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BARC closes out 2024 season with blockbuster Brands Hatch title-decider

The British Automobile Racing Club brought the curtain down on its 2024 season in spectacular style at Brands Hatch this past weekend (November 2/3) as the final batch of champions were crowned in front of a sell-out crowd.

Concluding what has been a year to remember for the Club’s championships, series, centres and venues; two days of blockbuster racing provided the backdrop to a fitting finale around the Indy layout.

Headlining the action was the British Truck Racing Championship, where Ryan Smith continues to re-write the history books in his Daimler Freightliner as he claimed a remarkable ninth consecutive Division 1 title.

Arriving at the Kent venue with one hand on the coveted crown, Smith was wheel-perfect as he blitzed the opposition to claim pole position in qualifying and then swept his way to all five race wins that were up for grabs.

Behind him, former title winner David Jenkins edged out Steven Powell to clinch second overall whilst Michael Oliver and Stuart Oliver also stood on the podium over the course of what was a frenetic weekend.

In Division 2, John Powell made his dreams a reality as he finally savoured championship glory after edging out Simon Cole to top spot. The pair were virtually inseparable throughout the meeting however a non-finish for Cole in the finale allowed Powell to reign supreme.

At the front of Division 2, the spoils of victory went to former champions Adam Bint and Paul Rivett – with the latter closing out his reign as defending champion with four superlative victories in his NAPA Racing UK MAN.

The battle for supremacy in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy went down to the wire with Westbourne Motorsport’s Harry Hickton ultimately doing enough to beat his team-mate Sam Gornall to the title by just two points.

Hickton went into the final meeting of the season sitting second in standings, 31 points adrift of the top of the table. Bagging pole position in qualifying, Hickton then outscored Gornall to close the gap in race one while James Black triumphed up ahead.

The Hampshire racer then claimed a critical fifth win of the season in race two to take the lead in the points before shadowing Gornall all the way to the chequered flag in the finale, which in-turn ensured he clinched the Drivers’ Championship.

Remarkably, the difference between the top two in the Junior Saloon Car Championship was even closer than in the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, with the bonus point for setting the fastest lap in the final race being the deciding factor.

Concluding its 10th Anniversary season with six drivers in contention, it boiled down to a straight shootout between Harry Smith and Jonathan Moore – and as always the one-make series had everyone on the edge of their seats as the pair scrapped for the right to call themselves champion.

James Sherrington scored victory in race one but with Moore finishing ahead of Smith it set up a tantalising title showdown. In a final contest that was truncated with red flags, Moore finished first on the road however confirmation of a champion remains to be decided virtue of how many laps were completed.

The Pickup Truck Racing Championship was another category that crowned a new champion as Dale Gent finally climbed to the top of the mountain after just coming up short during the past few years.

Going into the weekend at the top of the standings, Gent held his nerve to score the points that he required while Ryan Hadfield and Matt Simpson enjoyed a share of the spoils at the front of the field.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action was the Mini 7 Racing Club’s O-Plate Winter Shootout. Aaron Smith and Rupert Deeth were undoubtedly the cream of the crop as they dominated all three races, with Smith narrowly beating Deeth on each occasion.

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

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend – November 2/3

The British Automobile Racing Club brings the curtain down on its 2024 season at Brands Hatch with a title decider that is guaranteed to provide fireworks – both on and off the track.

Headlining the action will be five colossal contests from the British Truck Racing Championship as the destiny of the Division 1 and Division 2 crowns are settled in what promises to be a heavyweight showdown.

They aren’t the only titles to be decided either as champions will be crowned in the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy and Mini 7 Racing Club Winter O-Plate Shootout.

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

Saturday 2nd November | 12:05 | WATCH HERE
Sunday 3rd November | 09:45 | WATCH HERE

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 of the action from a BARC LIVE event by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

Snetterton serves up BARC spectacular as title fights ramp up

Champions were crowned and title battles intensified at Snetterton this past weekend (September 14/15) as the British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage in Norfolk for what proved to be a dramatic two days of track action.

