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PRO VS CLUBMAN:
WHO’S FASTEST? A SEASON TO SAVOUR
RICH HISTORY, EXCITING FUTURE
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Interview: RSF MSA Young Driver of the Year Ben Tuck
Interview: BRSCC Chairman Bernard Cottrell
Interview: Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson
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PLUS: 2015 CLUBMAN CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS >> MOTORSPORT DAYS AWARDS 2016 >> TRACK GUIDES >> MSD GARAGE WORKSHOP
2016
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FROM THE EDITOR 2
015 was another immense year for Clubman motorsport and here at Motorsport Days we feel honoured to continue to play an important role in this fantastic and fast-growing industry. Through our new-look website, weekly e-newsletters, comprehensive track and test day listings, and this Annual, we are proud to be the only dedicated platform for Clubman level motorsport. As you will have seen on the front cover, our lead feature is all about pitting a Clubman driver against a professional driver, providing the opportunity of a lifetime for a Clubman racer to test his mettle
against a veteran of the sport. We’ve been keen to run this experiment since our launch back in 2012 and we are delighted that we have finally made it happen! Two competitive racers, a Zenos E10 S and a soaked Coltishall Airfield certainly made for an interesting day on track! Throughout this Annual you will find a wide variety of interviews and features, which I hope will not only make for an entertaining read, but will also provide a useful source of information and advice. From the in-depth interview with Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson to the Le Mans track guide by Le Mans LMP2 winner
Richard Bradley, you will find plenty of hints and tips, which can help you to make improvements on track in 2016. An exciting development for Motorsport Days in 2015 was the launch of the MSD Garage Workshop, which brought together all levels of track users eager to learn and improve their mechanical knowledge. In 2016 we will continue to run these popular workshops across the UK, so keep an eye out for more information on the Motorsport Days website. Speaking of the website, MotorsportDays.com now lists over 2,000 track and test days from 25-plus organisers, including the likes of BookaTrack, Gold Track and MotorSport Vision. Our website is now firmly established as the “go to” source for anyone interested in booking a track or test day, and also includes a detailed listing of more than 400 instructors and all of the UK
championships. In short, it is the most comprehensive online guide to Clubman motorsport. Throughout 2016 you’ll see a few changes online, and I am pleased to say that we are also launching a Motorsport Days Summer Edition to complement the Annual. This new magazine will include a mid-season report and will be in keeping with our ethos of supporting and promoting Clubman motorsport. As always, we’re keen to hear from track and test day users and Clubman racers, so if you would like to make a suggestion, or if you’re keen to get involved in any of Motorsport Days’ activities in 2016, please feel free to get in touch. Thanks a lot for taking the time to read this Annual and I’ll see you on track this year. Ben Whibley Editor & Director Motorsport Days
We are proud to be the only dedicated platform for Clubman level motorsport ANNUAL 2016
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C O N T E N T S 006 DRIVERS’ QUOTES OF THE YEAR
029 ENDURING SUCCESS
2015 season review in the words of Clubman drivers.
GoldStars Elite Award winner Anna Walewska talks racing technique, superstition and making it in a male-dominated sport.
008 CLUBMAN VS PRO: WHO’S FASTEST?
032 THE PRICELESS VALUE OF SAFETY
A Clubman driver, a professional racer and a Zenos E10 S – we settle the age-old Clubman vs Pro debate once and for all.
Borne out of tragedy, the Sean Edwards Foundation is now carrying the torch to make motorsport safer at all levels.
016 CLUBMAN CONVERSATION... NICK HOLMES
034 ACTING CHAMPION
Behind the scenes with Team Holmes Motorsport – a family-run team with a dream to make it to the big-time.
039 MOTORSPORT DAYS GARAGE WORKSHOP
018 A SEASON TO SAVOUR MSD catches up with rookie racer Ben Tuck, the 2015 RSF MSA Young Driver of the Year.
Find out how the MSD Garage Workshop can help you improve your mechanical knowledge and make improvements on track.
020 RICH HISTORY, EXCITING FUTURE
042 FIGHTING BACK
BRSCC Chairman Bernard Cottrell offers the inside track on what it takes to run one of the most influential clubs in British motorsport.
MSD speaks to Lawrence Tomlinson, Chairman of Ginetta, who shares all about being successful in business and on track.
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After a testing 2015, BTCC driver Richard Hawken has unfinished business and shares with MSD his grand plans for 2016 and beyond.
044 MOTORSPORT DAYS AWARDS 2016
022 LEADING BY EXAMPLE
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Kelvin Fletcher is best known for his role in soap opera Emmerdale, but now he’s making a name for himself on track, as MSD finds out.
Find out who has won each of the eight annual Motorsport Days Awards.
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064 CLUBMAN CONVERSATION... MATT HIGGINSON
046 TRACK GUIDE: LE MANS Master the legendary track with this exclusive guide by Richard Bradley, 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 winner.
Double overall Disklok RGB Championship winner Matt Higginson looks back at three-and-a-half successful years.
050 TRACK GUIDE: THRUXTON CIRCUIT
066 RACING JUST GREW UP! MSD explores the Junior Saloon Car Championship, which allows young drivers to get out of karts and into racing cars.
British GT Champion Calum Lockie offers hints and tips to help you realise your potential at Thruxton Circuit.
056 MSD GUIDE TO GETTING INTO MOTORSPORT
068 2015 CLUBMAN CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Looking for a route into motorsport? This bespoke guide tells you all you need to know about getting from couch to car.
Silverstone
A comprehensive results round-up from the 2015 Clubman racing season.
N AT ION AL PIT S ST R AIGH T C OPSE C OR N ER
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092 TOP-CLASS TRACK DAYS
PIT EXIT PIT ENTRANCE
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WEL L IN GT ON ST R AIGH T LUFFIELD CORN ER
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SI LV E R ST ON E G P N AT I O N A L
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I N T E R N AT I ON A L BEC K ET T S C OR N ER ABBEY
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INTERNATI ONAL PI TS STRAIGH T
058 TRACK MAPS Maps of 20 of the UK’s leading racing circuits.
MSD takes part in an Opentrack track day to find out exactly why our readers voted the company the ‘Track Day Organiser of the Year’ in 2015.
062 A FOREIGN EXPERIENCE
095 2015 IN PICTURES
RSR founder Ron Simons explains why UK track enthusiasts should embrace the chance to take a trip overseas.
MSD’s picture report from the 2015 Clubman racing season – have you made it into our gallery?
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098 #STARTATTHEBACK
PRODUCED BY: EDITOR & DIRECTOR: Ben Whibley SALES: Nick Parish CONTRIBUTORS: Simon Jones, David Ashby, Alan Whibley, Mark Fletcher DESIGN: RealEyes PHOTOGRAPHY: Andrew Soul Photography, Jakob Ebrey Photography, MotorV8 Media, BHP Photography, Kiwi Snapper, JDH Motorsport Photography
ANNUAL 2016
Startattheback is on a mission to get racing drivers at all levels and their sponsors noticed. MSD finds out more.
BWR MEDIA, BANK HOUSE, BANK STREET, TONBRIDGE, KENT TN9 1BL
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T: 01732 642755 E: contact@BWRMedia.co.uk
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DPR MOTORSPORT
DRIVERS’ QUOTES OF THE YEAR AJ OWEN, PRE-2003 PRODUCTION TOURING CAR CHAMPION “Today I’ve become something I never, ever, ever thought I would become – 2015 Pre-2003 Production Touring Car CHAMPION!!!”
ANDREW HOUGH, CIVIC CUP CLASS A CHAMPION “Well what a way to finish the racing season off – 2nd and 1st at Donington Park GP today, claiming the Civic Cup Class A.”
“It’s been a rollercoaster season; plenty of highs and lows but the team spirit in the DPR family this year has been simply incredible. Massive thanks to all the DPR crew – mechanics, drivers and driver coaches for making our team such a special place to be.”
NEIL NEWSTEAD, 2015 MINI CHALLENGE JCW CHAMPION “What an amazing year racing, which got even better at the end of year celebrations and awards evening, winning the 2015 Mini Challenge JCW Championship, Directors Cup, Fastest Driver and picking up the Mini Retailer Cup for my sponsors and partners Chandlers of Hailsham. None of this could have been possible without the support of so many people, including the championship double winning team Oakfield Motorsport, all of my partners and sponsors, and most of all my beautiful wife and amazing family. Life is great!”
JOE TANNER, MINI COOPER CUP CHAMPIONSHIP RACER “Painful end to the 2015 Mini Cooper Cup Championship for me after my clutch went “pop” almost in sight of the chequered flag, while leading the final race!
Despite that, I have enjoyed every moment and been involved in some great races! Need to say a huge thank you to everyone who made it possible – Paul Bell, Andrew Lamont, Ian Hoggins, Steven Wilkie and Kevin Glasson for their hard work, and everyone else who has helped out. Well done also to Kenneth Thirwall on securing the championship again, and good luck with the bike racing!”
CHRIS HUTCHINSON, CATERHAM TRACKSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP “Another amazing year with an amazing group of people! Without racing I would not have made such great friends and been able to share some very special moments!”
LUKE HERBERT, MICHELIN CLIO CUP CHAMPION “Well what a way to end 2015! Michelin Clio Cup Champion! Six wins, four poles, a fastest lap, and 10 podiums! All of this would not have been possible if it wasn’t for everyone involved at team Westbourne Motorsport, my sponsors, girlfriend Serena ‘Sezza’ Stokes and my family.”
SMALL BUDGET, BIG AMBITIONS Operating on a small budget is something that will be familiar to many Clubman drivers, including David Taylor who set up DM-racing.co.uk to pursue his motor racing dream following the loss of his father in 2012. After a successful 2015 in which Taylor achieved a 7th place overall finish in the Scottish Fiesta Championship and a 5th place finish in the Newcomers Cup, the team is now raising funds for the 2016 season via a dedicated crowdfunding page. Last season, despite a season-long sponsorship deal with Just Wheels Scotland, financial constraints prevented the team from taking part in all of the away rounds. To help ensure Taylor and his Mk2 Ford Fiesta XR2 can fulfil their potential in 2016, you can find out more about supporting the campaign at www.DM-racing.co.uk.
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ANNUAL 2016
THE E10 R - FROM £39,995
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A full range of factory-fitted options for track use is available, including - and 6-point harnesses, track-tuned springs and dampers with adjustable platforms, quick-release steering wheel, re-packable silencer, flat floor set-ups and track warranty. Take a test drive and be thrilled by the performance, the involvement and the price - from just £26,995. VISIT THE ZENOS CARS WEBSITE OR CALL US TODAY TO ARRANGE A TEST DRIVE.
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Feature
PRO VS CLUBMAN HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED IF YOU’RE AS QUICK AS A PROFESSIONAL RACING DRIVER? WHICH CLUBMAN DRIVER HASN’T! MSD DECIDED TO SETTLE THE DEBATE ONCE AND FOR ALL TO FIND OUT WHO REALLY IS THE QUICKEST ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. NEW CAR, NEW TRACK AND DRIVING IN THE WET – WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
H
ow quick you are is always a hot topic for racing drivers. Over the years, we’ve heard a lot of people say if they had a chance to show what they’re really capable of, they could compete with a pro driver. So, here at MSD we took it upon ourselves to organise a head-to-head between a clubman and a pro driver to settle the score. In early 2015 we launched a competition to find our clubman
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driver and we received a number of replies, many of which served to illustrate just how sensitive this subject can be. Eventually, Jon Billingsley was selected as the man to represent the clubman drivers, with Ben Clucas – the former Australian Formula 3 and Spanish GT champion, who raced in the Pirelli World Challenge with Kia Racing and Kinetic Motorsport in 2015 – tasked with the challenge of upholding the repu-
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tation of motorsport’s professional fraternity. The day itself didn’t get off to the best of starts – MSD arrived at Coltishall Airfield late after our satnav decided to take us on a detour, which added to the tension between Billingsley and Clucas, who were patiently awaiting our arrival. We eventually made it to the circuit to find the grinning green Zenos E10 S earning admiring gazes from the two drivers.
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F E ATU R E: P R O V S C L U B M A N
on track. Fortunately, Clucas was up for the challenge. Most will know him around the paddock as one of the most approachable men in the sport. At MSD, we’ve had the pleasure of seeing Clucas instruct numerous drivers over the years, many of whom have gone on to achieve champi-
onship wins in motorsport. He’s always keen to show his speed in a variety of cars, and you can immediately see he’s smooth on the steering and late on the brakes, and his lap times are consistent and quick – a perfect combination for our unique experiment.
Clucas was very calm, despite the fact that he was the one with the most to lose The usual pre-race banter was already well under way, with both men beating their chests, keen to offer reminders of their racing achievements to date. Very quickly, though, you could see that Clucas, the pro driver, was very calm, despite the fact that he was the one with the most to lose. When we decided to pit a clubman driver against a pro, it was surprisingly difficult to get a professional driver to take part. We asked BTCC drivers, past F1 drivers, instructors and various others to participate and in the end we had just a handful willing to commit, which is a shame as you would expect every driver to be keen to prove their worth
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CLUBMAN DRIVE DRIVER Jon Billingsley
Jon Billingsley Age: 33 Weight: **** off! Race wins: 20+ Championships: 2 Experience level: Clubman Favourite excuse: No excuses Favourite track: Donington Favourite race car: Radical Claim to fame: Being in this feature!
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE ZENOS E10 S Ahead of the contest, the Racelogic data logger was fitted to record the telemetry and data, so we could compare the drivers’ performances. At no point did we allow either driver access to this data, in order to ensure the test was as fair as possible. The trusty Racelogic VBOX HD data logger was faultless all day and despite it being a gloomy day, the camera was crystal clear. All of the footage is available on MotorsportDays.com. Zenos kindly gave Billingsley, Clucas and MSD a tour of the car, which provides a fresh take on a track car, carrying some Lotus and Caterham heritage thanks to Zenos’ owners, Mark Edwards
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and Ansar Ali, who are familiar to many within this industry. The Zenos E10 S uses the popular Ford 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbocharged engine, which boasts an impressive 250bhp, can reach 60mph in less than four seconds, and is available from £29,995. The car itself is a real beauty, but it’s when you hear it thunder down the track that you can truly appreciate it at its best. The turbo on the car makes it sound like a jet and on the foggy, wet track it looked spectacular. Both drivers had to get to grips with the track layout, so Zenos’ Emma Bloomfield kindly showed us the track – an airfield with several tight chicanes and hairpins on multiple surfaces to challenge the
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drivers. The grippy, runway section of the track includes a long, fast sweeping straight, leading onto the very tight hairpin. Coming out into Belief corner, it starts with amazing grip, but before you hit the Ansar Straight the grip disappears and a controlled power slide is important, so our drivers really did need to believe in the Zenos! We managed four sighting laps of the circuit with Billingsley driving (despite Clucas’ accusation that this was “cheating”!). Neither driver had been around the circuit before.
SESSION 1 We arrived back at base and it was time to decide who would go first. Both drivers agreed that
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ER PRO y DRIVER
Ben Clucas Age: 31 Weight: 62kg Race wins: 100+ Championships: 7 Experience level: Pro Favourite excuse: Just didn’t do a good enough job Favourite track: Spa Favourite race car: Kia Optima Turbo Claim to fame: Competing against F1 drivers
Billingsley would lead the way, but before we let him loose we had a few rules to go through with Grove & Dean Motorsport, which kindly insured the car for the day. Rule 1: don’t smash the car; Rule 2: don’t smash the car; and Rule 3: all of the above! Each driver was to be judged on 3 x 10-minute sessions, with a break after the first run and the next 2 x 10-minute sessions running back-to-back. Praying that the rules had sunk in, we watched Billingsley launch the Zenos down the straight with the rear wheels spinning. He wasn’t going to give Clucas an easy ride here and off he went for his 10-minute session as we eagerly watched what proved to be an impressive start.
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Billingsley had done everything in his power to record a much coveted victory
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Billingsley came in and complained that the windscreen was fogging up, so we switched on the heated screen, which quickly cleared up the problem. Excuse number one was out of the way, and number two wasn’t far behind, with our clubman representative complaining about the cold. The heated seat was switched on, with Clucas commenting: “That’s a tenth slower…”. Next up it was Clucas’ first turn on track. Like Billingsley, he adjusted his mirrors, got himself set and sped off for his 10-minute session. He looked calmer, but you could see him searching for the grip, forcing the car into situations to try to find the little grip available and to gain an understanding of the surroundings and conditions.
challenge. The circuit became greasy, but didn’t completely dry. In jest, Billingsley suggested this would play into Clucas’ hands. After his final session, Billingsley had done everything in his power to record a much coveted victory, but Clucas still had his final two sessions to go, and once he started his second 10-minute stint it started to become easier to compare the two drivers from outside the car, with variants on speeds and lines becoming apparent. With Clucas’ sessions now at an end, it was time for a quick catch-up. We were impressed that on a new track, in a new car and driving in the wet, neither driver spun, even though both were clearly giving it their all.
GOING FOR THE WIN
THE ALL-IMPORTANT DATA
With the first session down and the drivers back at base, both gave their first thoughts on the car, with the brakes, power and comfort all under discussion. Billingsley said he was struggling with the stiffer brake pedal. Clucas was quiet, said he enjoyed the first session, but wasn’t giving anything away. No hints or tips for the clubman competitor! MSD downloaded the data as Billingsley readied for his second run. The next two sessions ran back-to-back, so Billingsley set out for 10 minutes, came back in and waited for five minutes, then headed straight back out. The conditions at this point had improved and the relentless rain had eased, throwing up another
By now, we were all desperate to find out who had won. On first impressions, both drivers looked to be giving it everything and committed to every corner, so on that front they seemed to be level pegging. To make the test accurate and fair, however, we turned to the data logger and used the Circuit Tools software from Racelogic to evaluate each driver’s sessions, lap charts and delta. It turned out that the fastest session for both drivers was the third, so we decided to hone in on this one. Billingsley’s fastest lap was a 50.24 on lap seven, with a 6.53-second split between his fastest and slowest laps. Clucas’ fastest lap was a 46.59 on lap eight, recording
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just a 0.99-second split between his fastest and slowest laps. So, there was quite a difference in times. Over the course of 10 laps Clucas was extremely consistent from the off, with his first recorded time just 0.61 seconds off his fastest. In comparison, Billingsley wasn’t quite as consistent, but we must remember that Clucas, as a professional racer, is used to high-pressure situations and having to quickly evaluate the conditions. For the purposes of this test, it was also interesting to look at the racing lines used. From afar, the drivers appeared to use similar lines, but when we accessed the data it became clear that on entry to the slow hairpin Clucas took a much wider line, which helped him achieve a higher entry speed, which he could maintain through the corner. Billingsley, however, took a tighter line, which meant he had to slow the car down to make the turn. Considering neither driver had been on the Coltishall Airfield track before, we also paid close attention to how they adapted over the course of the three sessions. Of course, they couldn’t cut corners as that would show up on the telemetry, but they could adapt their lines to benefit their times. To be fair, the differences in the lines were minimal, but the difference between pole and mid-pack is always negligible and as a driver you are always trying to find that extra something to get ahead of the crowd. Being able to do so is what sets you apart.
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THE RESULTS The image to the left shows the data telemetry between Jon Billingsley and Ben Clucas. The software used is Circuit Tools, which is available with all VBOX Motorsport products.
Jon Billingsley
Ben Clucas
Lap 7 6 8 10 5 9 2 4 1 3
Lap Time Delta Datum 8 46.59 0 46.59 9 46.71 0.12 0.12 7 46.76 0.17 0.17 5 46.94 0.35 0.35 10 46.94 0.35 0.35 6 46.95 0.36 0.36 1 47.20 0.61 0.61 4 47.39 0.80 0.80 2 47.40 0.81 0.81 3 47.58 0.99 0.99
Time Delta Datum 50.24 3.65 3.65 50.37 3.78 3.78 50.41 3.82 3.82 50.75 4.16 4.16 51.36 4.77 4.77 51.38 4.79 4.79 51.51 4.92 4.92 51.93 5.34 5.34 52.74 6.15 6.15 53.12 6.53 6.53
Racelogic – VBOX HD Racelogic designs and develops high accuracy GPS data loggers, speed sensors, video data loggers, and GNSS simulators for vehicle testing and racing in motorsport. For this experiment, we used the VBOX HD, which gives you crisp, high definition images supported by high quality GPS data captured at 10 times per second. The superfast, 720p global shutter CMOS sensor totally eliminates distortion caused by vibration or fast paced action which normally arises from using a rolling shutter, whilst its tiny size camera is extremely versatile and discreet.
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FEATURES • 10Hz GPS data logger • 720p30 HD camera • Global shutter CMOS sensor • Records to SD card • Predictive Lap Timing (with OLED display) • Graphic overlay in post-processing • MP4 video and audio recording • Internal tank circuit for reliable recording • Powerful data analysis software • Up to 32 CAN channel inputs • USB 2.0 interface
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INTERVIEW WITH F1 WORLD F E ATU R E: P R O V S C L U B M A N CHAMPION DAMON HILL
WHAT WE LEARNED Most people would have put money on the pro driver winning. After all, Clucas does this full time. As an instructor and having competed since an early age, he was always at a natural advantage. The point of this test was not to trip up Clucas or Billingsley, but to really shed light on the difference between a pro and a clubman driver. How many times have you heard someone in the pub or at work say: “If Lewis Hamilton had tried a bit harder he could have overtaken him”? Watching someone drive from afar provides only half the story. Of course, some of you might say: “I’ve read this article and I think I could
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give Clucas a run for his money”. Another pro driver might have been quicker or slower, and the same can be said of our clubman competitor, but we would say with confidence that Clucas’ consistency and speed would be extremely difficult to beat. Over an average of 10 laps, he only had a fall in time of 0.99 seconds, but Billingsley ’s fastest and slowest laps were 6.53 seconds apart. Both drivers were experimenting with different lines throughout, but Clucas’ approach ultimately resulted in better speed in and out of the corners. He might well have fancied his chances beforehand, but when MSD first told Clucas the result he couldn’t hide his
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relief: “Phew,” he said, “I’ve just about saved my reputation!”. That he certainly did and we’re sure he will now be even more popular among his fellow racing drivers. All things considered, Ben Clucas and Jon Billingsley can hold their heads high having given it everything on track. We commend them for their efforts and for putting themselves forward to be part of this exciting test. We would also like to say a huge “thank you” to Zenos for providing the car, Racelogic for the data logger, and Grove & Dean Motorsport Insurance for helping us make this happen. All videos from the day are available online at MotorsportDays.com.
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013/2014 proved to be a slow start to the project with most of the time being spent drawing up lists and making plans. In 2015, however, real progress has been made with welding work being completed (chassis leg, seal, spare wheel well covered and subframe fixings complete), the donor car – a Vauxhall Cavalier SRi – being stripped of its engine and wiring, and the rest being sold on for spares to fund the project. Late 2015 should see the engine rebuild complete, subframes overhauled and a start to the wiring in the car. As for 2016, plans include doing my ARDS Test and getting all of my gear together, and then trying to get a drive during the year to get some valuable experience. Car-wise, we want it running in the earlier months ready for testing and shakedown to iron out any issues on our first build. Looking ahead to 2017, we should be out on track, with a full season in view for 2018. We are always looking for sponsorship
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CLUBMAN CONVERSATION…
NICK HOLMES
TEAM HOLMES MOTORSPORT IS A FAMILYRUN TEAM WITH NO PREVIOUS TIES OR EXPERIENCE IN MOTORSPORT, BUT IS DRIVEN BY A DREAM TO MAKE IT BIG.
opportunities, so if you like what we are about and if you would like to support us, please get in touch
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either by email – teamholmesmotorsport@outlook.com – or search for us on Facebook and Twitter.
