BRANDS BECKONS

This weekends two TVR races will be run in memory of Gary Britnell. Photo: Clickmotorsport

This weekend the BRSCC South Eastern Centre pays the first of three visits this season to Brands Hatch and there are 15 races spread across the two days.

The Fun Cup dominates the timetable tomorrow with round three of the 2014 championship, which is a 4-hour race. The title battle is shaping up as another clash of old rivals – current champions #1 Team Racelogic (Julian Thomas, Nigel Greensall & Joachim Ritter), the #207 Team OBR pairing of Mark Burton and Graham Pattle and the experienced #107 Team Honeywell trio of Neil Plimmer, Geoff Fawcett and Tim Wheeldon.

However, the first race of the day is for the Avon Tyres 1600cc Formula Ford’s. Both Formula Ford races are points scoring rounds in the National and Triple Crown Championships. Portsmouth’s James Raven leads the way in the Post 89 ‘National’ category following his two wins at Anglesey last month. Class D’s Jamie Jardine is the Pre 90 leader and both he and his nearest rival, Chris Hodgen, have travelled down from the North West on the hunt for vital points.

Brands Hatch always produces great Formula Jedi racing and this weekend should not disappoint. Jack Lang currently leads the championship ahead of Dan Clowes, both having taken race wins this season. Lang will not only have Clowes to contend with, but numerous other drivers in what is a very competitive grid. James Maclachlan has finished consistently on each outing so far to put himself third in the points ahead of Scott Stevens. Local driver Stevens claimed his first Formula Jedi win here last season and will be hopeful of a repeat this weekend.

Fans of historic racing are in for a treat at Brands as we have the HRDC joining us for the weekend with their ‘All Stars’ and ‘Touring Greats’ championships. In the thirty minute All Stars race, which is tomorrow, keep an eye on Richard Skinner’s well driven Marcos 1800GT. He will be up against the bellowing TVR Griffith of John Spiers. But both these seasoned racers will have the gorgeous Jaguar E-type of Pantelis Christoforu to contend with. The ‘GTG’ class will bring out no less than seven sub-1500cc GTs in the shape of Sebring Sprites, Ashley GTs and Sunbeam Alpines.

The HRDC ‘Touring Greats’ race is over forty-five minutes on Sunday and features a full grid of pre-’60 historic touring cars. There is a dazzling diversity of makes and models, and they will be racing bumper to bumper in manner and at a speed that your Auntie Enid would definitely disapprove of! With the usual 2-driver/pitstop race format there will be action aplenty during the driver changes and the battle for the lead is guaranteed to be relentless from flag to flag.

Sunday’s action starts with the Arrowpak Saloon & Sportscars, who have a double-header. Peter Challis’ Porsche 997, Chris Whiteley’s Ginetta G50 and Kevin Wendt’s 4200cc BMW E46 are likely to be at the sharp end of the field. A warm welcome also to Joachim Bunkus who is bringing his Triumph Dolomite Sprint over from Germany to race in the Arrowpak championship for the first time.

The two Dunlop TVR Challenge races will be ones of celebration and remembrance as both outings are being run in memory of former Tuscan driver Gary Britnell who sadly passed away in February. Gary’s brother Andy, with whom he raced, will be at Brands to share memories and present the trophies. On the track, Dean Cook is the man to beat having brought his 4.5 litre Sagaris home first in the two rounds so far.

The Teekay Couplings Production GTi Championship has produced an almost full grid of twenty-eight Golfs, including one which will be piloted by former BTCC star and current British GT contender Tom Onslow-Cole. The Mk2 Golf was Tom’s first love so he is really looking forward to putting Wolfsburg’s finest to the test. Championship leader Simon Hill and the other podium contenders such as John Mawdsley and Simon Gusterson will be determined to keep the ‘tourist’ at bay.

Also filling the grid is the Track Attack Club’s Carbon8 & Activa Consultants Coupe Cup & YourIrishShop.com MR2 Racing Series. The Prize Motorsport entries of Paul Corbridge and Arron Pullan are again proving the ones to beat this season with a wins at Rockingham and Combe, but watch out for Neal Hurren & Peter Higton and the returning Adam Lockwood, who are all capable of podiums on their day. Coupe Cup Series principle Jon Winter has again shown he knows how to get the best from his front wheel driven Hyundai Coupe. But Paul Manyweathers, in his first full season in the series is closing fast alongside series sponsor Simon Miles.

The Final Instructions, timetable and entry list can be found at BRANDS HATCH RACE WEEKEND and you can follow the live timing at TSL TIMING