RACING EXPOSURE :: Club level motorsport e-magazine

Modsports & Special Saloons once again returned to the track of the Iconic Leicestershire circuit of Mallory Park.

An event which has been organised by the Classic Sports Car Club will see many period racing cars from the 1970’s and 80’s UK Club Racing scene. The race will be held on August Bank Holiday Monday, 29^th August 2011. Many car owners that thought that their cars were eligible to enter the racing on the Bank Holiday weekend event got in touch with the CSCC who then selected a final lot of cars to be in the race. It can be confirmed that Joe Ward has entered the ex Gerry Marshall Baby Bertha, Jon Lee has entered Tony Hazlewood’s Dafnee and Dave Taylor has entered the ex Mick Hill Beetle.

A Sunny Wednesday morning at Mallory saw 29 cars hit the track in three separate sessions. At 9:23 the first lot of engines fired up to the delight of the many spectators that had turned up to see these cars return to track in the glorious sunshine. With only one red flag throughout the day which came in the first session the cars were soon underway once again all making improvements in speed as the session progressed.

The session ended and the cars returned to the paddock to an increasing crowd of nostalgia fans grinning ear to ear. Conversations between top drivers back in the day were taking place all around. Three included the Mini racing legend that is Peter Baldwin, Gerry Taylor the Swish Curtains Anglia racer and the well known Capri driver Vince Woodman all reminding people as well as each other  events that took place back in the day.

Two more sessions then took places with no red flags and very good reliability considering some of these cars have only just been built, restored or not been run in so many years. With both runs over passenger rides started but only lasted minutes as the other cars soon piled into the pit lane ready to line up for the pack shot at the Esses.

At 13:30 the cars lined themselves up round the back of the famous 1.3mile circuit. Crowds gathered onto the track along with the many photographers and media trying to grab a great shot of these iconic cars all lined up together. It was a sight you don’t see everyday these days and a great prospect for a race series which is planned for 2012 if the interest is there.

The day ended on a high with people really looking forward to this event on the August Bank Holiday Monday. If you are a fan of the Club Racing Scene in the 1970’s and 80s and loved the Modsports and Special Saloons, get yourself down to Mallory for this special weekend of racing action. There will be plenty of other racing going throughout the weekend organised by the CSCC.

For more information visit their website at http://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk

Report: Matthew Barrington
Photos: MB Race Photography

CSCC has decided to widen the appeal of its Tin Tops series next year with a slightly re-jigged class structure.

Up to now they have had 4 classes (D-upto 1300cc, C-1301 to 1600 8 valve & upto 1300cc multi valve, B-1600-2000 8 valve & 1301- 1600cc multi-valve and A-1601 to 2000cc multi-valve).

For 2011 they are to introduce 5 classes, split as follows:

Class E – Up to 1400cc 8 valve

Class D – 1401 to 1600 8 valve and up to 1400cc multi-valve

Class C – 1601 to 1801 8 valve and 1401 to 1600cc multi-valve

Class B – 1801 to 2000 8 valve and 1601 to 1800 multi-valve

Class A – 1801 to 2000 Multi-valve.

Turbo Diesels upto 2 litres will also be allowed in Class A

Tin Tops has been pretty succesful for several years with average grid sizes of around 22-25 cars, however the small capacity class (D) and our old class B have never been that popular. The change is done to maintain the popularity of our existing top & middle classes but boost the smaller and upper middle capacity classes. They hope  to attract cars in to the smaller classes such as Minis, 1400cc Fiestas, Novas & Metros, Fiat Unos & Puntos etc.  The CSCC are also hoping to attract cars out such as 1800cc VW Golfs, MG Rovers, Fiats and Hondas and 1700cc Alfas etc in the new Class C & B

As always the CSCC Tin Tops races will be 40 minutes long with a compulsory pit stop for 1 or 2 drivers, with a one hour race at Spa a series highlight.

Report: Andy Yeomans

The CSCC are to build on the success of their “Future Classics” series for Pre-1990 Sports, Saloons & GT Cars and introduce a new series for 2011. The series, to be known as “Deutsche Marque” will be for Post-1990 German car makes and will feature 3 classes: A – Up to 2499cc, B – 2500cc to 2999cc and up to 1999cc Turbocharged cars and C – Over 3000cc.