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RACING WITH
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BECOME A CHAMPION A new, competitive, fun and friendly championship for production saloon, hatchback, and sports car racers. Whether you’re a novice looking to progress into a championship, or a competitor looking for a new challenge, TDC has plenty to offer.
The Trackday Trophy & Trackday Championship are the perfect environment for enthusiastic drivers that love racing. Designed for two driver teams to share the costs (solo entries still very welcome) they both have plenty of qualifying time and 45min races with a mandatory pit stop to get real seat time and value. With rounds at great UK circuits and a good spread of dates to give you the best chance of joining in the fun. Call Stuart or Sam on 0843 453 3000 or visit the websites listed below.
FOR MORE INFO CALL: 0843 453 3000 OR VISIT: TRACKDAYTROPHY.CO.UK TRACKDAYCHAMPIONSHIP.COM
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n a storm-ravaged afternoon in November 2015, Tuck’s driving duties in his rookie season came to a close as he pulled into the pits after his final stint in the MX-5 Owners Club Team’s MX-5 Mk3. The MSA Academy driver had already taken his car to 7th in his qualifying group – the highest placed Mk3 against a field of GT Spec Lotus’ and a host of modified hot hatches in the Race of Remembrance at Anglesey Circuit. The annual charity night/day 1,000km race topped off a season of firsts for Tuck – first full car racing season, first pole position, first podium, first win, first international race and class win, first endurance race, first Mazda MX-5 Mk3 drive, and first night race, all culminating in a 3rd place finish in the 2015 BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship after a nail-biting championship showdown at Donington.
A SEASON TO SAVOUR
2015 PROVED TO BE A SEASON OF FIRSTS FOR 18-YEAR-OLD ROOKIE RACER BEN TUCK, WHOSE EYE-CATCHING PERFORMANCES IN A MAZDA MX-5 MK3 SAW HIM WIN THE HIGHLY COVETED RSF MSA YOUNG DRIVER OF THE YEAR AWARD. MSD LOOKS BACK ON HIS EVENTFUL FIRST SEASON ON TRACK.
After trying out car racing for the very first time at the end of 2014, Tuck ambitiously set his target on a top-three finish in his debut attempt at this notoriously competitive championship. He achieved it with some style. Along the way he has gained a reputa-
tion for being stunningly fast and a tough opponent, nicknamed “The Kid” in the paddock as the youngest on the grid. 2015 proved to be a tough but highly successful year. It kicked off at a damp Silverstone in April with a fierce battle that was to be an
Tuck claimed 3rd place in the 2015 BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship after a tense championship showdown at Donington.
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omen for his final race victory as he battled with eventual champion Brian Chandler, taking away 6th and 5th place trophies. The following round at Brands Hatch in May was the biggest of Tuck’s career thus far as the Mazdas rolled in to support the Blancpain International GT Sprint Series. In front of a packed crowd, Tuck pulled out all the stops to claim pole position and the fastest lap of the weekend. Both races served up some of the most exciting action of the year with Tuck centre of the battles for the lead and gaining extensive TV exposure. He came away from the weekend running 3rd in the championship, having cemented his reputation as the rookie to watch. Castle Combe later that month brought his first disappointment of the year when he just missed out on a podium in Race 1 and then had to make the drive of his life to pull out a stunning recovery to 9th after a collision spun him out to last place in Race 2. Soon after, Rockingham was to be a similar story where, in downpour conditions, mistakes by other drivers saw him spun off in both races. Yet again, Tuck recovered both times, this time to record 6th and 5th places. In July, Tuck came back with a bang despite engine and gearbox failures. At the beautiful Cadwell Park Circuit, he claimed not only his first podium, but also fastest lap, and narrowly missed a certain win due to the gearbox issue. The weekend’s work left him in 2nd on points in the championship. Oulton Park will always be a special place for Tuck, as he made his debut appearance there in 2014. The Cheshire circuit was to give him the perfect anniversary present in August as he took the first win of his car racing career.
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Tuck’s performances in his Mazda MX-5 Mk3 earned him the highly coveted RSF MSA Young Driver of the Year award. In a stunning display of dominance that had been building all year, Tuck wiped the board with fastest lap in testing, fastest lap in practice, pole position, fastest lap and win in Race 1, followed by pole position and a podium in Race 2. With confidence on a high, Tuck next tackled his first international in September, racing as a guest driver at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium supporting another International GT race. In typically wet conditions for the circuit he again dominated, with fastest laps in practice, qualifying and Race 2, and also a pole position, class win and fastest MX-5 lap of the weekend. However, it was not all plain sailing as he had to contend with a freak mechanical failure and last-minute rule clarifications, which demoted him to start Race 2
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at the back of the grid and looked set to derail his weekend. With the championship title now a very real prospect, Tuck returned to the UK ready to push forward at the next round, this time at Croft. Fate was to intervene, however, and poor weather and tyre issues dented his progress, but not his determination, dropping him to 4th in the championship. At this stage, Tuck had never been outside of the top five championship positions. All was set for a thrilling showdown at the season finale at Donington Park in October, with the top five drivers all in with a chance of carrying off the champion’s trophy. Unexpected tyre problems in qualifying were to hamper Tuck’s assault on the title, giving him a mountain to climb. But with a determination characteristic of his 2015 campaign he battled through the fierce fights in the pack to take 2nd place in Race 1 as the TV action was transmitted live. Now one of three racers with title hopes still intact, Tuck launched his final push for Race 2 and scrapped in a race-long dogfight for the lead, claiming 2nd at the flag. Only a win would do in the final race of the season and Tuck calmly set about the job, breaking away from the pack and picking his moment to take a superb win to deliver his pre-season objective of a top-three position in the championship. Rarely has a rookie season been so endowed with hard won success as 2015 was for Ben Tuck, and his performance is a showcase for his exciting and impressive mix of hard work, determination and raw talent. With the right budget and opportunities, 2016 looks bright for one of the UK’s hottest young racing talents.
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R I C H H I S T O R Y, EXCITING FUTURE H
aving been involved in motorsport for more than 40 years, for almost 14 of which he has served as BRSCC Chairman, Cottrell knows the industry far better than most, including what goes on behind the scenes. A fountain of motorsport knowledge, it is surprising to learn that he was never a racing driver himself. “I’ve been in the sport since 1973, but I never drove,” he explains. “I started as a marshal, but it’s always been a passion for me. This has been something that has completely consumed my life and a few years ago I left Haymarket, after running the Autosport International show, to be full-time with the BRSCC.” Even a recent battle with leukaemia has failed to dampen his passion for the sport, and in his own words Cottrell, who is also International Race Director for the MSA/FIA, is now “back in the stirrups and going forward”. The BRSCC has a rich history in the sport and since its formation in 1946 has grown to become a major force in British motor racing. With over 50 race meetings and 25 championships now under the BRSCC umbrella, the Club plays a leading role in the British motor racing scene, organising both club race meetings and FIA sanctioned international events.
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JUST HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO BE AT THE HELM OF ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL CLUBS IN BRITISH MOTOR RACING? MSD SPOKE TO BERNARD COTTRELL, CHAIRMAN OF THE BRITISH RACING & SPORTS CAR CLUB (BRSCC), TO FIND OUT.
However, as a non-profit organisation it is not always plain sailing for the BRSCC, with the likes of the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) and Jonathan Palmer’s MotorSport Vision (MSV) also in the mix. While the relationship between the BRSCC and the BARC “used to be a cartel”, Cottrell says he now sees it as “healthy competition”. After all, the two
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are “probably united against the Palmer steamroller”, he adds. This united front led, in November 2014, to talks between the BRSCC and the BARC about a potential merger, but why didn’t anything come of this? Cottrell tells MSD he “felt there was nothing that the BARC would bring to the table that we don’t already have”. “If someone calls us and says that they are interested in us running the series, we don’t turn them away, but at the same time we won’t go actively looking for it, or chase people’s business. “BARC are the same as us – we won’t jump on other people’s toes and we don’t need to. We run the World Endurance Championship, we run the GT Open, and it shows we are doing good things.” With making a profit not among the BRSCC’s priorities, finances can be an issue. Cottrell tell MSD the Club made a loss of £80,000 in 2014, but considering the outgoings that have to be paid to make the races happen, it is easy to see why balancing the books is a tricky task.
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“We were at Donington one year and it was thick fog, and it got to quarter past 12 and I wanted to call it a day, but everyone else said ‘let’s wait a little longer, until late lunch’,” he remembers. “It lifted while we were waiting and it would have cost us, as a business, £45,000 if we hadn’t have done that one day’s racing, as we would have had to pay for the circuit hire, ambulances and so on. So that’s how finely tuned it is.” While Cottrell is used to being trackside at the BRSCC’s portfolio of championships, ranging from the Mazda MX-5 SuperCup to the TVR Challenge, he also takes a keen interest in ensuring the younger generation of racing drivers are taking the right steps towards a successful career in the sport. “One thing I remember is that Bill Sisley, who owns Buckmore
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We run the World Endurance Championship, we run the GT Open, and it shows we are doing good things Park Kart Circuit, asked me to be a clerk of the course,” Cottrell says. “I was told not to do it as I’d be involved with the parents, but it was the best move I ever made.” With the Fiesta Junior Championship on the BRSCC calendar, Cottrell sees it as a good stepping-stone for anyone who is
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ready to make the move up from karting, but after his own experiences in karting, he remains wary of the role some parents play at this level. “Some parents are racing through their kids,” he states. “The thing about junior racers is you’ve got to talk to them and not at them. I always used to say to the kids, ‘you have to go to school, you have to go to work, but you don’t have to do this, so if you don’t want to do it, then don’t’. And lots you could see didn’t.” With this in mind, he suggests we should all remember that the key to motorsport is enjoyment, regardless of which level you are racing at, or what age you are. As for Cottrell himself, the satisfaction he still gets from motorsport is enduring, and he is relishing what lies in store over the next 12 months. Looking ahead to 2016, he says: “We have lots of exciting championships taking place next year, in the UK and abroad.” He may have already given more than 40 years to this sport, but Cottrell still has plenty left in the tank.
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LEADING BY EXAMPLE YOU COULD FORGIVE A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN AND OWNER OF ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST ADMIRED SPORTS AND RACING CAR BRANDS FOR RESTING ON HIS LAURELS, BUT NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH FOR LAWRENCE TOMLINSON, THE CHAIRMAN OF GINETTA, WHO IS AS DETERMINED AS EVER TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES AND DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS MOTORSPORT.
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mechanical engineer by trade, Tomlinson made his name as the founding chairman of LNT Group, the parent company of five diverse businesses – with interests ranging from care homes to construction – but it takes just seconds of conversation to realise that motorsport is his true passion. Having started out importing classic cars into the UK, Tomlinson has since overseen the creation of some of the most popular cars in British motorsport today. He has been on the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) board of directors, had a stint as joint acting chief executive of Silverstone Circuits Limited, and even found time to win the GT2 class of the 24 Hours
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of Le Mans back in 2006. More recently, he has been driving the Team LNT Ginetta Nissan LMP3 in the VdeV Championship, along with running his business empire, which employs 2,000 people. The combination of talent and determination that has served Tomlinson so well quickly becomes apparent when MSD presses him on the difficulties of fitting four-hour endurance races into such a hectic schedule. Let’s say he approaches his racing just as he does any of his business ventures. “I go into the weekend with a plan,” he says. “You don’t win by accident, so we put in the time prior to the season and develop the car mechanically, so it’s reliable.
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Turning up at the race weekend is the easy part of it. You think ‘how am I going to be up on the top spot on Sunday’ and you motivate all the team around you to think about how you get the win, and then work backwards from that. “It’s not that dissimilar to what you need to do in business in terms of getting a team around you. When I’m actually in the car I think about the mechanics of the car and not the balance sheet.” The balance sheet must have been on Tomlinson’s mind, though, when just over a decade ago he completed a deal for Ginetta, a company that was making a “small profit” at the time. “The history of the brand was intriguing,” he says. “I tried to buy TVR but a Russian guy (Nikolai Smolensky) bought it. So Ginetta was an ideal platform for us to develop our cars, because of the history of the brand and what they did, which was providing lightweight sports cars. British sports cars tied in exactly with what I wanted.”
DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY In the decade or so since, Ginetta has become embedded as a truly iconic, global motorsport brand. Road cars such as the G40R and G60 have caught the public’s imagination, while on track Ginetta now boasts three single marque championships – the Ginetta Junior Championship, the Ginetta GT5 Challenge and the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup – plus the Ginetta Racing Drivers Club (GRDC), which was designed specifically for the first time racing driver. Under Tomlinson’s guidance, each of
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these has become established as a highly respected stepping-stone to the big time. Having acknowledged that “Caterham did a great job with the Academy, and still do”, Tomlinson says one of his motivations was for Ginetta to make motorsport even more accessible. “With the superlights, for example, when drivers explained to me what they were doing I found it confusing – some look the same but some are quicker than others,” he says. “Whereas with Ginetta, we have put people in the car and, especially with the GRDC, they come along and drive the cars to the limit and then move into a completely different car with a different challenge. With our cars you are moving into different racing and you’re not stuck in a specific area. That’s what we do differently. “We have a very clear career path and progression for drivers of all ability. And we are also extremely good value! The GRDC package is £30,300 + VAT and you get eight races, including Brands GP, Silverstone GP, Rockingham and Donington. It’s fabulous value and that includes the car, which is yours to keep!” With most young drivers harbouring ambitions of one day making it into Formula 1, Tomlinson’s pride about the fact that Ginetta can help youngsters get their careers off the ground is palpable. “We see now that Ginetta Juniors is the obvious step to familiarise your potential F1 drivers or single-seater drivers with procedures at a proper race event. It’s the most prestigious event of its kind in the world and I have never
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come across anything anywhere near it in terms of what your driver learns,” he explains. Using the multi-disciplined Ginetta G40, drivers aged from 14 to 17 compete in support races to the British Touring Car Championship, receiving exposure rivalled by no other junior championship. “Being part of the touring car package you have 30,000 fans, live TV, you’re interviewed by the likes of Louise Goodman and Steve Ryder, and the drivers learn so much,” Tomlinson explains. “So when people come out of the Ginetta Juniors and move on, it gives them a really good advantage.”
A MAN IN DEMAND Away from Ginetta, Tomlinson has applied his expertise in other areas of the sport, including as a board member for the BRDC and then as joint acting chief executive of Silverstone Circuits from late 2014 until early 2015. At the time, the company was in desperate need of leadership after three senior executives had been suspended from their roles. During his six months in the role, Tomlinson’s business acumen was an important tool in starting to turn the tide at the home of the British Grand Prix. “Silverstone is a great circuit and what I tried to do was unlock the potential of the great people that had been at the circuit and running it for many years,” he states. “I think I went a long way to doing that. Silverstone Circuit is a happier place for the staff since I had my time there. I think there have been some significant
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improvements and cost reductions that needed to be undertaken, which probably should have happened five or six years ago.” Tomlinson’s short-term goal was multi-faceted – he wanted to “unlock the talent and empower them”, significantly reduce costs in a manageable way, and to put the customer at the centre of all that the circuit does. “The management team have done a great job implementing this,” he says. The time and energy invested into understanding the intricacies of business, how to successfully implement a plan and, importantly, how to build and maintain the support of those around him is among the many reasons why Tomlinson finds himself a man in
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demand. He has even served as the government’s Entrepreneur in Residence in the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. Making the effort to understand exactly what you’re working with is equally important on track and Tomlinson is in no doubt that all drivers can benefit from expanding their knowledge base, especially when it comes to mechanics and engineering. “Anyone that comes from an engineering background and knows the intricacies of how a car works has an advantage over someone that doesn’t,” he explains. “The number of times I’ve got into a car of a gentleman driver and I’ve spotted something loose – whether it’s the diff loose, or the prop
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shaft loose, or a track rod – and they’ve been driving the car. Just knowing there is something wrong with the car is very important, but it’s not always easy for a driver to relay that back to an engineer. Being a driver, engineer, designer and owning the company is a real shortcut.” The benefits of supporting your on-track ability with engineering know-how is also highlighted by one of Britain’s best-known racing drivers, Nigel Mansell, who lined up alongside Tomlinson in the 1000km of Silverstone in 2009 in the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S. Remembering his experience of sharing the car with Mansell, Tomlinson says: “He’s an extremely determined guy in everything he does.
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He’s focused on whatever he is doing at that time and determined to be a success, whether it’s golf or motor racing. “But what surprised me most about him was his ability to engineer the car. He’s a fantastic engineer and really helped us to develop that car. We worked together with Nigel and Greg Mansell (Nigel’s son) in the Team LNT car. He had a lot of thoughts, and put in the motorsport environment he’s a great engineer, but he also gave it 100% as a driver, even though at that point he was in his mid-fifties!” Tomlinson’s own engineering nous is perhaps best highlighted by the Ginetta G50, which has emerged as one of the most popular cars in motorsport, was named Autosport’s Car of the Year in 2008 and, incredibly, was designed and built within six months. According to Tomlinson, the goal was
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It doesn’t get much better than racing your own car with Nigel Mansell. He’s still blindingly quick
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to create a car that was fun to drive – “a bit lairy if anything” – with a plan in mind for it to replace the TVR Tuscan Challenge one-make series. Following feedback and refinement, including a focus on making it more aerodynamic, the Ginetta G50 as we know it was born. In Tomlinson’s own words, however, “the G55 is much more aerodynamic and a natural successor to the G50”.
IT’S ALL ABOUT ENJOYMENT For Tomlinson the G50 project was “great fun” and it is exactly this – fun – that he hopes to instil in motorspor t in the future. When MSD asks him about his plans for Ginetta over the next decade his outlook is refreshing – focusing first on ensuring that people get the most enjoyment as possible out of the spor t. “We always welcome people to get involved and the next five to 10 years will pretty much be about doing much more of the same, which is to focus on our customers and motorspor t in general, and develop cars that people like to have fun in. “A lot of people in the spor t have forgotten about the customer. Either it’s a lot of fun, or people stop doing it and go out of business. They take a lot of money off people, but they don’t like it if they don’t see the value in it. We want to engage with anyone in motorspor t who wants to have fun.” In a spor t that has become somewhat renowned for its high entr y costs and perceived low levels of accessibility, Tomlinson is playing a vital role in creating much-needed oppor tunities across the board. In his own words, he says Ginetta will do ever ything in its power to “bring in people from other areas and make motorspor t as easy as possible” to get star ted in – an admirable goal that has MSD’s full suppor t.
MADI GRAS
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ENDURING SUCCESS SINCE BECOMING THE YOUNGEST FEMALE RACING LICENCE HOLDER AT JUST 14 YEARS OLD, ANNA WALEWSKA HAS BLAZED A TRAIL OF SUCCESS, WITH THE 2014 BRITCAR ENDURANCE CLASS 3 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AND A GOLDSTARS ELITE AWARD AMONG HER MANY ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE. MSD CAUGHT UP WITH HER TO FIND OUT WHAT DRIVES HER TO SUCCEED ON TRACK. MSD: I understand that you were a budding racer at the age of 11 and your father was a big influence. What motivated you most to get into motorsport? AW: My first taste of the track was at Sandown Park in Esher – an outdoor circuit in a 4-stroke pro kart. I went there having only done a bit of indoor karting, which I really enjoyed and I wanted to see how I’d get on driving a quicker kart on a bigger circuit. I went out on track with an instructor, following him to learn the lines. He followed me to assess what I was doing and couldn’t get past me again! I knew then this was something I wanted to do. MSD: At what point did you realise this could be a career for you? AW: I always wanted racing to be my career ever since I first stepped into a kart. I don’t think I ever thought it wouldn’t be.
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MSD: In 2015 you received the GoldStars Elite Award from the British Women’s Racing Drivers Club (BWRDC). What does this mean to you and what is your advice to female drivers who aspire to follow in your footsteps? AW: I’ve supported the BWRDC throughout my career and was delighted to receive the GoldStars Elite Award in 2015 after my Britcar Championship win. It means a lot to me, especially to be awarded alongside great drivers like Susie Wolff, Liz Halliday and Roz Shaw. If like me you have a passion for the sport and enjoy racing then I would always encourage anyone, male or female, to start karting as soon as you can – it’s a great way to hone your race craft and puts you in good stead for the move up to cars. If you’re starting later then there are a lot of great British club championships to join and learn your skills.
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There’s no shortcut in motorsport and working your way up the ladder is important. Education is another great route into motorsport through engineering. I think it’s crucially important for racing drivers to have good knowledge of motorsport engineering. Accurate driver feedback is important to the team in car setup. MSD: What do you feel you have that puts you above your competitors in the sport? AW: Pure determination to win. MSD: Do you have any superstitions before a race? AW: Once I’m strapped in the car I have a bit of a routine – at least 10 minutes of focus time when I’ll run through the perfect start and lap in my head, I always have to shake hands with my engineer just before I leave the garage and will talk over the pit to car radio
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before I grid up. The last words are: “Enjoy it, bring it home”. MSD: If you could give any clubman driver a tip for wet weather driving, what would it be? AW: Always look for the grip. Look for the grey colour change in the tarmac. No one lap will be the same as the last in the wet so don’t get into a false rhythm. MSD: The University of Bolton is paving the way for a new academic motorsport engineering qualification. How has the course helped you and do you get involved with the students during classes? AW: The University of Bolton stands head and shoulders above the rest in linking education to industry. Motorsport is a unique sport where it requires future employees to have practical trackside experience, as well as the theory. The University of Bolton
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Mental strength is something that comes from within. Always believe you’re going out to win recognises this and is leading the way in providing students on the Motorsport Engineering degree courses with a fully functioning professional race team to shadow and work alongside throughout their studies. I will be racing in
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the British GT again this year for the University of Bolton and the students will be with us for every round, working on every aspect of the weekend, except actually driving the car. The University of Bolton provides its students with the opportunity to experience the real world of motorsport at top level and I believe this gives them the competitive edge to work in the motorsport industry. MSD: With endurance racing, do you have any techniques to help your speed on track and to maintain your mental strength off track? AW: Consistency is key for endurance racing and managing tyres. Always keep an eye on your lap times if you have it displayed on the dash or pit board. Learn how the tyre works through testing so you know how much and how quickly you can start pushing them. Always have something in reserve – if the race
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unfolds in such a way you can capitalise on your tyres if they’ve been looked after. Mental strength is something that comes from within. Always believe you’re going out to win. Block any negativity that comes from outside influencers or any doubt that may pop into your mind. Visualise the perfect race and perfect lap. When I’m sat on the grid it’s like my world shuts down into a letterbox view – I know then I am totally focused on the job. M
THE CHOICE OF CHAMPIONS
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MSD: Do you still instruct? If so, how do you find it being a female instructor in a male dominated sport? AW: I instruct in the UK, Europe and Middle East. It’s great seeing the progress and imparting knowledge to eager young racers. I especially enjoy working with the Ginetta Junior drivers – when those I work with get the podium and win it’s so rewarding for me. I’ve never had a problem with instructing male drivers or their perception of a female instructor, because the proof is always in the lap time. MSD: Looking to the future, where do you think you will be in 10 years?
