CAROLINE SWAPS THE CIRCUITS FOR RALLYCROSS BUGGY CHALLENGE

Formula 4 battler to try RX150 at Croft

British F4 race winner Jamie Caroline will make his rallycross debut at the final round of the British Rallycross Championship next week, driving the celebrity buggy in the RX150 category.

As is now traditional for the series, the British RX finale takes place at Croft in North Yorkshire, a circuit that Caroline has past experience of on the asphalt, but not the unsealed rallycross sections.

“I”m delighted to have been offered this fantastic opportunity,” said the Pirtek-backed driver, who claimed his first F4 victory at the Brands Hatch season closer earlier this month.

“I’ve always been interested in rallycross and I can see how much the sport is growing at the moment, so having this experience will be amazing,” said Caroline. “I love driving in single-seaters, especially in the wet and slippery conditions so it will be interesting to see how I get on with loose surfaces. I love Croft as a circuit too, so I’m looking forward to seeing what rallycross offers.”

DMACK Fiesta Trophy leader Osian Pryce raced the buggy in the penultimate round of the series at Pembrey and finished on the podium.

“There’s been a range of drivers race the celebrity buggy this season, and I’m sure Jamie will be fighting for the podium at Croft,” said RX150 promotor, Ollie O’donovan. “Croft is a fast circuit in rallycross terms, but coming from circuit racing I’m sure Jamie will have no problems adapting to that.”

Caroline, who is the son of former TVR Tuscan Challenge champion Lee, is expected to test an RX150 buggy for the first time this week. The Croft circuit is undergoing developments ahead of the British RX event, which includes the widening of the loose surface sections, before and after the hairpin.