Monday 16th July 2007

School kids tackle the Silverstone 24 Hour race

GCSE Science team require drivers and funding

---

The lads get down to work...

We remember GCSE Science, and it’s not the happiest of memories. The periodic table often gave way to a well-thumbed issue of Autosport given a seat at the back of the class. However, things might have been very different if we’d had Mr Kneeshaw as our teacher.

You see, Mr Kneeshaw – that’s ‘Sir’ to you please – decided to make his lessons “a bit more interesting and relevant to the real world” and integrated Bio-Ethanol production into his GCSE Science course.

“I contacted Greenfuels Ltd and they lent us an industrial quality still so we can make 100 litre batches of fuel-quality ethanol” says the teacher. It was at this point however, that the mental leap was made, and we’re sure it’s one that you’ll approve of.

Now pay attention, class...

“We had to find a use for the ethanol and my wife had just replaced her Rover for an ST Mondeo. The most obvious thing to do was to race the Rover on the fuel!

Good thinking sir! We’ll let the teacher carry on the story: “I think the civic/integra/45/MGZS has a cracking chassis and since second-hand Rovers aren’t exactly holding their value, selling it didn’t seem like an option.”

“It’s been entertaining seeing the reaction of the students. They now look upon the MG marque in a different light; MG should have given a load of cars to schools for this kind of thing instead of advertising as it would have done wonders for their image. Mind you, having teachers driving them at sensible speeds would have neutralised much of this...”

Rover 45 turned into a race car

“I’m still fed up of the year sevens saying that the fire extinguisher is NOS though!”

“Having the students build a racing car also enabled me to get my students into mechanics as the car needed stripping down and rebuilding. In fact, the only thing that the students have not fitted is the roll cage.”

“Since getting kids interested in working on cars was one of my aims, I decided that endurance racing was the most challenging for mechanics and there’s no better race for your money than the Silverstone 24 hours. James Tucker (the race organiser) has been a great encouragement for the project.”

Wife's Rover now has a V6

“I contacted X-Part who donated a huge amount of parts and the car was converted into a 2005 spec MG ZS 180 (V6). Lifeline provided us with a fire extinguisher system; Corbeau with a bucket seat and harness, and ATL gave us a 100 litre fuel tank. Leda also helped out with a great new suspension set up.”

“Unfortunately, we won’t be running bio-ethanol in 2007 (due to an MSA ruling), but we are hoping to be allowed to do so in 2008. Basically, the final spec of the car isn’t bad for an after-school Science club.”

The MG takes shape...

“We are testing the car at Bruntingthorpe on the 26^th July and following this it’s off to Emerald for a rolling road session. With the Janspeed exhaust and an ITG air filter we may be able to get 200bhp out of the 2.5 V6; the down side is that it weighs 1000kg. We’ve got one more test at Snetterton before it’s off to Silverstone for the big day...”

“However, the final hurdle is finding drivers. We need 4 drivers with a tyre and fuel budget to help us complete our dreams. The car has taken more money and time than I thought it would (that’s the problem with silly ideas!), but it’s quite a nice spec car. We were aiming at class 3, but we’ve done such a good job that we are now in class 2.”

The finished article

So can anyone help? Just remember: bin it on the first lap and it’s a month in detention after work. Plus 500 lines – ‘why I mustn’t try to outbrake the opposition at the first corner of a 24 hour race’…

[jimbro1000]

Who do we get in touch with?

[bigbaddom]

Yeah I am also up for it.

[bigbaddom]

I also think it should be done on a first come first served basis... haha

[Jspesh]

I'll drive it.

[spectatorsam]

hi what sort of budget do you feel is required as a minimum, I can probably get a sponsor, and also drive.
please advise

[Ranger 6]

‘why I mustn’t try to outbreak the opposition at the first corner of a 24 hour race’…


the phrase is 'outbrake' - take 100 lines - 'I must spell correctly in the press release'

Great to see this - I'm hoping someone somewhere at my children's school will have the dedication to do it for them too.