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AW: Racing in sports cars on an international level and hopefully competing at Le Mans for the umpteenth time.
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Grove & Dean Motorsport Insurance is a trading name of Grove & Dean Motorsport Ltd. Grove & Dean Motorsport Ltd are an appointed representative of Grove & Dean Ltd. Grove & Dean Ltd are an independent intermediary who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
THE PRICELESS VALUE OF SAFETY O
n 15 October 2013, professional racing driver Sean Edwards tragically died at a circuit in eastern Australia. Edwards – who had back-to-back Dubai 24-hour wins and a Nürburgring 24-hour victory to his name, and was on the cusp of claiming the Porsche Supercup championship – was coaching a rookie driver from the passenger seat when the car left the track and careered into a concrete wall. The driver sustained serious injuries, but 26-year-old Edwards lost his life. Determined to ensure her son’s death wasn’t in vain, Sean’s mother Daphne established the Sean Edwards Foundation in the hope that his death will be a catalyst to improve safety conditions and awareness in all levels of motorsport. Growing up as the son of former Formula 1 driver Guy Edwards, Sean was naturally attracted to motor racing, while Daphne was also
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RISK IS AN INHERENT PART OF MOTORSPORT – RISK OF MAKING A MISTAKE, RISK OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE, RISK OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT ON TRACK – BUT SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE INCIDENTS HAVE SERVED TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT RACING DRIVERS ARE ALSO RISKING THEIR LIVES. DAPHNE MCKINLEY, WHO LOST HER SON IN AN ON-TRACK ACCIDENT IN 2013, IS CARRYING THE TORCH IN THE BATTLE TO MAKE MOTORSPORT SAFER AT ALL LEVELS. heavily involved in the sport. The associated dangers were plainly apparent, though, and the deaths of Jo Gartner in the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans and Ayrton Senna at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix provided unwelcome reminders of the risks drivers face on track. “I suppose at the back of my mind I was always asking ‘why?’” Daphne explains. “Why are there so many deaths and why are we not progressing? When Ayrton Senna was killed we were very close friends with Sid Watkins (former Formula 1 Safety and Medical Head) and I’ll never forget we had
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dinner in London and Sid sat there shaking his head and said: ‘This has to stop – I can’t sit back and let this continue’. And of course, he really championed that whole change in F1 for 20 years. Where I’m coming from, that’s fantastic for Formula 1, but the majority of motorsport is outside of F1.” The objective of the Sean Edwards Foundation is to minimise the risks outside of drivers’ control by targeting six key areas: promoting critical issue awareness; creating safety education programmes; providing professional mentorship opportunities; advocating for
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The son of former Formula 1 driver Guy Edwards, Sean was keen to help others improve on track by offering tuition to novice drivers. needed changes or regulations; implementing standardised safety assessment tools; and lobbying stakeholders to create mutually beneficial solutions. Daphne is all too aware that an overnight fix is not feasible. “We have to change the attitude of the industry to think outside of F1,” she says. One of the things the Foundation is keen to see changed are the rules around the use of open face helmets, like the one Sean was wearing when he was killed. At the inquest into Sean’s death, Daphne put forward some recommendations on open face helmets to the coroner in the hope that he will present them to the government. “It’s a learning process,” she says, “but if I can get the coroner to recommend changes to the government, then we can springboard from that into other countries and start to change on a wider platform.” Daphne and the Foundation have recommended that open face helmets are not used during track days and are lobbying the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) on this front, but this addresses just one of many issues. “There are a number of reasons why Sean was killed,” she explains, “but the main reason was the car had no brake pads. Secondly, the track was not up to FIA standards and CAMS (Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) standards and there was
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not properly raked gravel. And the third thing is if you go straight into a brick wall with tyres and there is only two layers of tyres the sensible thing to do is have a full face helmet, which is 100% covered, not just 30%. That’s how we approach it – please don’t use an open face helmet. Sean was wearing one as he liked to speak to the person he was instructing, but there is no reason to in my view. The driver is still alive, although his life is probably ruined both emotionally and physically after this, but he had a closed face helmet.” Improving car checks on track days is also an important area of focus for the Foundation. The day before the crash, Sean had told mechanics at the circuit that the brakes were soft and something wasn’t quite right. “The mechanic rolled the car into the garage and it was too hot to work on, so he went off and the next day the car went out back on track with nothing done, as the mechanic had been pulled off to work on another car,” Daphne explains. “So the boys went out on track and nothing had been done.” To make sure lessons are learned from this, the Foundation is pushing for track day procedures to be altered. “I think we need to go back to simple procedures,” Daphne states. “On a track day, look at the history of the car, look at whether the brakes have been checked, and if the oil has been changed, and so on – everything that should make the car safe for the day. Whether it’s the driver or the instructor, someone is given that logbook and ticks everything off.” Daphne brought this up at the inquest into Sean’s death, but the cost of implementing such a procedure emerged as a potential stumbling block. She tells MSD: “Yes, it’s a cost, but there is no quantifi-
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able cost to a person’s life and the family left behind. If it is a matter of adding on a few pounds to ensure people’s safety, it’s worth it.” Throughout 2016 and further ahead, the Sean Edwards Foundation will continue to lobby the relevant authorities as it continues its mission to make motorsport safer at all levels. In partnership with key insurance providers, the Foundation is currently developing a framework that will reward drivers, teams and tracks with reduced premiums for implementing industry-leading safety measures. The Sean Edwards Test, which aims to improve safety among drivers by ensuring they have the necessary understanding of racing procedures, is also gaining traction. “The Sean Edwards Test will go to the USA in 2016, which will be a big thing, as we want to try and bring it into other series,” Daphne explains. “It was in Malaysia in 2015 and the Spanish Motorsport Federation is very keen to bring it in.” Education and creating opportunities for disadvantaged youths are other areas of focus for the Foundation. The number one priority, however, is to make motorsport as safe as possible, and to ensure another life is not lost in an avoidable accident on track. To quote the mission statement of the Sean Edwards Foundation: “We want drivers to live to race another day”.
Sean Edwards lost his life at a circuit in eastern Australia. Following the tragic accident, it emerged that the track was not up to FIA or CAMS standards.
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nown to many as Andy Sugden from Emmerdale – a character he has played on the small screen since 1996 – Fletcher has quickly made a name for himself on track, having only entered his first championship in 2012 at the relatively ripe age of 28. A title-winning first season in the Mighty Minis Championship helped to put him on the racing radar, and since then he has successfully made the step up to the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge and, more recently, the VdeV European Sports Prototype Series. Keen to disprove the inevitable perception that he’s just “that lad off the telly who does a bit of racing in his spare time” Fletcher’s performances have certainly caught the imagination during his short career to date. Success in his Mini was followed with a 3rd place finish in his debut Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge campaign – a season that culminated with backto-back race wins at Silverstone. He has since proved his mettle
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ACTING CHAMPION A LATECOMER TO THE RACING SCENE, SOAP STAR KELVIN FLETCHER HAS ENJOYED STRIKING SUCCESS ON TRACK OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WORKING HIS WAY UP FROM THE MIGHTY MINIS TO THE VdeV EUROPEAN SPORTS PROTOTYPE SERIES. MSD WAS KEEN TO FIND OUT HOW HE BALANCES HIS ON-SCREEN AND ON-TRACK COMMITMENTS, AND WHAT HE HAS PLANNED NEXT IN THE WORLD OF MOTORSPORT. in endurance racing, joining Alex Craven and Robbie Kerr in the 255bhp Ligier JS53 for RLR Msport. Fletcher’s success behind the wheel should perhaps not come as too much of a surprise, especially when you consider he had his first taste of driving at the age of just 13. “I had an argument with my
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mum and in the midst of being a young teenager I stormed out,” he tells MSD. “I used to watch my dad change gear and press the clutch, and he let me try so I had it in my head how to drive, but no one really taught me. So when we had this argument I sat in the car. We had a driveway, which
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I NTE R V I E W: KE LV I N FLETCHER
was enough to get into second gear. So that was it! Obviously, I thought it would upset my mum and annoy her.” His stunt didn’t quite have the desired effect, though, as he caused more awe than anger. “My mum came out and rather than going ballistic she was so shocked, called my dad and he came home from work and told me to show him what I’d done. They were both very proud – what was supposed to be a wind-up ended up making them proud! It could have gone one way or the other, I guess.” While he spent hours at Oulton Park watching touring cars in his teenage years and developed a liking for Formula 1 during the “glory years” of the ‘80s and ‘90s – “it was great but then it became just an advertisement and not for spectators” – it wasn’t until 15 years after his first foray in his parents’ Vauxhall Corsa that he was inspired to start his racing career. “I went to the Autosport Show with my dad and after a few corporate days and track days with him I seemed to do OK. I had a knack for it and it felt quite natural to me,” Fletcher explains. “So I rated myself as an alright driver and at the show there were a few series, one of which was the Mighty Minis. They did a full breakdown of costs – no one normally mentions money and this was broken down easily with a car of £3,000 to £4,000, and then £300 entry.” Buoyed by the accessible structure, Fletcher was straight on the phone to the series coordinator. “She said ‘go and do your ARDS licence’, and I found a car for sale.
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I had just seven races under my belt in a Mighty Mini and then was straight into a Porsche, which was just worlds apart
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I drove up there with a trailer and bought the car. I got the regulations and did the ARDS test, and called up the coordinator again to find out what I needed to do.” An extra roll bar and a visit to a local garage later, Fletcher was ready to race. His local track, Oulton Park, provided the setting for his racing debut. “Before the race I did a track day with my dad, I went online and found what lap times the others were doing and I thought if I could be mid-pack I’d be happy,” he says. “The time to beat was a 2.25 and I did a 2.23 on the day, so I was delighted with that. I’d never done it before so was very happy.” On the day of the race, however, Fletcher remembers feeling like he was going in “blind”, due to his relative lack of technical knowledge. “The car felt good but I didn’t know about tyre pressure or gears or anything like that,” he explains. “I remember on the day everyone was messing with the tyre temperatures and pressures and I asked what they were. One guy told me to have 38 psi and another 28 psi, so someone was lying! I went middle of the road on 34 and just learnt myself.” Against the odds, Fletcher put his Mini on pole and all of a sudden “the pressure was on to go and win it”. The race itself proved to be a baptism of fire. With a big “X” on the back of his car to mark him out as a novice, another Mini crashed into the side of him on the very first corner, throwing a spanner into the race plans. After regaining the lead later in the race, a spin-off dropped Fletcher down to
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Most people do a few years karting, but I literally jumped in and in my second year of racing I was in a GT Cup car
4th, before he eventually finished in a more than respectable 2nd place, recording a fastest lap of 2 minutes 19 seconds along the way. As the season panned out, it became apparent that the first race was by no means a fluke, and Fletcher went on to win the overall novice championship. During that first season, Fletcher was also invited to take part in the Silverstone Classic Celebrity Challenge, with Jamiroquai’s Jay Kay earmarked as the man to beat. At this point, still awaiting his first win in the Mighty Minis Championship, he put his Morgan on pole by 10 seconds, before claiming the win he craved. Shortly after the successful season in the Mighty Minis, Fletcher was invited by Redline Racing to make the step up from his road-spec Mini to a 400-plus bhp Porsche 911 in the GT3 Cup
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Challenge. To help with the step up, Fletcher quickly realised the benefits of working with someone familiar with the 911’s full capabilities. “I worked with a guy called James Sutton, who races now,” he explains. “He used to turn up and I’d get in with him and he showed me what the car could do. Rather than just being told he allowed me to mimic. He was aggressive with it, whereas I was letting the car control me. He was ragging it around and I had too much respect for the car. So I took the bull by the horns and pretty quickly managed to match him for pace.” After sounding out and securing some sponsors to help fund the season ahead, and eager to prove that he deserved his place on the grid, Fletcher set himself the ambitious target of a top-three finish and he achieved exactly
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this, finishing 3rd at the end of the season. “I had a couple of wins and podiums. I missed out on 2nd by a few points, but the winner ran off with it, although I did beat him the year after. Most people do a few years karting or some form of racing, but I literally jumped in and in my second year of racing I was in a GT Cup car.” This unconventional route into the sport may have been more a help than hindrance, Fletcher says. “I’d be bold to say I can get into anything and be quick, because I have driven so many cars in my early motorsport career. If I’d driven a certain type and then got into a single-seater I might have found it harder, but I had just seven races
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under my belt in a Mighty Mini and then was straight into a Porsche, which was just worlds apart, and then into the VdeV.” The move into the VdeV European Sports Prototype Series proved to be another big test, with Fletcher having to adjust to the physical demands of driving the Ligier JS53. “When doing endurance racing, every time I stepped out of the car I was wringing wet through, as I was tense and tight,” he explains. Admitting that he was dreading his first race in the series, Fletcher was “thrown in at the deep end” with a 2 hour and 10 minute stint in the first race, and again showcased his natural ability. “I think the last few laps I was within a second a lap of
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my best time, which was great,” he states. Following an adrenaline-fuelled 2014, Fletcher decided to take a year-long sabbatical to focus on his busiest acting year yet, turning down the opportunity to race in a few rounds of the British GT Championship. After a year out, however, he is raring to go again and is now eyeing up a couple of options for 2016, with the British GT Championship a possibility. Whichever championship he ends up in, Fletcher has earned the privilege to be seen as a worthy contender in his own right, and no longer just the farmer from Emmerdale trying his hand at racing.
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Technical
M OTO R S PO RT DAYS GARAGE WORKSHOP N
ext time you’re on track, ask yourself this: “How much do I really know about my car?” Many Clubman racers don’t fully understand how the car works. Whereas modern professional racing drivers know the ins and outs of their cars, and can quickly talk to engineers to describe what’s right or wrong with them, the same can’t always be said of Clubman drivers. If you are investing time and money into your time on track, one of the quickest routes to success is to gain an understanding of the basics of mechanics. In 2015, we launched our first Motorsport Days Garage Workshop to help Clubman-level drivers do exactly this. While many clubs are willing to offer a helping
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GETTING THE MOST OUT OF A RACE DAY OR WEEKEND IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE HARD EARNED CASH YOU HAVE TO PART WITH ALONG THE WAY. AT A MOTORSPORT DAYS GARAGE WORKSHOP YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR MECHANICAL KNOWLEDGE AND LEARN HOW TO SET UP YOUR OWN CAR TO MAKE BIG IMPROVEMENTS ON TRACK. hand on track and test days, these Garage Workshops can really help you get to grips with mechanics. We can help increase your knowledge, which will ultimately make you a better and faster driver. The Motorsport Days Garage Workshops are undertaken in partnership with Scott Automotive, who have been in the motorsport industry for over 20 years and have in-depth knowledge of
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all types and levels of cars. The company’s Director, Simon Parfitt, leads multiple sessions during the Garage Workshops, covering a variety of key areas, but he says the basics always come down to keeping a clean car. “If the car is clean, it’s easier to visually inspect and maintain,” he explains. The day-long learning experience includes a unique session with a race instructor, in which
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they offer their expertise on racing lines for two different circuits. Thanks to the open forum format, attendees can ask any questions they have to ensure they get the most possible value out of the session. You can take part in either a full day or a half-day workshop, each of which is divided into Novice/ Intermediate and Intermediate/ Advanced, catering to all levels of drivers. The Garage Workshops start from just £65 per person. For more information, visit www.MotorsportDays.com.
TESTIMONIALS: Michael Andrews – “A great and professionally run day. I’ve managed to increase my knowledge on track day preparation far more than I thought. I’m going to do the next workshop.” Thomas Watson – “I learnt a lot about on-track and race weekends. I forgot how much I already knew and this really helped teach us all areas, including on-track instruction, which was useful too. A really good day and thoroughly recommend. Top notch.” Christian Allebone – “It was a good day, I learnt a lot, including that I really need to give another Caterham a go! Those guys at Scott do some very impressive, skilful work.”
NOVICE/INTERMEDIATE – IDEAL FOR THOSE NEW TO RACING AND TRACK DAY USERS • Track and test day preparation for car, trailer, tools and equipment • On-track basic setup – tyre temperatures, degradation, pre-track checks • Fluid servicing – brakes and coolant • “Spanner check” demo • What to look for – damage and worn parts CLASSROOM FORMAT • Technical and instructor Q&A – open floor discussion • Instruction on two circuits by our resident instructor • On-track advice – other drivers, marker boards INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED – IDEAL FOR COMPETITIVE RACERS AND REGULAR TRACK DAY USERS • Adjustable suspension setup – corner weights • Rake, camber and caster explained • Vehicle heights and changes explained • “Spanner check” demo • Hints and tips on setup for UK circuits CLASSROOM FORMAT • Car maintenance on and off track • Technical and instructor Q&A – open floor discussion • Instruction on two circuits by our resident instructor • What to look for – damage and worn parts
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CANADIAN-AMERICAN CHALLENGE CUP CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING PREPARER 2011 (DRIVER: PETER SCHLEIFER)
750 MOTOR CLUB BIKESPORTS OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING PREPARER 2014 (DRIVER: ADRIAN REYNARD)
Scott Automotive is a family engineering
partnership with workshops close to Snetterton race circuit and over 20 years international experience in race car preparation and event support, historic endurance rally preparation and bespoke automotive engineering.
As championship winning preparers, we are currently sharing our knowledge with a series of garage workshops in association with MotorsportDays.com and can also help you get the most out of your track day with a set up package to suit your driving style and budget.
Call Simon Parfitt on +44 (0) 1638 551800 or e-mail scott@ scottautomotive.co.uk
MASTERS CLASSIC LE MANS SPA 6 HOURS GOODWOOD CASABLANCA FLYING SCOTSMAN GREAT SOUTH AMERICAN CHALLENGE NILE TRIAL PARIS TO MADRID PEKING TO PARIS THUNDER DRAGON TIGER RALLY
L i ke u s w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m /s c o t t a u t o m o t i ve
FIGHTING BACK FOLLOWING A TUMULTUOUS 2015 IN WHICH HE WAS REPLACED AS ONE OF THE INFINITI TEAM’S DRIVERS IN ACRIMONIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP (BTCC) DRIVER RICHARD HAWKEN HAS AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR 2016 AND BEYOND.
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aving played a central role in bringing the pioneering, not-for-profit Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing team into the Dunlop MSA BTCC in 2015, the season turned sour for Hawken in May when he was replaced by former Formula 1 driver Martin Donnelly. After confronting rumours that his seat was under threat, and having received assurances that there was no truth in the rumours, Hawken was not only replaced, but was made aware of the news by a fan on Facebook. Hawken, whose accomplishments include driving his Nissan Primera to the BRSCC Super Tour-
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ing Car Trophy in 2010 and 2011, explains to MSD: “I have never spoken about the situation publicly, other than what I was advised to say legally when the news of my replacement broke. Despite efforts, Martin Donnelly and the paras were the only people who spoke to me at Thruxton. “I am lucky to have many friends in motorsport at all levels. In the week before Thruxton, one or two had called me concerned at rumours I was being replaced; something I knew nothing about. When questioned it was denied by the team’s management in writing. It transpires the deal was being done with another driver
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completely behind my back, which shocked but didn’t really surprise me. My sponsors and I had felt a very icy wind from the team’s senior management at Brands Hatch and, of course, my car wasn’t ready. Another of my sponsors, D&B Coachworks Ltd, had worked literally a 30-hour shift through two nights to prepare the bodywork for Brands Hatch, believing the car would be ready.” Through no fault of his own, Hawken parted company with Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing team, which was created to help raise awareness and funds for Support Our Paras, the official charity of The Parachute Regi-
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ment; a charity that he still has a great deal of reverence for. “It has been nothing but a pleasure and honour working with members of The Parachute Regiment and charity in motorsport – a bunch of guys I have an enormous amount of time, respect and admiration for,” Hawken says. “I would ask that we all continue to support our injured servicemen and women in any and every way we can.” For a man who was dealt such a bad hand in 2015, Hawken, who had his first taste of racing after buying a kart with his father before he was even a teenager, remains remarkably positive. He is aiming to get a “solid year of BTCC experience under my belt” in 2016, while a career switch from the finance sector to the automotive sector is also on the cards. Looking beyond 2016, Hawken has grander plans on track. “I am working with a new manufacturer currently who I hope – everything is crossed – will make their debut in the championship in 2017,” he says. “I believe professionalism attracts professionalism, so, as before, I will aim my sights high.” It may sound like an ambitious plan, but given his track record, it would take a brave man or woman to doubt Hawken, who can
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also claim to be a member of the “200mph club”, having driven the TWR Le Mans spec Jaguar XJ220 at 205mph at Millbrook. “I set myself goals in life and set about my journey to achieve them,” he says with an undoubted air of confidence. “I wanted to win a championship in karting and I did it. I wanted to be a stock market trader – I did it. I wanted to win a championship in a touring car (Nissan Primera Super Tourer) – I won three. “I’ve always wanted to race in the BTCC; it’s the ultimate saloon car race, it’s professional, it’s encapsulating, which built and fuelled an obsession in me. I did race in the BTCC, but nowhere near enough. I believe if you put your mind on a mental rail track, don’t deviate, and live, breath and dream it, you will make it happen. It’s just a shame I got mixed up with the wrong people who derailed me slightly. But the track is intact so I’ll be back on track for some unfinished business in the BTCC with a proper team to show the world the real Richard Hawken.” With so many irons in the fire, the future certainly looks set to be busy for Hawken, but his “unrelenting drive, enthusiasm and total loathing of the need to sleep”
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should help to get him through. The events of 2015 would have had a lasting and negative impact on many racing drivers, but Hawken remains confident and largely unaffected by the bad experience. If anything, it has increased his faith in the sport and his desire to succeed. “I’ve had several top level BTCC teams invite me along for a chat recently,” he reveals. “I think the entire championship knows the truth and has judged accordingly. The fact is it could have been handled differently. I know what I would think, if I were a third party, of a similar situation. One thing that has staggered me, though, is the support I’ve received from the BTCC fans, marshals and the media. It has been quite overwhelming if I’m honest. A day will rarely pass where I don’t have a conversation with at least one fan. BTCC is all about the people and I love that side of it. I was a fan once and now I’m on the inside of the fence. With humility, I want to be a driver who will always make time to talk to people, no matter what I drive.” With ambitious plans afoot and extra fire in his belly, 2016 certainly looks sets to be the start of something special for Hawken.
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Awards
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or the second year running, we have asked championship organisers and our e-newsletter readers – more than 6,500 subscribers in total – to vote for the people they think are deserving of each of the eight MSD Awards. Our Awards Taskforce – comprising racers and other influential figures from the motorsport industry – considered the three nominees with the highest number of votes in each category, before ultimately deciding the outright winners. We hope you will join us in praising these tremendous achievements.
