· The beginning of a new chapter

· The World of NAPA – Expanding the Family

· NAPA Racing UK is set to expand the NAPA family by heading into the 2023 season competing in a total of five championships.

NAPA Racing UK took the British Touring Car world by storm last week after announcing the once two-car team, with drivers Dan Cammish and Ash Sutton, were suddenly becoming a four with BTCC winner Dan Rowbottom and Sam Osborne joining the team. Now, NAPA Racing UK is set to expand the NAPA racing programme by setting their sights even further by entering four other championships: MINI CHALLENGE Trophy, MINI CHALLENGE JCW, Porsche Carrera Cup GB and the British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC).

MINI CHALLENGE TROPHY AND JCW

For the first time in NAPA history, the extended family will see a two-car entry into both the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy and MINI CHALLENGE JCW.

Accelerating straight into the 2023 MINI CHALLENGE Trophy Championship will be rookie drivers Cam Richardson and Callum Eason, who will make their debut in the 130bhp 1.6-litre Mini Cooper at Brands Hatch as the season kicks off on Easter weekend 8-9 April.

Lining up in the first MINI CHALLENGE JCW is 19 year-old Jamie Osborne. Jamie made his racing debut in the 2018 Ginetta Junior Championship. In 2021, Jamie returned to track action in the MSVR Focus Cup, winning all three races, taking the fastest lap in each, and qualifying on pole.

Returning to Ginetta Junior for a full campaign, he ended the 2021 season 12th in the championship and then graduated – as part of the Motorbase Driver Academy – into the MINI CHALLENGE in 2022, where he became a Rookie class race winner. Whilst challenging for the overall race win, Osborne will also be competing for the class win in the Graduates Cup, which is aimed at those who have previously raced a full season in the MINI CHALLENGE.

Racing alongside Jamie is teammate Lewis Selby. Selby is no stranger to the racing track or jumping in MINI’s, despite being 6 foot 3”, after previously competing in the Miglia Championship, MINI Se7en Challenge, as well as Dan Cammish’s support driver at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2022. In his first year entering the MINI CHALLENGE, Selby will have his eye on the Rookie Cup, as well as the Directors Cup for those aged over 35.

The JCWs will be out on track on the season opener of the British Touring Car Championship on 22-23 April at Donington Park.

PORSCHE CARRERA CUP GB CHAMPIONSHIP

21-year-old and former world champion, Hugo Ellis embarks on his second season in the Porsche Carrera Cup with top team Joe Tandy Racing and 24hr Le Mans winner Nick Tandy by his side.

Ellis began his racing career at the age of just six years old in the world of karting and was consistently top five on the leaderboard, despite competing against drivers as old as 13. By the age of 15, he became the youngest go-kart champion on the grid, racing in the senior category. Ellis made his debut in car racing last year, driving the NAPA Porsche, ultimately finishing the Pro-Am class in fifth place.

With a full season of experience under his belt, he is sure to make his presence known on the grid in his striking NAPA branded Porsche this year.

THE BRITISH TRUCK RACING CHAMPIONSHIP

After a one-off truck race appearance at the 2022 Convoy in the Park Festival, NAPA Racing UK revealed back in January that they will be reuniting with four-time Renault Clio Cup UK Champion, Paul Rivett for a super-sized season in the British Truck Racing Championship in 2023.

The BTRC is one of the biggest categories in the UK with machines weighing in at more than five tonnes and producing in excess of 1000bhp, it really is a championship like no other.

The blue and yellow army on the NAPA Racing UK social channels were thrilled to find out that Rivett was back behind the wheel for an action-packed season and shows the immense support NAPA Racing UK get from their fans.

THE TEAM

Pete Osborne – NAPA Racing UK – Team Principal

“What an opportunity we have here. To expand the NAPA Racing UK team into MINI’S alongside the BTCC, Race truck’s & Porsche Carrera Cup GB with the talent and characters involved its the icing on the cake this season. The announcement last week was awesome to expand the BTCC side of the NAPA Racing stable but to extend it in this way is fantastic.

To confirm the continued work with Hugo (Ellis) in PCCGB is great, he did a superb job last season with the JTR Porsche so he has is eye’s on the next step with a years experience under his belt & then for Paul (Rivett) to have a full season in the Truck will be great fun, he’ll definitely be the man to watch in that series.

The MINI drivers are a mixture of young up and coming talent and experience, Jamie (Osborne) in his second year of JCW has a point to prove along with the experience of Lewis (Selby). Then in the MINI trophy side of the outfit we have two young prospects in Cam (Richardson) & Callum (Eason). I’m really looking forward to seeing their progress, not only this year but over the years to come. Its really exciting for me to be involved in young talent in Motorsport and look forward to seeing them

grow. In recent years we’ve been working on building an academy to help young drivers realise their potential and this is another big step forward in that area.”

Adam McNaney – NAPA Racing UK Group Marking Manager

“I’m delighted we’ve finally been able to reveal our full blueprint for 2023 and NAPA Racing UK.

Our mission from the get-go was to not only enhance our presence on track but to provide fans with an immersive NAPA experience across the entire race day.

Away from the track NAPA represents a full automotive parts solution and this new investment demonstrates our commitment to coverage across a variety of marques.

For our drivers there is now a clear pathway of development from the MINI CHALLENGE Championship right through to the British Touring Cars, something we hope will provide a talent pool for both the drivers of today and tomorrow.

