The opening 2 rounds of the 2011 Kumho BMW championship took place at Silverstone over the weekend of 2nd-3rd April.The championship also welcomed on board a new sponsor for the season in the name of Supagard the paintwork protection specialist company. This was the 1st of 10 meetings around the country including a visit to Cadwell Park & Castle Combe.

Some cars were not ready for Silverstone including the defending champion Des Thresh after a new engine was put in his car but it was good to see some of the regulars who have supported the racing over the last few seasons including Garrie Whittaker, Stuart Laws,Roger Card and Colin Whitmore.
In total 26 cars took to the track on Saturday morning for the 15 minute qualifying session. This was made up of 6 class A,5 class B,2 class C and 13 class D cars. The weather was dull and grey but the track was dry. When the session had finished it was business as usual at the top of the placings with Garrie Whittaker (E36 M3) 1:03.519 ahead of David Kempton (E36 M3) 1:03.692 with Colin Wells (Z4).Fastest class B car was that of Stuart Laws (E36 M3) 1:07.353 which was good enough for 6ht place on the grid ahead of Mark Smith (E90 M3) 1:07.524.Fastest class C car was that of Simon Hudson (E30) 1:09.256 in 10th overall with the other class C car of Peter Miller (E36 328i) down in 24th place. Fastest class D car was Paul Bellamy (318S) 1:12.322 for 13th overall ahead of Darren Fielding (318 COMPACT) 1:14.099.

All of the cars then went back to the paddock as the 1st race would not be held until Sunday morning.

Sunday morning saw a nice bright sunny sky at Silverstone with a crisp wind as well. The cars came out early in the morning for the 1st race of a long season. As the lights went out Whittaker made a blistering start and by the time the cars went around becketts there was daylight between himself and the chasing pack led by Kempton. Laws had a big spin and ended on the grass through becketts and Bellamy also had a coming together and was towards the back of the field as the cars headed out on the 1st lap of the 20 minute race. After a few laps the cars settled down but Whittaker was by this time way out in the lead. After only a handful of laps Whittaker came up behind the slower cars at the back of the race and had to start passing them.Bellamy was also making up a lot of places down in class D.John Jones (318 is) had a big off at luffield and put his car into the wall on the outside of the gravel. Kempton suddenly broke the lap record (1:03.139) and got his way past Whittaker but no sooner had he made it into the lead he got taken out with a coming together with Laws and his race was finished. Whittaker then cruised to the chequered flag to take the 1st race of the championship ahead of Wells and Graham Heard (3 series ). Class B was won by Smith in 5th overall ahead of Rodger Card (E30 M3) with Laws in 3rd.Hudson won class C from Miller. In class D a fighting Bellamy had taken the honours ahead of Karl Skitt ( 318 compact) with Fielding in 3rd.There were 20 cars that finished with 2 class A cars not finishing those of Kempton and Ian Crisp (E36 M3 EVO) so they would start at the back for race 2.Fastest laps by Kempton,Smith (1:06.801) a class B lap record,Hudson and Bellamy with a new class D lap record (1:11.977).

The cars came out late in the afternoon for race 2 for another 20 minutes of racing. Another amazing start for Whittaker who took the cars around the 1st lap of the race. Kempton had moved from the back of the pack to 7th but amazingly enough was then hit by Laws the 2nd race in succession which broke the steering arm on Kemptons cars and he took no further part in the race. Jones also made the green flag lap but pulled into the pits and retired for the 2nd race of the day.Crisp was also making up a lot of places but all of this meant that Whittaker was once again pulling away from the chasing cars behind him. Whittaker was looking for the lap record but couldn’t quite get it. Another race win for Whittaker who won by nearly 30 seconds from Wells with Crisp in 3rd place. Class B was won by Smith ahead of Laws and Card again. Hudson took the class C win from Miller.Bellamy,Skitt and Fielding were the top 3 cars in class D.There were 23 cars that finished this race. Fastest laps by  whittaker,Laws,Hudson and Bellamy. A good weekends racing with some lap records broken along the way. As the cars will now move off to race the new Snetterton Park layout in 2 weeks time there are the 3 cars of Whittaker, Smith and Bellamy all leading the championship on 30 points.

Winner Race 1 Garrie Whittaker	Winner Class B Race 1 Mark Smith
Winner Class C Race 1 Simon Hudson	Winner Class D Race 1 Paul Bellamy
Winner Race 2 Garrie Whittaker	Winner Class B Race 2 Mark Smith
Winner Class C Race 2 Simon Hudson	Winner Class D Race 2 Paul Bellamy