Bladon and Barr sign up to Mini Challenge JCWS

Sunoco Challenge winner Max Bladon and Irish karting champion Reece Barr are among the first entries for the Excelr8 Motorsport team for this year’s Mini Challenge JCW Championship.

Reigning Cooper Class champion Bladon, 20, won last year’s Sunoco Challenge and took part in the IMSA sportscar race supporting January’s Daytona 24 Hours at the wheel of an Aston Martin. He will now tackle the 255bhp JCW after taking over the Bizkarts-backed machine formerly raced in the series by Chris Smith.

“I had been working on a deal to move into GTS, but then this deal came about with Bizkarts and it seemed perfect,” said Bladon. “The JCWS run alongside British GT this year so it’s a big season for them and the entry is looking quality.

“The JCW has a lot more power, but I think it will suit my driving style better as you can be more aggressive with the car. In the Coopers you had to restrain yourself and be smoother to make sure you carried speed.”

Barr, 16, graduates to the Mini Challenge having won back to back Irish karting titles in Minimax, before racing in British Super One. He contested last year’s JCW finale at Snetterton as a warm-up.

“It’s a learning year for me, but I did a lot of testing with the car in Ireland last year,” he said. “I’m aiming to keep things clean and go for consistency. I want to be in the top five in the championship at the end of the year.”