Hampshire's brightest young motor racing prospects for years is primed up for a home win at Thruxton over the bank holiday weekend.

The British Formula 3 and British GT Championship events will take centre stage on the Hampshire track but it is in the Caterham R400 Challenge that the big crowd have a real home-grown hero to cheer on. Jon Barnes from West End near Southampton caused a sensation when he first entered the highly competitive Caterham class two years ago.

The former karting starlet has now developed into one of the stars of the series after grabbing the lead in the EuroCup. His R400 Challenge results haven't been quite as spectacular but he won at Silverstone, took second at Donington and set fastest lap last time out at Oulton Park.

Caterham racing is a bit of a lottery, so close is the dicing. If he can steer clear of trouble, he'll take some catching on his home track.

In the same way, the likes of Steve Hyde, Rick Cole and Richard Stanton will be fired up for success in the two hour-long British GT Championship races.

They are the local boys made good in this popular class. All three have figured in podium finishes and Hyde from Winchester won with co driver Piers Johnson at Oulton Park earlier this month.

Teenager Jonathan Cocker leads the driver standings in a Porsche but the GT field is brimming with quality cars from Ferrari, Mosler and Chevrolets which Cole and another local driver Paul Horton drive.

Big race of the day is the British Formula 3 Championship event. It's the breeding ground for F1 and Nelson Piquet junior, son of a former world champion, is setting a hot pace in this summer's series.

The best of of the British drivers is Oxford's James Rossiter, who in his first season of F3, is lying second to the young Brazilian. Danny Watts and Irishman Adam Carroll are well placed in a truly interantional field.

There's practice followed by three races on Sunday starting at 4.10pm with the big day, Monday, getting the racing going at 9.10. Admission is £8 on Sunday and £17 on Monday, children with adults free.