SILVERSTONE JUNE 19/20 PREVIEW – BRSCC CLUBSPORT TROPHY
If there’s a series that always guaranteed to attract a packed entry on any given weekend it races on the BRSCC roster these days, one of them is certain to the BRSCC Clubsport Trophy, which continues to explode in popularity since it was launched back in 2019. Silverstone’s National circuit, a popular venue with many who compete regularly in these races, plays host to its second race of 2021 with a mammoth sold-out grid of 40 cars, packed full of a wonderful mixture of machines all ready to do battle in multi-class, mini-endurance pit-stop racing!
Class A houses the fastest cars on paper in the field with a maximum power to weight ratio of 235bhp per tonne, and there’s an awesome selection here that’s ready to duke it out for the win. Some familiar faces include Olly Samways in his superb Toyota MR2 “SuperGT” that raced with us back at Cadwell Park at the start of the 2020 season, a return of the incredible Nissan 350Z that debuted at Croft last time out in the hands of David May and Mark Skeats, Adrian Burge’s Porsche Boxster and a wonderfully unique machine in David Fender’s ultra-rare Caterham 21, the only racing example in the whole of Europe! There’s also a traditional Caterham 7 in the hands of Chris Payne, the Honda Integra Type R DC5 driven by former Fiesta Championship class rivals turned teammates Mark Court and Colin Newbold and the VW Golf of Mark Jones. Not a bad mix there!
Over in Class B, just about every car here is some form of hot hatch – that is, apart from one car that was certainly rather striking at Croft. Tom Stanway’s beautifully prepared BMW 328i, featuring a super touring inspired bodykit, will certainly look to be a favourite here after the car took pole overall at the opening race and finished on the class podium, but the tin-tops amongst him will surely look to give him the runaround. His fellow non-hatch driver is Scott Ferguson, a dedicated regular who will be hoping for another decent day’s work in his supercharged Mazda MX-5 Mk1, while the rest are all surely going to be rather competitive. Three Ford Fiestas will be present here, with a Mk4 to be driven by Richard Daniels and Lewis Judd, while two Mk6 ST150s are also on the entry list with David Guthrie driving a Boamerang Racing prepared example and Matthew Spencer bringing out his ST-XR Challenge-spec car to test his skills. Also here are regulars David Shead and Malcolm Edeson in their BMW Compact, Phirose Bilimoria’s MINI Cooper S and former MX-5 SuperCup regulars Jeremy Crook and Alec Livesley sharing a Honda Civic Type R.
ToyotaS almost dominate Class C with two Celicas back on the grid driven by Stewart Donovan in one and Roan Lundy in the other, complemented by another returnee in David Thomas aboard his little Mk1 MR2. Robert Quantrell and John Marlow are ready to go for class glory in their Renault Clio 182, while the favourite surely has to be the Mazda MX-5 Mk4 which will once again be commandeered by former rallycross and Formula Ford Festival champion Chrissy Palmer. Chrissy’s race didn’t get further than three corners before he found himself spinning off into the sodden Croft infield before retiring, so he’ll be hoping for much better fortunes this time!
Former Class D winners Craig and Gary Butterworth are back again for their first 2021 appearance in their smart little Renault Clio 172 and will have to work hard to succeed again this time, especially with five MX-5 SuperCup-spec cars currently on the list to be driven by George Grant, Croft class winner Nick Rutter, Seamus Heaney, Ivor Mairs and Stuart Humphrey. There’s also another MINI in the lineup, this one being an R53 model entered by Christian White with Georgia Speed and Matt Mills on driving duties.
As for Class E, another winner from the opening round is back as BMW Compact Cup front runner Oliver Faller enjoyed his first go so much that he’s decided to have another one! He won’t be the only beaut little BMW in the field as a pair of 116i’s are also here too, one to be driven by Jeremy Banks and Edward Raprager and the other by Chris and Jack Godden. Plus, extra competition comes from Dean Clayton’s MINI Cooper, Tom Hodgson’s ex-Mark Court raced Ford Fiesta Si and a pair of Mazda MX-5 Championship race cars entered by Luke Souch, the newly appointed Competitions Coordinator of the BRSCC, and Richard Bartlett.
It’s an entry of staggering quality, variety and expertise and one that will surely put on what could well be one of the best races of the entire weekend at Silverstone. These Clubsport Trophy races always remain unpredictable until the chequered flag, so let’s see who’s got what it takes to go for class gold this time out at the Home of British Motorsport!
Scott Woodwiss