Recent campaigns have seen the annual late-summer visit to the 2.99-mile circuit dish up its fair share of thrills and spills, and this year proved to be no different as no less than six BARC categories wowed the crowds.

The British Endurance Championship in association with Motorsport UK closed out its season with a two-hour race that was comfortably won by the PB Racing with JMH duo of Peter Erceg and Marcus Clutton.

Having been the benchmark team from the get-go in the long distance series, the Audi GT3 pairing capped off a remarkable season by clinching pole position, race victory and the fastest lap around the challenging course.

The cherry on top for Erceg and Clutton was that their victory at the finale was enough for them to secure the overall title for the first time, having gone close to capturing the coveted crown last year.

While there was one clear overall winner in the British Endurance Championship, the Britcar Trophy Championship crowned joint title winners following what was a thrilling crescendo on Sunday afternoon.

Two all-action 50 minute races saw Bryan Bransom and Maurizio Sciglio enjoy a share of the spoils however all eyes were on the teams of Rob Ellick and Mark Jones and also Maurice Henry and Hadley Simpson.

With each pairing tallying a podium in their respective classes, the numbers were crunched post-race and it was declared a tie, making them both 2024 Britcar Trophy champions.

Over in the British Truck Racing Championship there was both agony and ecstasy for a number of title contenders as the battle for supremacy reached fever pitch across Division 1 and Division 2.

Team Oliver Racing enjoyed arguably their best outing of the season to-date as both Michael Oliver and ten-time title winner Stuart Oliver stood on the top step of the podium; Michael – the younger of the two – doing so on two occasions.

In Division 2, defending champion Paul Rivett also suffered mechanical woes as his engine expired in the closing stages of race one which forced him to withdraw from the remainder of the race meeting.

Rivett’s absence opened the door for John Powell and Simon Cole to extend their advantage over the NAPA Racing UK driver, with Powell claiming a clean sweep of race wins while Cole shadowed him home by securing runners-up laurels in all five contests.

Matt Simpson and Dale Gent renewed their fight for outright honours in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship; with the pair leaving Norfolk with a share of the spoils after some hard-fought battles.

Former British Touring Car Championship race winner Simpson made a long-overdue return to the top step of the podium in the opening encounter and had looked to repeat the feat in race two before being hit by a track limits penalty, dropping him to second behind Gent.

With the scores at one apiece heading into the final race of the weekend, Simpson and Gent streaked clear of the chasing pack and served up a captivating wheel-to-wheel fight for those in attendance. In the end, Simpson would prevail by a little over one second.

Daniel Munro continued his rich vein of form in the OT Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires as he powered his way to a dominant double. Ahead of the series’ finale at Castle Combe next month, Munro stamped his authority on the rest of the field with a superlative display.

Mark Ridout pipped Munro to pole position in qualifying by three tenths of a second however it wasn’t long before the tables turned, with Munro blasting into the lead and then onto victory in a breathless opening contest.

Starting in top spot for race two, Munro then fended off the race-long advances of Ridout from lights-to-flag, while last year’s overall winner Luca Staccini Anzanello kept a watching brief back in third.

Closing out the weekend’s track action were three races from the Adrian Flux Insurance MG Owners Club Championship, one of which was being re-run from Cadwell Park earlier in the season.

Multiple champion Steve McDermid was unsurprisingly the driver to beat as he claimed a clean sweep of wins, with races one and two seeing his son Jake McDermid join him on the podium to make it a historic father-son top two.

The Cadwell Park re-run meanwhile saw Andy Preece emerge as McDermid’s nearest challenger in second while Josh Addison completed the podium.

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

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend – September 14/15

Snetterton is poised to host the ‘Best of British’ this weekend (September 14/15) as the British Automobile Racing Club speeds into Norfolk with both the British Truck Racing Championship and British Endurance Championship topping the bill.

On what promises to be a thrilling two days of wheel-to-wheel entertainment around the 2.99-mile circuit, every point will be crucial in the battle among the titans of truck racing while both the British Endurance Championship and Britcar Trophy are set to close out their respective campaigns.

Also in action over the course of the weekend will be the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, Adrian Flux MG Owners Club Championship and OT Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires.