The series has come about due to the large demand that the club has had for post 1990 cars to be able to race in the existing “Future Classics” series, the majority of requests being from German car owners. It wasn’t possible to add a newer class into FC as the grids were already full so a new series has been created.

The usual CSCC stipulations of standard size and shape body shell, no sequential gear boxes, original engines to type and List 1A or 1B tyres will be maintained. Races will run over 40 minutes with a compulsory pit stop for one or two drivers.

CSCC hope to attract owners of the larger engined VW Golfs, Ventos, Corrados & Beetles etc. along with Porsche 968s, 993s, 996s, Boxsters, Audi TT & A4s etc, BMW 3 & 5 series and similar Mercedes (although Porsche GT3s won’t be allowed….too quick!). The club will display a “Deutsche Marque” car on its stand at the Autosport International show in January and further details of the series will be available on the CSCC Website shortly.

German cars from before 1990 can, of course, race in CSCC’s existing Swinging Sixties, Tin Tops & Future Classics series.

Story: Andy Yeomans

There is plenty of racing around the country this bank holiday weekend.

Snetterton – British F3, British GT, Formula Ford, VW support races

Oulton Park – HSCC Gold Cup

Mallory Park – CSCC and Monoposto

Thruxton – Great and British

Silverstone – 750MC

Rockingham – Britcar & BRSCC

Castle Combe – A Plant LUX Sportscar Raceday

Lydden Hill – Quaife MSA British Rallycross Championship

And on two wheels…

Anglesey – Hottrax bike racing

Brands Hatch – Thundersport GP Bike Races

Cadwell Park – British Superbikes

August Bank Holiday Racing with Monoposto

Monoposto’s Championship Races on Sunday 29th August and Monday 30th August will feature Monoposto classes organised in three grids. Each grid will have a qualification session and a race on each day – so the Club has a massive 12 track sessions over the weekend and these will certainly be needed to cater for the 50+ entries that have been seen so far this season.

Qualification and Races will be 15 minutes each except on Sunday when Grid #1 will get a 20 minute race, and on Monday when Grid #2 will get a 20 minute race.

The plan is to organise the grids as follows:

• Grid #1: Mono 2000 & Mono 1800
• Grid #2: Mono Classic & Mono 1600
• Grid #3: Mono 1400 & Mono 1000

This will give the bike-engined cars their own races for the first time in a Monoposto Championship Meeting.

Monoposto Racing Club’s Chairman Nick Harrison explains: “The August Bank Holiday race meeting is always popular and in the past with two grids, the races have been oversubscribed. Once again we will be running our club barbecue plus entertainment on Sunday evening and we want to ensure that everyone can get to race. Running 3 grids will give the motorcycle engined cars the opportunity to fill the grid with cars of similarly performance and we are predicting a busy and entertaining weekend of racing. My advice to anyone considering racing at Mallory Park is to be sure of getting your entry in early”

Entry fee is Mono’s normal Double Header rate of £295. If you aren’t already registered to race with Monoposto, the Club provides a Guest membership for two races at the reduced rate of £60, which can be subsequently upgraded to Full Membership if you wish.

This is shaping up to be a great meeting – so come and join us! It would be especially good to see more bike-engined cars, as well as FF1600 and FF Zetecs, all of which are eligible and competitive in Mono racing.

Entry forms can be obtained by e-mailing admin@monoposto.co.uk

More info from:

Simon Davey, Monoposto Championship Co-ordinator Tel: 01327 843056

Due to unique circumstances Jon Walker was able to win all of the three Superlight R300 races that took place due to the add-on of a replacement race for the red-flagged race at Silverstone that provided an additional race over the normal two.

Over the same weekend, Tony Bennett driving a dpr-motorsport upgraded R300 won 1st in class in a wet CSCC Magnificent Seven race at Spa coming seventh overall. Tony Bennett’s R300 has the Caterham Stage One upgrade producing 200 bhp instead of the standard 175bhp. Due to an inspired switch to new Avon CR500 tyres Bennett was able to capitalise on the wet conditions beating more powerful cars in his own class and the high performance CSR’s with his 7th overall result.

