Epps only competed in the first two thirds of the 2019 Ginetta GT4 Supercup series but took multiple podium finishes on his way to 7th in the overall standings before turning to a coaching role for teammate Clayden at the back end of the season.

Epps is looking forward to racing ‘Into the Night’ this weekend. “I’m stoked to be racing again before the season closes. Since I first came to the “Into the Night” race a couple years ago I thought that’d be something I’d like to do when the opportunity arises and now it has.

I’m well acquainted with the G55 GT4 and think we’ll be competitive. It’ll also be very cool to share the track with David Brabham and their new BT62 on its racing debut!”

This will be the first time Team HARD. Racing have raced in the series since the 2018 finale whereby Tom Barley and Simon Rudd took the GT4 class championship.

Team HARD. Racing Managing Director, Tony Gilham is glad to have Epps back in one of his Ginetta race cars. “Mike has been with the team for some time now and I’m delighted that he is with us to end our 2019 season.

Mike had a strong part season in this year’s Supercup championship and was on the pace from the get-go despite having never driven the car before 2019. He has used his wealth of experience to master the Ginetta and share his knowledge with racing newcomer Ben.

They clearly have a great working relationship having spent so much time together and I’m looking forward to seeing how they get on in a competitive environment.”

The Dunlop Britcar Endurance Championship series will reach its climax at Brands Hatch on 9th/10th November. With Epps’s inclusion into the series it’s going to be a fascinating weekend. Furthermore, this is one of the few events held in the United Kingdom that finishes at night. What better way to bring the Motorsport season to a close.

Photo Credit: Ian Cutting Photography with Prescott Motorsport

Scott-Dickeson competed in multiple rounds of this seasons GT Cup championship and was one of the drivers that helped the team take the GTA class championship at the first time of asking. Scott-Dickeson also entered last seasons ‘Into the Night’ round with Team HARD. Racing, taking a double podium finish.

Scott-Dickeson is excited to be back in the Ginetta. “I’m Really excited to be ending the year at the ‘Into the Night’ race. It was eventful for me last year with some unlucky mishaps but ending the year on the podium. I’m going into this weekend fully focused for it to end in in a similar manner but this time on the top step.

It’s been a great year for me and Team HARD. Racing and I want to keep this positive momentum going!”

This will be the first time Team HARD. Racing have raced in the series since the 2018 finale where Scott-Dickeson and Ryan Harper-Ellam worked together to secure a double podium finish under the lights of the Brands Hatch Indy circuit.

Team HARD. Racing’s Managing Director, Tony Gilham sounded confident in Scott-Dickeson’s chances this weekend. “Nick is a delight to have around the team and I’m looking forward to working with him again this weekend.

His experience in combating the Brands Hatch Indy circuit at night will prove invaluable, especially on Saturday as there isn’t any night time testing.

I’d also like to thank the Dunlop Britcar Endurance Championship for having us back after a year away from the series. We are aiming to be back with a bang and on the top step of the podium.”

The Dunlop Britcar Endurance Championship series will reach its climax at Brands Hatch on 9th/10th November. Scott-Dickerson is set to be in action in what is going to be a fascinating weekend. Furthermore, this is one of the few events held in the United Kingdom that finishes at night. What better way to bring the Motorsport season to a close.

Photo Credit: Ian Cutting Photography with Prescott Motorsport

This will be Chandlers’ first competitive race under the lights of the Brands Hatch Indy circuit. Chandler has been building and running a Ginetta under the supervision of team manager Elliott Wood over the second half of the 2019 season.

Chandler is raring to go with his new car knowledge. “I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of the Ginetta for the Britcar finale. Since I last raced the car, I’ve started working at Team HARD. Racing HQ building, prepping and running the cars in the GT Cup and Supercup championships. This knowledge and experience of understanding the car is only going to improve my speed and ability to set the car up to suit my driving style.

Lastly, thank you to Team HARD. Racing for the opportunity both on and off track in 2020!”

This will be the first time Team HARD. Racing have raced in the series since the 2018 finale whereby Tom Barley and Simon Rudd took the GT4 class championship.