MOTORSPORT DAYS AWARDS 2016 IN CLUBMAN MOTORSPORT THERE ARE MANY HARD-WORKING AND UNSUNG HEROES WHO OFTEN DON’T RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE. MOTORSPORT DAYS IS CHANGING THIS WITH THE MOTORSPORT DAYS AWARDS, WHICH RECOGNISE THE INDUSTRY’S OUTSTANDING ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE MADE THE MOST TELLING CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLUBMAN MOTORSPORT DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
MSD UK Clubman Driver of the Year For this award, the judging taskforce took into consideration results, performance, budgets and overall dedication. The winning Clubman driver stood out from the crowd during the nomination process, with voters highlighting his great results in the Classic Sports Car Club (CSCC) championship, with many referencing his commitment and impressive, consistent racing ability. In 2015 Napier Racing was crowned 2015 CSCC ‘Modern Classics’ Series Outright Winners, and this man is a worthy champion is his own right.
MSD Supplier of the Year There are many suppliers to championships and drivers, providing everything from car parts to race gear. However, this company is not your usual supplier, and boasts a strong family heritage in motorsport. Voters pointed out the company ’s welcoming nature, friendliness and informative customer service, with pricing also proving to be a plus point for many. In short, this motorsport supplier has exceeded expectations with its exceptional products and customer service.
MSD UK CLUBMAN DRIVER OF THE YEAR: ANDY NAPIER
MSD SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR: GPR DIRECT
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MSD Track Day Organiser of the Year Many regular track day users stay loyal to the same organisers. The reasons behind this are manifold; for some it’s all about the way the day is run, while for others loyalty benefits and rates are the primary attraction. The winner of this award faced tough competition, especially from last year’s winner, but edged ahead thanks to feedback from our readers who voted. “Well organised track days and great value” and “Best track day organiser I’ve used by far” are just a couple of the comments we received. With free tuition on offer to all novices, this organiser is clearly keen to improve users’ on-track experience.
MSD TRACK DAY ORGANISER OF THE YEAR: GOLD TRACK
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MSD UK Clubman Championship of the Year With over 100 championships in the UK, it can be tough to choose which one best suits your needs. This award recognises the championship that has helped encourage both new and existing racers to compete on a regular basis, while ensuring a fair and enjoyable racing season. Voters highlighted the large grids and the “competitive, fair and affordable racing” on offer as just a couple of the many reasons this championship stands out from the competition.
MSD UK CLUBMAN CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE YEAR: CLASSIC SPORTS CAR CLUB
MSD UK Circuit of the Year There are over 40 circuits and airfields in the UK, making this a keenly contested category. Each circuit was judged on its facilities for both track users and spectators, focusing on general improvements and safety upgrades. The reasons behind the decision to award this track the Circuit of the Year award are best summed up by the voters themselves: “Fantastic track for both the spectator and competitor. The facilities are, as always, brilliant”; and “Fantastic circuit, maintained to the highest standards and I have always found the staff to be helpful and friendly”. The experience of another voter also caught the attention: “On my last visit I was black flagged due to a technical issue, and when discussing with one of the pit lane marshals, he was giving all the
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help he could to figure out how to sort the problem and get back out, which is certainly above and beyond his duties”. This circuit is clearly a deserving winner.
MSD UK CIRCUIT OF THE YEAR: BRANDS HATCH
MSD Test Day Organiser of the Year Most circuits organise test days for race weekends, but this award recognises the one that stands out for all the right reasons. This test day organiser received more than 40% of the votes, and receives this accolade for the second year running. Voters praised the facilities and organisation, with a good amount of track time also keeping test day users happy.
MSD TEST DAY ORGANISER OF THE YEAR: MOTORSPORT VISION
MSD Team of the Year This award takes into consideration teams of all sizes, and the winner has surpassed expectations on all aspects of race preparation, servicing, on-circuit, transportation, facilities and hospitality. The voters’ comments speak volumes: “Well organised, friendly, high quality work”; “They provide support not only at the track but from the build of your race car, race tuition through to on-track support”; and “Excellent
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preparation, friendly towards other competitors, and support for many different cars and series”. Without doubt, this team leads by example.
MSD TEAM OF THE YEAR: BOSS RACING
MSD Unsung Hero of the Year There were many worthy contenders in the running for this award, from marshals and scrutineers to race organisers. We asked our readers to nominate their unsung hero – someone who has made an invaluable, and often underestimated, contribution to the industry. This year’s winner has consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty. She has offered unwavering support to the Classic Sports Car Club over the last 10 years and has clearly earned the respect and admiration of people across the industry. Her friendliness, willingness to help, and the sheer number of hours dedicated to this sport have not gone unnoticed. As aptly summarised by one of the voters, she is “polite, friendly and efficient, and doesn’t seek the limelight” – a true hero of Clubman motorsport.
MSD UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR: ROS GUNNING
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Track Guides
TRACK GUIDE: LE MANS
BY RICHARD BRADLEY, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS LMP2 WINNER
TURN 1 AND THE DUNLOP CHICANE Entering from the far left, this is permanent race circuit and so is a good quality surface. There are some bumps on the braking to the chicane, which make it tricky but this is quite a basic corner. It was very special to drive here at the start of the race, as there is just spectators as far as you can see. It is also quite easy in the night as this area is very well lit.
ESSES Following on from the Dunlop Chicane you go down the Esses, which are very tricky. The first right is an easy corner but the left and right after that are very
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steeply banked and so it is very important to get your line. With no barrier on the outside of the last right it is very easy to run wide here, as many famous drivers have in the past with big consequences.
TETRE ROUGE This is the famous Tetre Rouge corner where you go onto the first section of public road. This is a very high-speed corner, and it is very easy to go over track limits on the exit as you try and get the best possible exit for the first leg of the Mulsanne Straight.
FIRST CHICANE It is the first corner you come to where it is completely dark after
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being in the brightly lit Sector One, so it can be quite tricky in the night. However, the braking markers are very easy to see, as they’re reflective against the car’s headlights. After having so much driving before the race grip is not too bad on the road section of the circuit and this chicane is quite basic. We have to be careful with the kerbs in our prototypes, but watching a GT car on a qualifying lap through here is quite spectacular! Once again, with another long straight after, the exit is very important.
SECOND CHICANE A little bit more open than the first chicane, this is slightly higher speed and in the opposite
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Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans is a racetrack with incredible history thanks to the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race. I have had the extreme privilege of competing in this fantastic event twice and am delighted to say I had the honour of stepping onto the iconic podium having won the 2015 event in LMP2 after taking pole position. It has, since those 24 incredibly tough hours, become my favourite circuit for obvious reasons! It is a mix between permanent racecourse for the first and part of the last sector, and public roads for the rest, with many iconic features varying from the long Mulsanne Straight to the daunting Porsche Curves. It is an incredibly unforgiving circuit and people say that you don’t actually win Le Mans, you survive it, which with the massively high speeds and very little run-off is about right! There is also variable weather in this part of France and at some point during the 24 Hours weekend there is always rain.
direction being left, right, then left. Once again, there is nothing particularly special here, but it is always important to get that exit.
MULSANNE CORNER This corner is extremely tricky, as you are approaching at over 300kph and have to cross over the crown of the road whilst braking onto a different surface. There is also only gravel as a run-off and so if you make a mistake it can destroy your race. With such a long straight the exit is very important, but it is also a very good overtaking opportunity.
INDIANAPOLIS In my opinion the hardest corner on the circuit as you approach
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at very high speed, the circuit is very narrow and there is very little room for error. It requires massive commitment through the fast, banked right-hander before heavy braking for the next left. With only gravel once again on the outside and the barriers very close, if you make a mistake the consequences can be dire. It is very tricky in the dark, as there are no outside lights here, just the lights on the car.
ARNAGE Almost straight after Indy, this corner is very tight and again the exit is very important due to the long straight that follows. This is the slowest corner on the circuit and is very slippery compared to
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the others. The corner is very surreal in the night, as there is no other lighting and a lot of spectators here, and as it is very slow speed you can actually smell some of the spectators’ barbeques, which can be distracting!
PORSCHE CURVES The Porsche Curves are some of the most iconic corners in the world. With the barriers very close, and massively high speed and commitment required, it has been the scene of many big accidents over previous years. You never get a chance to rest, braking down to 5th gear on entry and holding the car on a knife-edge through the whole complex. This
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is, along with the Esses at Suzuka, one of the most exhilarating complexes to drive at any circuit in the world. It gets very difficult behind GT cars here as it is very narrow, but we can actually pass them around the outside of the long right in the middle. In the night, as there is no external lighting and the barriers are very close, it feels incredibly fast. It is very satisfying when you exit as you can see the fun fair and the stadium section again where the circuit lights up.
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FORD CHICANE The final complex on the lap is the Ford Chicane. The first one is a very quick left/right where you have to ride the kerbs. It is tricky in the night as it is very hard to see the corner, but once you have done a few laps you have got used to it. The last one is now very tight. Previously, you would pretty much straightline the last section. However, they have now put in very big kerbs on the apexes and so now it is a very technical corner. Al-
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though the straight after is relatively short in Le Mans terms, it is still quite long and so it is very important to get a good exit. When you come through this corner and see all of the people and the atmosphere in the night, you realise how lucky you are to have completed a lap at one of the most famous circuits in the world. When you cross the line here after 24 hours to win the race, it then sinks in just how difficult it was!
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Track Guides
TRACK GUIDE: THRUXTON CIRCUIT BY CALUM LOCKIE, BRITISH GT CHAMPION Thruxton has the fastest average lap speed of any circuit in the UK. It is also probably the least modified and so has a great ‘old’ feel about it. The fast sweeps of corners such as Noble, Goodwood and Church are exhilarating and certainly concentrate the mind! The track surface is laid in four ‘lanes’ of tarmac and these are useful in determining car position. • Lap length: 2.356 miles • Tyre wear is high on the left-hand side due to long, sweeping corners • Grip is high, especially in the wet ALLARDS
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The pit ‘straight’ is not straight, so concentrate on maintaining the lefthand side on approach to Allards. It is fast with a blind turn in, so aim slightly to the left (c. two or three feet) of the apex kerb you can see on turn in and you will then arrive at the correct apex. Allow the car to flow out to the left on exit but beware – if you let it go too far you will be in trouble with the grass! There is a fast left-hand sweep before Campbell, which has no name. Position your car over the middle join in the tarmac through the middle of the corner so you can achieve an early straight line for heavy braking.
Heavy braking on approach should turn into light trail braking up to the apex. Trail braking is very important to keep the weight transfer on the front wheels for maximum grip. If you release the brake too early, understeer will result. Do not let the car go further than mid-circuit on exit, as you will then not be able to take the correct line through Cobb.
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COBB This is very important, as it is the origin of your speed building out of Cobb, through Segrave and on to Noble. Turn in from the right
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to maximise the radius of the corner and try to build to full power as early as possible. Set the lock to take you to the apex and keep it set to take you to the turn in for Segrave.
SEGRAVE The turn in point is about one third of the way into the circuit from the left. Timing for the turn in to Segrave is critical. It is very early but a low rate of turn of steering is very important. There is much more space on the exit than first apparent. It is also bumpy and off camber so full power, while necessary, feels a bit wild.
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NOBLE A very fast approach only needs a small amount of braking. There is a lot of grip even in the wet and momentum is critical. A short straight-line brake will take you to the middle join in the tarmac from where you turn in with a late apex in mind. If you are not going to make the apex do not tighten the lock. If you overload the rear it could be terminal! Just accept a wide line. It is not critical and you can regain your line a little further on with minimal loss. Unwind the lock as the car rotates and head back to the left for the turn in to Goodwood.
GOODWOOD The approach here does not require you to be all the way over to the left. In fact it gets very dirty out there so avoid it. The track curves towards the right on approach and has two big but undulating bumps. Coming off the second is the signal for turn in. Again, the apex is blind, so turn in with a low rate of steering turn and you will arrive at the apex nicely. Be aware of early apex as this will throw you wide at exit with the resultant high-speed grassy moment! Exit is by an old service road, which can still just be seen. Keep the lock constant and it will bring the car over into the second lane of tarmac before swinging you back out to the left, still with constant steering lock to place you correctly for the approach to Church.
good exit speed for the long run through Brooklands, uphill through Woodham Hill to the Club Chicane. Do not turn in late but rather early again with low rate of turn of the steering. This will keep great balance in the car while not giving you an early apex. Watch the crest just at the apex as the weight comes off the wheels and this is where you see oversteer. A slight throttle reduction will work if oversteer is a problem. Maintain this steering all the way out to the exit and be on full power as early as possible.
BROOKLANDS AND WOODHAM HILL Finish the exit of Church and move the car smoothly into the second-from-left lane of tarmac. From here, as you start to rise up Woodham Hill bring the car to the left of the circuit in preparation for hard, late braking in a straight line directly to the ‘false’ apex on the right. Many people curve around the left side of the track but this limits braking and increases the turning phase. Much more is to be gained under-braking then taking a wide line into Club.
CLUB CHICANE Trail the brakes lightly into Club, which will aid keeping the car tight into the first right-hand apex. Compromise this par t a little to turn to the lef t apex and achieve as straight an exit line as possible. The kerbs here are quite severe, especially if you use a lot. Do not use more than half the kerb if your car is ner vous. You may also suffer oversteer if you use the second lef t-hand kerb on the way onto the Pit Straight in a rear wheel drive car. Bring the power on early and smoothly and allow the car to flow out to the lef t on exit and onto the pit straight to complete the lap. You can use the exit kerb. In general, Thruxton demands a high level of braver y combined with ultra-fine steering adjustments and keeping one’s view well ahead of the car. It is also ver y bumpy, so concentrate on the feel of the car, or the bumps may distract you and hold you back from the limit. www.calumlockie.com
CHURCH The approach is downhill and very fast. However, you do not need to lose that much speed, as the corner is much less acute than 90 degrees and you need
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YOUR ESSENTIALS FOR 2016
G
rand Prix Racewear (GPR) has kindly listed the track essentials for 2016 for Motorsport Days’ readers. Whether you are a regular Clubman racer or a track day user, we recommend that you take a close look at each of these products. GPR has worked hard to increase the diversity of its services, and the company firmly believes choice and availability are essential for
its customers, which is why it provides such a comprehensive and reliable emporium. With “family business” being at GPR’s core, it continues to focus on creating a business environment that provides you with what you need, when you need it! GPR continues to invest in its marketing services so it can combine its efforts with other companies, resulting in greater NEW 2016 SOFT TOUCH UNDERWEAR • FIA 8856-2000 • Fabric 100% Meta Aramid • Successor of the proven Soft Touch – retains the softness and simplicity of the previous models • Soft Touch treatment for increased comfort • Only available in cream Top £57.25 + VAT / £68.70 INC VAT Bottoms £49.60 + VAT / £59.52 INC VAT Balaclava £24.40 + VAT / £29.28 INC VAT Socks £11.45 + VAT / £13.74 INC VAT (not shown)
benefits and expanding brand awareness, while strengthening business relationships within the industry. With such a rapidly changing market, GPR understands and has the drive to ensure that it remains at the forefront of the motorsport industry. The company remains unique thanks to its expert advice and services, so let GPR invest its time in you…
BESPOKE RACEWEAR, KARTWEAR, TEAMWEAR AND MECHANICAL WEAR: GPR believes that presentation matters and its success with elite motorsport teams and drivers helps the company maintain its reputation for quality, style, design, individuality and dedication to your tailored requirements with its own in-house design service.
SPARCO PLANET BAG • Wheeled bag • Reinforced base • Adjustable shoulder strap plus carry handles • Large main compartment with double internal zipped pocket • Shoes compartment • H35cm L65cm £68.70 + VAT / £82.44 INC VAT
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Address: No 1 Silverstone Park, Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire NN12 8TN Phone: 01327 855585
Email: info@gprdirect.com FOLLOW GPR ON: facebook: /grandprixracewear twitter: @GPRRacewear
gprdirect.com BELL SPORT 5 • Classic full face helmet at entry level price • Bell Racing “SV” brake visor mechanism for improved comfort and safety • Efficient ventilation system • Adjustable anti-dazzle peak for use in closed cockpit cars available separately • Available with or without FHR posts fitted as original equipment • FIA 8859-2015 approved • Sizes: S, M, L, XL WITH HANS: £315 + VAT / £378 INC VAT WITHOUT HANS: £275 + VAT / £330 INC VAT
STAND 21 CLUB SERIES HANS DEVICE The Club range of HANS devices from Stand 21 provides a fantastic value entry level solution for racers lookng for a HANS system on a budget, without compromising safety. The Club range of HANS devices are constructed from a honeycomb thermoplastic, which helps to keep the weight down and allows it to pass the FIA test requirements. Standard features include a sliding tether system for less restrictive movement and shoulder pads for better comfort. Available in 20-degree recline, which is suitable for saloon cars or other cars with upright seating positions. The Club range of HANS devices are available in two different sizes:
OMP FIRST EVO SUIT NEW FOR 2016 • 2 layer overall with modern bicoloured design featuring an excellent quality/comfort/price ratio • External layer in Aramidic fiber for high use and washing resistance, inner fabric in soft knitted material • Floating sleeves, anti-rubbing ultra flat seams • Elasting inserts on the back and on the groins for better comfort and flexibility • New breathable inserts on the sleeves • Sizes: 44-64 • Homologation: FIA 8856-2000 £312.20 + VAT / £374.64 INC VAT
• M/L - Fits collar sizes 15”-18” (38-45.5cm) • L/XL - Fits collar sizes above 18” (45.5cm) • Weight 950g (1050g including padding and tethers) • FIA 8858-2010 approved £209.90 + VAT / £251.88 INC VAT
FIRST EVO 2016 GLOVE • FIA 8856-2000 • Sizes S, M, L, XL • Light and resistant glove with elastic band on the wrist, straight cut design and inner seams • Leather reinforcements on the top of the fingers and silicon palm for best grip and sensitivity
NEW 2016 SLALOM BOOT • FIA 8856-2000 • Sizes 36-48 • High quality soft suede • Soft leather insole • Rubber sole resistance to fuel and oils • Sole specifically designed to resist the pressure of the heel toe movement on the pedals • New design and colour option for 2016 (black and green option)
£59.55 + VAT / £71.46 INC VAT
£75.55 + VAT / £90.66 INC VAT
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SILVERSTONE TRACK DAYS Where better for the amateur driver to come and emulate their motor racing heroes than at the home of British motor racing and the UK’s only current F1® circuit? Silverstone Track Days are the perfect setting for any level of driver to safely put their own car through its paces safe in the knowledge that there will be no oncoming traffic, a full safety and medical team on hand and plenty of run off areas to ensure that any mistakes on the day don’t prove too costly! The track days are run on the full Grand Prix Circuit and based at The Silverstone Wing, the state-of-the-art Pit and Paddock complex, where drivers can enjoy world-class facilities, including F1® garages and a café overlooking the track where spectators are welcome to view from. Silverstone Track Days are suitable for all levels of experience and ability and, run as an Open Pit Lane, drivers get plenty of time out on track! You can book additional drivers, helmet hire and also book tuition sessions with our expert Grade A ARDS (Association of Racing Drivers Schools) instructors. Our instructors are on hand throughout the day and can help recommend the next steps for any budding race driver.
SO WHY COME ON A SILVERSTONE TRACK DAY? • Drive your car on the UK’s only current F1® circuit • Open Pit Lane, so plenty of track time
SILVERSTONE NOT JUST AN F1 CIRCUIT Since 1948 Silverstone has well and truly been on the map as an iconic international motor racing circuit hosting numerous international and European championship events, and is well known for being the home of British motor racing and the British Grand Prix. However, Silverstone is about much more than the Grand Prix and also runs Track Days, Driver Coaching and General Tests, as well as being a conference and exhibition venue for large scale events. • In car instruction available from top instructors • No track closure for lunch – enjoy an extra hour of track time • Complimentary shared garages, subject to availability • Steeped in motor racing history • The longest circuit in the country and one of the most demanding • Exclusive discounts when rebooking on the day – receive up to £42.50 off!
1-2-1 TUITION
MOTORSPORT ACADEMY
The Silverstone ARDS briefing covers all aspects of race driving techniques in order to help you understand and learn the physics behind the art of race driving before we go on track.
The Silverstone Motorsport Academy provides expert circuit driver tuition, whether you are looking for a little more confidence on circuit or looking to gain your racing licence.
Our tuition courses are on a one-to-one basis, enabling you to develop as a driver and master our track. These intensive sessions are tailored to meet your specific goals. we’ll help you perfect your driving technique and ability to master almost any circuit.
GETTING YOUR RACE LICENCE
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SILVERSTONE TRACK DAYS OR MOTORSPORT ACADEMY PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES: www.silverstone.co.uk/experiences/car-track-days
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R O A D A D V TE RR AT COKR I A L R A C E
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FRee tuition for Dates for 2016* novices on familiarisation laps 24 January Drive the Prix circuit 13Grand February March open pit19lane to provide 13track Juneaccess! ALL DAy FRee use20ofJuly garages on 28 September a shared basis* 13toOctober *For a garage be guaranteed, a charge will be made payable in advance. 27 November
DRIVE YOUR OWN CAR ON OUR WORLD FAMOUS TRACK
Whether you you are are aa complete completenovice noviceor oraaseasoned seasoned veteran, veteran,have have Whether your own car or want to hire a car from the Silverstone fleet your own car or want to hire a car from the Silverstone fleet – – Silverstone Car Car Track Track Days on-trackaction actionwith with Silverstone Days ensure ensure maximum maximum on-track an all-day open Pit Lane! an all-day open Pit Lane! Based at at the Silverstone Silverstone Wing, Wing, our our state-of-the-art state-of-the-artPit Pitand and Paddock complex, drivers drivers can come and enjoy world-class facilities Paddock complex, facilities © © including the track. including F1 F1 garages garages and and Café Mediaoverlooking Cafe overlooking the track.
Calltoday todayonon 0844 3728 Call 0844 3728 235.235.
Dates are are available online. Visit silverstone.co.uk/track *Dates provisional - please refer to www.silverstone.co.uk/track
THE MSD GUIDE TO GETTING INTO MOTORSPORT “HOW CAN I GET INTO MOTORSPORT?” THIS IS A QUESTION WE HEAR ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND IT’S A REALLY TOUGH ONE TO ANSWER. IN FACT, THERE’S NO SIMPLE ANSWER, BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT EXACTLY YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE, YOUR AGE, YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE, AND HOW MUCH MONEY YOU’RE WILLING TO INVEST. HERE AT MSD WE HAVE DRAWN UPON OUR EXPERTISE TO PROVIDE A ONE-STOP GUIDE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN GETTING STARTED IN MOTORSPORT.
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nfortunately, for many people money is the biggest hurdle to taking that first step into the sport. If you take part in a track day, for instance, you also have to cover insurance, fuel and maintenance, so the costs can quickly add up. So does taking part in motorsport have to cost the earth? The simple answer is: no. OK, it’s not like other sports where you just have to spend £50 on football boots or a tennis racket, but you certainly don’t need to remortgage the house to get going in motorsport. In this guide, we’ve made every effort to make it as simple as possible to help you understand the opportunities and potential obstacles at all levels of the sport.