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

Saturday 14th September | 11:20 | WATCH HERE
Sunday 15th September | 09:40 | WATCH HERE

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 by subscribing to our YouTube channel HERE.

BARC takes centre stage at Donington Park for captivating Convoy

Donington Park provided the backdrop to a spectacular two days of on-track entertainment this past weekend (August 10/11) as the British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage in Leicestershire for the 2024 edition of Convoy in the Park.

Billed as one of the biggest race meetings on the UK motorsport calendar, no less than five championships – and one additional guest category – served up captivating thrills and spills to thousands of fans that had flocked trackside.

Headlining the action around the 1.64-mile National layout were five blockbusters contests from the British Truck Racing Championship, where twists and turns played out in both Division 1 and Division 2.

Ryan Smith remains on course to clinch what would be a record-breaking ninth consecutive title in Division 1 after he bounced back from a frustrating qualifying session to add three more wins to his tally for the season.

The Daimler Freightliner driver twice charged from the back of the grid to claim runners-up laurels behind David Jenkins on Saturday however come Sunday there was no stopping him as he powered his way to a memorable hat-trick.

Over in Division 2, defending champion Paul Rivett continued his fightback in the points by claiming three impressive wins. There were also visits to the top step of the podium for John Powell and the returning Adam Bintn in his Volvo White Aerodyne.

That wasn’t to be the only truck racing that took place though during the weekend as the International Truck Prix made a welcome return to the schedule following its popular debut last year.

Boasting an entry list that was packed with high-profile names, the weekend’s four races belonged to Jamie Anderson as he didn’t put a wheel wrong in Neil Yates’ MAN to claim all four race wins.

Over in the British Endurance Championship in association with Motorsport UK, perfection was the only word that could describe Peter Erceg and Marcus Clutton as they claimed yet another race win in their Audi GT3.

Maintaining their 100% winning record in the series, the PB Racing by JMH duo edged out the Lamborghini GT3 pairing of John Seale and Jamie Stanley to snare pole position, and they then repeated the feat in that afternoon’s two-hour race; triumphing by a little over a lap.

Further back was the Team Tasman Porsche 991.2 Cup entry of David Harrison and Nathan Luckey who claimed third overall; finishing just ahead of Xentek Motorsport’s Bal Sidhu and Josh Steed who were crowned GT4 champions.

The Britcar Trophy Championship complimented the long-distance racing with a pair of 50-minute races that threw up two different sets of winners.

In race one, Jasver Sapra and Bryan Bransom proved too much for the opposition in their BMW E46 M3 to win comfortably win before Lee Goldsmith utilised his rear-wheel-drive BMW to rocket up the order and onto the top step of the rostrum.

Standing on the highest peak of the podium became a familiar feeling for Matt Simpson who got his title challenge back on-track with a pair of wins in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship.

The former BTCC race winner was at times in a league of his own as he blitzed the opposition to triumph in races one and two however he was denied the chance of completing his hat-trick by Dale Gent, who tallied a win of his own in the finale.

Steve McDermid bounced back from a high-speed crash at Thruxton by returning to winning ways in the Adrian Flux MG Owners Club Championship. The MG ZR driver reigned supreme in race one however he could only muster second in race two as Howard Hunt came to the fore.

Concluding the weekend’s track action at Donington Park were three races from the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport, where the spoils were shared between the series’ top two drivers – Stephen Berry and Ross Alexander.

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

Every lap from the two-day event is also available to watch on demand via the British Automobile Racing Club YouTube channel HERE.

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend – August 10/11

The British Automobile Racing Club returns to this big screen this weekend for what is arguably one of the biggest events on the national motorsport calendar; Convoy in the Park at Donington Park.

On what promises to be a festival of all things motor racing and trucking, the two-day event at the Leicestershire venue is guaranteed to have everyone on the edge of their seats – and all of it will be LIVE online.

Taking centre stage in front of the cameras will be races from the British Truck Racing Championship, International Truck Prix, British Endurance Championship, Britcar Trophy and the Pickup Truck Racing Championship, plus much more.

