Tag: Porsche Carrera Cup GB

TOCA support championships deliver all-out Silverstone action

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New FIA World Endurance Championship season set to kick off at Silverstone

The FIA World Endurance Championship will descend on British shores this weekend (August 30 – September 1) for the opening round of the 2019/2020 Super Season, with Silverstone playing host to what is set to be a blockbuster four-hour race.

Returning to Great Britain following a relatively short off-season, the battle for supremacy in the world’s greatest endurance category will roar into life around the iconic Grand Prix circuit of the Northamptonshire venue – with a bumper crowd expected to be in attendance.

Off the back of a near-perfect 2018/2019 campaign, all eyes will be on Toyota Gazoo Racing in the LMP1 class as they bid to once again rule the roost. Defending champions Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima are joined by Brendon Hartley, whilst home hero Mike Conway will partner Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in the sister car.

Conway won’t be the only British driver that will garner plenty of support, with a further 18 drivers across the entire entry list all kicking off their campaigns on home soil.

Four of them will come from Team LNT as Ginetta makes a return to LMP1 action with Charlie Robertson, Ben Hanley, Mike Simpson and Guy Smith all setting their sights on scaling the rostrum on Sunday.

Rebellion Racing, winners of the corresponding event last year at Silverstone, make up the final two entrants in the LMP1 class, making it an ultra-competitive field for outright honours.

LMP2 features four new teams for the eighth season of the championship including United Autosports and JOTA – both of whom will be keen to make their mark early on.

Elsewhere there is set to be plenty of wheel-to-wheel entertainment from both LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am over the course of the 240-minute encounter around the home of British motorsport.

It won’t just be the FIA World Endurance Championship which will take centre stage across all three days at Silverstone however, with the European Le Mans Series and Porsche Carrera Cup GB both in action.

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

Thruxton hosts spectacular second BTCC visit as Tordoff, Cook and Cammish triumph

Thruxton Circuit was the stage for another full-throttle weekend of motorsport action as the Hampshire speedbowl played host to the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the second time this season.

Sam Tordoff, Josh Cook and Dan Cammish all stood on the top step of the podium after a thrilling day of racing that saw reigning champion Colin Turkington have his lead in the Drivers’ standings cut to just 30 points.

A full programme of support series also put on a feast of wheel-to-wheel entertainment for the spectators, who packed onto the famous banking around the WWII airfield, while a host of off-track activities kept families occupied throughout the weekend.

In total, fans enjoyed 16 outstanding races with the BTCC backed up by British F4, Porsche Carrera Supercup GB, Renault UK Clio Cup, Michelin Ginetta Juniors and the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup as Thruxton made the most of a second visit from the TOCA package following a hugely successful event in May.

Tordoff enjoyed an excellent getaway from pole in the first BTCC race of the day, having produced a blistering lap to put his Cobra Sport AmD AutoAid/RCIB Insurance Honda Civic Type R (FK2) top of the timesheets on Saturday.

The same can’t be said for fan-favourite Jason Plato who overshot his front-row grid slot, triggering a drive-through penalty for the Sterling Insurance with Power Maxed Racing ace which dropped him to the back.

The veteran proceeded to carve his way through the field, much to the delight of his celebrity guest James Martin, but Plato’s charge was eventually halted just outside the points in 17th.

Back at the front, Tordoff kept his cool to lead home Cammish and Adam Morgan, notching his first win of the 2019 season after a campaign plagued by bad luck.

Meanwhile, the crowd on the banking were treated to a thrilling race-long duel between championship leader Colin Turkington and his closest title rival, BMW stablemate Andrew Jordan – with the Pirtek Racing ace eventually gaining the upper hand to finish 12th and nibble away at the Northern Irishman’s points advantage.

Tordoff picked up where he left off in race two, flying off the line and blasting through turn one below fans eagerly watching on from the balcony of the Thruxton Centre. Cammish, meanwhile, bogged down in his Halfords Yuasa Racing Honda Civic, allowing Morgan and Josh Cook past on the run to the complex.

However, the Yorkshireman’s lead was short-lived as he was passed by both Cook and Morgan on the way into the chicane before tumbling further down the order when he lost out to Tom Oliphant.

Cook showed the field a clean pair of heels at the front to pick up his third win of the campaign while Morgan secured another comfortable second place ahead of Matt Neal, who sent the crowd wild with a superb last-lap move on Oliphant.

Hampshire hero Rob Collard was drawn on pole for the reverse grid race and shot away when the lights went out as Oliphant jumped Cammish while battles raged behind.