WHERE TO BEGIN So, once you have a budget in mind, what next? Let’s focus on getting some all-important experience. The first step from couch to
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car is to take part in a track day. Most organisers follow this basic approach: A) You drive your own car on track in a controlled environment; B) Generally, you must have a road licence, unless otherwise specified, and the car must be in roadworthy condition; C) On track, you are only able to pass other drivers by invitation and not in corners. Track days provide invaluable experience. You’ll be able to drive your car around some of the sport’s most famous circuits, such as Silverstone and Brands Hatch in 4 x 20-minute sessions, for example. Or in Open Pit Lane sessions, you can take to the track as and when you like, but the circuit will be limited to a set amount of cars. We highly recommend taking out insurance; Grove & Dean or REIS can you help you out with this. On the day, all novice drivers will have a briefing and learn the circuit layout, flags and rules, which are generally: only overtake on the straight and by invitation only, and
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only on one side. You cannot time yourself. Just make sure your car is clean, has an MOT and, most importantly, is safe to be on track at speed. One last thing, make sure you have a tow eye, so if you find yourself in the gravel, the marshals can get you out. Otherwise, your car will be pulled out using anything they can grab hold of, potentially causing avoidable damage. Some organisers take different approaches to Open Pit Lanes. Many are grouped in terms of experience or car level, but all provide a great way to gain track experience. For any first-timer we would recommend discussing the specific format with the organiser and getting instruction. Don’t forget, we list all organisers on MotorsportDays.com.
TEST DAYS Following this path you can then move onto test days. So what exactly is the difference? Firstly,
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you’ll need a race licence and the car will need a roll cage, fire extinguisher and cut-off. A test day is used by racers to test and set-up their cars, usually in preparation for a race meeting, so you’ll need to see if there are any regulations, such as open or closed wheels. You can overtake on any side at any time and test days are usually Open Pit Lane, but they can be sessioned too. Most of the time, circuits organise test days themselves, although some track day organisers have been known to run them. Again, a full list of test days is available on MotorsportDays.com.
THE ARDS TEST The ARDS Test, or the Association of Racing Drivers Schools Test to give it its full name, can be undertaken at most circuits and costs around £200. It’s not the most complicated of tests and it consists of two parts; on-track driving with an instructor going at speed to prove your ability, and a theory test. Don’t have a car? Don’t worry – karting is another option. You can compete in the Kent Cup at Buckmore Park, for instance, and buy a kart for less than £1,000, but “arrive and drive” is not something to be missed either. Club100 offers a great package and some serious competition from around £170 per race. You can literally just turn up, but you do need a race suit and helmet, but they provide the kart with fuel, and the transponder to record your times. This is worth serious consideration – after all, all F1 drivers rose up the ranks through karting and many still use it now as the most cost-effective training method. Simulators are also getting more popular and more realistic, and can certainly help you build more experience. But one thing we would always recommend here at MSD is
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marshalling. Doing this for a day gets a tick on your race licence to remove the cross on your car (all novices have an “X” on the back of their car), but you will also learn so much. If that’s not enough, you also get free trackside access! If you are interested in marshalling, get in touch with the British Motorsports Marshals Club.
A BIGGER BUDGET For those of you with a slightly larger budget, you have the option of taking a different approach. Assuming you need to get your race licence, there are some great clubs and academy classes you can choose from. For example, the Caterham and Ginetta academies both take on novice drivers, they help you get the licence, set-up the car for you and get you on track. This starts from around £25,000. If you don’t have this kind of budget there are cheaper alternatives, such as the Classic Sports Car Club or the British Racing & Sports Car Club’s Mazda competitions. These help to guide novice drivers too, and while it’s a cheaper form of racing, it is by no means inferior to the more expensive options. You can buy a Mazda MX-5 for as little as £6,000 and race the car with round entry costs from just £250. The Mighty Minis is another option, with an estimated first-year budget of under £10,000. In this Annual and online at MotorsportDays.com you can find a list of all the championship results, as well as rough costs for each championship, including costs for entry, tyres and repairs. Of course, it’s difficult to give an exact cost for all of these things, and it partly comes down to how much you’re willing to spend, but this guide should help you to establish which championships fit your budget.
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With all this experience under your belt, you may well make it to the stage where you’re looking to join a race team, and it can be a daunting task to find a team and decide which championship you would like to race in. Don’t feel intimidated – get to a meeting and look around the paddock. As you’d expect, there are various teams, but remember the one with the flashiest hospitality doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best. Make the effort to ask racers and organisers who they would recommend, or even get in touch with us at MSD – we’re always happy to help. To give you an idea of costs, the Clio Cup, which is a supporting category to the British Touring Car Championship, can cost in excess of £85,000. Step up to the British Touring Car Championship itself and you could be looking at close to £1 million for a works team, which is why sponsorship plays such a crucial role. Whatever your budget or experience, motor racing is one of the greatest sports on earth. It is hugely rewarding and along the way you will meet some amazing people and friends. Granted, you have to invest time, effort and money, but we can guarantee that you won’t regret taking the plunge and getting started in motorsport. TYPES OF MOTORSPORT • Karting • Rallying • Sprinting • Time attack • Hill climb • Circuit racing • Grad racing GETTING INTO MOTORSPORT • Karting and simulators • Track days • ARDS test • Test days • Racing
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Aintree THE HAIRP IN A NC H O R C R O SS I NG
WATE RWAY C O RNE R
VA LE NTI NE ’ S WAY BE CHE R ’S BE N D VI LL A G E C O RNE R
THE B AN KIN G T O M PRYCE STRAIGHT
S E F TO N S TR A I G H T
PEEL
C O UNTRY C O RNE R C O T TA G E C O R NE R R A I LWAY S TRA I G H T
PIT EXIT
C LUB C O R NE R
R O CKET
SCHOOL
PIT ENTRANCE
H E LL I NG C RO SS I NG
CHU RCH TAT T ’ S C O R NE R
I N T E RN AT I O N A L C I RCU IT C LUB C I RC UI T
C OA S TA L C I RC U I T
G RA ND PRI X C I RC UI T
C LU B C I RC U I T
G RA ND NATI O NA L STEEPLEC H A SE C O URSE
TRACK MAPS Blyton Park
Bedford Autodrome
Brands Hatch
WE STF IE LD BE ND
G P C I RC U I T I NDY C I RC U I T
D ING LE D E LL
NO RT H C IRC U IT LANCASTE R HAWTHO R N BE ND
D ING LE DEL L C O R NE R
THE WIG G LE R THE ‘ UMP ’
HAWTHO R N HILL
JO C HE N B IS H O P S SOUTH C IRC U IT
WEST CI RCU I T
STIR LING S BE ND
USHE R S
E AS T C IRC U IT
PILG R IMS DROP
TWIC K E R S D R UID S
PO RT F R O ID
MC LAR E N
HAILWO O D HILL B U NG A B U NG A
G R AHAM HILL
CL EARWAYS SURTE E S
C O O PE R P I T ENT R A NCE
P I T EX I T
PAD D O C K
CL ARK CURVE BR ABHAM
PAD D O C K HILL BE ND
Cadwell Park
Croft Circuit
Castle Combe
PA RK
P I T EX I T
F O LLY
HAWTHO R N BEND AVO N R ISE
CHRI S CU RVE
P I T EX I T
Q UAR RY
P I T ENT RA NCE
CL ERVAUX
CH I CANE
CA MP C O R NE R
FAR M STR AIG HT
PARK S TR A I G HT
SUNNY
D E AN STR AIG HT
GOOS E N E CK
M A N S FI E LD THE M OU N TAIN
THE E SSE S
H AIR P IN
H AL L B E ND S
WE STWAY
P I T ENT R A NCE
BARC R O F T C O MPLE X
P I T EX I T P I T ENT RA NCE
O LD PAD D O C K BE ND COP P I CE
B O BBIE S
B AR N
HAMME R D O WN
JIM C LAR K E SSE S
HAIR PIN
CH ARLIE S
TO WE R
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Castle Combe Circuit The best club racing in Britain Autosport Magazine
CIRCUIT
SPRING 2016 2015
CASTLE COMBE
In association with
RACE MEETINGS
CAR TRACK DAYS
Mon 28th March Sat/Sun 16th/17th April Mon 2nd May Mon 30th May Sat/Sun 2nd/3rd July (Bikes) Sat/Sun 16th/17th July Mon 29th August Sat 1st October (Classic) Sat 8th October
Full day - £170 FREE tuition from ARDS Instructors Semi-Open Pit format
CASTLE COMBE ADVERT (no fixed groups – join any session)
100dBA Noise Limit (static) Novices / new to track welcome See website for dates & more details
ACTION DAY
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CLASSIC, 2016 KIT & ACTION DAY RETRO SAT 25 JUNE
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CASTLE COMBE
2016
BIKE TRACK DAYS
DRIVING EXPERIENCES
Full Day - £130 FREE tuition from highly experienced instructors Less bikes – more track space!
Passenger Experiences from £40 Driving Experiences from £110 Saloon & Sports Cars Formula Ford 1600 Rally Driving See website for dates & more details
(max 12 bikes on track at one time)
Novices / new to track welcome See website for dates & more details
www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk just off M4 between Bristol & Swindon - 01249 782 417
ACTION DAY
SAT 10 SEPTEMBER
CASTLE COMBE In association with
2016
ACTION DAY SAT 17 SEPTEMBER
SAT 24th SEPTEMBER
Donington Circuit
Knockhill
Goodwood Circuit
NATIO N AL C IRC U IT GP C IRC U IT
LAVANT STR AIG HT
WO O D C O TE C O R NE R
L AVANT C O R NE R
MC L E AN’ S S TA RKE Y ’S B R ID G E
P I T EX I T
C O P P IC E
TAY LO R S
P I T ENT R A NCE
D UF F US D IP
MCI NT RYES
THE C HICANE
OLD HA I RP I N
S T MARY ’ S
CRA N E R
S TAR K E Y ’ S S T R AIG H T
H OLLY W OO D
G LE NVAR IG ILL
P I T ENT R A NCE
BUT CH ERS
HISLO PS G LE NVAR I GI L L
GOD DA RD S
F O G ART Y E SS E S
W HE ATCROF T S TRA I GHT P IT
EN
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AN
CE
C LAR K S P I T EX I T
S HI E LD S S T R AIG H T RED GAT E
F O R DWATE R
P I T E XI T
MAD GWIC K C O R NE R
M E LB OU RN E HA I RP I N
Llandlow Circuit
Mallory Park
Lydden Circuit
NO RTH BE ND BUS STOP C HICANE
C H E SS O NS DR IF T GLU E- P OT
D E VIL’ S E LBO W PA D D OCK S TRA I GHT
D E VIL’ S E L B O W
K IR K BY STR AIG HT
D OVE R SLO PE
P I T ENT R A NCE P I T EX I T
HAIRY HILL
P IL G R IMS
P I T ENT R A NCE
JACKS CU RV E
D E VIL’ S E LBO W
NO O K B E ND
LAK E E SSE S
HA N GE R S TRA I G H T STE BBE STR AIG HT
CANTE R BURY STR AIG HT
GERRARDS
P I T EX I T
PAD D O C K BE ND
Oulton Park
Rockingham
Pembrey Circuit HATC HE TS HAIR PIN
BR O O K SPITF IR E S C L AY H IL L
PAR K STR AIG HT
D R U ID S
G RET T ON
D IBE NI BE ND FOS TE R S CA S CAD E S
HI LL TOP
FOU LS TON S
D E N T O NS
LA KE S I D E
G R AC E LAND S
SC HO O L STR AIG HT
KN I CKE RB ROOK
E SSE S PAD D O C K AR E A
I S LA N D B E N D
STE E L STR AIG HT KI RBY PIF- PAF
C HAPMAN C URVE
PAD D O C K H O NDA C URVE
LODGE
THE AV E N U E
D E E NE
TAR ZAN
D E AR L E AP
C HICANE
OLD H AL L Y E NTWO O D
S HE LL OI LS CORN E R
BR O O K LAND S HAIR PIN
WO O D LAND S SPE E DWAY STR AIG HT
I NT E RN ATIO N AL C IRC U IT
I NT E R NAT I O NAL SU PE R SPO RT SCAR
I S L AN D C IRC U IT
I NT E R NAT I O NAL LO NG
FOS TE RS C IRC U IT
NAT I O NAL C I RC U I T
Silverstone
Snetterton
N ATI ON AL P IT S S T R AIG H T
Thruxton
C O P S E C O R NE R W OOD COTE CORN E R
P I T EX I T P I T E N T R AN C E
B ROOKLA N D S COR NE R
W E LLI NGT O N S T R AIG H T
CLUB
BR R O K LAND S LU FFI E LD CORN E R C HURC H AINT R E E C O R NE R
S I LV E RS TO N E GP NATIO N AL
NE LSO N
MO NT R E AL W I LLIAMS
MAG G O T T S C O R NE R
BR UND LE
BO MB HO LE
M
IL TO
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THE LOOP
AG O STINI
A
B E C K E T T S C O R NE R
H
OGG IES
I N TE RN ATIO N AL
P I T E XI T
BE NTLE Y STR AIG HT
VILLAG E
V I LLA G E C O R NE R
ABBEY
WO O D HAM HILL
MUR R AY S
FA RM CU RVE
G O O D WO O D
PAL ME R
I NTERNATIONA L P I TS S TRA I G HT C H AP E L C U RVE
NO BLE
AL L ARD
SE NNA STR AIG HT R IC H E S
C O R AM C O BB
P I T E N T R AN C E
SE G R AVE
H ANG AR S T R AIG H T
CAMPBEL L
CLU B CORN E R
300 C IRC U I T
VA LE
200 C IRC U I T 100 C IRC U I T S TOWE C O R NE R
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‘Motorsport for cars of all ages’ The Classic Sports Car Club organises friendly club racing with an emphasis on great value for money and high driving standards. We race at the best circuits in the UK and abroad, with simple regulations not based on power or weight. New for 2016: CSCC Open Series, for almost any car running on treaded tyres Separate overall winners and classes for 1970s and 1980s models in the Advantage Motorsport Future Classics BMW M3 class in New Millennium R300 and Bike-engined Sevens classes in Gold Arts Magnificent Sevens n
Pre 1966 GT and Touring cars running to Appendix K (no sports racers)
Sports, Saloons and GT cars originally produced in the 1950s and 1960s
Sports, Saloons and GT cars (with doors) from the 1970s and 1980s
Special Saloons, Thunder Saloons, Special GTs and Modsports produced up to the end of 1993
Production Saloon, Hatchbacks, Sports and GT models produced up to the end of 1999
Post year 2000 production based cars (and their racing variants)
2 litre or under, 4 cylinder Saloon and Hatchback. No turbos or superchargers (except turbo diesels)
Cars based on the Lotus Seven design including Caterham, Lotus, Westfield and similar type cars
Almost anything goes: Kit cars, sports and saloons of any age.
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SNETTERTON 300 9 - 10 April
SILVERSTONE 30 April - 1 May
BRANDS HATCH 4 - 5 June
SPA FRANCORCHAMPS 24 - 26 June
ANGLESEY 23 - 24 July
BRANDS HATCH GP 23 July
THRUXTON 13 - 14 August
DONINGTON PARK 3 - 4 September
CADWELL PARK 17 - 18 September
OULTON PARK 15 October
www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk Classic Sports Car Club @CSCCRacing Tel: 01225 810655
Your Track
E
veryone from the UK should feel as comfortable on European mainland tracks as they do on UKbased tracks.” That’s the comforting advice offered by Ron Simons, founder of RSR, which offers track days, car rental, driving schools and tours at some of the world’s most desirable racing circuits, including Spa Francorchamps and the Nürburgring. While driving at such circuits is the stuff of dreams for many, the comfort of their local UK tracks often overrides the desire to make a trip to the continent. For some, the fear of the unknown can be off-putting. According to Simons, however, the actual difference between UK tracks and their European counterparts is minimal. “The differences are mainly due to the organisers running the events, and since there are many UK organisations running events at Zolder Spa and the Ring it can feel like being on your home track,” he says. As with all things in motorsport, cost is something that must be considered, and Simons himself admits that the perception that racing abroad comes at a high cost is not a myth. Also, with most UK insurances not covering the likes of the Nürburgring, it is the driver that has to stump up the extra cash, adding another expense to an already pricey experience. Simons is keen to point out, though, that drivers should not focus too much on any potential car repair costs when considering a trip abroad. “There are no dangerous tracks, only dangerous drivers,” he says. “When you be-
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A FOREIGN EXPERIENCE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE AT SPA FRANCORCHAMPS AND EXPERIENCE THE FAMOUS EAU ROUGE IS SURELY ON EVERY RACING DRIVER’S WISH LIST. HOWEVER, GOING FURTHER AFIELD TO FOREIGN CIRCUITS CAN PUT OFF SOME PEOPLE, BUT ARE THEY RIGHT TO BE WARY? WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE MAN BEHIND RON SIMONS RACING (RSR) TO FIND OUT WHY UK TRACK ENTHUSIASTS SHOULD EMBRACE THE CHANCE TO TAKE A TRIP OVERSEAS. have and stay within the limits of the car, conditions and skill level, nothing needs to go wrong. With RSR’s instructors you will never crash on the Ring!” Of course, any track-specific preparation that can be undertaken before arriving will put you at an advantage, but with multiple track visits often off limits due to the distance and costs involved, MSD sought Simons’ advice. “Any preparation is good preparation, but you’d have to put it into perspective,” he says. “We call drivers with no real track knowledge who crash at high speed the ‘PlayStation professionals’. Get instruction is our advice for first keeping you safe, and then, as a bonus, because you will learn a lot.” With this instruction under your belt, a familiarisation lap on the track day itself will help towards having you feeling fully prepared. The number of people who make the trip across the Channel to
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experience Spa in person, coupled with the number that have the circuit on their wish list for the future, is enough to highlight its wide-reaching attraction. However, when expectations are high there is always a chance that the reality will not live up to expectation, but Simons is adamant there is no such risk for those who make the journey to Belgium. “My first words during the track walk at Spa, standing at the top of Eau Rouge/Raidillon, are ‘welcome to the best track in the world’,” he states. “Eau Rouge is the best, Puhon is second best, and Blanchimont is third best in the world. All of our Australian and American clients can’t be wrong when they have to travel half the world to get here. For people in the UK, all it takes is to cross the pond.” The fact that, in global terms, UK-based drivers face a relatively short trip to Belgium and Germany should help to encourage
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more people to make the journey, especially when both Spa Francorchamps and the Nürburgring can be ticked off the list in a single trip. “This is what we preach,” Simons states. “The two best tracks in the world are only a onehour drive apart. With so many events and public sessions at both tracks, it’s easy for us to line up a combo, which can be the motoring highlight of your life!” Of course, anyone considering a visit to these world-leading circuits is only right to take their time to weigh up the costs and logistics, and to perfect their itinerary to ensure they get the most out of what can be a oncein-a-lifetime experience. Contrary to stories carried by national and international media in the recent past regarding the potential closure of the Spa circuit due to noise pollution, Simons explains that these stories were simply “played up by the media”. In fact, the “circuit’s licence was ex-
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There are no dangerous tracks, only dangerous drivers tended for another 25 years just recently, so there are no issues here”, he says; great news for anyone with one eye on testing their mettle at this famous venue. Clearly, driving on an overseas circuit shouldn’t feel too foreign at all to anyone who is willing to undertake the right preparation. The only way to really find out if you can handle yourself on some of the world’s best circuits, though, is to experience them for yourself. From what Simons tells MSD, you will not be disappointed.
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HAVING COMPLETED FOUR RACE SEASONS ALL IN THE 750MC DISKLOK RGB CHAMPIONSHIP, I AM PROUD TO BE A MULTI-CLASS CHAMPION, DOUBLE OVERALL CHAMPION AND HOLDER OF SEVERAL LAP RECORDS.
CLUBMAN CONVERSATION…
MAT T H I G G I N S O N E
ver since that first race at Silverstone, the addiction of the “RGB” car has never wavered – in fact it has probably increased! Coming straight into the championship from frequenting track days, the noise of a 13,500rpm engine hits you pretty quickly, as does the the rush of an open cockpit and the sheer physicality of the corner speeds and braking forces involved. Without any prior race experience I managed to master the car – a sports prototype with a
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1,000cc bike engine mid-mounted, rear wheel drive – relatively quickly thanks to a childhood spent hooning around in an off-road go kart with the same layout. I found drawing on 10 years BMX racing also helped hugely with composure and race craft, which are vital transferable components for success. In my second and third seasons I won Class R and the overall championships back-to-back with 17 wins, six more podiums and six lap records from 28 starts. I owed a lot of the success to the car
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(Spire GT3) and the maintenance support from Tim Gray Motorsport. Having achieved all this in a short period whilst also tying the knot in 2014, the 2015 season was set to be a year out of racing and a chance to re-evaluate options for 2016 (like that was going to happen!). I set out this year offering tuition to fellow drivers, which was really rewarding and kept me in and around the amazing paddock atmosphere. I dare say Andy from AB Performance recognised I was ‘loitering’ with intent, so after numer-
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ous ‘chats’ I was going racing again! Spotting a challenge, it would be the unknown of piloting a Class F car, not just for the reduced downforce, but the fact that a Class R champion had never traversed back. Turning up for qualifying at Anglesey after a short test session to familiarise myself I managed to secure pole and go on to win both races, much to the delight of the team and the majority of the paddock. By the end of the next meeting at Snetterton and another two wins, the car was now set-up perfectly and the team could see the potential in the Arion S2. Coming into the last race I had managed nine class wins out of nine starts and four new lap records. Following a mechanical hick-up in the final race, 4th place was good enough to secure the class title and 4th overall, which is an amazing achievement, all things considered.
“Ever since that first race at Silverstone, the addiction of the “RGB” car has never wavered.”
Of course, there are many people to thank, none more so than Mr Andy Bates for putting me in the car, my mechanic Nick Sadler for spannering the Arion meticulously, and the rest of the AB Perfor-
Lotus Servicing & MOTs
Race car preparation
Full body shop facilities
Arrive & drive rental
Road & race repairs
Track & race car builds
Road & track upgrades
Race car storage & transport
mance Team. I’d like also to thank my sponsor, Disklok UK Ltd, for supporting me personally and also for sponsoring our RGB Championship. It truly is the fastest pound for pound series in the country.
on the limit, on track and online Looking for a safe, fun and sociable environment in which to explore the limits of your Lotus?
SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP
New for 2016, support now available for MINI CHALLENGE championships!
Tel: +44 (0)1508 498 899 sales@esmotorsport.co.uk www.esmotorsport.co.uk
Then Lotus-on-Track is for you. Over the last 11 years we’ve run more than 750 events for our 3000+ members. We have over 50 events planned in 2016 - from Donington Park to Spa-Francorchamps and Brands Hatch to Zandvoort.
All run by Lotus enthusiasts voluntarily and without profit. We welcome both beginners and experienced track day drivers. For more information about the club, our events and how to join us on track, please visit our website at
www.lotus-on-track.com
Europe’s largest and most active trackday club
Race
JUNIOR SALOON CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
“RACING JUST GREW UP!”