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

Saturday 10th August | 12:45 | WATCH LIVE
Sunday 11th August | 10:15 | WATCH LIVE

Also taking place during the weekend are the latest rounds of the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. Heading north of the border to Knockhill, the UK’s premier motorsport series will air qualifying online on Saturday afternoon before then broadcasting race day LIVE on ITV4 on Sunday.

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

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

BARC battles the elements to deliver Thruxton thriller

The British Automobile Racing Club served up two days of blockbuster entertainment on home turf this past weekend (July 6/7) as a number of championships battled the elements around the fastest circuit in the country, Thruxton.

Welcoming a bumper crowd for the 2024 edition of Convoy on the Plain, the high-speed Hampshire venue played host to a feast of exciting wheel-to-wheel battles across two full-throttle days – with the British Truck Racing Championship topping the bill.

Returning to action after an almost two-month hiatus, the titans of truck racing had everyone on the edge of their seats as they produced five blockbuster contests around the flowing 2.356-mile layout.

In Division 1, reigning eight-time champion Ryan Smith was untouchable out front as he bolstered his quest for a ninth consecutive title by delivering a five-star performance in his Daimler Freightliner.

Smith converted pole position in races one and two into comfortable lights-to-flag victories before he then showcased his overtaking prowess in the remaining three reverse grid contests, coming from the back of the grid to complete a clean sweep of race wins.

Division 2 saw John Powell and the returning Paul Rivett renew their rivalry as they enjoyed a share of the spoils that were on offer. Powell struck first with victory across the first three races before Rivett – who was returning from injury – tallied a double of his own.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship made a welcome return to Thruxton and the next generation of UK racers didn’t disappoint either as they delivered a trio of captivating races that were packed with action.

Harry Smith scored his fifth win of the season in the weekend’s opening bout, although this only came after on-the-road winner Jonathan Moore was given a one-place penalty after the chequered flag had fallen.

Neither Smith or Moore would be able to do anything about Josh Selvadorai in the remaining two bouts, with Selvadorai underlining his credentials as one to watch in the title battle by scoring back-to-back wins.

Matt Simpson’s absence from the Pickup Truck Racing Championship opened the door for the chasing pack to close in, and that’s exactly what they did as three different drivers stood on the top step of the podium.

Dale Gent held off a number of drivers to claim a hard-fought victory in race one before the experienced Mark Willis battled his way to the front to clinch a commanding victory in race two. Ryan Hadfield then capped off proceedings with a superlative victory in the weekend’s finale.

Ross Alexander was perfection personified in the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport series as he powered his way to a hat-trick of wins – the second time this season he has achieved the feat.

Alexander entered the meeting as one of the favourites to triumph and he duly lived up to all expectations as he got the better of Stephen Berry and Freddy Hewitt in his Mini Cooper S on each occasion.

The Adrian Flux Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw high-drama as Steve McDermid and Fergus Campbell clashed exiting Noble Corner in race one which resulted in substantial damage that ruled them out of both contests.

With two of the favourites to fight for victory watching on from the sidelines, Jonathan Candler stepped up to triumph in race one before Robb Addison then edged out Maninder Golhar to emerge victorious in race two.

Over in the OT Publishing Coupe Cup with Toyo Tires, slip-streaming was at a premium as the tin top category delivered incredible racing which often saw three or more cars going side-by-side on the run up Woodham Hill.

Daniel Munro and Mark Ridout proved to be the stars of the show as they each claimed a win apiece. Munro held off Ridout for his crowning glory in race one before the latter struck back in devastating fashion in race two, winning by more than ten seconds.

Rounding out the weekend were two races from the ever-entertaining Track Action contingent, with victories going the way of Paul Roddison and Charlotte Birch – the pair being the cream of the crop throughout.

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

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend – July 6/7

The British Automobile Racing Club takes centre stage with on home turf this weekend (July 6/7) as the British Truck Racing Championship headlines Convoy on the Plain at Thruxton Circuit.

On what promises to be a full-throttle feast of entertainment around the fastest circuit in the country, five colossal contests from the titans of truck racing are guaranteed to have everyone on the edge of their seats.

