Senna Proctor currently holds the championship lead as the Ginetta Junior Championship prepares for its annual visit to the fastest circuit in the UK, Thruxton, this weekend.
After notching a maiden category victory during the Brands Hatch season opener, Proctor made it two wins in two weekends at Donington Park three weeks ago to build a 32 point advantage at the head of the standings.
The star performer at Donington though was Jonathan Hadfield, who after a subdued start to the year at Brands Hatch firmly thrust himself into the championship picture by converting pole position into a race win and a second place in Leicestershire.
To take victory at Thruxton though, both of them will have to overcome the two race-winners from the circuit twelve months ago, JHR Developments’ Dan Zelos and HHC Motorsport’s Jamie Caroline.
After a steady start to the year, Zelos wants to kick-start his title bid this weekend with a first win of the campaign, as will Caroline who once again showed his potential with a drive from 20th to 4th in the Donington closer.
Brands Hatch race-winner Billy Monger meanwhile is in the hunt at the front after adding a podium at Donington, the JHR runner returning to Thruxton hoping to put behind him an eventful visit last year, in which a high-speed off at Church leave his G40 resting up against a tree.
Taking on the second year contenders will be a group of rookies aiming to make an impression as they tackle a race weekend around the fearsome circuit for the first time, with HHC duo Patrik Matthiesen and Sophia Floersch amongst the top newcomers at present.
Matthiesen sits third overall in the standings with two outright podium finishes to his name, while Floersch has taken a best finish of fifth so far. Reigning Scholarship champion Stuart Middleton has been another to impress meanwhile with an overall top four finish to his name.
Kyle Hornby and Will Tregurtha are the other rookies to have broken into the top six so far, with William Stacey, Geri Nicosia, Cameron Roberts and Dave Wooder not far off with top twelve finishes under their belts.
Other ones to watch at Thruxton meanwhile will be Lewis Brown, who had a superb Donington weekend with a top two qualifying results and a maiden Ginetta podium, plus Matt Chapman who showed good pace at Thruxton last year with a pair of top eight finishes on his first visit.
With another 25 car field expected for the weekend’s two races, the action is sure to be thrilling around the high-speed Thruxton circuit.
It all kicks off with free practice at 12:15 on Saturday, which is followed by qualifying at 15:35. Both races are set to be televised live on ITV4 on Sunday, at 12:55 and 16:30 respectively.
The championship standings heading into the weekend can be found here.