The British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy takes place at Lydden Hill this weekend.

Action can take place at the Kent track after the championship was given elite status but it will have to be raced without fans.

Twenty-three-time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness will make his debut in the headline 600bhp Supercar Class while Kent's Liam Doran has also been confirmed in the line-up.

Don Macleod, from Deal, is relishing the prospect of returning to action after a season disrupted by Covid-19, competing in the Swift Rallycross Championship.

The only round of the championship which has gone ahead so far as planned was the opening round at Lydden, in August, when MacLeod finished fifth in the final.

He said: “The opportunity to get back on track is a bonus and a privilege that the current Covid situation does not facilitate many other participants in sports who are not at the professional or semi-professional level.

“I was surprised that rallycross was classified as an elite sport but it gives me and my fellow competitors the opportunity to get back behind the wheel

again.

“That said, we are all disappointed and frustrated that there will be no spectators to support and enjoy the event.

“Rallycross is the best type of motorsport to get the spectators close to the action and even more so because the paddock is open and the fantastic rallycross fans can get close to the cars, drivers and teams.

“I am gutted for all the fans, friends and supporters who attend at Lydden to support me personally and hope the chance of coverage on social media will go some way to relieving their disappointment.”

This weekend’s action will have the added interest of running under lights due to the winter darkness and Macleod is hopeful that he will again be competitive despite his lack of seat time since the opening round.

He said: “It’s a while since all of us have been behind the wheel so I’m sure we will be a bit rusty, but once the helmet is on and the lights go green it will all be forgotten and the action will begin.

“Hopefully we will have six or seven entrants in the Swift Sport championship and the racing will be as combative and as entertaining as it was at Lydden in August.”

Tonbridge racer Leigh-Anne Sedgwick is among those taking part after securing a budget to race following new sponsorship.

Kent’s father and son Paul and Steve Pascoe are also set to compete.

“Rallycross has been a major part of our family’s life for longer than we can remember,” said Teston-based Steve.

“Racing with my son at the Home of Rallycross in a pair of Retro Fords is something we are both looking forward to, as are our sponsors Diamondbrite.”

Double Super 1600 Champion Jack Thorne is among those to confirm their involvement in the line-up for the main event that includes six-time champion Julian Godfrey, current leader Mark Donnelly, triple Supernational champion Tristan Ovenden and 2007 champion Ollie O’Donovan.

Thorne said: “It’s been a tough time for everyone so it will be great to see the rallycross family once more.

“I’ve not raced since Lydden Hill last year and this marks my first rallycross outing of 2020, so I don’t have any expectations.

“The Lydden circuit is great, it’s not somewhere I have a lot of experience of, but I finished second last time out so I can’t wait to go back.”

More: Tom Ovenden looks ahead after winning BTRDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship Junior title

Read more on sport in Kent