Tag: UK Sports Prototype Cup

UK Sports Prototype Cup continues to grow in stature ahead of sophomore season

The UK Sports Prototype Cup is aiming to hit new heights during its sophomore season with the British Automobile Racing Club in 2020, and the signs already look promising following the latest sign-up of two more experienced race teams.

Having debuted in 2019, the series provides a multi-marque racing environment for lightweight sports prototype cars to compete in a premium race weekend package.

Competing within the category is the ever-growing Revolution A-One; an LMP inspired, carbon tubbed, high downforce prototype. Forming the backbone of the UK Sports Prototype Cup, the Revolution Race Cars outfit has become a popular draw for new and existing teams.

The latest editions to the grid for this season have been Greensall Motorsport and competitive Kwik Fit British Touring Car outfit Excelr8 Motorsport.

Excelr8 Motorsport’s Daniel Bishop said: “Prototype racing has always been a huge interest to me personally and also to other members of the team. Within Excelr8 we have the capacity to operate in one more discipline and this fits the bill perfectly.

“We have only had the car for a few days, but there is a huge buzz in the team and following this press launch we cannot wait to get on track with the car to start our programme and select drivers to race with us.”

Nigel Greensall added: “We were delighted to receive the Revolution at our Bruntingthorpe workshop last week and our technicians are very impressed with the car. We are excited for the start of the season and look forward to many years of working with the great team at Revolution.”

The 2020 edition of the UK Sports Prototype Cup is scheduled to begin with a double-header at Brands Hatch on August 1/2 before further events take place at Spa Francorchamps, Snetterton and Paul Ricard.

BARC announces revised provisional 2020 calendar for remainder of the year

The British Automobile Racing Club can today (June 22) reveal its revised provisional calendar for the remainder 2020; kicking off on July 4/5 and running right the way through until November 22.

Following on from the suspension of UK motorsport in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Club has worked tirelessly to put together a calendar with the dates available that will suit each individual championship.

Unfortunately, both the British Hillclimb Championship and BARC Connaught Speed Championship have elected to cancel their 2020 campaigns, with the focus now on 2021.

To view the full revised list of 2020 British Automobile Racing Club race meetings, CLICK HERE.

All dates remain provisional and subject to change in line with the current and ever-evolving government guidelines. Spectators are currently not permitted to attend events at this moment in time.

Those wishing to enter a race meeting can do so via the BARC Competitor Entry System.

For those that do not have a Username to access the BARC Competitor Entry System or if you have a general enquiry, please contact BARC Competitors secretary David Wheadon via 01264 882209 or dwheadon@barc.net.

Guidelines for Competitors and Officials have also been published in relation to how BARC race meetings will operate moving forward. They can be viewed by heading to https://www.barc.net/barc-publishes-covid-19-guidelines-for-competitors-and-officials/ 

Snetterton plays host to memorable BARC summer spectacle

Snetterton played host to an action-packed two days of British Automobile Racing Club entertainment this past weekend (August 10/11) as several championships descended on the Norfolk venue for a spectacular summer showcase.

Boasting a bumper bill of track action, the Club’s second consecutive weekend at the East Anglia track proved to be full of the typical thrills and spills that fans have become accustomed to – with several drivers and team producing dominant displays.

The Team ABBA Racing duo of Richard Neary and Sam Neary were one of those to exert their dominance over the course of the weekend as they reigned supreme in the Dunlop Endurance Championship.

Sharing the driving duties of their Mercedes AMG GT GT3, the pair proved to be in a league of their own around the 2.97-mile layout as they scored victory in both one-hour encounters.

Those in attendance were treated to further endurance antics from the Distrigo Parts Distribution Citroen C1 Series on Sunday as the popular one-make category staged its latest three-hour race, with a staggering 52-car entry list.

Following a total of 60 laps being completed, McAttack Racing’s Simon Walker-Hansell, Joe Wiggin and Declan McDonnell tallied another stellar victory – albeit by less than a second from their nearest rivals.

Paul Roddison reestablished himself as the man to beat in the Max5 Racing Championship, scoring a brace of race wins. After seeing his winning streak ended at the previous event, Roddison bounced back in style to dominate proceedings in both encounters.

