Sagaris in Britcar 2 June, Brands Hatch - and a new driver!
Discussion
I'm pleased to announce the debut of our TVR Sagaris V8 GT in the Brands Hatch round of the British Endurance Championship (formerly 'Britcar') on Saturday 2 June. This is a 2 hour race around the Indy Circuit and will be a tough challenge for both car and drivers.
On the subject of drivers, I am delighted to welcome a familiar name back to the TVR marque - Rod Barrett, team owner/driver of Hawthorns Motorsport and former Managing Director of Hawthorns TVR in Farnham, who will drive with me this year.
As set out in the press release below, Hawthorns are joining forces with Team Holden Racing to campaign our Sagaris in selected rounds of Britcar, starting in a couple of weeks time. Its a combination I have been itching to put together for years and I am really chuffed that we have finally been able to make it happen.
Those of you who used to follow the Tuscan Challenge in 2003 and 2004 may remember the friendly banter between me and 'Uncle Rodney' - a spirit of serious competition and serious fun that we aim to recreate with this new venture.
It would be fabulous to see some TVR supporters there - its an ideal weekend to come and watch some motorsport on the Saturday with Sunday-Tues to relax in the extra long Jubilee Bank Holiday break!
I will let you know which garage we are in so please do drop in and say hello. We'll be easy to find, with spangly new white transporter with TVR logos sat outside.
Press release follows:
British Endurance Championship: Hawthorns Motorsport return to TVR with Team Holden Racing
Hawthorns Motorsport, Britcar stalwarts and overall ‘GT’ Champions in 2008, are on the verge of re-entering the British Endurance GT Championship, but with major changes afoot.
Having run for several years under Neil Garner’s preparation team, the Hawthorns Porsche 997 is now up for sale as part of a re-organisation. Plans are well advanced to return to the series with the stunning 6.2 litre TVR Sagaris V8 GT, built and run by Team Holden Racing.
The tie up sees the Hawthorns’ team owner/driver Rod Barrett and owner/manager Diane Barrett returning to their TVR roots, Rod having cut his teeth in the infamous TVR Tuscan Challenge back in 1995. The combined team is a ‘tale of two couples’ with Team Holden Racing run by Andy and Yvonne Holden. Andy completes the ‘ex-Tuscan’ driver line-up.
Hawthorns Motorsport has been trying to find a way forward since long term driver Jan Persson announced his semi retirement and attempts to secure a substitute driver to take his place were unsuccessful. In hindsight replacing the irrepressible Persson was perhaps an impossible task and a different route was therefore required to get the team back out on track.
The new venture with Team Holden Racing ticks all the boxes with the car a proven and reliable example of the breed, built to an exacting specification. It has run successfully through its development period in the Dunlop TVR Challenge, AMOC Super GT and Dutch Supercar Challenge securing several podiums and wins. After running faultlessly though testing the car is now ready for the challenge of longer endurance races. Team Holden will run the car, with the new venture likely to work alongside Neil Garner Motorsport at the Britcar rounds, due to the strong and long term connections that exist between the teams.
The main drivers will be Andy Holden and Rod Barrett with Jay Shepherd potentially joining for longer races. Jan Persson may also come out of retirement for the occasional drive, with the line up for each race selected to suit its nature. The team will enter selected rounds of the British Endurance Championship this season, commencing on 2 June at Brands Hatch, with potential for a full Championship challenge in 2013.
Hawthorns Motorsport’s Rod Barrett: ‘We enjoyed the reliability of the Porsche but running costs in an endurance format were high and Jan’s retirement prompted us to reconsider our approach to racing. Having tested the TVR we were immediately impressed at the pace and driveability of the car. We had some fabulous times in the Tuscan Challenge and it’s great to be back in a TVR again.’
Team Holden Racing’s Andy Holden: ‘We’re delighted to combine forces with Hawthorns. We’ve all been great friends for years and whilst we’ve talked about doing some racing together for some time, the circumstances have never been right. We’re now able to combine the endurance experience of Rod, Jay and Jan with an exciting and fast addition to Britcar, in a package which we expect to be very competitive.’
For further information contact:
Andy Holden
+44 7540 494 864
info@teamholdenracing.com
Rod Barrett
rod@hawthornsmotorsport.co.uk
On the subject of drivers, I am delighted to welcome a familiar name back to the TVR marque - Rod Barrett, team owner/driver of Hawthorns Motorsport and former Managing Director of Hawthorns TVR in Farnham, who will drive with me this year.