Making up the all-action support bill is the likes of the Junior Saloon Car Championship, Pickup Truck Racing Championship, MGOC Championship, Hyundai Coupe Cup and Track Action.

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

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

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

Blockbuster BARC action headlines Convoy Cymru at Pembrey

The British Automobile Racing Club took centre stage at Pembrey Circuit this past weekend (May 18/19) for an unforgettable two days of blockbuster track action, all of which acted as the headline acts for Convoy Cymru.

On what proved to be a weekend to remember in South Wales, a bumper crowd flocked to the popular venue for a festival of all things trucking – which included an eye-catching show truck display, live music, monster truck rides, electric motocross and much more.

Whilst there was plenty to see and do off-track, edge-of-the-seat entertainment was the order of business on it as a number of categories continued their 2024 campaigns in superlative style.

Topping the bill were five heavyweight contests from the British Truck Racing Championship, which – just like Brands Hatch for the season-opener – delivered an abundance of drama across both Division’s 1 and 2.

As expected, reigning Division 1 champion Ryan Smith was a force to be reckoned as he romped to a brace of wins however the Daimler Freightliner driver didn’t have things his own way. Fellow former champion David Jenkins would tally a double of his own while Steven Powell also stood on the top step of the podium.

In Division 2, with defending champion Paul Rivett forced to watch on from the sideline due to sustaining a broken ankle, John Powell set about closing the gap to the early points leader by sharing the spoils with Rivett’s NAPA Racing UK replacement, BTCC star Sam Osborne.

Powell laid down his marker with pole position and a lights-to-flag victory in the opening contest however mechanical issues prevented him from starting races two and four, which provided Osborne with the opportunity triumph. Powell would however win the remaining races in his DAF.

Westbourne Motorsport’s Harry Hickton maintained his lead in the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy standings following three frenetic races of the popular tin top series in the Welsh countryside.

Hickton tallied a podium and a fourth place finish in races one and two before then coming to the fore in the finale, as he powered his way from third on the grid to claim a hard-fought victory – his third of the season so far.

Prior to Hickton reigning supreme, Jamie Keates splashed his way to the top of the rostrum in a wet’n wild opener before Alex Solley opened his account for the new campaign with a commanding win in race two.

Former BTCC race winner Matt Simpson enjoyed a near-perfect weekend in the Pickup Truck Racing Championship as he strengthened his early stranglehold on proceedings at the summit of the leaderboard.

Simpson was arguably untouchable out front for a majority of the event as he blasted his way to pole position in qualifying before then converting it into a brace of superlative wins in races one and two.

Dale Gent ultimately prevented Simpson from claiming what would have been a memorable hat-trick in the weekend’s finale as he underlined his credentials as a contender for the crown with a masterful defensive drive to hold off his rival and Mark Willis.

Like Simpson, Josh Selvadorai was another driver that narrowly missed out on clinching a clean sweep of wins as he laid down his marker as one to watch in the ever-exciting Junior Saloon Car Championship.

Series leader Harry Smith narrowly pipped Selvadorai to outright honours in a damp race one but from that point on the meeting belonged to the Citroen Saxo of Selvadorai as he piloted his way to a dominant double.

Behind him, Smith continued his fine start to the year by adding two more podium finishes to his tally while there was also silverware for Jonathan Moore and Kieran Roberts.

Paul Roddison was another driver that enjoyed a weekend to remember at Pembrey as he, like many others already mentioned, produced a double-winning performance – this time in the fledgling Track Action.

Roddison – who is a previous winner of the coveted BARC President’s Cup – guided his Volkswagen Scirocco to the chequered flag in races one and two before Dan Earl triumphed in his Vauxhall Astra VXR in the finale.

Rounding out the weekend’s track action were a pair of races from the Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship on Sunday, both of which were won by Deri Davies in his Darrian T90 and Damien Longotano in his Westfield SE.

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 HERE.

BARC TV: What’s On This Weekend // May 18-19

The British Automobile Racing Club sets course for South Wales this weekend (May 18-19) for what promises to be a blockbuster two days of action-packed entertainment from Pembrey Circuit.