Rick Morris was another driver to enjoy a near-perfect weekend around the challenging 2.97-mile circuit as he triumphed in the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship; wrestling back control of the title fight from Tim Harvey.

Spoils were shared between Ronan Pearson and James Colburn in the Michelin Clio Cup Series whilst the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship saw victory fall the way of Steve McDermid.

Capping of the weekend’s action were a trio of races from the new-for-2019 UK Sports Prototype Cup, which saw Rob Wheldon and Jon Macrae power their way to the top step of the podium.

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

BARC heads back to Snetterton for action-packed club weekend

The British Automobile Racing Club descends on Snetterton this weekend (August 10/11) for the second of three consecutive events in East Anglia – with seven championships all revved up to take centre stage.

Following on from last weekend’s Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship meeting and ahead of next weekend’s 2CV Racing season finale, the Norfolk venue will play host to what is set to be an action-packed two days of racing.

Topping the bill on Saturday will be two one-hour encounters from the Dunlop Endurance Championship, which is reaching the business end of the 2019 campaign. Showcasing some of the most jaw-dropping cars to compete in the UK, a bumper grid will hit the track for the latest chapter of another

Ferrari 488 Challenge duo Paul Bailey and Andy Schulz lead the way heading into the sixth meeting of the year but nothing is guaranteed – with a long line of contenders all hot on their heels and ready to pounce.

Single seater thrills and spills will come in the shape of the Luna Logistics Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship around the 2.97-mile layout as Tim Harvey and Rick Morris renew their duel at the standings summit.

Just a single point separates the pair heading into the weekend and both will be eager to open up and advantage over the other. Elsewhere; Mike Gardner, Stuart Kestenbaum and Mark Armstrong are just three of several drivers all aiming to put themselves into the win bracket.

The battle for supremacy in the Max5 Racing Championship is set to further intensify too, with Paul Roddison aiming to get back to winning ways. after seeing his unbeaten streak come to an end at Mallory Park courtesy of Ian Loversidge.

Setting his sights on a return to the top step of the podium, Roddison will be a hard challenge to beat however the likes of Jeremy Shipley, Andrew Pretorius, Chris Clarke and Ben Thompson are likely to be in the mix across the weekend’s two races too.

Fans of tin top racing will be well-catered for too over the course of the weekend with no less than three championships set to get those in attendance on the edge of their seats. Retro entertainment will come in the shape of the Lancaster Insurance MG Owners Club Championship whilst the Michelin Clio Cup Series is one not to be missed as an ultra-competitive grid of hat hatches goes wheel-to-wheel.

Arguably one of the highlights on Sunday will be the latest instalment of the Distrigo Parts Distribution Citroen C1 Series. Enjoying what is a history-making year for the one-make category, another ultra-competitive line-up gets ready to battle for race honours with a three-hour encounter bringing the curtain down on the weekend.

Front-running teams that have entered to keep a watchful eye on include Amigo Motorsport, McAttack Racing, Diablo Racing and Spy Motorsport – to name but a few.

Rounding out the weekend’s action at Snetterton will be the latest rounds of the new-for-2019 UK Sports Prototype Cup. Growing in stature as each month passes, the category – which caters for both Revolution Race Cars and Radicals – has garnered rave reviews already.

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

Donington Park plays host to memorable BARC weekend

Donington Park welcomed the British Automobile Racing Club this past weekend (June 1/2) for an entertaining two days of racing which saw a total of six championships in action.

Descending on the Leicestershire venue with the Motorsport UK British Superkart GP headlining the weekend’s action, those in attendance were treated to a mouth-watering array of wheel-to-wheel action from start to finish.

Providing a slip-streaming masterclass, the British Superkart Championship offered up huge grids and plenty of thrills along the way too. In the combined F250, F450 & Division 1 races; Liam Morley and Peter Elkmann tasted victory whilst the F125 class saw Kirk Cattermole and Morley triumph.

The coveted Motorsport UK British Superkart GP served up plenty of entertainment as the weekends centrepiece with Elkmann winning the Division 1 race, Paul Platt the F250/F450 National and Morley the F125 Open category.

On Saturday, the Dunlop Endurance Championship took to the spotlight as it staged its latest two one-hour races under the flight path of East Midlands airport. Following a pulsating qualifying session, race one spoils fell the way of the MacG Racing Taranis, driven by Jonny MacGregor.