Whilst we're on good causes - http://www.bearcubrallysport.co.uk/press.htm 
[/hijack]

Edited by Ranger 6 on Monday 16th July 13:03

[adam towler]

Send your emails to [e-mail] and we'll forward them onto the man himself

AT

[Rob974y]

i saw this article before there was any posts on it but assumed that you would need a race licence to apply, is that correct?

[jimbro1000]

Given the state of affairs in racing I would say that a race license is an absolute must have!

[Burba]

message sent

[Racing Rod]

I think this is the car referred to in the "Drives available" on the EERC site. They need four drivers with a £4500 budget.

Lunar Racing - Drives Available

The Car

Body- MG ZS 180 5 door hatch, weld-in 6 point Tornado Motorsport roll cage. 4 litre Lifelines fire extinguisher system, Corbeau bucket seat with Luke harness.

Engine- 2.5 litre V6, 190bhp (Longbridge built standard engine) with modified inlet system, Janspeed exhaust and Emerald ECU. Up-rated clutch

Suspension- Eibach springs, front adjustable upper wishbones, adjustable castor brackets, rear adjustable lower wishbones and Leda adjustable dampers.

Fuel System- 100-litre ATL fuel cell mounted in the rear seat, 2 low-pressure fuel pumps supplying a 2 litre swirl pot with a single high-pressure pump supplying the engine.

Braking System- Brake bias lever, increased diameter front discs with alloy callipers (discs and pads have a 28 hour life).

Wheels/Tyres- 17 x 7.5 wheels, 210/620/17 Dunlop tyres

Due to our support from NAC MG and X-Part, we carry a comprehensive spares package.



Silverstone 24 Hour

Despite the generous support we have received from our sponsors, the cost of the weekend is £4,500 per driver (based on 4 drivers).


For further details, contact Paul Kneeshaw at the school on 01733 703991 or mobile [phone].

Edited by Racing Rod on Monday 16th July 13:30

[Piglet]

Britcar runs under a National B permit so you would only need a NatB race licence.

Edited by Piglet on Monday 16th July 13:45

[jimbro1000]

Racing Rod said:

(Longbridge built standard engine)

That is not a good detail to have against the engine! Even a production spec engine is a little bit more than standard!!! I'm hoping it means it isn't a completely standard engine

[need 4 speed]

Piglet said:

Britcar runs under a National B permit so you would only need a NatB race licence.

Edited by Piglet on Monday 16th July 13:45

I imagine you'd be better off if you could run without a novice cross

[Piglet]

need 4 speed said:

Piglet said:

Britcar runs under a National B permit so you would only need a NatB race licence.

Edited by Piglet on Monday 16th July 13:45

I imagine you'd be better off if you could run without a novice cross

Probably but the scary thing about Britcar is that you CAN run with a novice cross!!

[Cliffv8]

why the hell couldn't I do that when i was at school

Edited by Cliffv8 on Monday 16th July 18:09

[EDLT]

So I am the only one who read "In fact, the only thing that the students have not fitted is the roll cage.” and wondered why people would pay for the priviledge?

[TheKeyboardDemon]

I can't offer to drive, even if I could I'm pretty sure no-one here would want me to. I can offer a small contribution to the running cost. If someone at the school sets up a paypal account I'm willing to put a tenner in.

[over_the_hill]

Racing Rod said:

Silverstone 24 Hour
Despite the generous support we have received from our sponsors, the cost of the weekend is £4,500 per driver (based on 4 drivers).

So £18k for 24 hours - how the can that be justified. The article said with a budget for fuel and tyres - not a budget to buy Goodyear and Shell.

[jimbro1000]

An hours worth of racing fuel adds up to around £250, probably more given the capacity of the engine. So thats going to be about £12000 in fuel for the race. That leaves £6000 for tyres and brakes which frankly isn't an awful lot. Add in any practice and testing in advance and I would say £4500 per driver is actually quite a tight budget for a 24 hour race.

Of course it all depends on what fuel they use and what kind of fuel they are allowed to use...

Just because they have to use "pump fuel" doesn't mean it comes out of a forecourt petrol pump (with the exception of one pump somewhere in the country).