We hope to build a lasting legacy and this is just the start of what we hope to achieve.”

The post NAPA Explodes into UK Motorsport appeared first on Alliance Racing.

In headline-grabbing news of gigantic proportions, the 27-year-old driver from Bishops Stortford will team-up with multiple race-winning touring car returnee Dan Cammish at NAPA Racing UK in, what will arguably be, the most exciting driver pairing on next year’s capacity BTCC grid.

Sutton, of course, needs no introduction to fans of the UK’s premier motor racing category – not simply due to his three sensational title triumphs, in 2017, 2020 and 2021, but also thanks to his incredible, all-attack driving style which has made him one of the most popular drivers in the UK.

Next season will certainly bring new challenges for Sutton with a switch to front-wheel drive in the NAPA Racing liveried Ford Focus ST. Having won all three of his titles in the BTCC in rear-wheel drive, he is hungry to show he can achieve similar success in FWD.

Aiming to make it four championship victories and three back-to-back, if he can achieve the latter Sutton will become the first BTCC driver since Andy Rouse in the mid-1980s to do so. Intriguingly, Rouse’s last BTCC crown in 1985 came at the wheel of a Ford…

Sutton debuted in the BTCC in 2016, as the reigning Renault UK Clio Cup Champion, and quickly proved he was a star in the making with a maiden race win. In his sophomore season, he claimed a famous championship victory and in doing so became the youngest BTCC title winner since 1966.

Winning races and claiming numerous podiums over the next two seasons, in 2020 he won his second championship crown – as well as the Independents Trophy Championship – and sealed his third outright BTCC title in style just a couple of months ago with victory in the final race of the 2021 season at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit.

NAPA Racing has certainly set its stall out impressively ahead of its maiden year as an entrant in the BTCC, and with Sutton and Cammish set to push each other on throughout the 2022 season there is immense potential for the Motorbase-run squad. The Wrotham-based team’s four car line-up for next season is now complete, with Ollie Jackson and Sam Osborne piloting the other two Fords.

Founded almost 100 years ago, NAPA is one of the most prominent and successful automotive parts brands in North America and was introduced in the UK in 2019 by Alliance Automotive Group. NAPA arrives in the BTCC with a rich and glowing history as a sponsor within motorsport in the USA at the highest level, in categories such as NASCAR and Indycar.

Pete Osborne – Motorbase Performance Team Owner and Team Principal:
“Wow…isn’t this just the icing on the cake! Ash is the kind of driver who is on everyone’s radar. This will be a different challenge for him compared with recent years, swapping from RWD to FWD, it was quite a decision for him to make but I’m really glad he did! So, to have secured his signature to Motorbase alongside Dan, Ollie and Sam is a really big deal. Joining NAPA Racing at such an exciting time probably helped clinch the deal.

“I really couldn’t ask for a better driver line-up. I think we’ve got a few people’s attention, this is an indication of our intent to challenge for the BTCC title in 2022 and beyond. Let’s face it, we’re not aiming for anything but success with these guys in the driving seat. The team is as strong behind the scenes as it is at the forefront and it’s simply buzzing in the workshop. There’s a lot of hard work still to do, and we’re not underestimating that, but I’m pretty sure the right ingredients are in the pot!”

Ash Sutton – NAPA Racing Driver:
“I’m buzzing to have signed a multi-year deal with NAPA Racing and Motorbase Performance! This feels like the start of something very exciting and I am ready for the challenge that lies ahead, they are all a great group of people and just pure racers at heart. Having got to know Pete Osborne more over the last year, I saw the hunger he has to win and his ambition to drive Motorbase in that direction. This is something I love, a new challenge set out with the same goals I personally have.

“The deal was made a little sweeter by securing NAPA Racing as a sponsor, for such an iconic brand in motorsport to be hitting the BTCC grid in 2022 and becoming a part of that was a big draw to me. Motorbase haven’t just made me feel welcome they have also welcomed onboard the car crew I have worked with over the past three years. They are all now part of the Motorbase family which means we have all the key elements to go out and retain that title together.

“Jumping back into front-wheel drive is going to be interesting, but something I am looking forward to. I can’t wait to get stuck into the Ford Focus package with my engineer Antonio Carrozza. With a solid pre-season testing plan, and a team mate like Dan Cammish, allows us to fast track a lot of development required to hit the ground running in the new hybrid era. Lining up with someone who has a pedigree like Dan really is an exciting prospect. I am sure we will be pushing each other’s limits and unlocking more potential within ourselves.

“I’m incredibly proud to be representing NAPA Racing, to go out and secure not just my fourth title but also the Teams and Constructors Championship with this newly formed partnership would be fantastic. This brings me one step closer to my goal of becoming the most successful driver ever in the BTCC.”

Steve Richardson – Alliance Automotive Group UK Manager, NAPA Racing UK:
“This partnership is everything we have been building towards. With Ash in our team along with Dan [Cammish], NAPA Racing has made a significant statement of intent to help grow the NAPA brand in the UK. We cannot wait to see how Ash’s talents as the reigning BTCC Champion will contribute to what will no doubt be an action-packed season.”

For all the latest news regarding Motorbase Performance visit www.motorbaseperformance.co.uk

To find out more about NAPA visit https://napaautoparts.eu/en/

The post REIGNING AND THREE-TIME BTCC CHAMPION ASH SUTTON JOINS NAPA RACING FOR 2022 TITLE DEFENCE appeared first on Alliance Racing.