Having finished as runners-up earlier in the day, VR Motorsport bounced back in the second Britcar encounter to score victory in race two. Tim Gray and Alastair Boulton shared driving duties of the impressive Praga R1T to finish nearly half a minute of their nearest challengers.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns was back in action with another pulsating triple-header. Peter Richings claimed overall honours in the opening race of the weekend as he added to his already impressive 2019 win tally.

Races two and three saw Clive Wood and Steve Dickens come to the fore as they made it three different winners from three races.

Elsewhere, the Caterham Graduates Championship welcomed one of the biggest grids of its already successful season with more 50 cars battling it out over the course of the two days.

Stephen Clark and Samuel Wilson were the victors in the combined Sigmax, Mega & Classic races whilst Luke Balmforth and Jason McCormack did the same in the amalgamated Sigma 125, 135 & 150 class encounters.

The Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship saw honours even between William Sharpe and Steve McDermid as they each took a win apiece at the wheel of their MG ZR’s.

Following on from a ground-breaking inaugural event at Silverstone in April, the UK Sports Prototype Cup was back in action. Encompassing both the Radical and Revolution classes, a healthy grid of 12 competitors battled it out for supremacy.

Rob Wheldon set his stall out as the driver to beat in races one and two as he romped to victory however his chances of competing a sensational hat-trick were halted by James Abbott, who ended the weekend topping the podium.

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

BARC championships descend on Donington Park

The British Automobile Racing Club heads to Leicestershire this weekend (June 1/2) to tackle the sweeping curves of Donington Park as six championships continue their 2019 campaigns.

In what is the beginning of a busy summer of track action for the Club, the challenging demands of Donington Park are set to provide a stern test as many categories begin to edge towards the second half of their seasons.

Topping the bill and likely to set pulses racing under the flightpath of East Midlands airport will be the British Superkart Championship. Headlining the weekend’s action with its Superkart GP races, edge-of-the-seat entertainment is guaranteed when it comes to Superkarts.

Small in stature but able to clock eye-watering speeds, the very best karting drivers in the country will be going wheel-to-wheel in a bid to top the podium – and it is not to be missed.

From the extremes of superkarts to supercars, and the Dunlop Endurance Championship – which will hit the track once again for another two one-hour encounters. Marking the fourth event of the season for Britcar, an eclectic mix of machinery will again do battle for outright honours.

The Ferrari 488 Challenge pairing of Paul Bailey and Andy Schultz were the team to beat last time out at Brands Hatch, winning both races, and they enter the weekend at the summit of the standings. However, hot on the heels of the duo are a raft of front-running contenders all capable of throwing themselves into the fight at the front.

Another bumper entry list has been confirmed for the Caterham Graduates Championship with four races scheduled to be run over the course of the weekend. Renowned for producing close wheel-to-wheel action, the multi-class series will undoubtedly be one to watch.

Notable names to keep an eye on to challenge towards the sharp end include Samuel Wilson, Mark Carter, Jamie Ellwood, Kevin Barnett and Luke Balmforth, amongst many more.

The BARC Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship in association with King Henry’s Taverns have been hugely entertaining so far this year and that theme is set to continue at Donington.

In cars that boast a rich history, Clubmans are prototype front-engined sports racing cars that are not only easy to drive but are also affectionately known as ‘slicks and wings’ machines.

Peter Richings, Morris Hart, Clive Wood and Barry Webb are just four of the drivers to keep an eye on over the course of the weekend having already starred.

All eras of MG will be showcased at the weekend too as the Lancaster Insurance MG Owner’s Club Championship takes centre stage for the third time this year. Spanning several decades, some of the most iconic tin top machines from the manufacturer will be out on track.

With events at Silverstone and Brands Hatch already in the books, the battle for supremacy is set to rage on even further within the multi-class category.

Rounding out the weekend’s action at Donington Park will be a pair of races from the UK Sports Prototype Cup. Breaking cover at Silverstone in late April, the series – which encompasses both the Radical and Revolution classes – will be keen to write another chapter in its ever-developing story.

To find out more information on this weekend’s event including the timetable, click here.

