TOCA

Last updated

TOCA, formally trading as BARC (TOCA) Ltd, is an organiser of motorsport events in the United Kingdom. The company organises and administers the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and the support series to the BTCC, sometimes known as the TOCA Tour [1] [2] or TOCA Package. [3] [4] The BTCC is the UK's biggest motor racing championship and the headline act to a host of support races covering the entire weekend.

Contents

History

BARC (TOCA) Ltd undertakes the entire management of the championship from regulations to event direction and marketing. Alan J. Gow is the series director and administrator of the BTCC and the managing director of BARC (TOCA) Ltd.

Gow formed TOCA Limited in 1990, purchasing the rights to the BTCC in 1991 and proceeding to turn the championship into the largest of its type in the world and one of the most widely watched motorsport series around the globe. In 2000, Gow sold TOCA to American company Octagon Motorsport (part of the US NASDAQ-listed Interpublic group) and took a break from managing both TOCA and the BTCC.

In 2003, Octagon relinquished its ownership of TOCA and its control of the BTCC. The current company, BARC (TOCA) Ltd was formed to take over and manage the championship. Gow was appointed managing director of the new company and returned to once again take charge and rebuild the championship, after it had floundered under the control of the previous management.[ citation needed ]

TOCA Australia was an offshoot again headed by Gow, which ran the Australian Super Touring Championship during the 1990s when there was an Australian series that mirrored the Super Touring regulations then run in the BTCC. TOCA Australia ceased operating in the early 2000s.

TOCA Package

The TOCA package consists of the BTCC and five main support series, which accompany the BTCC at almost every event, with some smaller club championships also joining the schedule at one or two events. All of the support series are either Single Make Championships or Formula racing.

Since 2004, the BTCC calendar has been contested across ten events of three races each, making a 30-round competition that covers the length and breadth of the UK.[ citation needed ]

First introduced in 2011, all cars are now built to the same Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) technical regulations, implemented to dramatically reduce the design, build and running costs of the cars and engines. With an emphasis on some common components, NGTC allows independent teams to compete on a level playing field against manufacturer-backed efforts by keeping costs down, whilst at the same time rewarding precise engineering and strategy.

Teams have the option of running either TOCA’s unbranded NGTC-spec engine or – whether privateer or full manufacturer-backed entries – developing their own powerplant to the regulations, as long as it is from the same ‘family’ as their chosen model of car. All are 350+bhp two-litre turbocharged units.

Having previously supported the BTCC in the late 1990s and sporadically since, the British Formula Ford Championship announced its return to the TOCA support package full-time for 2013 at all ten events. [5] In 2015, the single-seater series was renamed MSA Formula, conforming to the FIA's new Formula 4 regulations. It was renamed again in 2017, becoming the F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford. All cars use chassis produced by Mygale and EcoBoost engines from Ford, as well as a fully adjustable aerodynamic package including front and rear wings.

The Ginetta GT4 SuperCup is a GT-style, dual-class championship that follows a pro-am format, with professional and amateur drivers alike utilising Ginetta's G55 sportscar. The series features at most TOCA events, with either two or three SuperCup races per weekend.

Ginetta also runs a series on the support package that caters for up and coming young talent in the form of the Ginetta Junior Championship. These 14- to 17-year-olds race in identical Ginetta G40J cars with strict regulations that help keep costs down. The Ginetta Junior Championship supports every BTCC event, with either two or three races at each.

Out of all the current support series, the Porsche Carrera Cup GB is the longest-serving. Drivers compete in identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 997) cars that produce 450bhp. The three-tier championship splits drivers according to their racing experience. Professional drivers compete in the Pro class, with semi-professional and amateur drivers racing in Pro-Am1 and Pro-Am2. The Carrera Cup currently accompanies the vast majority of TOCA events, hosting two races at each.

Finally, the Mini Challenge UK is a one-make race series that began in 2002 and since 2020 it has run as a support package to the British Touring Car Championship. It replaced the Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom as a support series to the BTCC. Throughout its history it has established itself as one of the main routes into topline Touring Car racing. Many of its drivers have gone on to do well in the Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom, British Touring Car Championship, World Touring Car Championship and British GT Championship. Past and current drivers include Jeff Smith (racing driver), Charlie Butler-Henderson, Harry Vaulkhard, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Brett Smith (racing driver), Paul O'Neill (racing driver), Nick Foster (racing driver), Arthur Forster, Stewart Lines, Martin Depper, Chris Smiley and Ant Whorton-Eales.

.

