CROFT MAY 15/16 PREVIEW – BRSCC CLUBSPORT TROPHY
The BRSCC Clubsport Trophy has always proved to be a popular series for many clubman level racers ever since it was conceived in 2019. In the six races held since then, the grids have been packed and the multi-class action on track has been nothing short of incredible, so it’s natural that more of the same is expected for 2021. All signs point to more of the same this year as more than 30 cars will line up for the first race of the season at Croft in North Yorkshire for what’s sure to be another entertaining encounter.
As a quick reminder, the ClubSport Trophy is the BRSCC’s own 45-minute mini-endurance race series, where races include mandatory pitstops and also driver changes with solo and two-driver entries permitted. Cars are separated into one of five classes, all of which are based on a car’s “true” power to weight ratio, which is calculated to include the weight of the car with driver in full race kit and fluids on board. This ensures that cars are allocated into each class as accurately as possible to ensure they are up against the right competition respectively.
Class A sees the most powerful cars on the grid, with David Cox’s Volkswagen Golf GT returning after it ran in the final race of 2020 at the same circuit. He’s joined by Kelly Brabbin’s Toyota Celica, another returnee from last year’s racing, Adrian Burge’s Porsche Boxster that competed at Cadwell Park back in August and the familiar pairing of renowned Compact Cup racers David May and Mark Skeats. Running with JamSport, the duo have swapped their BMW 3 Series for a Nissan 350Z, hoping the V6 sports car has the potential to take overall victory.
The beauty of the Clubsport Trophy is that is give the chances for many cars from other BRSCC formulae competing on the same weekend to take part in an extra race on the Sunday to round off their meeting. Class B sees the first examples of this in the entry with ST-XR racers Chris Jones and Jason Heneffer teaming up to race Chris’ Ford Fiesta ST150, although that’s where the example end for this particular class. There’s three rather different BMWs in the lineup here as Liam Crilly brings his Z4, David Shead keeps up his run of entries in his rapid BMW 3 Series Compact, while Tom Stanaway will compete in a stunning E36 328i sporting a striking new livery. Finsport are a welcome addition to the grid with a Renault Clio for Richard Clarke and a Ford Fiesta ST180 for Toby Hotston, while Scott Ferguson’s modified Mk1 Mazda MX-5 and the Boamerang Racing entered Fiesta of David Guthrie complete the class.
Class C only features two cars, but they could surprise with how competitive they are against each other. Chrissy Palmer brings out Paul Sheard Autosport’s special Mk4 Mazda MX-5 which runs as part of the Mazda MX-5 Mk4 Trophy this year, and he’s set to put it up against another car from Boamerang Racing with Alex Boam driving his own modified Ford Fiesta ST150. Class D is populated by cars you’d mainly find in both our Mazda MX-5 SuperCup and Fiesta Championship as there are no less than seven Mk3 MX-5s mixed in with Glynn O’Dell’s Fiesta entered by JamSport. The Mazdas in question see familiar drivers such as Bruce Robinson, George Grant and Nick Rutter on the grid, the latter of the three sharing with Rob Boston, while the others will be piloted by Ivor Mairs, Stuart Humphrey, Alex Osborn and Paul Crawford.
Finally, Class E is effectively the home of a battle between the MX-5 Championship and the BMW Compact Cup, with three Mazdas against five BMWs. The MX-5s are represented by Jonathan Fieldsend, Owen Woodwards and Astin Wigley sharing with Brad Jones, with the Compact Cup cars entered by some familiar names for fans of the championship. Richard Sutherland, Martin Gadsby, Oliver Faller and the Claydon siblings Rhys and Gareth will feature. Tom Hodgson will also provide additional competition with his Ford Fiesta Si.
There’s also three of the turbo Fiesta ST180s from the Fiesta Championship on the grid too in the Invitational class, with Dominic Bush, Jamie Going and Simon Horrobin all bring their examples out to play for an extra race to round off their weekends.
Scott Woodwiss