Headlining the on-track thrills at Convoy Cymru will be the titans of the British Truck Racing Championship while the likes of the Vertu MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, Junior Saloon Car Championship and Pickup Truck Racing Championship are guaranteed to star.

Also joining them on the billing will be Track Action and the Welsh Sports & Saloon Car Championship.

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

Saturday 18th May – Pembrey – 12:25 – WATCH HERE
Sunday 19th May – Pembrey – 09:15 – WATCH HERE

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

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

BARC delivers Brands Hatch blockbuster on Easter Sunday and Monday

The British Automobile Racing Club concluded its blockbuster Easter bank holiday weekend at Brands Hatch on Sunday and Monday (March 31/April 1) with seven more championships bursting into life to kick-start their 2024 campaigns in action-packed style.

Taking centre stage in front of a bumper crowd at the Kent venue, no less than 21 races played out around the challenging 1.2-mile Indy circuit – each of which were packed with the traditional thrills (and occasional spills) that fans have become accustomed to.

Headlining the action were five heavyweight contests from the British Truck Racing Championship, which this year again boasted another ultra-competitive grid across both of its classes.

In Division 1, reigning eight-time champion and title favourite Ryan Smith dominated proceedings on the first day of running as he powered his Daimler Freightliner to pole position and back-to-back race wins in commanding fashion.

Unfortunately Smith was unable to repeat the feat on Easter Monday as windscreen issues plagued him in a handful of races. Instead, local driver Steven Powell would score a brace of his own whilst David Jenkins also opened his account for the year with a win in the finale.

Division 2 was ultimately all about one driver; defending champion Paul Rivett. Returning with NAPA Racing UK for a second successive season, Rivett enjoyed a dream weekend as he scooped all five Division 2 wins and even scored the overall victory in race four.

The Junior Saloon Car Championship launched its 10th Anniversary season in superlative style with second-year racer Harry Smith showing his class by taking a clean sweep of pole positions and race wins.

Continuing to serve as a launchpad for drivers aged 14 to 17, the one-make series demonstrated why it remains on the UK’s premier junior championships with two entertaining bouts.

Smith, who was one of the leading lights last year, underlined his credentials as being a star for the future as he charged to victory ahead of Jonathan Moore and James Sherrington, who each claimed a brace of podiums.

Matt Simpson began his pursuit of the Pickup Truck Racing Championship on the right foot as he claimed two of the three race wins that were up for grabs, while Allen Cooper scored the remaining victory.

Following the news that two-time champion Reece Jones will not be competing this year, the battle for supremacy in the series is set to be wide open, and Simpson wasted no time in establishing himself as the lead contender to possibly capture the crown.

Near capacity grids and close-quarter racing was the story of the SIM Motorsport Caterham Graduates Championship, which served up no less than four races during the weekend – each of which proved to be as captivating as the previous one.

Tom McEwing and Paul Goldstein claimed a win apiece in the two Sigma 135 races whilst Jamie Ellwood and reigning double champion Harry Senior emerged victorious from the remaining two thrilling Sigma 150 contests.

Andy Preece made a flying start to life in the Adrian Flux Insurance MG Owners Club Championship – which was boasting one of its most competitive entries in recent years – as he opened his 2024 account with two narrow victories.

At the wheel of his MG ZR, Preece fended off Mark Baker and Martin Willis in a pulsating opening encounter before then repeating the feat in race two, this time with Steve McDermid and Ryley Price as his main protagonists.

Elsewhere, Ross Alexander was wheel-perfect in the MINI CHALLENGE Clubsport with Airtec Motorsport as he claimed a clean sweep of race wins.

Looking to build on an encouraging 2023 campaign, the MINI Cooper S driver had the measure of last year’s overall victor Stephen Berry and the rest of the field to comfortably romp to a hat-trick of victories, laying his marker down as the one to beat in the process.

Rounding out the bank holiday action at Brands Hatch were two races from Track Action, which is previously went by the name of the Track Attack Race Club. Gareth Porter and Paul Roddison proved to be the cream of the crop from the budget-conscious category as they each snared a win apiece.

