After six events and 29 races, the British Truck Racing Championship will conclude its 2024 season at Brands Hatch this coming weekend (November 2/3) with the destiny of both the Division 1 and Division 2 titles still to be decided.
Closing out what has been another action-packed campaign for the super-sized series, fireworks are guaranteed to fly both on and off the track across Saturday and Sunday as drivers go wheel-to-wheel for the ultimate bragging rights.
The event at the Kent circuit will be the culmination of another captivating year that has seen the titans of truck racing entertain the masses across not only the length and breadth of the UK, but also at Le Mans in France.
One hand on the crown
In Division 1, a bumper crowd could see history made over the course of the weekend as Ryan Smith bids to wrap up what would be a remarkable ninth consecutive title.
For the best part of a decade the Daimler Freightliner driver has been the toast of the series’ premier class and he heads to Brands Hatch sitting atop the standings and with at least one hand on the coveted crown.
While the chasing pack have taken the fight to him more than ever before this year, Smith has remained a constant force out front and clean sweeps at Thruxton and most recently Le Mans have provided the backbone to his charge.
All being well, the reigning eight-time champion should be in a position to sew things up in either race one or two however if misfortune was to strike, you can bet that those behind him will be first in line to take advantage.
Leading those on the heels of Smith is local racer Steven Powell and former champion David Jenkins. Both drivers have been inseparable this season and with nothing to lose and everything to gain, they’ll be well worth keeping an eye on as they go for glory.
Another driver that can’t be overlooked is Michael Oliver, who has enjoyed somewhat of a breakout season this year. Multiple hard-earned wins and podiums has seen Oliver rise up the standings and there is a feeling that he’s not done just yet.
Elsewhere, John Bowler’s sophomore season has seen him tally a handful of podiums however a first win of 2024 has so far alluded him. He’ll be going all-out to make sure that statistic changes before the final chequered flag falls.
Further down the order, the trio of Neil Yates, David Smith and Tom O’Rourke will be aiming to sign off their seasons in style while ten-time champion Stuart Oliver will also be hoping to end what has been a truncated year on a high.
Powell and Cole set to go head-to-head
Over in Division 2 things are much closer as John Powell and Simon Cole prepare to go head-to-head for the right to call themselves champion.
Both drivers have been locked in a battle for outright honours since the start of the season however the manner in which they have gone about their campaigns has been vastly different.
At the wheel of his trusty DAF, Powell has triumphed on multiple occasions but a number of non-scores has also meant that he hasn’t been able to run away with things at the top of the leaderboard as he may have liked.
Cole on the other hand has been the epitome of consistency this year with a sensational run of podiums keeping him firmly in contention. Remarkably he’s yet to win a race this season, so there’s arguably no better time or place to break his duck than the finale.
Archie Handy currently sits third in the standings however the return of outgoing champion Paul Rivett – who now has a fresh engine in his NAPA Racing UK MAN after sitting out Le Mans – means that battle is far from over.
Throw into the mix fellow former title winner Adam Bint and the Flying Dutchman Willem Breedijk and the stage is set for a thrilling climax to the 2024 British Truck Racing Championship.
Brands Hatch: Timetable, Live Stream & Tickets
Saturday 2nd November | Qualifying – 10:20 / Race 1 – 12:50 / Race 2 – 15:40
Sunday 3rd November | Race 3 – 10:35 / Race 4 – 13:25 / Race 5 – 15:40
All races will be streamed online via the official British Truck Racing Championship YouTube channel for free across both days. Action from the support categories will also be broadcast.
Ticket information for the event can be found by visiting the Brands Hatch website HERE.