Highly impressive Legends Cars Championship racer Aaron Cooke (Croxley Green) moved to the top of the driver standings at Donington Park National Circuit over the weekend, 18th/19th April, thanks to another brilliant series of performances – including his third and fourth victories of the campaign.

Running as part of the high-profile British Touring Car Championship package, with live coverage on ITV4 and ITVX, the event marked the start of this year’s Legends Cars Elite Cup as well. Reigning Champion Tyler Read (Daventry) has the early Elite Cup lead from Cooke, after taking three wins.

Masters Cup racer Andy Bird (Calne) was the other outright race winner in Heat Two on Saturday, but his star weekend came to a premature conclusion when his car was heavily damaged after a big impact in the first of Sunday’s contests. Bird took all three class victories on day one while Masters points leader in the Championship and Elite Cup, Peter Barrable (Dublin), won all three on Sunday.

Chris Needham (Altrincham) only just missed out adding to his wins tally for the year, taking a couple of podiums, and Oli Schlup (Cuckfield) was also close to securing his first win of 2026. Other podium finishers included Luke Simmons (Lingfield), Ross Marshall (Stirling) and Marcus Pett (Boston).

Cooke, Bird and Read share the day one spoils at Donington
Matt Knight (Bramber) drew pole in the grid ballot, but he was swamped at the start of race one by Simmons and John Mickel (Copthorne) into Redgate. Just behind, several cars tangled with Read ending up in the Redgate gravel – he ultimately fought back to 13th. Cooke held the lead into lap two from Mickel and Simmons, but the next time over the line Mickel was on top.

Marshall took the lead prior to the appearance of the Safety Car, caused by a stranded Legend at McLeans, but post-race it was determined he had gained two places when the track was under the cautionary period. The action resumed for two more laps and Simmons made his way back to the lead, holding on to the final chicane where Marshall and Cooke each slipped past.

Although taking the flag first, what would’ve been his maiden victory in the Championship and Elite Cup, Marshall was demoted to third in the amended classification with Cooke instead taking his third win of the season, Simmons was a tenth back in second. Needham was fourth from Pett and Masters winner Bird, only 0.7 seconds covering all six at the flag.

Pett and Bird lined-up at the front for Heat Two and it was the latter who moved ahead, although Schlup – from fourth on the grid – was soon at the head of the pack. Bird swooped back into first the next time around and then Pett made his move on lap four to lead once again, albeit briefly as he lost out in the draft to Redgate. Bird and Schlup took further turns at the front before the last lap.

Any one of seven drivers could realistically win and Read emerged from the chicane into the eighth and final tour as the leader, but into that same right-left flick for the last time Bird made his move to claim victory by just 0.075 seconds from Pett, with Read third, Cooke fourth, Schlup fifth and Barrable sixth. Needham crawled home in 18th after unfortunate engine trouble late on.

Saturday’s Final began strongly for Needham, up from sixth to the lead in the blink of an eye, and Schlup went with him as they worked together to build a gap. Schlup passed on lap four after Needham went wide, and the latter again experienced woeful luck – ultimately retiring on lap eight with more problems.

The battle for the lead became a triple threat duel between new leader Bird, who stormed through from 15th at the start, Schlup and Read. The reigning Champion moved ahead of Bird on lap seven, but the latter hit back into Redgate for the 10th and final time. Read sliced back through at McLeans and was able to just see off Bird by 0.2 seconds, with Schlup third, Marshall fourth and Barrable fifth.

Two for Read and another for Cooke on spectacular Sunday
Mickel had pole in the grid ballot for Heat One on Sunday, but Bird managed to make second on the grid count as he flew around the outside at Redgate. Mickel hit back at the end of lap two but a slight lock-up meant he lost momentum over the line and so Bird moved by. Needham, meanwhile, had made superb progress from 18th and incredibly took the lead at the end of lap four.

Needham, Bird and Read – up from 19th at the start – were glued together into Redgate but Bird’s involvement came to a devastating end when his car was pitched into the barriers. Needham was shadowed by Read all the way to the chicane on the eighth and final lap, where the Champion made his move to take the win. Needham in second headed Cooke, Pett and top Masters runner Barrable.

