taste victory in the category as he won an action-packed race one before Nelson King added to his victory tally with a narrow win in what was a pulsating finale.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Thruxton, CLICK HERE.

The Home of British Motor Racing, Silverstone, provides the penultimate stop on the calendar for the TOCA package on September 24/25, with the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE JCW primed to rejoin the fray. 

TOCA support championships serve up Croft cracker

Croft Circuit played host to a memorable two days of TOCA support championship action this past weekend (June 25/26) as the 2022 season reached the halfway point. 

Sharing the bill with the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship in North Yorkshire, five one-make categories served up a feast of entertainment for the bumper crowd that was in attendance. 

After missing Oulton Park, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship made a triumphant return, delivering a pair of exciting contests. Race one saw Sonny Smith come out on top of a spectacular multi-car battle for the lead before Will Macintyre claimed his second win of the season in a calmer second race.

Alex Dunne continued his dominance in the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA by chalking up a seventh win of the season to cement his position at the top of the standings.

Saturday’s two races saw Aiden Neate – who was celebrating his 16th birthday – score a commanding pole-to-flag victory in race one before Dunne came to the fore in the second contest, storming to victory in style after grabbing the lead off the line. 

Williams F1 Junior Oliver Gray then made it three different winners from three races as he triumphed in a shortened final race, his first of the season.

Tin top thrills and spills were in full force in the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy as a capacity grid went wheel-to-wheel in two frenetic encounters. Championship leader Nelson King reigned supreme in Saturday’s bout before then going onto double his account for the weekend on Sunday.

The Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge made its final appearance of the season on the TOCA package and true to form it didn’t disappoint, with two pulsating contests getting fans on the edge of their seats. 

Entering the business end of the title battle, Harley Haughton continued his scintillating form of recent rounds by storming to a pole position double and then backed it up with a pair of commanding race wins. That clean sweep has now moved the Elite Motorsport driver to the summit of the drivers’ standings with two events to go. 

Bringing the curtain down on the support race action over the course of the weekend was two races from the Porsche Visit Cayman Islands Sprint Challenge GB. Boasting an ultra-competitive grid, Matthew Armstrong emerged as the driver to beat, winning both races.

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Croft Circuit, CLICK HERE. 

Knockhill provides the next stop on the calendar for the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support categories, with the annual trip north of the border for the sixth event of the season taking place on July 30/31.

Thruxton thrills for TOCA support championships

It wasn’t just the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship that had fans on the edge of their seats at Thruxton Circuit this past weekend (May 28/29) as the TOCA support championships also shared the headlines. 

Marking the first of two visits to the fastest circuit in the UK this year, five one-make categories took centre stage in Hampshire to write the latest chapter in what is already shaping up to be a blockbuster season across the board. 

The Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge made their second appearance on the BTCC support bill and like their Junior counterparts, they didn’t disappoint. 

Harley Haughton – who has been one of the standout performers in the series thus far – was the driver to beat in Saturday’s opening bout as he charged from third on the grid to claim a well-deserved maiden victory. Haughton then repeated the feat on Sunday with a similarly commanding drive.

Elsewhere, Josh Rowledge and Ian Aguilera enjoyed a share of the spoils in what were two blockbuster Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship races – the second of which ended prematurely

There was plenty of wheel-to-wheel entertainment in the ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA as Alex Dunne and Aiden Neate stood on the top step of the podium.

Despite starting on pole position, Dunne had to secure victory the hard way in race one as he battled back past Ugo Ugochukwu on lap four after losing the lead off the line. Once back in front, the Irishman powered clear to win and strengthen his title challenge. 

Dunne would go on to prevail in race three after Neate led an Argenti Motorsport 1-2 in an enthralling reverse grid contest on Sunday.

The Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy – which boasted a bumper 30-car entry list – led the way with two frenetic races. Nelson King continued his sensational start to the season as he narrowly prevailed in the opening contest after pipping Louie Capozzoli and Matt Hammond in a drag to the line.