Managing Director, Tony Gilham is looking forward to seeing Chandler behind the wheel again. “We have been working with Steve throughout the season since his debut in the GT Cup in July. Despite his young age Steve shows great maturity and can handle the pressure of not only racing a car but also running a car on the biggest stage in UK Motorsport.”

The Britcar series will reach its climax at Brands Hatch on 9th/10th November. Steve is set to be in action in what is going to be a fascinating weekend. Furthermore, this is one of the few events held in the United Kingdom that finishes at night. What better way to bring the Motorsport season to a close.

(Edited) story by Ashbourne News Telegraph

And it proved successful for the Ashbourne driver, as he partnered Niall Quinn to victory in the GTA Class in the endurance race. They secured class honours and the overall championship for the season for Team HARD after also coming a close second in the sprint race.

Sam Randon and Niall Quinn took the GTA class win for Team HARD this weekend
Qualifying in pole position for the shorter sprint race, Randon finished ahead of the competition as they crossed the finish line, but his 4.5 second track advantage was just short of the 5 second penalty he collected for exceeding track limits, and he had to settle for 2nd place.

In the longer endurance race Randon, again in class pole position, led from the start and handed over the first spot to teammate Quinn at the pit stop, who maintained the dominance and brought the car home for the win. Despite a number of driver changes over the season, the win gave the Team HARD car the overall GTA class championship.

Randon hopes to next race in the premier championship – the Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 Supercup for Team Hard next season and admitted it was slightly embarrassing to pick up a championship win after one race weekend in the GTA class.

“I feel like a bandit turning up for one race and getting my name on the GTA Championship but I raced to help out (team boss) Tony Gilham and to get some laps under my belt in preparation for next year,” he said.

In a last minute deal with top British outfit Team HARD. Quinn was using the opportunity to evaluate his options ahead of a planned full return to racing in 2020. Enjoying many years of success in Karting and single seater racing around the world, taking on the final round of the 2019 GT Cup Championship would be his first taste of true endurance racing, something he was relishing.

With limited mileage in advance of the weekend itself, it was certainly in at the deep end for the former Motorsport Ireland Young Racing Driver of the year. Saturday’s track conditions were certainly far from ideal for Quinn who was set with the task of getting to grips with the hugely popular and successful Ginetta G55 on a soaking wet Snetterton circuit. Added to this, steering rack failure in qualifying would limit his running to a single flying lap. However, that one lap would amazingly place him in second on the grid for the opening sprint race of the weekend. Sadly however, unable to ready the car in time for the race, Quinn was forced to sit on the side-lines and lament what could have been.

Picking himself up for the second race of the day, this time the much longer 50 minute encounter, Niall had it all to do starting from the rear of the field. As the lights went out, Quinn set off on a charge that would seem him move past over 10 cars on track, including a superb move around the outside of the challenging Coram corner to pass the newly crowned GT Cup champions in the McLaren. As is often the case in endurance racing, an ill-timed Safety Car would drop the Team HARD. driver down a lap from the main pack, meaning Niall would have to settle for ninth overall and second in the GTA class.

Joined by Ginetta GT4 Supercup & GT Cup regular, Sam Randon on Sunday, Quinn was looking forward to the chance of working with a co-driver on a now dry Norwich circuit. Teaming up for Sunday afternoon’s 50-minute endurance race, Randon started the race and put in a superb display to dive into the pits from the class lead. Handing the car over to Niall, he matched his GTA class rivals pace to maintain their 10 second advantage at the head of the class and secured a superb victory to complete a very positive weekend.

Niall Quinn – #79 Team HARD. Ginetta G55:
“I am really happy with how the weekend turned out. It was a real shame to miss the sprint race due to the steering rack failure, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy coming from the back in the Endurance race! It was a real challenge making progress through the field of cars with different strengths and weaknesses and figuring out where the Ginetta could do the job and get by. Sunday was another great day, Sam did a fantastic job in the first stint and I’m delighted I could finish the job and get a win for the team. Thanks to Tony and all of Team HARD. for the opportunity.”