Rockingham: dpr drivers get podiums in all of the team-supported championships

dpr motorsport team drivers gained impressive podium results across all of the team supported championships. Jon Walker driving his dpr motorsport supported Superlight R300 took advantage of the unique three-race opportunity to dominate the opposition by winning all three races, finishing the last race eight seconds ahead of second placed man Trevor Fowell. James Maclachlan took first and second place in Supersport maintaining his lead in the 2010 championship. In Roadsport A Magd Mohaffel gained 4th and 3rd.

Walker dominates the three race Superlight R300 Rockingham weekend

A carry over of the abandoned first race at Silverstone provided a unique three-race format for the Rockingham round of the Superlight R300 championship. Race one at Rockingham was the replacement required after the red-flagged race at Silverstone. Walker’s pole for the Rockingham re-run was determined by the finishing positions in the single completed race at Silverstone. Despite strong pressure in the closing laps from Andy McMillan, Walker held his nerve and crossed the line just 0.159 seconds ahead. Paul Wilson celebrated his return to Superlight racing by setting the fastest lap and gaining an eighth place just behind dpr motorsport driver Mark Shaw in a solid seventh.

The two races within the Rockingham championship round both took place on Sunday with the day starting with a 9 am warm-up session. Whilst the actual Saturday qualifier put Walker third on the grid, Walker made clear his intent by being the only man in the warm-up to get below 1:30 with his time of 1:29.658 almost 0.4 seconds ahead of second placed man Simon Young. Ignoring his third place on the grid Walker made a ballistic start that saw him get to the front by turn one. However Walker’s initial lead became narrowed by the intervention of the safety car resulting in a similar end-game to race one with Walker’s lead over McMillan slightly increased to 0.2 seconds. Mark Shaw improved his race position to 5th place

However as events were to prove the first two Superlight R300 races were a mere prelude to Walkers’ domination of the race weekend in the last race of the day. Walker’s first lap of 1.35.709 was a mighty 1.5 seconds ahead of the next best time set by Ellwood. Until lap five Walker was the only man under 1:31 and his slowest time over all 20 laps was 1:31.367. This consistent pace allowed Walker to run ahead in a race on his own finishing eight seconds ahead of second placed Trevor Fowell. Third placed man Paul Wilson trailed Walker by nineteen seconds. Mark Shaw finished in seventh place with his best lap of 1:30.625 being ahead of Walker and third fastest in the race.

Maclachlan continues his Supersport championship assault with 1st & 2nd

Rockingham saw a repeat of the tussle between James Maclachlan and Robert Smith. Smith demonstrated his pace by gaining pole in qualifying almost 0.5 seconds ahead of Maclachlan. In Race one the two swapped places but it was Maclachlan who crossed the line first with a lead of just under 0.3 seconds, although Smith gained fastest lap. Race two saw a fired-up Smith determined to bring and end to Maclachan’s run of race wins. Smith survived early pressure to keep Maclachlan at bay and finished first to take the first non-Maclachlan win of the year but this time it was Maclachlan who gained the fastest lap. dpr motorsport customer Iain Forsythe gained a creditable 4th and 3rd being his best results of the year.

Mohaffel gets a podium with his 4th & 3rd. Jeremy Webb gets two 1sts in Roadsport B

One again JJ O’Malley took two firsts in the Roadsport A category. dpr team driver Magd Mohaffel gained 4th and a 3rd place podium result in race two. Our congratulations also go to dpr motorsport customer Jeremy Webb who won both of the Roadsport B races.

Provisional dates for 2010

January 14th – 17th - Autosport Show

March 12th - 14th – Race Retro

March 25th – Snetterton – Test Day

April 10th/11th – Snetterton

May 8th/9th - Brands Hatch

May 22nd /23rd - Anglesey

June 12th - Oulton Park

June 18th/19th/20th - Nuerburgring

June 27th - Snetterton

July 3rd/4th - Spa Franchorchamps

July 25th  - Mallory (Morgan SCC)

July 31st - Silverstone

August 29th/30th – Mallory

September 11th/12th – Cadwell

October 16th/17th – Snetterton