MX-5 FINALE TO HEADLINE ANNUAL BRSCC OCTOBER VISIT TO SILVERSTONE
Hot on the heels of our previous visit to the Home of British Motorsport just three weeks ago, the BRSCC and its Midlands Centre heads back to Silverstone once again for its annual October weekend, with only one championship set to be settled this time as others near the end of their 2019 campaigns. Sports cars mostly dominate the timetable with a healthy dose of saloon car action filling out the on-track action too.
So, the title that must be settled this weekend is that of the BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship, where season long rivals John Langridge and Will Blackwell-Chambers must decide between then which one comes out on top. On dropped scores, there’s just eight points between them with three races left to run and with a bumper entry of almost 70 cars this weekend, it’s going to be a crowded circuit in each of the six races held across the split grids. In what has been arguably the best supported year for the MX-5 Championship, the fate of the title is once again set to go down to the final race of the year! In form man Joe Wiggin will be one to watch and could be a catalyst in the championship fight, along with Jason Greatrex, Adam Bessell, Steve Foden and even cameo appearances from both former vice-champion Samuel Smith and AB Motorsport team boss Ali Bray. It’s going to be a spectacular finale!
The sister series across the paddock, the Mazda MX-5 Super Series for the Mk3 model, also enterts its final three rounds of the year. One of its stronger entries heads to Silverstone this weekend with many of this season’s race winners lining up on the grid. James Kell, Joe Marshall, Darren Kell, Matt Pickford and Jeremy Crook are all ready to roll, as will the likes of Clive Powles, Simon Fleet, Xavier Brooke and Patrick Collins. While there’s no points up for grabs, the bragging rights heading into the winter and the trophies to take home will be more than enough incentive for these guys and girls.
We’re reaching the sharp end of the season for the Fiesta Championship racing with MRF Tyres, as James Waite looks to maintain his advantage as he leads the standings with David Nye and fellow Fiesta Junior graduate Isaac Smith hot on his heels. Smith’s hat-trick of victories last time out at Anglesey catapulted him back into championship contention and he will be keen to keep up this strong momentum, with Jamie Going, Ryan Faulconbridge and Sam Watkins also in hot pursuit of the leaders too. This weekend will also see debuts for Ethan Rogers, Gary Miller and Jem Hepworth as they take to the Fiesta grid for the first time.
Their younger racing counterparts in the Fiesta Junior Championship racing with MRF Tyres head closer to the season finale too, as Olly Turner looks to maintain his healthy lead at the top of the standings. Having won more races than anyone else, the target must be to continue racking up the points, but he knows he will have a tough time keeping Joseph Loake, Ted Potts and Alfie Glenie at bay as the weekend unfolds.
The Alfa Romeo Championship and Toyo Tires Porsche Championship both share a grid for two races once again, as they did back at Croft a few months ago, and both feature some of their healthiest grids of the season so far. There’s just five points separating Twin Spark Cup and overall points leader Tom Hill as he chases his third title, while former TSC turned Power Trophy racer Dave Messenger is keen to close him down as well as maintaining his advantage within his own class. Some familiar faces are back on the grid this weekend including Graham Seager, George Osbourne, Paul Webster and Simon McFie, while 2019 regulars Jamie Thwaites, Ben Sharich, Andy Inman and Andrew Bourke will also be present.
With the Porsches, Garry Lawrence is hoping to continue leading the way in the Supersport Boxster class while Andrew Porter will look to once again steal a march on him for victory as he has done on more than one occasion this season. Leigh Bowden, Kevin Ludford, Andrew Baker and Anthony Hutchins will be aiming to keep up with the pair all weekend in their bids to score at least one podium finish. It should be business as usual over in the 924 class as Hugh Peart’s task will be to once more hold back the advances of Peter Smith, Chris Valentine and John Jones for class glory.
The timetable is filled out by two championships dedicated to sports racing cars and sports prototypes as two guest series make an appearance this weekend. First off, the SRCC Sports 2000 Championships return to Silverstone’s International circuit with Duratec and Pinto classes on track together. The Duratecs will mainly be populated by MCR, Gunn and Lola chassis, while over in the older Pinto class cars, there’s a slightly more diverse array of marques with Lola, Tiga, Royale, Apache and Van Diemen all represented. This weekend will be a good setup for the traditional season finale at the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.
The other sportscar championship set to light up Northamptonshire is the Clubmans Register in association with King Henry Taverns, with three classes mainly populated by the ever popular vast number of Mallock chassis with a handful of other marques in the mix. Peter Richings holds a 14 point lead over Clive wood in CSP1 with Steve Dickens a distant 3rd, while it’s much closer in CSP2 between Morris Hart and Barry Webb with just four points separating them heading into this weekend. It may well be a simpler affair in CSP3 as Brian Hunter holds a substantial advantage over Pippa Tanner-Wood with that class title all but wrapped up.
Scott Woodwiss