Tony Gilham – Managing Director, Team HARD.
“It was great to have Niall onboard this weekend to help us seal the GTA class championship in our debut GT Cup season! You really couldn’t tell that Niall had spent three years away from racing as he got on the pace from the get go. His wealth of experience was valuable over the course of the weekend which saw beautiful sunshine and torrential rain. What a great debut for Niall, a class win in the final race of the season. Things are looking good for a full time return in 2020!”

Entering the final round at Brands Hatch in Kent, Primex Plastics sponsored Coates sat 15 points behind Young in the standings. The previous round at Silverstone provided the latest twist in the Coates-Young championship battle, the Yorkshireman ending the second race in the gravel trap after contact from his ex-team mate. Few thought the drama would, or could, escalate further at Brands Hatch.

But that it did and it all started in Qualifying. The rain-hit session started damp with all cars starting on wet Michelin tyres. The track dried quickly and Coates pitted to make his RPC bpi PLASgran car slick shod whilst his rival continued on wet tyres. After two laps Coates was on track to set the fastest lap of the session by some margin, but as he entered the final corner of the historic GP layout at Brands Hatch, he was greeted by a red flag halting the session after another driver had finished up in the gravel. With further rain afterwards the Polydist sponsored drivers times were only good enough for 4th and 10th on the grid for the weekends two races. Meanwhile Young had scored 7th and 3rd. It meant Coates would likely out-score in race one and Young would in the championship deciding race two.

As Coates in his Harron Homes backed car pulled up to 4th position on the grid in race one he stalled, his clutch not clearing sufficiently to stop the car. Thankfully he got it restarted and was able to continue without further issues, however he crept away slowly. Under pressure from his championship rival Coates turned defence into attack and was the fastest car on the circuit, within a lap moving into 2nd place. He then began his advances on the early race leader and on lap 5 was on his rear bumper. A safety car intervention was needed to clear a car stricken in the gravel trap which halted the RMB Automotive and Bennett Renault backed drivers progress. He then lost a spot at the restart and despite his early race pace had to settle for 3rd place. The action didn’t end there, Young was given a drive-through penalty for overlapping at the safety car restart, a penalty he did not serve. He was handed a 30-second penalty after the race which meant Coates lead the championship once more, by just a single point, going into the final race of the season.

To the finale, Coates starting 10th was really on the back foot despite his points advantage. A strong opening lap meant he climbed 5 places only for an early race safety car to halt his progress. The intervention was lengthy, but at the restart Coates looked almost certain to gain another position, only for another safety car to be called. Coates backed out of the move but other drivers didn’t hear the message on the radio and he slipped back to 6th place. Again, the safety car period was lengthy leaving just 4 laps for Coates to overhaul Young’s advantage. Coates moved swiftly through to 2nd place in the final laps and had one lap to close and pass his rival to take the championship. By that point the gap was nearly 3 seconds which was just too big for Coates to overcome. 2nd in the race and 2nd in the championship, by just 5 points.

Afterwards an emotional Coates said, “I put everything I had into that last race but it just wasn’t to be. The safety car laps hampered my chances to move forward but when I had the opportunity to overtake I did, I couldn’t be happier with my drive today but I’m so disappointed not to have taken the title. It’s easy with hindsight to look back at where I could have found another 6 points this year, we’ve had plenty of set-backs and really any one of them could have made the difference.

I’d like to thank all of my sponsors, Team HARD. and all the people who work with me on my racing and the car itself for giving the me the opportunity to do this, without them I couldn’t have put this title fight together. Likewise this ends four years of racing in the Renault UK Clio Cup, a championship that has rejuvenated my racing career and without doubt shaped my life, I’d like to extend my thanks to all the staff involved in the series and anyone who has been involved in the last 4 years.”

UK Clio Cup Media Officer Carl McKellar said “For the 300,000 fans who have attended the events and the millions more watching ITV4’s live coverage of the action, the rivalry between Max Coates and Jack Young has been the most exciting of the season out of all the BTCC’s supporting categories.

“Similarly, in the media room, the press – even those there to cover the BTCC – often commented how they’d downed tools to watch the Max vs Jack show – a real highlight of their day!

