PAUL RIVETT CROWNED 2023 DIVISION 2 CHAMPION
06 Nov 2023
The British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC) season culminated in spectacular fashion as three-time Clio Cup Champion, Paul Rivett, secured his maiden Division 2 title in a thrilling grand finale weekend.
The Brands Hatch extravaganza took centre stage, drawing a sold-out crowd over two action-packed days. With just a single point separating Rivett from Adam Bint, the championship battle hung in the balance as qualifying commenced on Saturday, 4th November. The weekend started with challenging track conditions, meaning qualifying concluded earlier than planned, with Rivett settling for second place.
RACE 1
As the lights turned green, both title contenders, Adam Bint and Rivett led the grid. However, an incident at Graham Hill bend dashed Rivett’s hopes of victory as contact with a Division 1 truck forced him to retire from the race. Fortunately, a red flag due to worsening conditions resulted in no points being awarded, maintaining the single-point gap between the rivals.
RACE 2, 3 AND 4
The next three races saw yet again the championship swing back and forth between both drivers. Rivett took to the starting grid in prime position, ahead of his championship rival, Bint. A great getaway from Rivett saw him maintain his lead, eventually taking the chequered flag to win the final Saturday race of the day.
For Race Three, the reverse grid placed the #22 NAPA truck in fifth position. Despite a collision with Bint through Surtees that sent Rivett spinning, his remarkable save allowed him to claim third place and a spot on the podium. The final full race of the day saw Rivett starting sixth due to the reverse grid. After a strong start, a mechanical issue forced him off the track, but a swift recovery and series of overtakes allowed him to finish in third place.
RACE 5
With both drivers tied on points and a ‘winner takes all’ scenario looming, an accident in Division 1 led to the abandonment of the race meeting. Despite the tie in points, Rivett’s outstanding 18-race wins, compared to Bint’s six, secured him the championship for the first time in his illustrious career.
Rivett’s BTRC campaign initially faced challenges, with a jaw-dropping 32-point deficit after two out of the seven rounds. But then came the remarkable turnaround as Rivett transformed from an underdog to a relentless force on the track, taking a dominant 18 wins, 16 fastest laps and three pole positions.
PAUL RIVET – NAPA RACING UK, NO.116:
“What an amazing feeling to be a champion once again! Thank you so much to everyone who has made this possible. It’s a massive team effort, and we couldn’t have done it without all of you. The support from all the fans has been incredible all year, so a massive thank you for your support.”
MINI CHALLENGE Trophy
The final race weekend of the year (November 4/5) also featured the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy drivers, Cam Richardson and Callum Eason. Having made their racing debuts in the MINI Cooper at Brands Hatch at the start of the season, both rookies showed remarkable progress throughout the year. Racing alongside the TOCA and BTRC packages, they consistently achieved impressive results. Richardson and Eason concluded their rookie season in a commendable 9th and 10th place in the Rookie class.
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