THE JUNIOR SALOON CAR CHAMPIONSHIP (JSCC) ALLOWS YOUNG DRIVERS TO GET OUT OF KARTS, GRASS TRACKING AND SO ON, AND INTO CARS. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR DRIVERS UNDER THE AGE OF 16 TO OBTAIN CAR RACING EXPERIENCE, BUT THIS CHAMPIONSHIP OFFERS DRIVERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 17 THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A FULL SIZE JSCC RACE CAR AND COMPETE ON NATIONAL CIRCUITS AT A FRACTION OF THE COST OF OTHER COMPARABLE CHAMPIONSHIPS.
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SCC completed a very successful second season in 2015 with healthy grid numbers and excellent driving standards resulting in safe but competitive racing. Ben Colburn earned himself the title of Junior Saloon Car Champion 2015 and will join his brother as a Clio Cup competitor in 2016. The JSCC took over a former championship of 2013, which was the proving ground for a number of competitors who have gone on to have success elsewhere as they became able to compete in senior championships, after reaching the age of 16. These include Daniel Brown who has competed behind the wheel of a Ferrari in the GT Championship, Leyton Clarke who went on to win the Dunlop Sport-
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Max Championship and competed against fellow driver Abbie Eaton, as well as regular Renault UK Clio Cup competitors Aaron Williams, Ant Whorton-Eales, James Dorlin, Ben Dorlin and Josh Cook in the British Touring Car Championship. In 2016 the JSCC will launch its fundraising initiative in association with the Teenage Cancer Trust. A scholarship event is being held in February at Silverstone and the lucky winner will receive a fully supported race car for the season. The scholarship winner’s car will be in Teenage Cancer Trust livery, and car and driver will help promote the charity at events throughout the UK. In addition to this, all championship competitors will have a role to play in raising awareness
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and funds for the trust. The synergy between the charity and the championship lends itself to educating teenagers to be aware that cancer can affect their generation, bearing in mind seven young people are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK. Plus, all-important team effort is encouraged for fundraising activities in the race paddock and at home. The championship prides itself on its excellent driving standards, and help and support is available for all competitors whether they are new to the world of motorsport or have moved up from karting. Further information on the championship can be found at www.juniortouringcars.co
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Championship Results
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ALFA ROMEO CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS 1...........................Graham Seager....................... 225 2..............................James Bishop................................ 202 3..............................Tom Hill......................................... 179 4..............................James Ford.................................... 171 5..............................Ray Foley....................................... 162 6..............................Bryan Shrubb................................ 156 7..............................Dave Messenger........................... 143 8..............................Andy Robinson.............................. 132 9..............................Keith Waite.................................... 131 10............................Paul Plant...................................... 127 Championship organiser: BRSCC Alfashop Alfa Romeo Championship Co-ordinator or contact: Matt Daly Tel: 07782 502612 Email: flatfour63@gmail.com Costs: Set of tyres: Varies as multi class Race entry: Roughly £400 for a double-header
Championship info: The BRSCC Alfa Romeo Championship has been running since the early ‘80s and still remains one of the best supported club racing series in the UK. It offers the opportunity to race in a very friendly, yet highly competitive environment with a wide variety of budget options. Newcomers to racing are warmly welcomed.
ATOM CUP CHAMPIONSHIP NAME POSITION RACE NO. NAME Atom Cup combined............................ Combined Sprint and.............. 15............................... Paul Donkin Sprint and Endurance Endurance Champion Atom Cup Sprint Race Series.....................Sprint Race Champion.................. 7............................... Lee Cunningham Atom Cup Endurance Race Series.............Endurance Race Champion.......... 6................................... Russell Munns Driver nomination: Paul Donkin Reason: Overall champion, winner in all formats Championship organiser: Atom Cup / Atom Cup Race Events Limited Co-ordinator or contact: Peter Ferrigno Tel: 07795 390621 Email: peter.ferrigno@atomcup.com
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Championship info: The Atom Cup comprises Sprint race events on the MSVR package, plus Endurance races as part of the Pirelli Endurance Racing Series. Costs: Set of Tyres: £760 (slicks) Race Entry: £650 sprint races, £1,650 endurance races
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Championship Results
BRSCC MAZDA MX-5 CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 76.............. Brian Chandler......... 1536 2..................... 285...............Darron Lewis.................1526 3..................... 3...................Ben Tuck........................1517 4..................... 31.................Sam Smith......................1428 5..................... 46.................Simon Goddard..............1416 6..................... 23.................Martin Tolley.................1372 7..................... 44.................Paul Bishop....................1366 8..................... 9...................Simon Baldwin..............1364 9..................... 68.................Paul Tucker....................1324 10................... 18.................Clive Powles..................1301 11................... 8...................Michael Fisk..................1190 12................... 6...................Gary Hufford..................1162 13................... 42.................Paul Bateman.................1120 14................... 101...............Simon Woods.................1106 15................... 37.................James Harris.................1026 16................... 41.................Kevin Brent......................958 17................... 62.................William Stephenson........958 18................... 12.................Harry Deane....................932 19................... 29.................Adam Craig.....................916 20................... 55.................Graham Colby.................906 21................... 5...................Richard Collins................838 22................... 22.................Chris Hart........................830 23................... 33.................Jon Hughes......................810 24................... 14.................Ben Short.........................758 25................... 7...................Courtney Jade Milnes.....750 26................... 81.................Richard Breland...............714 27................... 177...............Euan Milne......................678 28................... 188...............Jake Simpson..................654 29................... 63.................Oliver Allwood................602 30................... 4...................David Henderson............596 31................... 61.................Lewis Field......................594 32................... 77.................John Cockburn-Evans ....524 33................... 17.................Russ Lindsay...................522 34................... 117...............Michael Close..................506 35................... 99.................Patrick Collins.................488 36................... 34.................Matt Tasker......................483 37................... 25.................Ivan Leary........................464 38................... 105...............Roger Chesneau..............462 39................... 78.................Kevin Dengate.................436 40................... 96.................Michael Lawson..............416 41................... 88.................Brian Trott........................390 42................... 177...............Drew Forster....................386 43................... 50.................Christian Young...............378
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44................... 30.................Paul Austin......................356 45................... 88.................Stuart Symonds...............346 46................... 118...............Carl Andrew....................308 47................... 75.................Bruce Carter....................306 48................... 0...................Tom Penton......................296 49................... 111...............Danny Green....................292 50................... 15.................Andrew Caird..................286 51................... 80.................Anthony Hutchins...........284 52................... 11.................Ambrogio Perfetti............282 53................... 16.................Matt Pickford...................278 54................... 66.................Nick Riley.........................258 55................... 35.................Matthew Simmonite.......254 56................... 75.................Guy Carter.......................252 57................... 51.................David Birrell.....................246 58................... 69.................Simon Drinkall.................246 59................... 32.................Alex Soar.........................242 60................... 56.................Bryn Griffiths...................240 61................... 82.................William Wood..................234 62................... 129...............Adam Bessell...................206 63................... 36.................Simon Ricketts................177 64................... 67.................Simon Orange..................172 65................... 13.................Paul Maguire...................168 66................... 86.................Pengfei Chen...................168 67................... 72.................Joshua Jackson...............160 68................... 47.................Stephen Craggs...............130 69................... 32.................Liam Brown.....................130 70................... 96.................Henry Lawson.................116 71................... 61.................Steven Andrew................112 72................... 13.................Laurie Grant....................110 73................... 10.................Nick Ponting....................110 74................... 81.................Darren Stapleton...............96 75................... 146...............Matthew Cox.....................88 76................... 85.................Ian McDonald....................84 77................... 107...............Sam Bailey.........................82 78................... 10.................Yoshihiro Ito.......................80 79................... 160...............Chris Mills.........................80 80................... 118...............Greg Edwards...................74 81................... 2...................David Staples....................68 82................... 50.................Steve Worrad.....................68 83................... 65.................Amy Barker........................66 84................... 146...............Oscar Rovelli ....................60 85................... 69.................Luc Paillard........................56 86................... 125...............Matthew Simmons............50 87................... 185...............Garry Townsend................40 88................... 21.................Duncan Carlisle.................22 89................... 0...................Nigel Hudson.....................22 90................... 86.................Romain Sarazin.................22 91................... 82.................Ross Westgate...................20 92................... 0...................Joseph Nehorai.................18 93................... 666...............Piers Chandler...................10
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BRSCC MAZDA MX-5 SUPERCUP
BRSCC MAZDA MX-5 SUPERCUP MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP
POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 90.............. Alan Henderson........ 1596 2..................... 88.................Jonathan Clements.......1517 3..................... 11.................Liam Murphy.................1482 4..................... 46.................Simon Goddard..............1472 5..................... 9...................Jonathan Greensmith...1346 6..................... 95.................Jack Harding.................1288 7..................... 223...............Garry Townsend............1236 8..................... 33.................John Davies...................1204 9..................... 15.................Andrew Caird................1202 10................... 20.................James Aspinall..............1026 11................... 40.................Ray Worley.....................1006 12................... 76.................Richard Wicklen..............926 13................... 3...................James Blake-Baldwin.....919 14................... 71.................Geoff Gouriet...................904 15................... 55.................George Line.....................868 16................... 29.................Anthony Nield.................814 17................... 68.................Justin Newnam...............740 18................... 18.................Paul Sheard......................724 19................... 19.................Carl Garnett....................722 20................... 93.................Russell Tamplin...............682 21................... 23.................John Munro......................679 22................... 4...................Will Chappell...................678 23................... 12.................Andy Coombs..................586 24................... 77.................Jeremy Crook...................584 25................... 96.................Michael Lawson..............568 26................... 89.................Will Picken.......................552 27................... 16.................Adam Brindle..................510 28................... 39.................Paul O’Neill .....................495 29................... 89.................Daniel Irving....................495 30................... 69.................George Grant...................460 31................... 27.................Jim Hart...........................454 32................... 42.................Charlie Charman.............404 33................... 7...................Ray Grimes......................356 34................... 5...................Robert Way......................354 35................... 74.................Ben Webster....................304 36................... 44.................Abbie Eaton....................276 37................... 22.................Chris Dawkins.................255 38................... 19.................Andy Baylie.....................244 39................... 10.................Henry Lawson.................228 40................... 25.................Steve Dolman..................208 41................... 2...................Robin Marriot..................194 42................... 85.................Ian McDonald..................188 43................... 47.................Simon Traves...................167 44................... 43.................Tim Wright.......................166 45................... 85.................Annalese Ferrari..............134 46................... 10.................Ben Constanduros.............72 47................... 6...................Julian Taylor......................60 48................... 28.................Tom Collins........................60
POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 40.............. Ray Worley.................... 41 2..................... 77.................Jeremy Crook.....................28 3..................... 27.................Jim Hart.............................23 4..................... 95.................Andy Baylie.......................19 5..................... 8...................Andy Coombs....................12 6..................... 2...................Robin Marriot......................6
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Championship organiser: BRSCC Co-ordinator or contact: Mandy Andrew / Ray Worley Tel: 07973 665176 / 0777 8866164 Email: mandy.andrew@btinternet.com / Ray@BorehamMotorsport.com Championship info: www.brsccmazda.com / www.mx5supercup.co.uk
Costs: BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship Average incident repair cost: £400 Set of tyres: £240 Race entry: £405 Other costs: £300 registration fee
Costs: BRSCC Mazda MX-5 SuperCup Average incident repair cost: £400 Set of tyres: £500 Race entry: £405
Costs: BRSCC Mazda MX-5 SuperCup Masters Championship Average incident repair cost: £400 Set of tyres: £500 Race entry: £405 Other costs: £300 registration fee
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Championship Results
2015 BOOKATRACK.COM CATERHAM SUPERLIGHT R300-S CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 16.............. Dave Robinson............ 293 2..................... 19.................Aaron Head.....................288 3..................... 32.................Lee Wiggins....................256 4..................... 46.................Jon Mortimer...................255 5..................... 18.................Sean Byrne.......................250 6..................... 66.................Paul Thacker....................219 7..................... 88.................Matt Dyer.........................208 8..................... 95.................Jason Redding.................206 9..................... 44.................John Whitehouse............161 10................... 4...................Jeremy Ellis.....................147 11................... 69.................Stephen Collins...............145 12................... 82.................Stewart Calder................140 13................... 6...................Michael Gazda................123 14................... 5...................Trevor Carvey..................121 15................... 54.................Brent Millage...................119 16................... 3...................Keith Ashworth...............115 17................... 55.................Steve Ruston.....................98 18................... 17.................Paul O’reilly.......................81 19................... 10.................Paul Allen..........................38
2015 AVON TYRES CATERHAM SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 46.............. Stephen Nuttall.......... 280 2..................... 85.................Clive Richards.................274 3..................... 18.................Phil Jenkins.....................271 4..................... 47.................William Smith..................255 5..................... 8...................Danny Killeen..................246 6..................... 88.................Nick Portlock...................191 7..................... 93.................Andres Sinclair................181 8..................... 65.................Tony Mingoia...................178 9..................... 19.................Alistair Weaver...............178 10................... 6...................Nick Powell......................172 11................... 77.................Christopher Wright.........141 12................... 99.................Simon Ledger..................141 13................... 26.................Roy Gray..........................135
ANNUAL 2016
14................... 4...................Richard Noordhof............132 15................... 34.................Ian Sparshott...................131 16................... 86.................John O’Brien....................130 17................... 5...................Lucy Redding..................118 18................... 50.................David Briault.....................92 19................... 81.................Albert Vella.......................91 20................... 11.................Michael Sauer....................90 21................... 2...................John Reid...........................83 22................... 67.................Gavin Crawford.................80 23................... 10.................Dale Head..........................71 24................... 95.................David Russell.....................62 25................... 44.................Tom Woodcock..................62 26................... 3...................Keith Ashworth.................52 27................... 9...................Andrew West.....................37 28................... 45.................Paul Mortimer....................33 29................... 42.................Rod Arnold........................28 30................... 40.................Fraser Greenshields..........26 31................... 16.................James Robinson................25 32................... 61.................Paul Lewis.........................20 33................... 33.................Bronek Masojada...............16 34................... 28.................Jurgen Rigterink...............16 35................... 15.................Tom Miserendino...............15 36................... 69.................Adrian Hume.....................14 37................... 58.................Martin Amison..................11 38................... 68.................Zoltan Csabai......................9
2015 AVON TYRES CATERHAM TRACKSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 44.............. Timothy Dickens........ 263 2..................... 88.................Henry Heaton..................261 3..................... 20.................Dan Gore..........................257 4..................... 90.................Jack Brown......................256 5..................... 10.................Max Robinson..................227 6..................... 78.................Chris Hutchinson............226 7..................... 99.................Max McDonagh...............223 8..................... 87.................Christian Szaruta............209 9..................... 11.................Lee Bristow.....................174 10................... 35.................Jack Sales........................168 11................... 14.................Richard Osgerby.............153 12................... 93.................Mike Evans......................143 13................... 58.................Richard Ainscough..........137 14................... 21.................Christina Maple...............126 15................... 23.................Scott Harrison.................122 16................... 24.................James Houston................118 17................... 15.................David Yates......................116 18................... 66.................Rob Clay..........................114 19................... 46.................Justin Armstrong............101 20................... 18.................Cedric Bloch......................88
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Championship organiser: Caterham Cars / BRSCC Co-ordinator or contact: Jennifer Mouratsing Tel: 01322 625813 Email: jennifer.mouratsing@caterham.com
Championship Results
21................... 67.................Douglas Christie...............86 22................... 12.................Andy Whitton....................69 23................... 80.................Rob Brown.........................59 24................... 57.................Alan Gower.......................54 25................... 63.................Pete Basterfield.................49 26................... 27.................Nick Stevens......................39 27................... 52.................Martin Pratt.......................36 28................... 28.................Philip Andrews.................26 29................... 70.................Mark Davies.......................25 30................... 45.................Steve Evans.......................19 31................... 77.................Alan Pegram......................17 32................... 68.................Tony Stevens.......................8 33................... 60.................Stuart Hood.........................2 34................... 81.................Marc Pilgrem.......................2 35................... 6...................Nick Pratt.............................0 36................... 64.................Christian Seymour..............0 37................... 69.................Thomas Garrard..................0
2015 AVON TYRES CATERHAM ROADSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 10.............. David Webber............. 265 2..................... 4...................Anthony Barnes..............256 3..................... 8...................Olly Wigg.........................244 4..................... 66.................Damian Milkins...............227 5..................... 97.................Steve McCulley...............202 6..................... 27.................Ian Thompson..................184 7..................... 33.................Barry Moore.....................183 8..................... 77.................Paul Aram........................173 9..................... 15.................Alistair Calvert................173 10................... 30.................Benjamin Wigg................172 11................... 54.................Andy Ebdon.....................171 12................... 45.................Andrew Johnson.............170 13................... 5...................Peter Rimer......................153 14................... 19.................Donald Henshall..............151 15................... 17.................Graham Williams.............142 16................... 56.................Paul Wells........................142 17................... 2...................Matthew Reeve...............136 18................... 87.................Joe Draper.......................132 19................... 24.................Oliver Wilkinson................87 20................... 47.................David Morris......................86 21................... 68.................Simon Baker.......................78 22................... 38.................Phil Jerome........................62 23................... 62.................David Badger.....................58 24................... 63.................Martin Emkes....................56 25................... 73.................Alan Mitchell.....................53 26................... 11.................Rob Ryder..........................51 27................... 83.................Charlie Emkes...................39 28................... 50.................Ian Wakelin........................22 29................... 23.................Duncan Higgins................15 30................... 29.................Osmond Jones.....................6 31................... 28.................Alexis Gray-Cowley............0
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2015 GQ CATERHAM ACADEMY CHAMPIONSHIP WHITE GROUP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 11.............. Andy Perry.................. 150 2..................... 55.................Russ Olivant....................148 3..................... 82.................Lee Collins.......................131 4..................... 88.................Daniel Quintero...............124 5..................... 5...................Chris Aubrey...................119 6..................... 65.................Simon Throw...................117 7..................... 23.................Adarsh Radia.....................96 8..................... 33.................Mark Jones........................96 9..................... 73.................Douglas Thain...................91 10................... 53.................Matthew Welch.................84 11................... 71.................Alan Cooper.......................83 12................... 86.................Thomas Crompton.............80 13................... 17.................Daniel Bremner..................78 14................... 18.................David Bengis.....................71 15................... 9...................Dan Martin........................70 16................... 42.................GQ Car...............................68 17................... 14.................Gary Foord.........................65 18................... 16.................Sam McPartland................63 19................... 19.................Sunil Jain...........................61 20................... 89.................Sascha Kasprowiak.............7
2015 GQ CATERHAM ACADEMY CHAMPIONSHIP GREEN GROUP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 21.............. Rui Ferreira................. 148 2..................... 24.................Rob Yates.........................137 3..................... 29.................Will Lloyd.........................132 4..................... 10.................David Bevan....................129 5..................... 22.................Kieran McAleer...............124 6..................... 74.................Rob Watts........................122 7..................... 69.................Jon Curry.........................115 8..................... 8...................Simon Sharrock................112 9..................... 77.................Andy Larholt....................108 10................... 13.................Bob Willis...........................98 11................... 6...................Nick Vince.........................95 12................... 50.................Greg Hyatt.........................87 13................... 99.................Paul Maley.........................80 14................... 27.................Barn Geib...........................80 15................... 35.................Peter Reynolds..................75 16................... 3...................Sarah Porter.......................72 17................... 70.................Andrew Burd.....................63 18................... 61.................Adrian Poulton..................57 19................... 2...................Thomas Munk....................51 20................... 60.................Kerry O’Connell.................38
RACE
ANNUAL 2016
Championship Results
CSCC CLASSIC K CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton............................................................ 20................................................ Mark Halstead/Stuart McPherson Silverstone........................................................... 16...................................................................................David Tomlin Brands Hatch....................................................... 97............................................................. Nick Atkins/Ross Curnow Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 49............................................................ Kallum Gray/Michael Gray Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 49............................................................ Kallum Gray/Michael Gray Donington Park.................................................... 113................................................................Dan Cox/Oliver Stirling Oulton Park.......................................................... 75.............................................................................. Robert Bremner Driver nomination: Mark Halstead / Stuart McPherson Reason: Sharing a Lotus Elan S2, Mark and Stuart have taken one overall race win and have been the most consistent finishers in Classic K in 2015. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 810655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
Series info: The Classic K series is for pre-1966 GT and Touring cars running to Appendix K (no sports racers). A series of one-hour races for 1 or 2 drivers with a mandatory pit stop. No extra charge for 2nd drivers.
Costs: Set of tyres: Dunlop Historic L or M compound Race entry: £445 UK, £555 Spa Other costs: Club membership £39 for 12 months, £99 series registration
ADVANTAGE MOTORSPORT FUTURE CLASSICS CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton 300..................................................... 7................................................................................. Martyn Adams Silverstone........................................................... 22..............................................Bill Lancashire/Howard Lancashire Brands Hatch....................................................... 23.............................................................David Ball/Tom Houlbrook Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 79...................................................................................Mark Chilton Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 79...................................................................................Mark Chilton Rockingham......................................................... 58.................................................................................. Darren Smith Mallory Park........................................................ 156.................................................................................Tony Maryon Donington Park.................................................... 2.......................................................................................... Nic Olson Oulton Park.......................................................... 79...................................................................................Mark Chilton Brands Hatch....................................................... 45............................................................. Stephen Scott-Dunwoodie
ANNUAL 2016
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Championship Results
Driver nomination: Matthew Lewis Reason: Most consistent driver over the season. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 810655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
Costs: Set of tyres: MSA list 1A/1B/1C treaded tyres Race entry: From £325 UK, £555 Spa Other costs: Club membership £39, £99 series registration. Series info: The Advantage Motorsport Future Classics series is for Sports, Saloons and GT cars (with doors) originally produced in the 1970s and 1980s. Races are 40-minutes with a mandatory pitstop. 30-minute qualifying on the same day. Entries can be 1 or 2 drivers sharing a car or a 2 car team, no extra charge for 2nd driver. New for 2016 will be separate groups for ‘70s and ‘80s cars with separate overall winners for each group.