“To win 7 races in a championship as competitive as the UK Clio Cup is a very rare feat but Max managed this – it’s a huge testament to his abilities and how he has matured into a great all-round performer during the past several years. His following is now many thousands and actually puts to shame that of many drivers in higher levels of the sport – including some in the headlining BTCC.”

The Brands Hatch races can be watched back via the ITV Hub or BTCC ITV Motorsport website; https://www.itv.com/btcc/races/btcc-2019-brands-hatch-gp-race-action. Coates will have at least another two races meetings this year, competing in the final round of the Britcar Endurance Championship this weekend at Oulton Park and at the Race of Remembrance on the 9th and 10th November at Anglesey.

This will be Clayden’s first competitive race out on track after choosing to spend the 2019 season with Team HARD. Racing and it’s Ginetta GT4 test program. Clayden has participated in multiple test days with the team over the course of the season accompanied by BTCC and Ginetta SuperCup star Mike Epps who has been operating as his driver coach.

Clayden is looking to get stuck in on his debut. “I’m really looking forward to making my competitive debut at the Britcar ‘into the night’ event. Obviously, I’m a little nervous but overall, I am very excited to get stuck in.

It’s been great working with Mike (Epps) who has helped get me prepared and ready for the next chapter of my Motorsport adventure. I’ve tested a couple of cars with Team HARD. Racing and decided that GT racing was for me. I absolutely love the Ginetta GT4 that I’ve been testing this year, it’s challenging but very rewarding when you really push the car to it’s limits.

Lastly, thank you to Team HARD. Racing for the opportunity and I’m hoping to put on a good show as we look at options to race fulltime in 2020!”

This will be the first time Team HARD. Racing have raced in the series since the 2018 finale whereby Tom Barley and Simon Rudd took the GT4 class championship.

Tony Gilham is looking forward to seeing Clayden in action. “We have been working with Ben throughout the season in both our Volkswagen Golf and Ginetta GT4 race cars. With the help of Mike (Epps), Ben has been able to fine tune his natural racing ability and set some very fast and consistent lap times when out on track.

The Britcar finale is a perfect event for Ben to get back out on track and be involved in a very competitive championship as we look at options to get him out on track for a full campaign in 2020.”

The series will reach its climax at Brands Hatch on 9^th/10th November. Ben is set to be in action in what is going to be a fascinating weekend. Furthermore, this is one of the few events held in the United Kingdom that finishes at night. What better way to bring the Motorsport season to a close.

The weekend will kick off on Friday 25th October with free practice sessions at the Norfolk circuit. Niall will then pilot the Ginetta G55 in one of the weekend’s 25 minute sprint races, along with joint driving duties in the two 50 minute endurance races.

Niall will be returning to the scene where he won the 2008 Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy, albeit arriving to a significantly revised layout. The 2.9 mile 300 circuit retains a lot of the character of the classic layout, and Niall will be using this familiarity to hit the ground running.

Niall Quinn: “I am really excited to get back behind the wheel in GT Cup. I met with Tony and Team HARD. Racing and was instantly impressed with what they are doing. I am looking forward to getting to know the whole team and looking at working together in 2020. It is extra special to be returning to Snetterton where I have great memories of our Formula Palmer Audi success. This will be my first taste of multiclass GT endurance racing, and I am relishing the opportunity.”

Tony Gilham, Managing Director, Team HARD. Racing: “I’m delighted to have Niall with us for the season finale of the GT Cup championship. We have had a good season with multiple class wins and I am hopeful of adding a few more in the final round. Niall has fantastic racing pedigree having competed in the highly competitive Indy Lights series in America and A1 GP series and it was a no brainer to get him behind the wheel of one of our cars.

With the GT Cup finale being Niall’s return to racing after a 3 year break, we are hoping that this is just the start of our partnership with as we look at options for a full 2020 campaign together.”

The 23 year-old Hornchurch based driver sported a different look to his #19 GKR Scaffolding with Autobrite Direct Team HARD VW at the tenth and final weekend of Britain’s premier race series as he utilised the tremendous popularity of the BTCC to raise awareness for last Thursday’s World Mental Health Day.