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

BARC concludes 2023 season with thrilling Brands Hatch title-decider

The British Automobile Racing Club closed out its 2023 season at Brands Hatch last weekend (November 4/5) with an extravaganza of title-deciding entertainment as a number of champions were crowned in front of a capacity trackside crowd.

Concluding what has been a year to remember for the Club’s championships, series, centres and venues; two days of blockbuster racing – in contrasting weather conditions – provided the backdrop to a fitting finale around the Indy layout of the Kent venue.

Headlining the action was the British Truck Racing Championship, which saw Ryan Smith continue to re-write the history books as he claimed an unprecedented eighth consecutive Division 1 title.

Going into the weekend holding a commanding lead at the top of the standings, Smith mastered both the wet and dry conditions in his Daimler Freightliner to clinch a hat-trick of race wins and with it, the coveted crown for an eighth time.

Unfortunately, incidents on-track meant that the super-sized series only really contested three of its five scheduled bouts. The first race was declared without a result following two red flag stoppages while the finale lasted just a couple of corners before an accident caused barrier damage on the run up to Druids.

Huge credit must be given to all of the volunteer marshals, BARC officials and circuit staff for their tireless and swift efforts over the course of the weekend.

While Smith comfortably cruised to championship glory, there was unbelievably nothing to separate Paul Rivett and Adam Bint in the battle for overall Division 2 honours – with the pair ending the season tied on points.

Across both days, the pendulum between the title protagonists swung back-and-forth, with each of them scoring wins. Come the final race, both drivers were locked on the same amount of points and due to the race not taking place, the champion was crowned on a count back of wins.

Having been somewhat of a winning juggernaut, especially in recent rounds, NAPA Racing UK’s Rivett was declared the new Division 2 champion ahead of Bint – who had pieced together an incredible campaign from start-to-finish.

Things were somewhat more straight forward in the ultra-competitive Vertu Motors MINI CHALLENGE Trophy as former rallycross champion Tom Ovenden reigned supreme to wrap up the title.

Entering the weekend as one of six drivers that held a mathematical chance of lifting the one-make series crown, the EXCELR8 Motorsport driver shadowed his title rivals in the opening encounter before then securing the title with a fifth place finish in race two.

As Ovenden rightly soaked up the spoils of championship glory, the final three race wins of the season fell the way of Alex Keens, Jack Byrne and Nathan Edwards; whilst Maximus Hall punched in an impressive showing by clinching hat-trick of second place finishes.

Daire Flock turned his dreams of being crowned champion of the Junior Saloon Car Championship into a reality as he came out on top in the final two races of a thrilling 2023 campaign.

The Westbourne Motorsport driver entered the weekend with a healthy advantage in the standings however with double points on offer, he couldn’t afford to make any mistakes – especially as rookie ace Cameron Pratt-Thompson was waiting in the wings.

Victory in race one put the sophomore racer on the cusp of glory before he wrapped things up with second place in race two, just behind eventual winner Oskar Dix. Pratt-Thompson would settle for the runners-up spot overall, although he did manage to clinch the Rookie Cup.

Third and sixth place finishes proved to be enough for Reece Jones to successfully retain his Pickup Truck Racing Championship title as he became a two-time champion in the popular one-make series.

Arriving at Brands Hatch in the pound seat, Jones produced a flurry of measured performances to ensure he did enough to hold off Dale Gent and Paul Tompkins – who were his main rivals heading into the weekend.

Gent would sign off the season with victory in the final race, although he could do nothing to stop former British Touring Car Championship race winner Matt Simpson from triumphing in the weekend’s earlier two contests.

Rounding out the list of newly crowned champions at Brands Hatch was Will Gibson, who – after coming oh-so close last year – was able to secure the Legends Cars National Championship for 2023.

As expected, the 5/8 scale pocket rockets delivered frenetic racing and while he didn’t win any of the heats, Gibson wracked up the points finishes to guarantee himself an unassailable lead in the standings. Jack Parker and Chris Needham would share the spoils in terms of race wins.

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