GOLD ARTS MAGNIFICENT SEVENS GROUP 1 CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton............................................................ 84.................................................................................... Steve Owen Silverstone........................................................... 84.................................................................................... Steve Owen Brands Hatch....................................................... 5...................................................................Wil Arif/Steven Mansell Rockingham......................................................... 117.................................................................................... Matt Spark Mallory Park........................................................ 117.................................................................................... Matt Spark Donington Park.................................................... 117.................................................................................... Matt Spark Oulton Park.......................................................... 162.................................................... John Saunders/Alex Saunders Brands Hatch....................................................... 110.................................................................................. Lee Bristow
GOLD ARTS MAGNIFICENT SEVENS GROUP 2 CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton............................................................ 100..................................................................................Simon Smith Silverstone........................................................... 1..................................................................................... Peter Ratcliff Brands Hatch....................................................... 1..................................................................................... Peter Ratcliff Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 278........................................................................ Danny Winstanley Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 278........................................................................ Danny Winstanley Rockingham......................................................... 78.......................................................................... Danny Winstanley Mallory Park........................................................ 78.......................................................................... Danny Winstanley Donington Park.................................................... 78.......................................................................... Danny Winstanley Oulton Park.......................................................... 78.......................................................................... Danny Winstanley Brands Hatch....................................................... 64........................................................................................ Tom Eden
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ANNUAL 2016
Championship Results
Driver nomination: Group 1 Matt Spark, Group 2 Danny Winstanley Reason: Matt Spark has been the most consistent driver in group 1 across the season with 3 overall wins. Danny Winstanley has taken 6 wins over the course of the season for group 2. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 810655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
Series info: The Gold Arts Magnificent Sevens race series is for cars based on the Lotus Seven design, including Caterham, Lotus, Westfield, MK and similar type cars. The series is split into 2 groups, Group 1 for cars up to 185bhp and Group 2 for cars over 185bhp. Races are 40-minutes with a mandatory pit stop. Entries can be 1 or 2 drivers in a single car or a 2 car team, no extra charge for 2nd drivers. New for 2016 will be separate classes for bike engined cars and Caterham R300.
Costs: Set of tyres: MSA list 1A/1B/1C treaded tyres Race entry: From £325 UK, £555 Spa Other costs: Club membership £39 for 12 months, £99 series registration.
CSCC MODERN CLASSICS CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton............................................................ 123............................................................ Paul Mather/Lee Spencer Silverstone........................................................... 36............................................... Mark Smith/James Moulton-Smith Brands Hatch....................................................... 46................................................................................Miles Masarati Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 17........................................................ David Marcussen/David Cuff Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 12................................................. Andrew Syzmanski/Barry O’Neill Rockingham......................................................... 77............................................... Darren Fielding/Matthew Fielding Mallory Park........................................................ 36............................................... Mark Smith/James Moulton-Smith Donington Park.................................................... 33............................................................................... Tom Houlbrook Silverstone GP..................................................... 17........................................................................... David Marcussen Brands Hatch....................................................... 88................................................................................... Daniel Wylie Driver nomination: Andy Napier Reason: Andy has been the most consistent racer in his class during the season and has raced at every round. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 810655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
Series info: The Modern Classics series is designed for most production Saloon, Hatchback, Sports and GT models produced up to the end of 1999. 40-minute races with a mandatory pit stop and 30-min qualifying on the same day. Entries can be 1 or 2 drivers in a single car or racing as a 2 car team, no extra charge for 2nd drivers. Costs: Set of tyres: MSA list 1A/1B/1C treaded tyres Race entry: From £325 UK, £555 Spa Other costs: Club Membership £39 for 12 months, £99 series registration.
ANNUAL 2016
RACE
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075
Championship Results
CSCC NEW MILLENNIUM CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton............................................................ 58...................................................... Nick Randall/Fabio Randaccio Silverstone........................................................... 22........................................................................................ Tim Davis Brands Hatch....................................................... 76............................................................... Alan Broad/James Broad Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 258.................................................... Fabio Randaccio/Nick Randall Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 277........................................................................ Christian Douglas Rockingham......................................................... 331...........................................................Tom Houlbrook/David Ball Mallory Park........................................................ 86.......................................Kevin Bird/Charles Hyde-Andrews-Bird Donington Park.................................................... 58.................................................... Fabio Randaccio/James Affleck Silverstone GP..................................................... 22........................................................................................ Tim Davis Brands Hatch....................................................... 89................................................................................... Daniel Wylie Driver nomination: Tim Davis Reason: Tim has been the most consistent driver over the season with 2 overall race wins and many class victories. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 810655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
Series info: The New Millennium series is designed for post year 2000 production based cars (and their racing variants) and for cars that are deemed to be ‘in the spirit of the regulations’ - for example, older cars running non-standard aero or sequential gearboxes. Entries can be 1 or drivers sharing a car or a 2 car team. Races are 40-minutes with a mandatory pit stop with 30-minute qualifying on the same day. No extra charge for 2nd drivers. New for 2016 will be 2 classes for ‘Turbo Tin Tops’ for front wheel drive forced induction cars and a BMW M3 class. Costs: Set of tyres: MSA list 1A/1B/1C Race entry: From £325 UK, £555 Spa Other costs: Club membership £39 for 12 months, £99 series registration.
CSCC SPECIAL SALOONS AND MODSPORTS CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Silverstone Race 1............................................... 309................................................................................ Danny Morris Silverstone Race 2............................................... 176................................................................................... Matt Moore Brands Hatch Race 1........................................... 176................................................................................... Matt Moore Brands Hatch Race 2........................................... 176................................................................................... Matt Moore Mallory Park Race 1............................................ 17........................................................................................... Ian Hall Mallory Park Race 2............................................ 77...................................................................................... Paul Sibley Mallory Park Race 3............................................ 17........................................................................................... Ian Hall Donington Park Race 1........................................ 176................................................................................... Matt Moore Donington Park Race 2........................................ 71................................................................................... Steven Moss
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ANNUAL 2016
Championship Results
Driver nomination: Matt Moore Reason: Taking 4 overall wins over the season Matt has been the most consistent driver in 2015. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 810655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
Series info: A series of races for Special Saloons, Super Saloons, Thunder Saloons, Donington GTs and Modsports. Double-triple header 15-minute races with 20-minute qualifying.
Costs: Set of tyres: Free choice of tyre Race entry: From £295 Other costs: Club membership £39 for 12 months, £99 series registration.
CSCC SWINGING SIXTIES GROUP 1 CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton 300..................................................... 10.....................................................................................Dave Bailey Silverstone........................................................... 15.................................................... Mark Davies/Alex Montgomery Brands Hatch....................................................... 56..........................................................................Adam Cunnington Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 91.................................................... Matthew Howell/Julian Howell Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 91.................................................... Matthew Howell/Julian Howell Rockingham......................................................... 111.................................................................................... Tim Cairns Mallory Park........................................................ 111.................................................................................... Tim Cairns Donington Park.................................................... 106........................................................................... Chris Watkinson Oulton Park.......................................................... 191.................................................. Matthew Howell/Julian Howell
CSCC SWINGING SIXTIES GROUP 2 CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton 300..................................................... 24................................................ Mark Halstead/Stuart McPherson Silverstone........................................................... 97............................................................................Raymond Barrow Brands Hatch....................................................... 26...............................................................................Mark Campbell Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 19.......................................................... William Plant/Richard Plant Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 97............................................................................Raymond Barrow Rockingham......................................................... 24................................................ Mark Halstead/Stuart McPherson Mallory Park........................................................ 1...................................................................Ben Gough/Iain Daniels Donington Park.................................................... 69........................................................................................ Luke Wos Oulton Park.......................................................... 24................................................ Mark Halstead/Stuart McPherson
ANNUAL 2016
RACE
TRACK
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077
Championship Results
Series info: Swinging Sixties is for all Sports, Saloons and GT cars originally produced in the 1950s and 1960s. The series is split into 2 groups for smaller and larger engined cars. A very popular and long running series. Races are 40 minutes with a pit stop. Entries can be 1 or 2 drivers sharing a car or a 2 car team. No extra charge for 2nd drivers. The addition of a series sponsor for 2016 will see the series become the ‘Adams and Page Swinging Sixties’ series.
Driver nomination: Group 1 Tim Cairns, Group 2 Ben Gough/Iain Daniels Reason: Most consistent drivers in each group. Tim Cairns has attended every race meeting with 2 overall race wins. Ben Gough and Iain Daniels share a car as a 2 driver team. They have attended most races in 2015 with 1 overall race win but have been consistent throughout. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 810655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
Costs: Set of tyres: MSA list 1A/1B/1C Dunlop Historic Tyres or Goodyear Blue Streaks Race entry: From £325 UK, £555 Spa Other costs: Club membership £39 for 12 months, £99 series registration.
CSCC TIN TOPS CIRCUIT RACE NUMBER RACE WINNER Snetterton 300..................................................... 22.................................................................................. Paul Mensley Silverstone........................................................... 80.................................................................................. Tom Mensley Brands Hatch....................................................... 88.................................................................... Chris Boon/Nick Boon Spa Francorchamps Race 1................................. 122................................................................................ Paul Mensley Spa Francorchamps Race 2................................. 122................................................................................ Paul Mensley Rockingham......................................................... 62.................................................... Colin Simpson/Steven Simpson Mallory Park........................................................ 22.................................................................................. Paul Mensley Donington Park.................................................... 4................................................................................. Richard Woods Oulton Park.......................................................... 156................................................................................. Lee Williams Brands Hatch....................................................... 6...................................................................................... Russell Hird
Driver nomination: Andrew Windmill Reason: Andrew has been the most consistent driver over the course of the season with many class wins. Series organiser: Classic Sports Car Club Co-ordinator or contact: David Smitheram Tel: 01225 610655 Email: info@classicsportscarclub.co.uk
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Series info: The Tin Tops series is for 2 litre or under, 4 cylinder, Saloon and Hatchback cars of any age. No turbo/supercharged cars (except turbo diesels). Races are 40 minutes with a mandatory pit stop. Entries can be 1 or 2 drivers sharing a car or a 2 car team, no extra charge for 2nd drivers. Costs: Set of tyres: MSA list 1A/1B/1C treaded tyres Race entry: From £325 UK, £555 Spa Other costs: Club membership £39 for 12 months, £99 series registration.
RACE
ANNUAL 2016
Championship Results
F3 CUP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 16.............. Aaron Steele............... 445 2..................... 8...................Stuart Wiltshire...............351 3..................... 3...................Louis Hamilton-Smith.....334 4..................... 10.................Jacopo Sebastiani...........331 5..................... 11.................Daniel Tapinos.................296 6..................... 9...................Adrian Holey...................174 7..................... 50.................Henry Chart.....................163 8..................... 7...................Tony Bishop.....................113 9..................... 51.................Kieran Vernon....................94 10................... 12.................Hywel Lloyd......................60 11................... 48.................Frank Thomas....................52 12................... 7...................Malcolm Scott....................50 13................... 15.................Wade Eastwood................48 14................... 12.................Alf Skeels...........................48 15................... 27.................James Ledamun................30 16................... 24.................Matt Payne........................22 17................... 30.................James Simons....................18 18................... 20.................Lee McCrumlish................14
Championship info: The prestigious F3 Cup Championship provides the only opportunity to race close-to-contemporary Formula 3 cars at premier UK circuits on an affordable budget. Formula 3 has for many years been a proving ground for motorsport’s stars, with the combination of skill and technology continuing to appeal to drivers of all backgrounds. By employing previous generation – but still highly competitive – machinery, F3 Cup is able to open up the world of Formula 3 racing to a much wider audience and with the new for 2016 Open Class being added, this will allow people to race Formula 3 machinery without the high engine costs.
Driver nomination: Stuart Wiltshire Reason: Worked very hard to make pre-season gains with a new training regime and dieting. Testing and working hard with a driver coach. Moving from mid-pack to front runner, taking several outright podiums and challenging for wins. Championship organiser: MSVR Co-ordinator or contact: Simon Davey Tel: 01327 843056 / 07770 38648 Email: f3cup@msvracing.co.uk
GINETTA JUNIOR IRELAND POSITION RACE NUMBER NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................................. 3............................................Jordan Dempsey.....................................................196 2.....................................27............................................... James Roe.........................................................................186 3.....................................84............................................... Samuel Harron..................................................................140 4.....................................41............................................... William Harron.................................................................125 5.....................................55............................................... Loris Nikolov.....................................................................112 6.....................................9................................................. Charlie Linnane................................................................103 7.....................................88............................................... Morgan Quinn....................................................................94 8.....................................5................................................. Daragh Denning.................................................................80 9.....................................22............................................... Cameron Fenton.................................................................60 10...................................21............................................... Megan Campbell................................................................53 11...................................36............................................... Hollie Byrne..........................................................................8
ANNUAL 2016
RACE
TRACK
ROAD
079
Championship Results
LOTUS ELISE TROPHY CHAMPIONSHIP
ELISE TROPHY
POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 91.............. Luigi............................ 324 Valentino Mazza 2..................... 34.................James Little.....................310 3..................... 92.................Craig Denman.................283 4..................... 69.................Ryan Savage....................279 5..................... 7...................David Ellesley..................221 6..................... 11.................Jason McInulty................215 7..................... 116...............Freddie.............................194 Hetherington 8..................... 54.................Simon Oakley...................192 9..................... 10.................David Alexander.............169 10................... 29.................Jason Baker.....................157 11................... 12.................Seth Walpole....................153 12................... 49.................David Stead.....................149 13................... 97.................Daniel Rowbottom..........144 14................... 25.................Paul Pattison....................134 15................... 20.................Steve Edwards................129 16................... 57.................Neil Stothert....................119 17................... 37.................Mark Yates.........................90 18................... 63.................Paul Baker..........................85 19................... 55.................Mads Petersen...................77 20................... 6...................Clive Willis........................70 21................... 34.................Andrew Bentley................68 22................... 85.................Stuart Ratcliff....................62 22................... 85.................Anthony Dunn...................62 24................... 88.................George White....................36 25................... 18.................Chris Perkins.....................34 26................... 14.................Jackie Perkins...................31 27................... 16.................Mike Perkins......................30 28................... 19.................Peter Mansfield.................28 29................... 5...................Stephen Morrison..............26 30................... 30.................Dave Carr...........................16 Championship info: LCUK runs three MSA approved Championships - Lotus Elise Trophy, Lotus Cup Supersport and Lotus Cup Production. The series caters for cars ranging from cost effective Lotus Elise S1 k series cars with 170bhp as well as later S2 and S3 variants all performanced balanced on power to weight ratio basis. The Supersport Series is a great starting point for those looking to progress to higher level GT racing.
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LOTUS CUP SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP (OVERALL) POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 73.............. Adrian Hall................. 287 2..................... 2...................Ken Savage......................271 3..................... 9...................Adam Gore......................271 4..................... 51.................Alex Reed........................263 5..................... 1...................Adam Knight...................239 6..................... 24.................Ian Fenwick.....................225 7..................... 72.................Adam Balon.....................223 8..................... 44.................Andrew Wright................193 9..................... 77.................Philip Britten...................186 9..................... 77.................Ryan Hooker....................186 10................... 62.................Tom Chatterway..............166 11................... 39.................Simon Deacon..................150 12................... 70.................Marcus Jewell.................144 13................... 78.................Stuart Patterson................77 14................... 78.................Paul Bartley.......................56 15................... 15.................David Mcinulty..................51 16................... 78.................Mark Walker......................40 16................... 31.................Tamis Vzin.........................40 17................... 30.................Benedek Major..................39 18................... 8...................Janos Santa.......................38 19................... 89.................Harry Woodhead...............36 20................... 80.................Steve Train.........................32 21................... 21.................Rob Myers..........................29 22................... 116...............Freddie Hetherington........29 23................... 11.................Jason Mcinulty..................27 24................... 4...................Andrew Hamilton..............23 25................... 4...................Stephen Parrott.................23
RACE
ANNUAL 2016
Championship Results
LOTUS CUP PRODUCTION CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME 1................... 34.................................... James Little 1..................... 34.................................... Andrew Bentley 2..................... 85........................................ Stuart Ratcliff 2..................... 85....................................... Anthony Dunn 3..................... 69.......................................... Ryan Savage 4..................... 65.......................................John Lamaster 4..................... 65....................................... Craig Denman 5..................... 97................................ Daniel Rowbottom 6..................... 29........................................... Jason Baker 7..................... 22............................................. Ben Brooks 8..................... 22............................................. Lee Brooks 9..................... 7..........................................David Ellesley 10................... 54.........................................Simon Oakley 11................... 116..........................Freddie Hetherington
ANNUAL 2016
12................... 99............................Richard Hywel Evans 13................... 49........................................... David Stead 14................... 91.......................... Luigi Valentino Mazza 15................... 25..........................................Paul Pattison 16................... 37............................................. Mark Yates 17................... 10................................... David Alexander 17................... 11...................................... Jason Mcinulty 19................... 63.............................................. Paul Baker 20................... 3....................................... Stefan Donnelly 20................... 3...................................... Martin Donnelly 22................... 6...............................................Clive Willis 23................... 57.......................................... Neil Stothert 24................... 111..................................... James Webley 24................... 111................................. Matthew Noakes 26................... 12..........................................Seth Walpole 27................... 111.................................... Steve Mcculley 28................... 111...................................... Gary Dunning 29................... 20...................................... Steve Edwards 30................... 38................................ Charlotte Burridge 30................... 38.................................. Mackenzie Taylor
RACE
TRACK
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081
Championship Results
LOTUS CUP SUPERSPORT EXIGE CLASS POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 9................ Adam Gore.................. 271 2..................... 51.................Alex Reed........................263 3..................... 1...................Adam Knight...................239 4..................... 77.................Philip Britten...................186 5..................... 77.................Ryan Hooker....................186 6..................... 78.................Stuart Patterson................77 7..................... 78.................Paul Bartley.......................56 8..................... 78.................Mark Walker......................40 9..................... 31.................Tamis Vzin.........................40 10................... 30.................Benedek Major..................39 11................... 8...................Janos Santa.......................38 12................... 71.................Douglas Campbell.............20
LOTUS CUP SUPERSPORT 2-ELEVEN CLASS POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 2................ Ken Savage................. 271 2..................... 62.................Tom Chatterway..............166 3..................... 39.................Simon Deacon..................150 4..................... 70.................Marcus Jewell.................144 5..................... 80.................Steve Train.........................32 6..................... 21.................Rob Myers..........................29
LOTUS CUP SUPERSPORT OPEN CLASS POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 73.............. Adrian Hall................. 287 2..................... 24.................Ian Fenwick.....................225 3..................... 44.................Andrew Wright................193 4..................... 15.................David McInulty..................51 5..................... 89.................Harry Woodhead...............36 6..................... 116...............Freddie Hetherington........29 7..................... 29.................Jason McInulty..................27 8..................... 4...................Andrew Hamilton..............23 8..................... 4...................Stephen Parrott.................23
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Driver nomination: Alex Reed Reason: Alex started racing with us when he couldn’t even legally drive on the road. He’d never driven a rear wheel drive before and got to grips with the 350bhp Exige V6 Cup R quickly, taking a stunning win at the second round of the championship. The points structure, which has been modified for 2016, didn’t favour his class so he missed out on the championship but set a series of poles, fastest laps and race wins in challenging conditions. He also set pole for the Anglesey Race of Remembrance in November before a fire ended his race. Alex is going on to British GT4 in 2016 and is a definite GT star of the future. This guy will race at Le Mans. Championship organiser: LCUK Ltd Co-ordinator or contact: Stephen Docherty Tel: 07590 688 211 Email: stephen@lotuscupuk.com Costs: Lotus Elise Trophy Championship Average incident repair cost: With a bonded aluminium tub and most things just bolt on/bolt off, repair costs are fairly low. More importantly, driving standards are very high with very few car-to-car contact incidents. Set of tyres: From £448 plus VAT Race entry: From £450 including hospitality Costs: Lotus Cup Supersport Championship (Overall) Average incident repair cost: 2015 saw zero car-to-car contact related incidents in the Supersport Championship, with exceptional driving standards and penalties for poor driving enforced via Championship points deduction. Set of tyres: From £495 plus VAT – DRY From £716 plus VAT – WET Race entry: £850 including hospitality Cost: Lotus Cup Production Championship These cars are typically the same as the Elise Trophy Production Cars with a plethora of pattern parts available. Typical costs: wishbone £125, damper £200, wheel from £50, front clamshell from £450. Set of tyres: From £495 plus VAT depending on car Race entry: £850 including hospitality
ANNUAL 2016
8 round 2016 Calendar includes Silverstone GP, Brands GP, Donington Park, Oulton Park, Snetterton, Spa Francorchamps Entry fees from £450, cars from £12,000 Garages and Hospitality included, team support available
New for 2016 - Fixed price arrive drive racing available
1.0 ADVERT
£25,000 + VAT – Elise Trophy - 8 rounds - 17 races £35,000 + VAT – Lotus Cup UK – 8 rounds - 13 races Prices include tyres, fuel, entry, fees, insurance, car hire and support.
e: info@lotuscupuk.com w: www.lotuscupuk.com
ELISE TROPHY
Championship Results
Driver nomination: Jordan Dempsey Reason: Jordan started in Ginetta Junior Ireland at the age of 14 and has excelled in the championship, winning this year he is now a contender for the Young Driver of the Year with Motorsport Ireland and is in with a chance to win the €50k award sponsored by the Irish Sports Council, Motorsport Ireland and Dunlop. Championship organiser: Ginetta Junior Ireland Co-ordinator or contact: Ann Stevens Tel: 00353862468700 Email: annstevens@ginettajuniorieland.com
Costs: Average incident repair cost: €400 Set of tyres: €600 Race entry: €320
Championship info: Ginetta Junior Ireland is a racing series for 14 to 17-year-old competitors competing in Ginetta G20s. The championship has been running in Ireland since 2010 with great success.
