The Ginetta Junior Championship starts their third season alongside the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with an added piece of excitement – a new car has been introduced for 2010.
2009 saw history made as 16 years old Sarah Moore claimed the title, and with it the first female Champion of a series on the ToCA series. Moore also has the record for being the first female race winner in a ToCA series.
Moore has returned to defend her hard fought Championship crown from 2009, but has left the family run outfit to join Team Eurotech, who also runs the Vauxhall Vectra which Andrew Jordan races in the BTCC. The 2010 Champion will get a test in the Vectra as a prize for their Championship win.
Moore is just one of 10 rapid series returnees, all of which will have their sights set on the ultimate prize, while 10 rapid youngsters have signed up to challenge the returning drivers.
Out of the 10 series returnees, the youngsters most likely to take the title away from Moore are her younger brother David, who will be running with the family team, Tockwith again, while Tom Ingram will be looking to reproduce the form which made him a driver to watch out for, likewise with Jake Hill. Hill, son of ITV4 commentator Simon, was a revelation during the part season he contested, taking a dominant double victory around Brands Hatch GP during the final BTCC weekend of 2009.
Of the series newcomers, 14 year old Seb Morris of Hillspeed is a driver to watch out for. A highly rated youngster, he was the first driver to receive his brand new G40, and has spent plenty of time behind the wheel of the old G20 Junior.
Of the other newcomers to the series, Jody Fannin of established Norfolk based team TJ Motorsport could spring a surprise, as could Max Coates, who will be running his G40 as a privateer entry.
Trying to predict a Champion is a near impossible job as these youngsters change position so often, it's hard to keep track – and the competitiveness of the series means that the fight for overall honours will go to the final lap of the season.
2009 saw Sarah Moore make history, as he survived the incidents happening around her to take her first victory of her career in the opening race, which she backed up with another in race 2. Alex Austin and Jake Hill completed the race 1 podium, while Moore was joined by Alex Austin and Tom Ingram on the podium. David Moore finished fourth in race 2 to complete a Tockwith 1, 2, 3, 4.
The first action for the youngest racers on the TOCA package starts with a 15 minute practice session at 9.30am, before the qualifying session which starts at 11.45am.
The opening race of the 20 race Championship starts at 17.05, for a 9 lap race while race 2 should be a live race on ITV4, due to start at 13.30.
Photo credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography
