Britcar Endurance Championship at Donington Park

KTM X-BOW GT2 SPX #177- Tom Walpole and Marc Kemp

The KTM X-BOW GT2 SPX, entered as car No.117 by Truemix Racing and driven by Tom Walpole and Marc Kemp, made a striking impression at the opening Britcar Endurance Championship round held at Donington Park. Car 117 was originally built for endurance racing by True Racing in Germany for the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. During its development the KTM X-BOW GT2 SPX demonstrated strong potential, including finishing the 2022 Nürburgring 24 Hours in 20th position.

Heading into the 2026 Britcar season, the team arrived with confidence and pace. With Tom Walpole as the primary driver and Marc Kemp, who is a professional race car driver and Toms coach. The KTM looked great carving through the fast-flowing Donington curves with precision, showcasing both speed and stability of the KTM in the challenging March conditions.

Precision Work Behind the Scenes in the Garage

During the post-practice break, the car returned to the garage after topping the timesheets among 31 competitors. The mechanics quickly got to work, carefully reviewing performance data and making fine adjustments. The team acknowledged that while the car was already competitive, just requiring minor tuning refinements to extract maximum performance. The atmosphere in the garage was focused yet optimistic, reflecting a team fully engaged in the pursuit of victory.

Tom Walpole continues to establish himself as a standout driver in GT and prototype racing across the UK and Europe. Known for his consistency and ability to deliver fast laps and class victories in championships such as GTCC. Tom also serves as an official factory KTM ambassador. With Marc Kemp, who has raced internationally for KTM the team looks very competitive in this seasons Britcar Endurance Championship.

Strong Performance Across Practice and Qualifying

The team’s experience was reflected in their pace in free practice with a best lap of 1:30.591 across the 19 laps. The subsequent practice session saw further improvement, maintaining P1 with a quicker lap of 1:30.065. In qualifying, the KTM delivered its strongest showing, securing pole position for the race with an impressive 1:28.366 over seven laps.

These results highlighted not only the raw pace of the KTM X-BOW GT2 but also the team’s ability to continuously refine performance across each session, adapting effectively to track conditions and extracting maximum potential from the car.

KTM X-BOW GT2 Britcar Endurance Championship Race

Despite dominating the earlier sessions, the opening race of the season ultimately proved to be disappointing for Truemix Racing. As the lights went out, Truemix Racing converted their front-row start into an immediate lead, confidently heading the field through the opening corners. The KTM looked composed and fast, with early signs suggesting they were ready to build a comfortable gap. 

However, the race took an unexpected turn before the end of the opening lap, when a small but costly mistake resulted in a spin that dropped them out of contention and ultimately forced an early exit from the race.

While the final result was not reflective of their true pace, the weekend still demonstrated the immense potential of both the car and driver lineup. With strong qualifying speed and clear race-winning capability, the focus now shifts to refining consistency and execution. The team will undoubtedly look to bounce back stronger at Oulton Park, aiming to convert their proven performance into a well-deserved finish in the next round.

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