As set out in the press release below, Hawthorns are joining forces with Team Holden Racing to campaign our Sagaris in selected rounds of Britcar, starting in a couple of weeks time. Its a combination I have been itching to put together for years and I am really chuffed that we have finally been able to make it happen.
Those of you who used to follow the Tuscan Challenge in 2003 and 2004 may remember the friendly banter between me and 'Uncle Rodney' - a spirit of serious competition and serious fun that we aim to recreate with this new venture.
It would be fabulous to see some TVR supporters there - its an ideal weekend to come and watch some motorsport on the Saturday with Sunday-Tues to relax in the extra long Jubilee Bank Holiday break!
I will let you know which garage we are in so please do drop in and say hello. We'll be easy to find, with spangly new white transporter with TVR logos sat outside.
Press release follows:
British Endurance Championship: Hawthorns Motorsport return to TVR with Team Holden Racing
Hawthorns Motorsport, Britcar stalwarts and overall ‘GT’ Champions in 2008, are on the verge of re-entering the British Endurance GT Championship, but with major changes afoot.
Having run for several years under Neil Garner’s preparation team, the Hawthorns Porsche 997 is now up for sale as part of a re-organisation. Plans are well advanced to return to the series with the stunning 6.2 litre TVR Sagaris V8 GT, built and run by Team Holden Racing.
The tie up sees the Hawthorns’ team owner/driver Rod Barrett and owner/manager Diane Barrett returning to their TVR roots, Rod having cut his teeth in the infamous TVR Tuscan Challenge back in 1995. The combined team is a ‘tale of two couples’ with Team Holden Racing run by Andy and Yvonne Holden. Andy completes the ‘ex-Tuscan’ driver line-up.
Hawthorns Motorsport has been trying to find a way forward since long term driver Jan Persson announced his semi retirement and attempts to secure a substitute driver to take his place were unsuccessful. In hindsight replacing the irrepressible Persson was perhaps an impossible task and a different route was therefore required to get the team back out on track.
The new venture with Team Holden Racing ticks all the boxes with the car a proven and reliable example of the breed, built to an exacting specification. It has run successfully through its development period in the Dunlop TVR Challenge, AMOC Super GT and Dutch Supercar Challenge securing several podiums and wins. After running faultlessly though testing the car is now ready for the challenge of longer endurance races. Team Holden will run the car, with the new venture likely to work alongside Neil Garner Motorsport at the Britcar rounds, due to the strong and long term connections that exist between the teams.
The main drivers will be Andy Holden and Rod Barrett with Jay Shepherd potentially joining for longer races. Jan Persson may also come out of retirement for the occasional drive, with the line up for each race selected to suit its nature. The team will enter selected rounds of the British Endurance Championship this season, commencing on 2 June at Brands Hatch, with potential for a full Championship challenge in 2013.
Hawthorns Motorsport’s Rod Barrett: ‘We enjoyed the reliability of the Porsche but running costs in an endurance format were high and Jan’s retirement prompted us to reconsider our approach to racing. Having tested the TVR we were immediately impressed at the pace and driveability of the car. We had some fabulous times in the Tuscan Challenge and it’s great to be back in a TVR again.’
Team Holden Racing’s Andy Holden: ‘We’re delighted to combine forces with Hawthorns. We’ve all been great friends for years and whilst we’ve talked about doing some racing together for some time, the circumstances have never been right. We’re now able to combine the endurance experience of Rod, Jay and Jan with an exciting and fast addition to Britcar, in a package which we expect to be very competitive.’
For further information contact:
Andy Holden
+44 7540 494 864
info@teamholdenracing.com
Rod Barrett
rod@hawthornsmotorsport.co.uk
Great news we have been attending and supported Steve Glyn at Silverstone.
We had no tvrs at snetterton so were forced to support the Marcos of Top Cats.
Will be great to have 2 cars running we can cheer on.
We were only talking about this at the Berks TVR meet this week.
Good luck and we will try and get some tivs on the bank for support.
We had no tvrs at snetterton so were forced to support the Marcos of Top Cats.
Will be great to have 2 cars running we can cheer on.
We were only talking about this at the Berks TVR meet this week.
Good luck and we will try and get some tivs on the bank for support.
Andy invited me to test the TVR about a month ago as I had told him that I was having problems finding a replacement driver for my 997 as a result on Jan Persson's retirement. The fact is that Jan is irreplaceable so I really was on a hiding to nothing. The 997 is expensive to run, certainly far too much for me on my own, so I took Andy up on his offer thinking that my eight years in Tuscans would stand me in good stead.
The Sagaris V8 GT was of course completely different to the old Tuscans, and has been put together more in line with a Porsche Motorsport product then a car having origins with TVR, I have to congratulate Andy for it really is an outstanding piece of work. I did have a few issues with getting in and out so as Andy suggested, perhaps a bit of gym work is called for, but compared with the 997, the door aperture is a lot smaller, that my excuse and I'm sticking with it.
Everything about this car exceeded my expectations, she is a dream to drive and very quick when you push her. Unlike the race Tuscans, she actually stops when you apply the brakes and doesn't jink 3 feet in both directions when you do. The power delivery is smooth and direct, she is totally stable and even allows for a few driver errors without punishment !! In short, what a bloody brilliant car and although I took her to some half decent lap times, I know that there is still a lot more in the car and hope to see, given a few more laps, just how quick she can be. So to get the old banter going as we mean to continue, Andy and I are both competitive chaps so no doubt the quicker I go, the harder he will try, I won't tell him that he will be fighting a losing battle but hey, he's now got a top level Tuscan master as a race partner so we don't want to dampen his youthful enthusiasm
I'm now really looking forward to racing this great car, we have yet to prove her in the longer endurance races we are planning and I'm sure that issues will arise from time to time but if she performs in keeping with her looks and build quality, she should do us proud. I think that our main task in this first race is to find a pace she is comfortable with without stressing her too much, or Andy for that matter
Cheers All.
The Sagaris V8 GT was of course completely different to the old Tuscans, and has been put together more in line with a Porsche Motorsport product then a car having origins with TVR, I have to congratulate Andy for it really is an outstanding piece of work. I did have a few issues with getting in and out so as Andy suggested, perhaps a bit of gym work is called for, but compared with the 997, the door aperture is a lot smaller, that my excuse and I'm sticking with it.
Everything about this car exceeded my expectations, she is a dream to drive and very quick when you push her. Unlike the race Tuscans, she actually stops when you apply the brakes and doesn't jink 3 feet in both directions when you do. The power delivery is smooth and direct, she is totally stable and even allows for a few driver errors without punishment !! In short, what a bloody brilliant car and although I took her to some half decent lap times, I know that there is still a lot more in the car and hope to see, given a few more laps, just how quick she can be. So to get the old banter going as we mean to continue, Andy and I are both competitive chaps so no doubt the quicker I go, the harder he will try, I won't tell him that he will be fighting a losing battle but hey, he's now got a top level Tuscan master as a race partner so we don't want to dampen his youthful enthusiasm
I'm now really looking forward to racing this great car, we have yet to prove her in the longer endurance races we are planning and I'm sure that issues will arise from time to time but if she performs in keeping with her looks and build quality, she should do us proud. I think that our main task in this first race is to find a pace she is comfortable with without stressing her too much, or Andy for that matter
Cheers All.
I am in contact with our lubricant sponsor, Opie Oils, to ascertain if they have a special 'aperture lube' to assist getting dear Rodders in and out of the car. At present its like trying to force a champagne cork back into a bottle and the same on the way out - once past the lip of the door he flies in or out.
Its less an issue of 'power to weight' more one of flexibility - whilst Rodders has retained his cat-like reactions, is ability to fold in half and post himself through a letterbox sized slot needs a little work.
The team is also searching for 2 licenced doormen to assist with driver changes, as the forced ejection technique may come in handy....
Its less an issue of 'power to weight' more one of flexibility - whilst Rodders has retained his cat-like reactions, is ability to fold in half and post himself through a letterbox sized slot needs a little work.
The team is also searching for 2 licenced doormen to assist with driver changes, as the forced ejection technique may come in handy....
Good news all round. Andy and Uncle Rod sounds like a great combination. I fully undertsand Rod's entry/exit problem. As a poor old lad I also find it difficult to get in and out and mine hasn't got a lid on it!! Not sure if I can make Brands on the 2nd but will try. Good luck with the new partnership.
HUI said:
Good news all round. Andy and Uncle Rod sounds like a great combination. I fully undertsand Rod's entry/exit problem. As a poor old lad I also find it difficult to get in and out and mine hasn't got a lid on it!! Not sure if I can make Brands on the 2nd but will try. Good luck with the new partnership.
Thanks Hugh, would be good to see you if you can make it.Rod keep's telling me it's not that he's too big, it's the hole that's too small! He has a point, you do need to do a bit of origami on yourself, especially with a helmet and HANS on and the latter invariably gets caught on the door frame. Used to be a lot easier climbing out through the top of the roll cage in a Tuscan!
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