The British Truck Racing Championship reaches the half-way point of the season at Donington Park this weekend (August 20/21) as it takes centre stage at one of the UK’s biggest motorsport events of the year, Convoy in the Park.
Roaring into Leicestershire for the fourth event of what has already been an action-packed campaign, thousands of spectators are expected to flock to the world-famous circuit for two days of blockbuster entertainment – both on and off the track.
Whilst the weekend’s five races – all of which will be individually sponsored – will be the headline act, those in attendance will also be able to enjoy the vast number of attractions that will be located around the venue.
Flyin’ Ryan leads the way
Division 1 has so far seen a familiar story at the top of the standings with reigning champion Ryan Smith leading the way. The Daimler driver has been perfection personified up until now with seven wins and a handful of podiums giving him a healthy lead in the points.
Chasing an unprecedented seventh consecutive title, the Mansfield racer heads to his home circuit brimming with confidence however he’ll want to maintain his fine form as his chief title protagonists are all hot on his heels.
Multiple champion Stuart Oliver leads the chasing pack after producing a recent run of strong results whilst two-time race winner Simon Reid has been one to watch in recent rounds.
Bad luck has stunted David Jenkins’ charge however victory last time out at Thruxton could prove pivotal in bringing him closer to the top three. Elsewhere, John Newell has shown plenty of promise and currently completes the championship top five.
Steven Powell heads into the weekend riding a wave of momentum after scoring a popular maiden win in the premier class at Thruxton. He, along with Mark Taylor and Bradley Smith, have been knocking on the door of big results since the get-go and you can bet that they’ll all be doing so once again this weekend.
Other notable names to look out for in the series’ top tier include Craig Reid, Tom O’Rourke, Richard Collett, Michael Oliver – another to have recently scored victory – and Simon Faulkner; all of whom could be mixing it at the front under the flightpath of East Midlands airport.
This weekend will also see the Division 1 grid grow as fan favourite Simon Cole makes a welcome return. Making his first appearance of the season, the former Division 2 stalwart will cut his teeth against series regulars in a MAN.
All to play for as Division 2 fight hots up
In Division 2, things are somewhat closer as just a handful of points blanket the top three in the standings – a theme that has ran since the season began back in April.
Former two-time champion Luke Garrett finds himself in the box seat having underlined his credentials with a string of stunning performances, one of which came most recently at Thruxton where he scored a hat-trick of wins.
The MAN driver has been a tour de force at times however the same can be said for Scotsman Jock Borthwick, who has been the epitome of consistency and heads into the weekend 13 points shy of the standings summit.
Brad Smith has been racking up the points finishes over the past few events too and he, along with Brands Hatch winner John Powell, will be eager to make inroads on the top two.
Another driver who has been steadily adding to his points tally is Craig Evans. A breakthrough podium at Pembrey has been the highlight for the MAN driver so far and you can bet he’ll have his sights on more silverware.
Arguably one of the form drivers heading into the weekend in Division 2 is former champion Adam Bint. Two wins in the past two events for the Volvo racer has kept him ahead of the ever-popular John Bowler – they’ll both be well worth keeping an eye on.
Like Division 1, Division 2 will also see a new driver join the fray for the first time this year. Paul Rivett, who has previous experience in the series, has teamed up with powerhouse outfit NAPA Racing UK for a one-off appearance.
Convoy in the Park: Bigger, better than ever!
Whilst five titanic tussles from the British Truck Racing Championship is sure to whip the crowd into a frenzy, there will be plenty to see and do all around Donington Park as part of the Convoy spectacle.
Set to be bigger and better than ever before, the two-day event will showcase hundreds of show trucks as well as an action arena, live music and entertainment, outdoor cinema, kids area, fire-breathers and stilt walkers, plus much more.
To get the full lowdown on what you can expect to see this weekend, head to the Convoy in the Park website.
Saturday 20th August | Qualifying: 11:10 / Race 1: 13:40 / Race 2: 17:15
Sunday 21st August | Race 3 11:10 / Race 4: 13:45 / Race 5: 17:00
All races will be streamed online for free via the British Automobile Racing Club YouTube channel this weekend with Saturday’s broadcast beginning at 12:10 and Sunday’s at 10:30.
Ticket information for the event can be found by visiting the Donington Park website.