Replacing his usual sponsor decals with the slogans #TimeToTalk and #AskTwice in support of the campaign to reduce the rising suicide rate among men in the UK, the current BRDC Rising stars car also displayed tributes to his close friend Lee Carpenter and GKR employee Jon Cook who both took their own lives in recent weeks.

“This has been a very emotional weekend but also a very special one,” said the ever popular Thompson, who is known throughout the paddock as Bobster. “We came into race week devastated by the loss of Lee but by the end of the day on Sunday we just looked back on the last five days and realised it was a very special weekend for lots of reasons.

“I’m grateful to Neil Rowswell from GKR who came up with the idea of taking his logos off the car and replacing them with #TimeToTalk and #AskTwice and I’m also very grateful to the Championship themselves for taking the time to publicise World Mental Health day during their championship deciding week.

“But what has hit me and my family and the people I work with behind the scenes the most is the level of support and encouragement I have had from the BTCC fans themselves. They are the ones who have shared and promoted this and taken time to message me or come up and see me in the paddock just to say thank you and to share their own experiences with Mental Health issues. If what we have done this weekend makes a difference to one person out there who is struggling then it has been worth it.”

If things were busy off the track, they were equally as busy for the 2017 VW Cup Series Champion on the track with the classic 2.43-mile Brands Hatch Grand Prix track providing one of the toughest challenges of the season to the 30 BTCC competitors.

Intermittent rain and continually changing track conditions spoiled much of Saturday’s two free practice sessions with Thompson running minimal laps in an effort to save tyres and with the all-important 30-minute timed qualifying session also afflicted by increasingly persistent rain and two separate red flags, finding a clear lap and the best track conditions was harder than ever.

“I wasn’t so worried about losing track time in practice as Brands is my home track and I know it like the back of my hand,” continued Thompson. “And after a full season we also know where we are with the set-up of our car and the issues we have to work around so my biggest concern was having my quick laps disrupted by other people going off in the rain.”

As it turned out, Thompson only lost one of his flying laps in qualifying to a red flag and finished the session with 18^th fastest time despite having to deal with persistent understeer.

“I’m reasonably happy with where we are as it gives us a good shot at getting some more Championship points tomorrow,” concluded Thompson at the end of Saturday’s activities. “Of course I want to be further up the grid and be fighting for race wins and podiums but you have to be realistic and just make sure you maximise the potential of what is underneath you.”

With a bumper crowd on hand to watch Sunday’s trio of 15-lap races Thompson made a poor getaway in race one and completed the first lap in 21^st place. By the fourth lap Thompson had already regained those places and was running 17^th when the safety car was called out. As the field slowed down spots of rain began to fall and with more moisture forecast more than a dozen drivers, Thompson included, elected to pit for wet tyres.

Unfortunately a mix up in the pits meant that Thompson was delayed by nearly a minute before he could return to the track and with the safety car period over Thompson found himself in 28^th position and 80 seconds behind the leaders with nine laps remaining.

“What can you say?” remarked Thompson, whose renowned wet weather prowess saw him reduce the deficit to the other wet shod cars in front of him before the chequered flag fell, leaving him a dejected 21^st. “We took the gamble, had a problem in the pits and as a result it didn’t pay off. That’s just racing and the biggest problem we had was that by the time I got back on track, I was nearly half a minute behind the other drivers who were on wets so I couldn’t even make much progress and pass them.”

Race two was another tyre strategist’s nightmare with the track wet but no rain actually falling. Like most of the field Thompson opted for wet tyres but in conditions he usually revels in, a 16^th place finish was less than expected.

“The car still had too much understeer and I must have overworked the tyres too early on because by half distance they were gone. The late safety car helped cool them down and I was setting my fastest times in the last three laps and we did gain places so it wasn’t all bad. But I know those are the sort of conditions that really suit me so it’s pretty disappointing not to score a decent number of points from that one.”

The 30^th and final race of the 2019 BTCC season played out in beautifully sunny early evening conditions for what would turn out to be one of the most dramatic title deciders in the 61 year history of the championship. And while most eyes were understandably on the title protagonists, Thompson was determined to end his year on a high.

