The CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship will once again feature a bumper grid for 2016 with more than 30 entrants represent the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) North Western Centre as they compete around the Oulton Park Island layout this Saturday (19th March).

Having grown into a successful, stable and cost-effective since its inception in 1984, the multi-class series will once again be decided over seven weekends stretching the length of the UK with 12 rounds being held in total. A champion is then crowned overall when accumulating the points from all six classes.

Garry Wardle leads the fight in Class A which is open to Special Sports and Saloon Cars 2501cc and over. Piloting his Ginetta G50, the Macclesfield-based racer will be tested by Chris Bennett and Paul Rose, who will be behind the wheel of their Mitsubishi Evo3 and Saker RAPX S1-400 respectively.

Class B is set to be a shootout between two drivers for the opening round. Aimed at competitors racing Special Sports and Saloon Cars up to 1600c, Nick Cresswell and Roddie Paterson will dice in Caterhams. Whilst Cresswell runs a Glebe Engineering Ltd. backed Caterham 7, Paterson will compete in a R400.

Reigning champion Joe Spencer will run the infamous number one on-board his Stuart Taylor Locosaki in the 1600cc class this year after triumphing in 2015. Clinching the title by a mere four points overall, Spencer will now look to secure back-to-back titles. Joining the Leicester-born race in the third tier of the series will be David Harvey, Les Kirk, Danny Bird, Peter Davies and Dave Chilton.

With vehicles ranging from Seat Leon Cupra’s to a Triumph TR7 V8 in Class D, Ilsa Cox proved to be the one to beat last year and will seek to continue that rich vein of form starting in Cheshire this weekend. Challenges from Paul Dobson, Ralph Underwood, Richard Evans and Mike Hurst however make up Class D.

A sizable entry list of 11 drivers makes up Class E which is designed for Modified Sports and Saloon Cars 1601cc to 2500cc. With Ginetta G20’s, Ford Escorts and a Honda Integra Type R to name a few of the machines included, the category will not feature last year’s runner-up Stuart Pearson.

The final Class of the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship is ‘F’, which is open to Modified Sports and Saloon Cars up to 1600cc. Featuring a total of six drivers for rounds one and two Team Tuft will look to make it a familiar affair towards the sharp end with both Helen and Brian Allen piloting a Ford Fiesta Zetec S and Ford Fiesta XR2i respectively.

David Bird and Geoff Morton will look to be the top Honda Civic drivers whilst the grid is rounded out by Colin Flynn in a MG Metro and Matthew Spencer in Peugeot 106XSi.

The provisional timetable for this weekend’s opening thrill-fest will see the CNC Heads Sports/Saloon Championship take to the track at 11:00 for qualifying. A single 20 minute + 1 lap races will follow later in the afternoon.