Silverstone plays host to memorable BARC race day

It wasn’t just the Distrigo Parts Distribution C1 Racing Series that competed at Silverstone this past weekend (April 27/28) as several other British Automobile Racing Club categories took centre stage to continue their 2019 campaigns.

Setting the scene for the history-making main event later in the day on Saturday, a variety of different championships tackled the infamous Grand Prix circuit to serve up a feast of thrills and spills.

Making their second appearance at the venue already this year, the Dunlop Endurance Championship staged a further two one-hour encounters. Race one proved to be a frenetic affair as the VR Motorsport duo of Tim Gray and Alastair Boulton piloted their Praga R1T to the chequered flag in commanding style, finishing ahead of their nearest challengers by more than 40 seconds.

Any hopes of repeating that success were extinguished in race two later in the day however as the pair were forced to retire after 15 laps. With the race one victors watching on from the sidelines, FF Corse’s Wayne Marrs and Charlie Hollings took full advantage to lead a Ferrari 488 Challenge 1-2-3.

Silverstone provided the starting point for the KW Automotive Classic VW Cup, BARC Saloon Series and TDi North Honda VTEC Challenge too, with the trio amalgamating together for two blockbuster races.

Bringing together a diverse range of saloon cars to go wheel-to-wheel with each other, all three categories were well represented. At the wheel of his Ford Escort RS2000 MkII, Craig Rainer proved to be the driver to beat as he stormed to victory in both races,

Rainer dominated proceedings in the opener but didn’t have things all his own way however as the Ford man was kept honest in the second encounter by the Honda Civic of Chris Sparks.

Rounding out the action around the 3.67 mile circuit was the Sports Prototype Cup, which made its own piece of history by running for the first-ever time.

Aimed at providing a multi-marque racing environment for lightweight sports prototype cars to race in a premium race weekend package, the new series was home to both the Radical SR3 and brand-new Revolution machine.

Despite a small grid competing the action proved to be fast-paced with outright hours shared between Rob Wheldon and Bruce Crawley.

For the full classification of results, click here.

C1 Racing Series revved up for history-making Silverstone event

History is set to be made at Silverstone this weekend (April 26/27/28) as the Distrigo Parts Distribution C1 Racing Series headlines the latest British Automobile Racing Club meeting with a 98-car field competing in its first 24-hour race of the year.

Eclipsing the previous record for the biggest grid at a British motorsport event of 75, the one-make series will write its name into the history books on what should be an event to remember around the iconic 3.67 mile Grand Prix circuit.

Providing a low-cost method of going endurance racing, the Distrigo Parts Distribution C1 Racing Series has emerged as one of the fastest growing categories in the country since launching midway through 2017.

Making waves last year with two 24-hour races at Rockingham, the C1 contingent moves to Silverstone with a staggering 434 set the be behind the wheel at some stage over the course of the event.

Kicking things off at 17:30 on Saturday evening, the series will race into the darkness and into the night, with all-out entertainment set to be high on the agenda right the way through until the chequered flag falls the following day.

Prior to the C1 Racing Series roaring into action, the Dunlop Endurance Championship run their second consecutive event of the season at the Northamptonshire venue. Two one-hour encounters with a glittering array of supercars will provide a thrilling spectacle for those in attendance, and the action is likely to be as competitive as ever.

The VR Motorsport Praga R1T of Tim Gray and the JMH Lamborghini Huracan pairing of John Seale and Marcus Clutton ran out winners during the season-opener and both will be ones to watch again. However, with a bumper grid of more than 30 cars set to compete, front-running contenders are set to spring up from all angles.

Fans of all things tin tops will be well-catered for as well as the BARC Saloon Series, TDi North Honda VTEC Challenge and the KW Automotive Classic VW Cup amalgamate together to kick off their campaigns with two 20-minute races taking place.

Bringing together some of the most awe-inspiring saloons from a variety of eras, the action is set to be fast-paced from start to finish with the likes of Ken Lark, Alex Kite and Jeffrey Windsor set to take on starring roles.

Capping off the weekend’s BARC action will be the inaugural two races from the Sports Prototype Cup. Featuring the Radical SR3 Trophy and new Revolution Race Car, the championship is aimed at providing a multi-marque racing environment for lightweight sports prototype cars to race in a premium race weekend package.

