International rallycross returns to Lydden Hill this weekend | Event preview

International rallycross returns to Lydden Hill this weekend | Event preview

International rallycross returns to the home of the sport – Lydden Hill Race Circuit – with a bang this weekend as Titans RX Europe heads to the UK for the first time.

The newly created series for identical PanteraRX6 machines has attracted top-name drivers, with 15 cars set to take to the grid in rounds three and four on Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to the TitansRX Europe International Series at one of the most famous rallycross circuits in the world, Supercars from the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship, Group B and Retro Rallycross Championship cars from the history of the sport and the stars of the future in the Junior Rallycross class will be in action.

In Titans RX, Finnish driver Toomas Heikkinen leads the points ahead Swedish ace Kevin Hansen, who began his career racing a Junior RX Suzuki Swift in the UK.

The new fire spitting Pantera RX6 Supercars have four-wheel drive, 2.3-litre turbo charged engines and similar performance to a traditional Supercars. Making their debuts in the class this weekend will be British Touring Car Championship star Andrew Jordan, who finished on the FIA World Rallycross Championship podium at Lydden Hill in 2014, and 2016 British RX Champion Dan Rooke. GT and touring car drivers Oliver Webb and Abbie Eaton will join ex Formula One driver Perry McCarthy as home drivers on the grid, McCarthy famed for his role as the original ‘Stig’ on BBC Top Gear.

Swede Timmy Hansen and former Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jnr will also be in victory contention, with a full championship round being held on each day, concluding with knock out semi-finals and final for the 15 car field.

In the British RX Supercar class, where 10 drivers will race the 600bhp four-wheel drive cars, Canterbury driver Tristan Ovenden will make his Supercar debut in an LD Motorsports Citroen DS3 as team mate to Northern Irish rally star Mark Donnelly. Multiple British RX Champion Julian Godfrey and German pair Rene Muennich and Mandie August will be in victory contention, along with Xite Racing driver Oliver Bennett in his Ford Fiesta and British RX regular Steve Hill in his bespoke Mitsubishi Evo 10. Roger Thomas, Mike Manning and Andy Grant complete the line up.

Following a star performance in the British RX event at Lydden Hill on Easter Monday in the monstrous Ford RS200, X Games gold medallist and World RX podium finisher Liam Doran headlines the 12 car Group B and Retro RX line up this weekend, which includes four iconic Group B machines (Ford RS200 / MG Metro 6R4 / Audi Quattro) along with a selection of cars from the sport’s history, including Lancia Stratos’, Minis and Ford Escorts.

Titans RX drivers will race in three qualifying sessions, semi-finals and a final on both days, with the Supercar, Retro RX and Junior drivers competing in three qualifiers on Saturday, with Q4, semi-finals and final on Sunday.

Off track you will find; Childrens entertainment, a wide range of locally sourced 5* street food, cash bars, and evening entertainment if you decide to camp on Saturday night. Tickets are £20 in advance per day or £30 for the weekend, and £30 on the gate per adult each day, remember 13’s and under come in FREE!

The track action will start at 9am and conclude at 6pm on Saturday, and it will kick start again on Sunday at 10:30am then conclude at 4pm.

Why not treat you and your family to a vip hospitality package for £100 per adult and £75 per child, contact the office on 01304830557 for more details and special offers.

More details and tickets can be found online at https://bit.ly/2wGteuq