The Halfords Yuasa Racing ace soon muscled his way back past Oliphant on lap three but all eyes were fixed on an enthralling battle between Jordan, Tom Ingram, Ash Sutton and Cook.

Points-leader Turkington then lost out to Plato and Tordoff further down the field as the BTCC served up its usual dose of close-quarter squabbling while back at the front, Cammish capitalised on a mistake by Collard at Church to take the lead on lap 10.

The Honda star kept his cool despite a late downpour to take his ninth podium of the campaign and the team’s first victory of the season while Neal capped an excellent day for Team Dynamics with third behind Collard.

Ingram and Sutton clashed further back, allowing Cook and Plato to capitalise while the rear-wheel drive cars struggled for grip in the closing stages, creating even more excitement for the packed crowd.

The Carrera Cup field had been the first to take to the track in changeable conditions on Sunday morning, with Dan Harper initially struggling on slick tyres before carving his way back to the front and taking the spoils.

Harper doubled up in the second race later in the afternoon, holding off Josh Webster and Lewis Plato as the single-make series produced plenty of thrills and spills for the watching crowd.

Meanwhile, Will Burns built on his Saturday success in the Ginetta GT4 Supercup, taking his second win of the weekend ahead of Tom Hibbert and Reece Somerfield before Harry King bounced back from a tough few rounds with victory in race three.

Elsewhere, Will Martin and Zak O’Sullivan went toe-to-toe in a titanic duel to the flag in the Ginetta Junior race, with the former eventually prevailing after James Hedley’s early retirement, while Carter Williams completed a clean sweep in British F4 with back-to-back victories for JHR Developments.

Finally, the Renault UK Clio Cup also threw up a stormer of a race which culminated in controversial contact between Jack Young and Max Coates at the final chicane, with the former taking the chequered flag but being penalised post-race and the latter ending up stranded on the grass and furious in parc ferme. The race win eventually went to Ethan Hammerton.

As well as all the on-track action, this weekend was also notable for long-standing Thruxton Circuit Director Bill Coombs stepping away from the limelight as he takes more of a back seat role at the track.

“It’s 40 years since I did the racing school here, so it’s an appropriate time to back out,” he said.

“I’ve had some wonderful times here, particularly running the racing school, and more recently with the circuit. We’ve had this development plan which we have put into action and hopefully everybody has seen the changes that we’ve made over the past seven years, culminating in the Thruxton Centre.

“It is the only place that you can get so close to the action and it’s great that it’s situated on such a fast corner. The crowds love it here, and the hospitality has sold really well. Racing is always great here at Thruxton. It’s good racing on a super-fast, old-school circuit which we love.

“I’m still staying on the main BARC board so you will still see me around, but not doing the day-to-day operational stuff. I’m very pleased to hand that over to our team. We’ve got a fantastic team at Thruxton, and Pat Blakeney will head that up. I am sure he will do a fantastic job.”

Next up for Thruxton is the Classic Sports Car Club meeting on September 21/22 where motoring enthusiasts will be treated to a spectacular display of stunning vehicles and white-knuckle racing.

Tickets start from ÂŁ11 while Children 15 and under go free. Grandstand seats and paddock access are included with admission.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit www.thruxtonracing.co.uk

TOCA support championships shine at Oulton Park

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oulton Park to play host to blockbuster TOCA support package action

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOCA support championships put on a show at Croft

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Father’s Day fun at Croft as Britain’s biggest motorsport series races north

Father’s Day this year is set to be extra-special in the north-east of the country, as the UK’s premier motorsport series – the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) – speeds into Croft Circuit for a weekend of high-octane entertainment (June 15/16).

What better way to treat dad than with tickets – still discounted until Monday morning  (June 10) – to see 30 of the finest drivers in Britain duelling doorhandle-to-doorhandle around a track that has always proven popular amongst competitors and fans alike?

If the action so far this season is any indicator, spectators are in for a superb weekend’s racing at the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) at Croft, presented by Tarmac. The circuit – situated just down the road from Darlington in North Yorkshire – invariably delivers thrills ‘n’ spills by the bucketload, and with five different winners and 15 podium-finishers from the opening nine races, unpredictability is very much the name of the game.

Just five points separate the leading four drivers in the standings at this stage, with the top two – defending champion Colin Turkington and Honda rival Rory Butcher – tied at the top of the table.

The former has earned the sobriquet ‘King of Croft’ for his spectacular success in North Yorkshire – racing to 12 wins at the track since 2005 – while for the latter, it is almost a second ‘home circuit’ hailing as he does from Kirkcaldy just north of the border. Both are eager to maintain their early-season momentum next weekend.