Breaking cover for the first time, the season-opener showcases a depth of talent with former Radical Challenge victor Rob Wheldon, James Abbott, Morten Dons and Johan Boris Scheier all set to go wheel-to-wheel in the battle for supremacy.

With history set to be made, the BARC is set for a fever-filled three days of on-track action.

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

UK Sports Prototype Cup introduces new class at selected rounds

The UK Sports Prototype Cup has confirmed that it will introduce a new ‘Sports Prototype Open’ class at selected rounds of its inaugural season in 2019.

Launching with the aim of providing a multi-marque racing environment for lightweight sports prototype, the category will already play host to the BARC Radical SR3 Trophy and Revolution Race Series this year.

The Sports Prototype Open class will provide an opportunity for a diverse range of lightweight sports cars to compete in additional longer distance races alongside their own official championship commitments.

Cars as diverse as Sports 2000, Sports 1000, Clubmans, Kitcars, Caterham Sevens and the Radical SR1 will all be eligible to compete.

“Since announcing the Cup, we have had many enquiries from owners of other sports cars who are interested in our generous track time,” said Championship Promoter James Bailey. “We expect over 15 cars to compete in the first year of the main Cup, but on the longer circuits we have the ability to accommodate additional cars.

“There are some championships that don’t get the opportunity to race on the longest versions of these circuits, particularly the Silverstone Grand Prix layout. The Sports Prototype Open also provides racers with the chance to experience an endurance race format on four great circuits in addition to competing in their main championship.”

The class will feature at Silverstone in late April before then tackling Donington Park, Snetterton and Oulton Park.

For more information on the BARC’s newest championship to hit the track this year as well as entry forms, head to https://www.sportsprototypecup.com/open-class.

UK Sports Prototype Cup to launch in 2019

A brand new series is set to launch in 2019 titled the UK Sports Prototype Cup, aimed at providing a multi-marque racing environment for lightweight sports prototype cars to race in a premium race weekend package.

In partnership with the British Automobile Racing Club, Dunlop and Sunoco, the UK Sports Prototype Cup is set to break new ground next year with James Bailey of Pitbox 91 heading up the project.

The inaugural calendar for the Cup is still to be announced however events alongside the Britcar-promoted Dunlop Endurance Championships at UK circuit’s such as Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Silverstone are all being formulated.

A visit to mainland Europe on the support package of the European Le Mans Series at the Autudromo International Algarve is also set to feature on the provisional calendar.

Sprint races of an estimated 25 minutes will be blended with longer endurance style encounters, featuring a compulsory pit-stop and billed to be between 45 minutes and one hour, is set to formulate the race format of the Cup.

One of the leading lights to come from the UK Sports Prototype Cup will be the exciting new V6-powered Revolution, which is set to be unveiled at Motorsport Days Live on November 2nd.

Having been under development for over a year, the Revolution is set to be one of the cornerstones of the Cup as the LMP inspired, carbon tubbed, high downforce prototype will have its own dedicated class following a multi-year agreement being confirmed.

“We believe the 440bhp per tonne performance coupled with the quality, design and technology of the Revolution will quickly establish it as one of the leading premium prototype cars on the market,” Bailey explained.

“It’s important for drivers and teams investing in the Revolution to know that they have strong race events to compete in together. We are delighted to promote the Revolution UK Trophy as a feature category with a commitment until at least 2023.”

In addition to the Revolution UK Trophy, the UK Sports Prototype Cup will also feature of a promoted category for the one of the world’s best-selling race cars, the Radical SR3.

Bailey added: “When we started planning the UK Sports Prototype Cup, we had considerable interest from teams and drivers who own Radical SR3 cars. They told us that the service level of Dunlop’s experienced Le Mans technical team and the welcoming ‘family atmosphere’ we aim to create were attractive selling points for them.”

There will be further emphasis for those competing in the 2019 season of the series too as the Cup will also be a qualifying event for the Sunoco 240 Challenge.

Drivers meeting the Sunoco 240 Challenge criteria and that enter for the full season will have the opportunity to compete for a place in a GT4 car in 240-minute endurance race which takes place the Friday before the coveted Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Further information is set to be announced at the upcoming Motorsport Days Live event, held at Silverstone on November 2/3.

For more information on the UK Sports Prototype Cup, head to their website https://www.sportsprototypecup.com/.