Britcar 24 this weekend
Graham Walden previews the Britcar 24 hour race
If you mention 24-hour racing to people they automatically think of Steve McQueen and Le Mans. Blasting round the Historic 8.5 mile part road part race track circuit in the depths of France. An event that for many becomes an epic pilgrimage every year. Tens of thousands of Brits flowing across the channel to survive on beer, baguettes and motor racing for a week while living in a field. Then there's the racing, the premier endurance race of the year the one everyone wants to win. The crème-de-la-crème of racing drivers competing in some of the most exotic sports cars on the planet.
Mention 24-hour racing in Britain though and thoughts move to 2CVs and lawnmowers, or maybe Scalextric. The greatest motor racing country in the world seems not to have a 24-hour race.
But yes it does -- and it’s a cracker as well. Thanks to the truly Herculean efforts of James Tucker, his European Endurance Racing Club and the BRSCC, there is a 24-hour race in the UK and, what’s more, it runs on the full Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.
The race first ran in 2005 and, while the promotion was low key, the quality of the grid and the racing wasn’t and the event was a huge success with the majority of the 50 or so starters making it to the finish one way or another.
Martin Short's Rollcentre Mosler took the overall honours when the flag fell on the Sunday afternoon, but there were heroes throughout the grid, with some of the biggest cheers awarded to the big MG ZT-260 and a big automatic Mercedes coupé.
For 2006, things have developed even further: the event is more established and the quality of the entry list has got bigger, with 63 cars on the current entry list. There are some big names on the list, including 23 drivers who've competed at Le Mans.
Still in its early days, the event doesn’t yet have the fan following of the French race, so you can get in on the early action and get very close to the teams. This event is sure to become the must see for any British motor sports fan. The best way for this to happen is for the fans to come out and support the race now.
There are plenty of PistonHeads members out along the pitlane this year and a few of them are also racing. Pistonheads cars to look out for include:
| Moore Racing | 75 BMW M3 E36 | (PS1) | |
| 64 Honda Civic Type R | (PS2) | Archibold | |
| Car Tune Racing | 77 Honda Civic Type R | (PS2) | Simon Mason |
| Team Scandal | 88 Prosport LM3000 | (GT Cup) | |
| 58 Elise | (PS1) | Scuffers | |
| Jemco Racing | 10 Marcos Mantis | (GT Cup) | Andy Jemco |
| Marcos Racing Int | 44 BMW M3 E46 Compact | (GT Cup) | Phatgixer |
| 911virgin.com | 41 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup | (GT3) | Henry-F |
There are even more PHers dotted about, including p490kvp in the 92 Mardi Gras Motorsport which should be a strong car with a strong line-up.
Me? Well as much as I’d love to drive this year, my budget would only stretch to running the Tuscan. But you just can’t keep me away from an event like this, so i’ll be spending 24 hours working the pit wall for Moore Racing. With this in mind providing the technology doesn’t let me down, I’ll be posting updates onto the forum during the race to keep you up to date with the progress of the Moore Racing cars and the rest of the PistonHeads pack.
im sat on the pit wall in a red pit hut garage 9a
the civics just been towed inbut the bmw is going fine
if anyone is going tomorrow recommend getting there in time for dawn.
Great to watch especially as it went from dusk to dark and the lights came on.
shame there were so few spectators (almost none!) such a great spectacle!
anyone know any BHP figures for any of the cars competing, huge differences in speed between the front runners (ZM Coupe, Moslers, (911's) and the tail enders (944, civics, M3's).
the whole hub coming off. Thankfully the driver at the time was heading into the pits as he had felt a vibration.The exhaust has just been removed so its looking like we'll be stopped for a while..
The team have a spare engine but I dont they carry a gearbox.
The 64 Civic is however trundling around happily.
Moore racing are sandwitched between the Jemco and Scandel cars on the pit lane.
Team 911virgin.com held the overall lead for a while and are now running in second.
The TJH civic of Simon mason is running very strongly 1st in class and 5th Overall.
The update on our bmw is its clutch and the box is now out
Things were looking up for the 76 car. the problem turned out to be a broken clutch pack. with that changed Paul Went out and did a full fuel stint of almost 60 laps. The disasterstruck again. pulling out of the fuel lane. the clutch pedal went to the floor. This time its a clutch slave cylinder thats gone. so the car is now up in the air again. Hopefully back out soon.
The civic is also in at the moment and they are working on the front end..
The 911virgin car is still topping the overall time sheets with 311 laps but the duller Z4 has closed in to only2 laps down.
One of the 911 team has had an interesting time by setting fire to the car in the fuel bay
with the weather not showing any signs of lifting the safety car could be out for sometime.
The rollcentre car is still circulating but is down at 197 laps.
Oh yes and its blinking cold sat on my pit wall perch!!!! I dont remember ordering an iced coffee. Alsothe pit girls that were wandering around at the start seem to have disapeared
nothing much has changed safety car still out i can just make out the stands acros the track now..
but its still cold and the bmw is still in bits, but going back together.
The civic is still circulating with Gary having done 1.5 hrs behind the safety car lapping at about 3:30
lots of broken cars up and down the pit lane. including the Jemco Marcos. looking terminal from here as not being worked on.
Team scandel still out on track though
so bored in fact we've resorted to singing to them over the radio..
"always look on the bright side of life!!!!!"
We now have both cars on track,the bmw went back out at 06:38. We've done a driver change in the Civic as well.
looking at the fog I've a horrible feeling it'll be here for an hour or so yet..... probably followed by another safety car as they all go hell for leather when the track goes green.
Still at least I've got time for a coffee
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