“I’m always excited about going to Croft,” enthused Turkington, who is chasing a fourth BTCC drivers crown in 2019. “It’s my favourite circuit on the calendar with a lot of happy memories, and I think we’re in good shape. The track has been resurfaced for this year and we’re bringing the new BMW 3 Series there for the first time so there will obviously be some learning to do, but we know what’s made us fast at Croft in the past so there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be strong again.

“The first complex is the place to watch from – that’s where the action is. Actually, Turn One is probably my favourite corner because it’s much faster than you think it should be, so you’ve really got to commit through there. There’s always a lively enthusiastic crowd at Croft, and I definitely feed off that.”

“Croft is just ace – heading up through the Jim Clark Esses into Sunny In and Out is an absolute buzz and a thrill,” echoed Butcherm who broke his BTCC duck in the Brands Hatch curtain-raiser back in April. “It’s also a bit closer to home for me than most track, so we should get some Scottish fans crossing the border to support me.

“We’ve got a new surface there that’s just been re-laid, and whilst the Honda struggled last year on the old track, that should hopefully allow us to be a bit further up the field. All the teams are effectively going to be making a fresh start, so it’s going to be interesting. It’s all to play for…”

It’s not just the headlining BTCC that will thrills the crowds at Croft, with a fast-and-furious feast of support series adding to the appeal. The Formula 1 superstars of the future will go wheel-to-wheel in the F4 British Championship, with the next-generation touring car heroes earning their spurs in the Renault UK Clio Cup. Croft shares its race date with the 87th edition of the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours, and you may just spot a future winner of the race in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Ginetta Junior Championship and Ginetta GT4 Supercup.

Tickets to the BTCC’s only north-eastern event of the year can be purchased in advance priced at just ÂŁ12 for Saturday entry (BTCC Qualifying), ÂŁ24 for Sunday (BTCC Race Day) or ÂŁ35 for the full weekend. Accompanied children aged ÂŁ12 and under are admitted free of charge, with tickets for 13-to-15-year-olds beginning at ÂŁ3. Further details can be found at: http://croftcircuit.co.uk/racing/btcc

More information on all of Croft’s driving experiences and racing events can be found at http://croftcircuit.co.uk/

TOCA support championships take on starring role at Donington Park

Donington Park delivered a breathtaking two days of TOCA support race action this past weekend (April 27/28) as title battles continued to intensify across all five championships.

All aiming to take on a starring role alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship at the Leicestershire venue, action

Jack Young asserted himself as the man to beat in the Renault UK Clio Cup as he enjoyed a near-perfect weekend to rocket to the summit of the standings. Scorching his way to pole position on Saturday, the MRM Racing wrote his name into the history books the following day by becoming the youngest driver to win a race in the series.

Brett Lidsey and Ben Colburn proved to be Young’s closest challengers over the course of the race but neither could stop the Northern Irishman. Brands Hatch race winner Max Coates meanwhile battled back from a pit lane start before retiring with a mechanical issue.

Young underlined his supremacy once again later in the day as he scored a second successive win to the tune of nine seconds ahead of Lidsey and the charging Coates.

Spoils were shared in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB as Daniel Harper and the returning Josh Webster claimed a win apiece. Having secured a last-minute deal to join the grid with Team Parker Racing, former champion Webster was on the pace from the get-go and marked his return with a podium in race one.

Harper however was the one to beat in the opener as he produced a mesmerising performance to fend off George Gamble and score his second victory of the year already. Webster would show

James Hedley made his mark on the Michelin Ginetta Junior championship as notched an impressive brace of wins and a second place finish in an exciting trio of races. Hedley produced a battling display in race one to catch pole sitter Roman Bilinski but was unable to make a move.

Having settled for second, post-race checks led to Bilinski being disqualified and thus promoting the teenager to the top step of the podium. James Taylor then came to the fore in the second race of the weekend as he scored his second win of the year before Hedley added to his tally with an impressive drive to cap off the event with more silverware.

Elsewhere the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup proved to be ultra-competitive once more with three drivers topping the podium over the course of the event. Harry King continued his impressive start to the year with victory in race one before Will Burns and Tom Hibbert each enjoyed success.

Capping off the TOCA support action was a trio of races from the F4 British Championship with Louis Foster and Bart Horsten triumphing.

Both the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship and F4 B will be joined by the Ginetta GT5 Challenge and Mini Se7en Championship at Thruxton for the third event of the 2019 season on May 18/19.