From 16^th on the grid Thompson made one of his better starts of the year and maintained his position during a frantic opening lap before attacking the dips, crests and undulations of one of the UK’s classic circuits like a man possessed. Within five laps Thompson had passed four drivers and was hassling former champion Matt Neal for 11^th place, actually making the pass for position at Surtees on lap 6 only for Neal to retake the place before the lap was over.

However a nudge from another driver that forced Thompson briefly on to the grass and the fading grip from his tyres saw the #19 machine slip back to 17^th place with three laps to go. However a successful battle with former teammate Mike Bushell and then Dan Cammish’s heart-breaking retirement from the race on the penultimate lap lifted Thompson into 15^th place for a single championship point.

“That was the hardest I have worked for one point in my career, but it was worth it,” concluded Thompson who recorded a total of 10 point scoring finishes during the season and finished 22^nd in the BTCC Drivers Championship. “I managed to take every chance that came my way and my scrap with Matt [Neal] was one of the best of the year for me.

“I knew I was using a lot of the tyre but I wasn’t going to finish the season without leaving everything out there although I could have done without getting a tap from Bushell which cost me a few places. He came and said sorry afterwards and he was my teammate last year so I know it was nothing intentional and it is just a shame that I didn’t have much of the tyre left to fight back in the last few laps. But things worked out for me elsewhere and at least I can say I finished the season in the points.”

In addition to his 22^nd place in the main drivers’ championship, Thompson claimed 10^th place in the Independent Drivers’ standings, 11^th in the Dunlop Forever Forward rankings and 3^rd in the Jack Sears Trophy with a total of 1 JST win, a trio of second place finishes and nine third place efforts.

“We have had plenty of ups and downs this year,” stated Thompson, who scored main championship points in six of the ten race weekends. “It is fair to say there have probably been more downs than we would have liked but I’ve got two top ten finishes, loads more experience under my belt and the hunger to come back next year and get on the podium.

“I’ve got to thank my Team HARD crew for sticking with me when things weren’t going as well as we wanted them to and all the people who have sponsored us this year. Without them I wouldn’t be racing and so I hope we have made them happy and of course my family who go through every emotion with me. Bring on 2020.”

Entering the weekend riding a wave of momentum after claiming a sensational first-ever top ten finish at Silverstone last time out, the Team HARD driver returned to his home circuit in Kent optimistic of adding to his points tally.

Persistent rain added further spice to the action throughout the weekend, with the wet weather intensifying during a frenetic qualifying session on Saturday. Struggling with the balance of his Volkswagen CC, the 35-year-old ultimately powered his way to 28th on the grid for the opening encounter.

Race one on Sunday proved to be one of attrition as mid-race rain added further excitement to proceedings. Running just outside of the top 20, the Premier Contract Supplies and Burlington Bathrooms sponsored driver was one of several to dive into the pit-lane at the halfway stage and bolt on a set of wet tyres.

Unfortunately, the Broadstairs based racer would have to queue behind a team-mate to get his new tyres and that ultimately cost him dear, leaving him to finish a lap down at the chequered flag.

With track conditions still on a knife-edge, Crees took the gamble to run slick tyres in the second encounter whilst a majority of others stuck with wets. Unable to utilise them, despite the track drying considerably in the final few laps, the former two-time Ginetta champion crossed the line in 23rd.

Unfortunately, Crees’ season-finale came to a premature end as, on the fringe of the top 20, he was forced to pit due to a mechanical issue – a frustrating end for the Geberit UK, Hansgrohe, DPC Group, DDS Demolition, Merlyn Showering, SMG Croydon, MVC Events, MJ Plumbing and Imperial Render supported ace.

Crees has firmly become a fans favourite in his maiden BTCC campaign, and finishes the year as the top rookie in the championship after claiming two points finishes; a stunning debut result at Brands Hatch and his memorable ninth place finish at Silverstone.

Michael Crees: “What a weekend, what a season! We pretty much had weather of all sorts at Brands Hatch and for us, we gave it a good go, gambled on tyres but the dice didn’t roll our way unfortunately.

“I’m heading into the winter in high spirits and I know that the BTCC is where I want to be for next year. We’ve got some options to look over and I’m confident that if I return next year that I can become a regular in the points.”