Capozzoli struck back in the second bout as he chalked up his first win of the year after fending off the advances of Alfie Glenie. King was declared the winner of the third race, which was twice affected by red flag stoppages. 

Rounding out the weekend’s track action was a pair of pulsating races from the Porsche Visit Cayman Islands Sprint Challenge GB. Now in its third season, the one-make series made its first appearance on the TOCA support package for this season with Harry Foster winning both bouts. 

To view the full classification of results from all sessions at Thruxton, CLICK HERE. 

Oulton Park provides the next stop on the calendar for the TOCA support package on June 11/12 where the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, MINI CHALLENGE JCW and Ginetta GT4 Supercup all return to action.

BARC basks in Pembrey sunshine to headline Convoy Cymru entertainment

The British Automobile Racing Club basked in the bright sunshine this past weekend (May 7/8) as a number of championships took centre stage at Pembrey Circuit for the inaugural running of Convoy Cymru.

Living up to its promise as being a festival of all things trucking, those that attended Convoy Cymru were able to see some of the best trucks in the country on display as well as soak up the atmosphere from the funfair, all-action arena, tractor pulling and much more.

Headlining the weekend’s track action were five blockbuster contests from the British Truck Racing Championship. Coming off the back off a sensational season-opener at Brands Hatch last month, the heavyweight behemoths served up yet more entertainment.

Division 1 saw reigning champion Ryan Smith stamp his authority on the battle for the title as he stormed to four emphatic wins in his Damiler Truck. Simon Reid was the only driver that could stop the six-time title winner as he piloted his Iveco to the top step in race four, holding off the aforementioned Smith.

In Division 2, Saturday’s spoils were shared between Jock Borthwick and Luke Garrett before Garrett then added a further two wins to his tally on Sunday. Adam Bint was the other victor as he guided his Volvo White Aerodyne to a popular win for the first time this season.

From the titans of truck racing to the 5/8 scale pocket rockets of the Legends Cars National Championship, wheel-to-wheel action was around every turn of the challenging 1.45-mile layout.

Reigning champion Miles Rudman and John Mickel each walked away with a brace of wins whilst there was also a visit to the top step of the podium each for Will Gibson and Marcus Pett.

Elsewhere, the Pickup Truck Racing Championship put on a show with three pulsating bouts which were won by Michael Smith, Mark Willis and Dale Gent. 

Nelson King enjoyed a dream start to the new Quaife MINI CHALLENGE Trophy season as he claimed hat-trick of wins whilst David O’Keeffe was victorious in both Classic 2CV Racing Club contests. 

Rounding out the weekend’s track action were a pair of races from the Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship, where Rhys Lloyd and Damian Longotano took a win apiece. 

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

You can also re-watch all of the action from Saturday and Sunday by heading to the British Automobile Racing Club YouTube channel.

Where To Watch BARC LIVE: Pembrey – May 7/8

The British Automobile Racing Club makes its first visit of the 2022 season to Pembrey Circuit this weekend (May 7/8) for the inaugural Convoy Cymru event and it’s not to be missed.

Billed as what is set to be a festival of all things truck at the Welsh venue, those in attendance will be able to see some of the best trucks in the country on display as well as soak up the atmosphere from the funfair, all-action arena and much more.

Whilst there will be plenty to see and do off-track, the same can be said on it as the British Truck Racing Championship headlines the live coverage with five blockbuster races scheduled to play out across both days.

In addition to the heavyweight behemoths, viewers will also be able to watch action from the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Classic 2CV Racing Club and Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship over the course of the weekend.

Make sure you don’t miss any of the on-track entertainment by using the key timings and links below:

Saturday Race Show – Starting from 11:45 – Facebook | YouTube

Sunday Race Show – Starting from 09:30 – Facebook | YouTube

To find out more information on this weekend’s race meeting at Pembrey, including the official entry lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.

Don’t miss any future BARC LIVE events either by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.