Previous support races

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Touring Car Championship</span> Auto racing championship in the United Kingdom

The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as the British Touring Car Championship for the 1987 season. The championship, currently running Next Generation Touring Car regulations, has been run to various national and international regulations over the years including FIA Group 2, FIA Group 5, FIA Group 1, FIA Group A, FIA Super Touring and FIA Super 2000. A lower-key Group N class for production cars ran from 2000 until 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 British Touring Car Championship</span> Sports season

The 2010 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season was the 53rd British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season. It began at Thruxton Circuit on 4 April and finished after 30 races over ten events at Brands Hatch on 10 October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 British Touring Car Championship</span> Sports season

The 2011 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship was the 54th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 British Touring Car Championship</span> Sports season

The 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship was a multi-event motor racing championship for production-based touring cars held across England and Scotland. The championship features a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded amateur drivers competing in highly modified versions of family cars which are sold to the general public and conform to the technical regulations for the championship. It is one of the most popular domestic motor racing series in the United Kingdom, with an extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece. It was the 55th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

The Protyre 2012 Formula Renault BARC season was a multi-event motor racing championship for open wheel, formula racing cars held across England. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers competing in 2 litre Formula Renault single seat race cars that conform to the technical regulations for the championship. The 2012 season was the 18th Formula Renault BARC Championship; the season began at Snetterton 200 on 7 April and ended on 7 October at Silverstone, after fourteen races, all held in England.

The 2013 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain was a multi-event, open-wheel single seater motor racing championship held across England and Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in Formula Ford cars that conform to the technical regulations for the championship. This season saw the championship adopt a single class format, with all drivers using the latest cars built to the Formula Ford EcoBoost specification. There was also an award for the highest placed rookie. It was the 37th British Formula Ford season and returned to the TOCA tour to form part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece.

The 2013 Renault UK Clio Cup is a multi-event, one make motor racing championship held across England. The championship features a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in a Clio Renault Sport 200 that conform to the technical regulations for the championship. 2013 will be the final season for the current car. It forms part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece.

The Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom was an entry level One-make, Touring car racing motor sport category and the current name in the long history of Renault one-make cups in the UK. It currently attracts drivers from across the United Kingdom to compete along with several drivers for European countries. The championship has been run to various regulations over the years, and can trace its history back to 1974. Several former drivers have become successful in other Touring car racing formulae, including Andy Priaulx, who went on to become multiple World Touring Car Championship champion and Jason Plato who is multiple British Touring Car Championship champion. The championship currently runs on the support package of the British Touring Car Championship. The current series promoter is the British Automobile Racing Club, after previously being the promoter from 1974 to 2011. Prior to this, SRO promoted the series in 2012. The UK Clio Cup is to leave as a BTCC-support series and replace the Mini Challenge in supporting the 2020 British GT Championship, with the Mini Challenge taking the Clio Cup's spot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain</span>

The 2013 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain was a multi-event, one make motor racing championship held across England and Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in Porsche 911 GT3 cars that conform to the technical regulations for the championship. It is a multi class championship, with drivers grouped based on their ability and experience into three classes: Professional, Professional-Amateur 1 and Professional-Amateur 2. It forms part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece.

The 2014 Courier Connections Renault UK Clio Cup was a multi-event, one make motor racing championship held across England and one event in Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers competing in the new Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC that conformed to the technical regulations for the championship. It formed part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centerpiece after signing a three year extension to be on the package until the end of 2016. It was the 19th Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom season, commencing on 30 March at Brands Hatch – on the circuit's Indy configuration – and concluded on 12 October at the same venue, utilising the Grand Prix circuit, after sixteen races held at eight meetings, all in support of the 2014 British Touring Car Championship season.

Finesse Motorsport is a British motor racing team based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire founded by Neil Giddings. They have raced on the TOCA support package in the Ginetta GT Supercup, Ginetta Junior Championship and Renault Clio Cup United Kingdom before stepping up to the British Touring Car Championship in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 British Touring Car Championship</span> MSA British Touring Car Championship

The 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship was a multi-event motor racing championship for production-based touring cars held across England and Scotland. The championship features a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded amateur drivers competing in highly modified versions of Family cars which are sold to the general public and conform to the technical regulations for the championship. It is one of the most popular domestic motor racing series in the United Kingdom, with an extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece. It was the 57th British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season.

