Spring has sprung and after months of excitement and anticipation, the British Truck Racing Championship blasts back into life at Brands Hatch this Easter weekend (April 19-20) with a capacity entry list made up of champions, race winners, familiar names and new faces.
Marking the start of what promises to be another ultra-competitive campaign for the super-sized series, the Kent venue is poised to welcome a bumper crowd across both days – with five colossal contests taking centre stage.
Down the years the Brands Hatch Indy circuit has provided the setting for captivating racing and the weekend’s curtain-raiser looks to be no different; especially given the calibre of the 20-truck field and the introduction of two key technical changes.
New season, new regulations
Those aforementioned changes to the technical regulations – which have been ratified by Motorsport UK and the British Automobile Racing Club over the off-season – will undoubtedly spice up the battle for supremacy in Division 1.
This weekend sees the introduction of three different air restrictors in three different sizes – 63mm (1st), 65mm (2nd) and 67mm (3rd). These restrictors will be fitted to the turbocharger inlet on the top-three trucks in Division 1, based on the success of the individual participants.
At Brands Hatch this will be based off of the final championship standings from last year meaning that Ryan Smith, David Jenkins and Steven Powell will be required to have the restrictors fitted to their respective machines.
Elsewhere, the castor angle of the steering axle on all Division 1 trucks will be limited to a maximum of 30 degrees, with positive camber being allowed up to a maximum of three degrees.
Big rigs are back at Brands
Division 1 boasts a stellar line-up this year however all eyes are undoubtedly going to be fixed on reigning nine-time champion Ryan Smith.
Smith’s all-conquering campaign in 2024 means that he is now one title away from the all-time record of ten and with the number one adorning his Worldwide Truck Racing machine once again, he’ll undoubtedly be the driver to beat. The question is whether anyone can beat him.
Stuart Oliver holds the record for the most titles as it stands and his pursuit of an 11th crown sees him spearhead an expanded Team Oliver Racing line-up that includes his race-winning son Michael Oliver and the returning Martin Gibson, who last competed in the championship in 2021.
Another former champion that will be worth keeping an eye on is last year’s runner-up David Jenkins. The MAN driver was a regular visitor to the podium in 2024 and with improvements having been made to his truck over the winter, he’ll be hoping to be in the mix.
Over at 333 Motorsport, Steven Powell and Neil Yates have joined forces once again while Scotsman Tom O’Rourke will be eager to build on what was an encouraging maiden season in his bonneted International Navistar machine.
Other returning names to the series’ premier class include John Bowler, David Smith and the popular Richard Collett – who is back competing on British shores after a year away going up against some of Europe’s best.
Division 1 will also see a number of leading lights from Division 2 make their long-awaited graduation too. Last year’s deserving champion John Powell and former title winner Adam Bint will both embark on new pastures in new machinery.
Title tussle wide open in Division 2
In Division 2, the departure of last year’s title winner means that a new champion will be crowned in 2025; and with an expanded entry list cemented, the battle for top spot looks set to be wide open.
Simon Cole came oh-so close to the coveted crown last year and he returns, looking to go one better than he did six months ago. With plenty of work being carried out on his IVECO, he’ll be eager to build on the lessons that were learnt in 2024.
Joining Cole on the grid once again is his son Archie Handy. The youngster made his truck racing debut last year and tallied a number of podium finishes along the way; so standing on the top step will be the obvious target this season.
Among the new faces that have joined the fray, Jake Evans will race under the J Evans Trucksport banner while Graham Poole will join the previously mentioned Powell and Yates at 333 Motorsport.
WDE Motorsport, who have been the driving force behind the successful NAPA Racing UK and Paul Rivett entries in recent years, will also line up on the grid with debutant Callum Eason making the switch from car racing to trucks.
Completing the entry is Weaver Motorsport’s Bradley Harvey and S O Racing Team’s Sami Ojanen, who hails from Finland.
Brands Hatch: Timetable, Live Stream & Tickets
Full-throttle thrills are never far away when the BTRC is in town and this weekend looks to be no different with an Easter extravaganza expected to dazzle those in attendance.
Saturday 19th April | Qualifying: 09:50 / Race 1: 12:30 / Race 2: 15:25
Sunday 20th April | Race 3: 10:55 / Race 4: 13:35 / Race 5: 16:15
Easter Sunday will see a Grid Walk take place, scheduled to take place from 13:05 to 13:35, however this is subject to any timetable changes.
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.