Heat Two, broadcast live on ITV4, was another Legends classic which came down to just 0.007s at the line. Read led away at the start from pole with Needham, Simmons and Cooke right behind and that quartet circulated as one for the duration. Needham moved to the front into the chicane on lap two, nothing between the lead contenders, and Cooke showed his hand into the chicane on lap five.

Leading from Needham, Read and Simmons, into Hollywood both Needham and Read were able to slice back ahead of Cooke and then, on lap seven, Schlup brilliantly dived from third to the lead into Redgate on the brakes. Needham fought back to the head of the pack down Craner Curves, as the lead train increased to eight cars, and on the eighth and final lap Schlup again moved by at Redgate.

This time he out-braked, just running on through the edge of the gravel trap, so Needham headed through Hollywood in front of Read, Cooke and Simmons. It all came down to the chicane, Read dived into the lead going into the turn, but Cooke pulled out on the drag to the line to take the win from Read and Needham. Simmons, Marshall and Pett completed the top six, from Barrable.

Sunday’s Final began with drama when a spinner at Hollywood sent several others scattering over the grass, all thankfully OK. Mike Schlup (Cuckfield) emerged with the lead from Rookie class runner Nathan Williams (Higher Bebington), as the series front runners worked hard to rise through the order from the rear of the grid. Oli Schlup took over at the front, before Read passed on lap three.

Schlup Jnr hit back on lap four and Read worked with him as they circulated nose-to-tail to try and break away. With just two laps to run, Cooke, Needham and Simmons had reeled them in. Any one of the top five could’ve won and it came down to an absolute photo finish on the line, less than a tenth covering winner Read, Oli Schlup, Cooke, Simmons and Needham – a stunning conclusion.

Aaron Cooke – Rd3 Heat One and Rd4 Heat Two Winner:
“It’s been a great weekend, we couldn’t have asked for much more. We knew we needed to start to put some points between me, Chris [Needham] and Tyler [Read]. Today [Sunday] was the day where we wanted to do the big time, I’ve wanted to get on the TOCA package forever, it’s felt like a lifetime to try and get here. We’ve got the win in my first ever race live on ITV4, so can’t ask much more.”

Tyler Read – Rd3 Final, Rd4 Heat One and Rd4 Final Winner:
“The weekend didn’t start too good for us, but it’s been upwards from there. We’ve been up here [the podium] a good few times so it’s good, good for the Championship, and overall it’s been a really good weekend. It was so close at the end [Rd4 Final) and luckily Luke Simmons gave me a helpful push across the line – so a big thank you to him for choosing me!”

Andy Bird – Rd3 Heat Two Winner:
“It was quite a hectic race! You don’t want to be leading on the last lap, especially round here, I led probably the most laps out of everyone I think so hopefully the win was deserved from my side. Great racing, very fraught, but we came out on top. The slipstream is so powerful in these particular cars, with this [water-cooled] engine now.”

Rounds five and six of the Legends Cars Championship, which also mark the second event of the Elite Cup, will take place a fortnight from now on 2nd/3rd May at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit. There the Legends will run as support to the UK round of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup.

Provisional 2026 Legends Cars Championship Points (after Rd4)
1st Aaron Cooke, 2060pts; 2nd Tyler Read, 1965pts; 3rd Chris Needham, 1805pts;
4th Luke Simmons, 1745pts; 5th Peter Barrable (M), 1680pts; 6th Oli Schlup, 1605pts

Provisional 2026 Legends Cars Championship Masters Cup Points (after Rd4)
1st Peter Barrable, 1680pts; 2nd Andy Bird, 1260pts; 3rd John Mickel, 1085pts

Provisional 2026 Legends Cars Elite Cup Points (after Rd2)
1st Tyler Read, 1035pts; 2nd Aaron Cooke, 1020pts; 3rd Luke Simmons, 915pts;
4th Peter Barrable (M), 830pts; 5th Oli Schlup, 785pts; 6th Ross Marshall, 760pts

Provisional 2026 Legends Cars Elite Cup Masters Cup Points (after Rd2)
1st Peter Barrable, 830pts; 2nd John Mickel, 570pts; 3rd Andy Bird, 530pts