There are some pretty impressive statistics surrounding the British Automobile Racing Club North Western Centre’s CNC Heads Sports/Saloons Championship. Over 700 different drivers have competed in the category during its history. It has played host to over 470 individual races. And 1999 champion Chris Maries, victorious in his Mazda RX-7, has contested the highest number of them, starting 222 in around 25 different cars. Yet it’s no surprise that such big numbers are involved given the championship celebrated its landmark 40th season last year, and one person has been a key part in its success throughout that impressive period: coordinator John Leck.
The numbers have not always been quite so large. Just nine cars competed in the very first race at Oulton Park on 31 March 1984 and the series had very humble beginnings. It was created, alongside a shortlived Formula Ford 2000 single-seater series, as a way of securing the future of the North Western Centre. “As a centre, we used to organise car meetings and