The remaining three championships will return to action on June 15/16 in North Yorkshire at Croft.

For the full classification of results, click here.

All-out action expected from TOCA support championships at Donington Park

Coming off the back of a pulsating opening event of the season for all five championships, the TOCA support package continues this weekend (April 27/28) under the flightpath of East Midlands airport at Donington Park – and it’s all to play for.

In the Renault UK Clio Cup, Max Coates and Jack Young look set to renew their battle after emerging as the stars of Brands Hatch. Winning both races at the Kent circuit, Coates got the better of his closest challenger and the pair will be expected to be inseparable once more across the weekend’s pair of races.

Beyond the top two however sits some serious opposition with the quartet of Brett Lidsey, Ethan Hammerton, Jade Edwards and Ben Colburn all aiming to take the fight to Coates and Young and halt their momentum.

The Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup produced three different race winners at the Brands Hatch opener and if the racing so far is anything to go by, this weekend’s triple-header is set to produce some captivating action.

Harry King, Reece Somerfield and Will Burns shared the spoils first time out and the trio will be ones to watch as they bid to build on their strong starts. Behind, former BTCC ace Mike Epps enjoyed an encouraging Supercup debut and he will be keen to build on his strong start.

Tom Hibbertt, Fin Green, Carl Shield and Carlito Miracco are all sure to be in the battle at the front of the field as well.

There were two new winners in the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship at the start of the month and the depth of this years talent in the series suggests that more could spring up in Leicestershire.

James Taylor and Tom Emson emerged as the victors from a thrilling opening weekend and the pair find themselves as the one’s to beat arriving at Donington Park. Whilst they each have a victory in their pockets already, adding to their tally is set to be a difficult with a raft of teenage sensations all eager to make their mark.

The likes of James Hedley, Ethan Brooks, Zak O’Sullivan, Lorcan Hanafin, Theo Edgerton and Casper Stevenson are just a handful of stars revved up for racing to resume, especially as this weekend will see three races take place.

In the Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Daniel Harper will look to extend his advantage at the summit of the championship standings over the weekend’s two races. Making a flying start to the season with a first and third, the Northern Irishman sees him head the way by two points early on.

Lewis Plato leads the chase for the JTR man whilst fellow Brands Hatch race winner George Gamble isn’t far behind either. Two 23-lap duels around the undulating Donington layout will provide further clarity on who will be in the mix for the title this year across all classes.

Capping off the TOCA support action as always will be three races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost.

To find out more information on this weekend’s second TOCA event of the 2019 season, click here.

TOCA support championships star at Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch played host to a memorable two days of racing on the TOCA support package this past weekend (April 6/7), with a raft of show-stealing performances across all championships.

Taking centre stage alongside the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship, five categories produced  spell-binding edge-of-the-seat entertainment amid the challenging conditions.

Showcasing the next generation of motorsport talent aged between 14 and 17, the Michelin Ginetta Junior Championship was back and better than ever with a pair of pulsating encounters wowing those in attendance.

Richardson Racing’s James Taylor edged a thrilling season-opener as he pipped debutant Zak O’Sullivan to the chequered flag by little over half a second, whilst 2018 Winter Series champion James Hedley rounded out the podium.

Race two saw Tom Emson emerge victorious from a nail-biting race which ultimately saw the top three covered by a mere 0.133. Narrowly missing out on the win was Hedley and Lorcan Hanafin, who had led a majority of the race.

The final season of the Renault UK Clio Cup began with Max Coates reigning supreme, enjoying a near-perfect weekend as he bagged a pair of pole positions and race wins. After topping the times in qualifying, the Team HARD driver converted his front row start into a lead that he would never lose as he led Jack Young and Brett Lidsey.

Young would be the winner on the road in the second race of the weekend but was later penalised after falling foul of rules regarding braking under the safety car. Despite having dominated proceedings, Young was issued a one-second time penalty, handing the win to Young whilst Lidsey once again bagged a podium.

In the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup triple-header; Reece Somerfield, Harry King and the returning Will Burns took a win each to set up a tantalising year of on-track action.

Spoils were also shared in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB as two of the pre-season favourites, Dan Harper and George Gamble, set their stalls out as credible title contenders with a win each – Harper the one that finished the weekend on top of the standings.

Capping off the weekend’s racing was a trio of races from the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost, with the spoils being shared between Sebastian Alvarez, Luke Browning and Louis Foster who each took a win apiece.

From the full classification of results, click here.

All five TOCA support championships now head to Donington Park for the next event of the season, taking place on April 26/27.