The 2014 Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain was a multi-event, open-wheel single seater motor racing championship held across England and Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in Formula Ford cars that conformed to the technical regulations for the championship. This, the 38th British Formula Ford season, was the second year of the single class format, with all drivers using the latest cars built to the Formula Ford EcoBoost specification. There was also an award for the highest placed Rookie. Part of the TOCA tour, it formed part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece. The season commenced on 30 March at Brands Hatch – on the circuit's Indy configuration – and concluded on 12 October at the same venue, utilising the Grand Prix circuit, after 30 races held at 10 meetings, all in support of the 2014 British Touring Car Championship season.

The 2014 Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup was a multi-event, one make GT motor racing championship held across England and Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in a Ginetta G55 or Ginetta G50 that conformed to the technical regulations for the championship. It formed part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece. It was the fourth Ginetta GT4 Supercup, having rebranded from the Ginetta G50 Cup, which ran between 2008 and 2010. The season commenced on 30 March at Brands Hatch – on the circuit's Indy configuration – and concluded on 12 October at the same venue, utilising the Grand Prix circuit, after twenty-seven races held at ten meetings, all in support of the 2014 British Touring Car Championship season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 British Touring Car Championship</span>

The 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship was a motor racing championship for production-based touring cars held across England and Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded amateur drivers competing in highly modified versions of family cars which are sold to the general public and conform to the technical regulations for the championship. The 2016 season was the 59th British Touring Car Championship season and the sixth season for cars conforming to the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) technical specification. Gordon Shedden successfully defended his title and equaled long-time team mate Matt Neal as a three time Champion.

The 2016 F4 British Championship was a multi-event, Formula 4 open-wheel single seater motor racing championship held across England and Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in Formula 4 cars that conformed to the technical regulations for the championship. This, the second season, following on from the British Formula Ford Championship, was the second year that the cars conformed to the FIA's Formula 4 regulations. Part of the TOCA tour, it formed part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 British Touring Car Championship</span>

The 2017 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship was a motor racing championship for production-based touring cars held across England and Scotland. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded amateur drivers competing in highly modified versions of family cars which are sold to the general public and conform to the technical regulations for the championship. The 2017 season was the 60th British Touring Car Championship season and the seventh season for cars conforming to the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) technical specification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 British Touring Car Championship</span>

The 2018 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship was a motor racing championship for production-based touring cars held across England and Scotland. It was sponsored by Dunlop. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded amateur drivers competing in highly modified versions of family cars which were sold to the general public and conform to the technical regulations for the championship. The 2018 season was the 61st British Touring Car Championship season and the eighth season for cars conforming to the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) technical specification. The 2018 season also marked the 60th anniversary since the series’ introduction.

The 2018 F4 British Championship was a multi-event, Formula 4 open-wheel single seater motor racing championship held across United Kingdom. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in Formula 4 cars that conformed to the technical regulations for the championship. This, the fourth season, following on from the British Formula Ford Championship, was the fourth year that the cars conformed to the FIA's Formula 4 regulations. Part of the TOCA tour, it formed part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece.

The 2019 F4 British Championship was a multi-event, Formula 4 open-wheel single seater motor racing championship held across United Kingdom. The championship featured a mix of professional motor racing teams and privately funded drivers, competing in Formula 4 cars that conform to the technical regulations for the championship. This, the fifth season, following on from the British Formula Ford Championship, was the fifth year that the cars conformed to the FIA's Formula 4 regulations. Part of the TOCA tour, it formed part of the extensive program of support categories built up around the BTCC centrepiece.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mymichelin.co.uk/motorsport-news/toca-tour/brands-hatch-grand-prix-circuit-toca-tour-driver-of-the-weekend-carl-breeze [ verification needed ]
  2. ↑ http://www.crash.net/btcc/news/7344/1/toca_tour_heads_for_knockhill.html [ verification needed ]
  3. ↑ http://www.britishformulaford.co.uk/toca-motorsport-package-boosts-2013-formula-ford-series-3/ [ verification needed ]
  4. ↑ http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2012/05/thruxton-toca-round-up/ [ verification needed ]
  5. ↑ "Formula Ford returns in 2013". British Touring Car Championship. TOCA. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.[ verification needed ]
  6. ↑ Paice, Simon (19 March 2012). "Formula Renault UK Axed for 2012". The Checkered Flag. Black Eagle Media Network. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  7. ↑ Bradley, Charles, ed. (27 September 2012). "No TOCA return for Renault". Autosport . Vol. 209, no. 13. Teddington, Middlesex: Haymarket Publications. p. 79. The decision to end Formula Renault UK brings down the final curtain on a series that ran continuously in Britain from 1989 until the end of 2011 – with a number of Formula 1 drivers, including world champions Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Räikkönen, racing in the championship early in their careers.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.