CLASS A — MIGHTY MINIS POSITION RACE NUMBER NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................................. 7............................................S Rideout.................................................................297 2.....................................66............................................... C Gilbert...........................................................................296 3.....................................10............................................... S Coombs..........................................................................292 4.....................................77............................................... B Fletcher.........................................................................243 5.....................................23............................................... P Bonas.............................................................................243 6.....................................18............................................... L Sullivan..........................................................................242 7.....................................6................................................. J Young.............................................................................220 8.....................................61............................................... M Brown...........................................................................173 9.....................................70............................................... G Jenkins..........................................................................168 10...................................9................................................. A Dickinson......................................................................163 11...................................72............................................... M Harris............................................................................124 12...................................46............................................... A Richards........................................................................113 13...................................4................................................. A Hughes..........................................................................108 14...................................37............................................... J Carolan.............................................................................98 15...................................45............................................... P Jones................................................................................97 16...................................19............................................... C Pendlebury......................................................................97 17...................................36............................................... D Nightingale.....................................................................80 18...................................64............................................... S Carter...............................................................................76 19...................................14............................................... M Grover.............................................................................72 20...................................24............................................... R Duke.................................................................................69 21...................................17............................................... K Fletcher...........................................................................62 22...................................42............................................... B Butler...............................................................................62 23...................................30............................................... L Harris...............................................................................55 24...................................35............................................... N Lyford..............................................................................47 25...................................84............................................... R Pearson............................................................................42 26...................................55............................................... A Tuckley............................................................................36 27...................................20............................................... D Horne...............................................................................17 28...................................71............................................... B Soule................................................................................12
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Championship Results
CLASS B — MIGHTY MINIS POSITION RACE NUMBER NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................................. 1............................................J White....................................................................387 2.....................................8................................................. S Kendall...........................................................................385 3.....................................15............................................... I Slark................................................................................320 4.....................................41............................................... A Comis............................................................................237 5.....................................17............................................... A Ford................................................................................237 6.....................................4................................................. S Maxted...........................................................................216 7.....................................11............................................... N Kirkpatrick....................................................................208 8.....................................7................................................. D Rees...............................................................................172 9.....................................31............................................... S Dawson..........................................................................163 10...................................10............................................... D Kirkpatrick.....................................................................147 11...................................37............................................... P Inch................................................................................130 12...................................6................................................. D Berney...........................................................................113 13...................................51............................................... E Stafford............................................................................83 14...................................48............................................... J Lyford...............................................................................82 15...................................53............................................... D Harrington.......................................................................60 16...................................33............................................... N Fearnely...........................................................................60 17...................................76............................................... D Bagley..............................................................................48 18...................................69............................................... D Palmer..............................................................................24 19...................................77............................................... P Ford..................................................................................21 20...................................19............................................... M Ditchburn.......................................................................15
MONO 2000
MONOPOSTO POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS Mono 2000........................... 1.................................Robbie Watts...........................................................146 Mono 2000................................2.................................... Ben Cater..........................................................................123 Mono 2000................................3.................................... Anthony Bishop................................................................114 Mono 2000................................4.................................... Shane Kelly.......................................................................108 Mono 2000................................5.................................... Daryl Jones.........................................................................98 Mono 2000................................6.................................... Malcolm Scott.....................................................................76
MONO 2000 CLASSIC MONOPOSTO POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS Mono 2000 Classic............... 1.................................Bryn Tootell.............................................................161 Mono 2000 Classic...................2.................................... Robin Dawe......................................................................144 Mono 2000 Classic...................3.................................... Alistair Bell.......................................................................110 Mono 2000 Classic...................4.................................... Terry Clark..........................................................................84 Mono 2000 Classic...................5.................................... Mark Drew..........................................................................58 Mono 2000 Classic...................6.................................... Wil Arif................................................................................53
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Driver nomination: Jeremy Timms Reason: 12 wins out of 14 rounds (only 12 count) www.monoposto.co.uk/results/2015monoposto-championship-results/ Championship organiser: Monoposto Racing Club Co-ordinator or contact: Steven Connor Tel: 07956591513 Email: sconnor@monoposto.co.uk
MONOPOSTO POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS Mono 1800........................... 1.................................Matthew Walters....................................................170 Mono 1800................................2.................................... Philip Davis.........................................................................81 Mono 1800................................3.................................... Ewen Sergison...................................................................64 Mono 1800................................4.................................... David Jones........................................................................60 Mono 1800................................5.................................... Martin Short.......................................................................54 Mono 1800................................6.................................... Richard Greening...............................................................51
MONO 1600 CLASSIC MONOPOSTO POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS Mono 1600........................... 1.................................Geoff Fern................................................................180 Mono 1600................................2.................................... Eddie Guest......................................................................134 Mono 1600................................3.................................... Jock Sergison......................................................................86 Mono 1600................................4.................................... Tony Cotton........................................................................78 Mono 1600................................5.................................... John Hare............................................................................65 Mono 1600................................6.................................... Kevin Bottomley.................................................................41
MONO MOTO MONOPOSTO POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS Mono Moto........................... 1.................................Jeremy Timms.........................................................192 Mono Moto................................2.................................... Craig Hurran.......................................................................98 Mono Moto................................3.................................... Jason Timms.......................................................................87 Mono Moto................................4.................................... Jonathan Reed....................................................................83 Mono Moto................................5.................................... Marc Fortune......................................................................77 Mono Moto................................6.................................... Tony Gauntlett....................................................................70
MONO DURATEC MONOPOSTO POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS Mono Duratec...................... 1................................. Douglas McLay.......................................................173 Mono Duratec...........................2.................................... John Whitbourn..................................................................70 Mono Duratec...........................3.................................... Thomas Craincourt............................................................16
TIEDEMAN TROPHY TIEDEMAN TROPHY POSITION NAME Tiedeman Trophy.........................................1 ......................................................................Ewen Sergison Tiedeman Trophy................................................ 2.................................................................................. Jeremy Timms Tiedeman Trophy................................................ 3......................................................................................... Geoff Fern Tiedeman Trophy................................................ 4....................................................................................... Shane Kelly Tiedeman Trophy................................................ 5...................................................................................... Tony Cotton Tiedeman Trophy................................................ 6.................................................................................... Neil Harrison
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Championship Results
CLASS A RACE BOXSTER POSITION RACE NUMBER NAME TOTAL POINTS 1............................................ 77...............................Ed Hayes..................................................................448 2.................................................6.................................... Richard Avery...................................................................408 3.................................................93.................................. Garry Lawrence...............................................................395 4.................................................45.................................. Adam Southgate..............................................................384 5.................................................5.................................... Nick Hull...........................................................................328 6.................................................4.................................... Jayson Flegg....................................................................232 7.................................................99.................................. Rick Styrin........................................................................191 8.................................................70.................................. Angus Archer...................................................................160 9.................................................0.................................... James Coleman................................................................153 10...............................................46.................................. Garry Goodwin.................................................................150 11...............................................23.................................. Andy Hack........................................................................111 12...............................................57.................................. Gary Duckman....................................................................90 13...............................................12.................................. John Cleland.......................................................................85 14...............................................10.................................. Mark Marshall....................................................................69 15...............................................40.................................. Jayson Yates.......................................................................54 16...............................................44.................................. Phil Grayson.......................................................................47 17...............................................29.................................. Julian Long...........................................................................0 18...............................................7.................................... Alex Stocker.........................................................................0 19...............................................20.................................. Ben Van Den Bos..................................................................0
CLASS B PRODUCTION BOXSTER POSITION RACE NUMBER NAME TOTAL POINTS 1............................................ 37...............................Michael Goodacre.....................................................81
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CLASS C 924 POSITION RACE NUMBER NAME TOTAL POINTS 1............................................ 59...............................Adam Croft..............................................................436 2.................................................41.................................. Karl Rossin.....................................................................303.5 3.................................................72.................................. Alastair Kirkham...........................................................293.5 4.................................................21.................................. Nizar El-Chamaa...........................................................284.5 5.................................................15.................................. Philip Waters.................................................................283.5 6.................................................36.................................. Hugh Peart........................................................................220 7.................................................42.................................. Lynda Warren...................................................................214 8.................................................18.................................. Alfred Piesinger.............................................................207.5 9.................................................2.................................... Simon Hawksley...............................................................196 10...............................................8.................................... David Jones......................................................................137 11...............................................24.................................. Jamie Callender...............................................................118 12...............................................27.................................. Tony Mekwinski.................................................................35 13...............................................47.................................. Richard Matthews................................................................0 Driver nomination: Adam Croft Reason: Consistent, professional driving; rarely off the podium all season; brought sponsorship to the championship. Organiser: Nick Hull, 07967 315897, info@porscheracingdrivers.co.uk Coordinator: Chris Valentine, 07712 255148, orders@hockeyphotos.com
Championship info: The most successful, cost-effective, one-marque championship in the UK, the Toyo BRSCC Porsche Championship runs three classes of Boxsters and 924s on grids for two or three 20-minute races across an 8-weekend season.
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Costs: Class A Race Boxster, Class B Production Boxster, Class C 924 Set of tyres: Toyo R888 Race entry: £380-410 Other costs: Championship registration: £385
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Championship Results
MAXIMUMGROUP.NET VAG TROPHY - CLASS A
MAXIMUMGROUP.NET VAG TROPHY - CLASS B
POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS 1.......................... Lee Christopher..................... 140 2............................. Paul Taylor................................... 138 3............................. John Stevens............................... 122 4............................. Rob Cox........................................ 104 5............................. Tom Swayne................................ 103 6............................. Richard Morgan........................... 102 7............................. Martyn Culley.............................. 101 8............................. Paul Ivens...................................... 90 9............................. Simon Tomlinson........................... 88 10........................... John Robins .................................. 78 11........................... Tom Walker.................................... 76 12........................... Didge Dziurzyski........................... 53 13........................... Paul Kenwright.............................. 48 14........................... Alex Dziurzyski.............................. 48 15........................... James Pile...................................... 29 16........................... Amy Dziurzyski............................. 27 17........................... Paul Inglis...................................... 21 18........................... Tony Harbeman............................. 13
POSITION NAME TOTAL POINTS 1.......................... Rob Allum.............................. 196 2............................. Chris Mohan................................ 162 3............................. Barrie Clulley............................... 152 4............................. Christie Doran............................. 129 5............................. Mike Harding................................. 82 6............................. Tony Taylor..................................... 60 Championship organiser: Maximumgroup.net VAG Trophy Co-ordinator or contact: Nicki Lines Email: vagtrophy@maximumgroup.net
Costs: Set of tyres: Class A Slicks, Class B Grooved Tyres Race entry: £325 + VAG Per round
Championship info: The Maximumgroup.net VAG Trophy brings together VW, Audi, SEAT and Skoda across its two classes. Class A houses the more powerful machinery of up to 300bhp with Class B open to cars of up to approximately 220bhp.
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PREMIER SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 12.............. Anwar....................... 2000 Beroual-Smith 2..................... 1...................Ian Blake........................1985 3..................... 19.................Steve Brown..................1978 4..................... 9...................Jay Elliott......................1974 5..................... 10.................Matt Brooks...................1970 6..................... 6...................Darren Teal....................1914 7..................... 3...................Parmveer Nijjar..............1912 8..................... 8...................Jonathan Lisseter.........1905 9..................... 5...................Scott Martin...................1879 10................... 18.................Ray Norris......................1867 11................... 17.................Stephen Hicks...............1842 12................... 25.................Frederick Gallagher......1839 13................... 23.................Steven Bartlett..............1752 14................... 22.................Lee Clackett..................1600 15................... 13.................Stuart Martin.................1583 16................... 4...................Peter O’Connor..............1390 17................... 7...................Jack Harding.................1269 18................... 16.................Tom Dix..........................1169 19................... 30.................Chris Hanson.................1153 20................... 32.................Callum McGregor..........1116 21................... 21.................Lee Hackett.....................910 22................... 28.................Paul Jennings..................874 23................... 29.................Stephen Jennings...........859 24................... 2...................Chris Powell....................714 25................... 24.................David Robinson...............695 26................... 11.................David Waters...................675 27................... 35.................Jonathan Elliott...............448 28................... 14.................Alex Ring.........................431 29................... 27.................James Burton..................420 30................... 26.................Tom Oliphant...................247
CLUBMAN SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 2................ James Small.............. 2034 2..................... 1...................Russell Endean..............2020 3..................... 19.................Danny Hurlock...............1976 4..................... 14.................Oliver Knights...............1937 5..................... 15.................Tyler Mays.....................1927 6..................... 20.................Rhianna Purcocks..........1908
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7..................... 10.................David Longman.............1897 8..................... 25.................Edward Barrs................1885 9..................... 8...................Andrew Cowell.............1882 10................... 16.................Daniel Truman...............1880 11................... 26.................Justin Buck....................1847 12................... 6...................Mike Bodnar..................1818 13................... 18.................Keith Mizen...................1810 14................... 17.................Stuart Osborn................1804 15................... 3...................Myles Sharman..............1801 16................... 7...................James Haslehurst.........1776 17................... 11.................Stephen Townsend.......1767 18................... 28.................Paul Crawford................1381 19................... 12.................Adam Nakar..................1361 20................... 27.................Harry Landy....................958 21................... 9...................Sam Fisher.......................924 22................... 21.................James Browning.............872 23................... 13.................Miguel Hall......................775 24................... 39.................Stephen Jennings...........703 25................... 33.................Simon Young....................691 26................... 29.................Andrew Ferguson............669 27................... 22.................Sam Browning.................647 28................... 5...................Oscar Cooke....................574 29................... 23.................Christopher Brown..........493 30................... 4...................Gerard Moore..................341
LIGHTWEIGHT SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 30.............. Daniel Healey........... 2026 2..................... 69.................Alexander Ready...........2022 3..................... 39.................Sean Brierley.................1971 4..................... 19.................Harry Neale...................1964 5..................... 33.................Thom King.....................1960 6..................... 60.................Adam White..................1952 7..................... 11.................Adrian Richardson........1881 8..................... 21.................Harrison Darvill.............1856 9..................... 29.................Ben Atkinson.................1849 10................... 37.................Pietro Pagano................1814 11................... 52.................Christopher Powell.......1810 12................... 3...................Luke Hornsby................1765 13................... 6...................Frankie Hedges.............1765 14................... 1...................Nik Hoyle.......................1764 15................... 65.................Freddie Fincham............1747 16................... 14.................Dimitri Zaporozhets......1743 17................... 9...................Alexander Lammin........1734 18................... 7...................William Hemsley...........1684
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Karting Results
19................... 72.................Jacob Heyne-Ford.........1630 20................... 35.................Greg Aaron....................1626 21................... 10.................Lex Wakeman................1616 22................... 70.................Aidan Kichener..............1611 23................... 13.................Tom Mackenzie.............1610 24................... 63.................Jack Richards................1596 25................... 42.................James Munro.................1586 26................... 50.................Keith Segal.....................1559 27................... 49.................Chris Penny...................1542 28................... 8...................Andrew Ward................1518 29................... 24.................Mark White....................1512 30................... 31.................David Darling................1499
HEAVYWEIGHT SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 51.............. Jonathan Elliott....... 2047 2..................... 39.................Darrell Lowe..................1946 3..................... 32.................Stephen Docker.............1944 4..................... 56.................James Hattersley..........1934 5..................... 61.................Josh Pettitt....................1929 6..................... 57.................Tim Hill..........................1921 7..................... 25.................Julian Clist....................1906 8..................... 21.................Simon Lloyd...................1902 9..................... 31.................Daniel French.................1889 10................... 11.................Mike Townley................1884 11................... 53.................Martin Gurnett..............1868 12................... 8...................Eric Mignon...................1837 13................... 9...................Stuart Kirk.....................1824 14................... 38.................Michael Ballinger..........1814 15................... 28.................Paul Williams.................1798 16................... 26.................Mark Turner...................1738 17................... 58.................Lennie Wood..................1723 18................... 14.................Roger Davis...................1696 19................... 12.................Ben Daly.........................1677 20................... 15.................Roger Mullen.................1672 21................... 19.................Daren Townsley.............1575 22................... 18.................Nick Breadner................1565 23................... 45.................Nick Butler.....................1564 24................... 63.................Ben Cottle......................1498 25................... 23.................Michael Jungling..........1481 26................... 4...................Andrew Clarke..............1446 27................... 6...................Paul Goddard.................1445 28................... 7...................Andrew Cherry.............1439 29................... 5...................Ian Zumbhul..................1432 30................... 1...................Jonathan McLeod.........1412
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SUPER-HEAVYWEIGHT SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION RACE NO. NAME TOTAL POINTS 1................... 51.............. Jonathan Elliott....... 2047 2..................... 39.................Darrell Lowe..................1946 3..................... 32.................Stephen Docker.............1944 4..................... 56.................James Hattersley..........1934 5..................... 61.................Josh Pettitt....................1929 6..................... 57.................Tim Hill..........................1921 7..................... 25.................Julian Clist....................1906 8..................... 21.................Simon Lloyd...................1902 9..................... 31.................Daniel French.................1889 10................... 11.................Mike Townley................1884 11................... 53.................Martin Gurnett..............1868 12................... 8...................Eric Mignon...................1837 13................... 9...................Stuart Kirk.....................1824 14................... 38.................Michael Ballinger..........1814 15................... 28.................Paul Williams.................1798 16................... 26.................Mark Turner...................1738 17................... 58.................Lennie Wood..................1723 18................... 14.................Roger Davis...................1696 19................... 12.................Ben Daly.........................1677 20................... 15.................Roger Mullen.................1672 21................... 19.................Daren Townsley.............1575 22................... 18.................Nick Breadner................1565 23................... 45.................Nick Butler.....................1564 24................... 63.................Ben Cottle......................1498 25................... 23.................Michael Jungling..........1481 26................... 4...................Andrew Clarke..............1446 27................... 6...................Paul Goddard.................1445 28................... 7...................Andrew Cherry.............1439 29................... 5...................Ian Zumbhul..................1432 30................... 1...................Jonathan McLeod.........1412
Costs: Premier Sprint Championship, Clubman Sprint Championship, Lightweight Sprint Championship, Heavyweight Sprint Championship, Super-Heavyweight Sprint Championship Race Entry: 11 Rounds - £172 Inc VAT Per Round
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TOP-CLASS TRACK DAYS OPENTRACK IN LAST YEAR’S MOTORSPORT DAYS AWARDS, OPENTRACK WAS VOTED ‘TRACK DAY ORGANISER OF THE YEAR’ BY OUR READERS, SO WE DECIDED TO PAY A VISIT TO AN OPENTRACK EVENT AT BRANDS HATCH TO FIND OUT WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT.
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ere at MSD, we had high expectations ahead of the Opentrack track day back in August. The readers who voted in last year’s awards had only good things to say about this track day organiser; from the free tuition on offer to the complimentary doughnuts, the Opentrack approach certainly seems to be keeping people happy. One of the voters’ comments really struck a chord: “If Carlsberg did track
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days, they would be Opentrack track days”. According to Dave Woodall, who runs the track days, Opentrack has always been keen to avoid the “Poundland” approach of “fill them up and sell them cheap”. MSD couldn’t help but notice that the track days on offer sometimes cost more than Opentrack’s competitors’ events, but Woodall explained that the all-inclusive approach on offer means Open-
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track’s model benefits track day users. “You’re right, our headline cost isn’t always the cheapest in the marketplace, but we are more than confident that we offer the best value out there,” he says. “A hard core of loyal clients – some of whom attend almost every day in our calendar – is the proof of that. “We keep add-on costs to an absolute minimum. At an Opentrack day tuition, snacks, drinks and event photography are included in the day’s cost. This makes a significant difference to the real cost of the day. We give you access to some of the UK’s best instructors, who can help you develop your driving whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned track driver.”
ANNUAL 2016
Comprehensive source of all Track and Test Days in the UK
W W W. M O T O R S P O R T D A Y S . C O M
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On the day MSD attended, Woodall was there overseeing proceedings. In fact, he attends every single one of Opentrack’s track days, whether it’s an evening event or a full day. “If you need to talk to me on the day, you’ll find me right there at the circuit. I run a limited number of events each year, so that I can give each one the care and attention it deserves,” he says. Not one to rest on his laurels, Woodall tells MSD that further improvements are on the horizon for 2016, admitting that prices will be adjusted slightly to reflect the enhancements. “This will enable us to get even better at what we do,” he explains. “We will take fewer cars to each day. This, in turn, will give our customers far more track time with more space, and will also keep queuing to get out on track to the bare minimum. “We will still be offering free tuition, free snacks and drinks at all our events, with free photography on full days as well. Garages on our evening events are offered free of charge. In 2016 we are sure that you will find our days offer superb track access and also great value for money. We aim to offer
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you a clear price, a clear track and a great time when you’re on an Opentrack day.” Having experienced an Opentrack track day first-hand, MSD can see exactly why so many of
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our readers voted the company the ‘Track Day Organiser of the Year’ in 2015. If you’re on the lookout for an open pit lane track day in 2016, Opentrack is certainly worth considering.
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2015 IN PICTURES
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IN MOTORSPORT, WE ALL NEED TO START FROM SOMEWHERE AND FOR MOST OF US IT’S FROM THE BACK OF THE GRID. UNFORTUNATELY, BEING AT THE BACK USUALLY MEANS YOU GET FAR LESS COVERAGE, BUT STARTATTHEBACK IS ON A MISSION TO CHANGE THIS.
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ere at MSD, we’re keen to break the mould in order to support Clubman motorsport and everyone who participates at this level. So, we naturally found it refreshing when we stumbled across the Startattheback Facebook group. One of the key motivations behind the creation of this group was to help get racing drivers at all levels and their sponsors noticed. We caught up with one of the men behind the group, Ian Mutch. MSD: You run the Startattheback group with Stuart Lancaster. How did it all come about? IM: Startattheback was born in September 2015, following a conversation with a female BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) fan on the subject of ITV coverage of the championship. She made a comment along the lines of “when they do TV interviews, I wish sometimes they’d start at the back of the grid”. It kind of stuck. MSD: What do you hope this group can achieve? IM: The goals of the group are to bring together the many supporters of every type of motorsport,
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#STARTATTHEBACK along with drivers, sponsors and team owners, to generally chew the fat, and exchange views and ideas (obviously not secrets, though!). It’s started with mainly BTCC supporters, but we are growing with members from the VAG Trophy, VW Cup and the online racing fraternity, so things are looking good. MSD: Why do you think it is so important to promote all levels of motorsport? IM: Recently, within various series we’ve had drivers that have made one or two meetings and then had to drop out due to lack of funding, which is a great shame. All too often we find an up-and-coming talent – an unknown – and ultimately they fall at the first hurdle due to lack of sponsorship or funding. Maybe the motorsport industry can set up a central fund to assist a driver until they get established. MSD: What background do you and Stuart have in motorsport? IM: Other than a bit of non-competitive kart racing (non competitive, who am I kidding!?) my interest is purely as a spectator. I’m blessed living in Grantham in Lincolnshire to have a number of circuits within easy reach. Donington and Rockingham are both close by, and your kart racing readers will be familiar with PFI and Fulbeck, which are both within eight miles of me. The only other racing I do is in my day job as a firefighter at the RAF College at Cranwell, Lincolnshire – racing a 26-tonne airfield crash truck at 60mph-plus along the runway can
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be somewhat interesting! Stuart, on the other hand, is the motorsport expert of the admin team. Coming from Northampton, Stu has been a petrol head for years. He is the son of Ray Lancaster, who has been known to perform mad stunts in the past, like driving through car pyramids. Stu’s been a mechanic for his brother-in-law’s banger outfit, so he knows his way around an engine. He’s also currently taking part in the Team HARD scholarship tryouts run by Tony Gilham, so good luck to Stu on that one. I’ve already put a bid in to be on his team should he be successful, so my CV may be larger next year! MSD: What are your plans for 2016? IM: To continue what we’ve started with this group. We’re just shy of 500 members – not bad for four months’ work. Then I guess we hope for Stu to get a drive and then for Stu to employ me! Also, to carry on with our Q&A sessions, which appear to be popular, although I’m yet to hold a session with a legend of the media world, like Louise Goodman. Once I’ve completed that, I’ll be happy!
Ian Mutch started the “Startattheback” Facebook group with Stuart Lancaster, and the group attracted almost 500 fans in just the first four months.
ANNUAL 2016
2016 Calendar 4 Countries / 7 Rounds / 16 Races 15-17 April: Hockenheim – Hockenheim Historic 14-15 May: Paul Ricard – Grand-Prix Camions du Castellet 4-5 June: Silverstone GP – MG Live 8-9 July: Spa-Francorchamps – 25 Hour Fun Cup 27-28 August: Brands Hatch GP – Lotus Festival 16-18 September: Zolder – FIA Truck Grand-Prix 8-9 October: Le Mans – 24 Heures Camions •
FIA International Championship
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9 Nationalities represented in 2015
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European wide TV coverage
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150,000+ ‘Live’ spectators in 2015
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Great hospitality
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Group Lotus promotion & support
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40,000+ Facebook fans
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6m Facebook views & 1/4m likes (last full year)
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4 Groups: V6, 2 Eleven, Open & Production
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License: International D (equivalent to UK National A)
www.lotuscupeurope.com LOTUS THIERRY VERHIEST
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