Suggestion for a new racing series

[Sebastian Tombs]

Idly musing at breakfast this morning I thought “why isn’t there a racing series for small van-based cars?
Specifically the Renault Kangoo, Citroën Berlingo and Peugeot Partner.

I’m calling it Formula Kalingo.

The cars are plentiful, cheap and lightweight. They could carry all your spares to the circuit, there’s plenty of space for sponsorship and signwriting, they would lean entertainingly, and they come with the dents already present.

What’s not to like?

How do we make this happen?

[Zetec-S]

Instead of racing overalls all the drivers could wear hoodies (with hood up instead of a helmet) and smoke a vape?

[bergclimber34]

Can bangers,already a thing, rather useless to do much else with tbh

[jeremyc]

It's been done with a VW Caddy previously which put up a good show in the series against regular cars.

[loskie]

And 2CVs

and

Ssang yong pick ups

https://www.parkers.co.uk/vans-pickups/news/2017/s...

Copying the Holden Aussie Ute racing maybe

[NoUserNameAvailable]

Just what is needed. Yet another series to thin out the pool of drivers even more and reduce the available track time for other series. UK racing needs to contract in terms of the number of series not expand IMO.

[bigothunter]

NoUserNameAvailable said:

Just what is needed. Yet another series to thin out the pool of drivers even more and reduce the available track time for other series. UK racing needs to contract in terms of the number of series not expand IMO.

I am always surprised by how much spare money is still floating around to enable amateur competition. We set up a small company to fund entry level club racing. Very expensive game these days.

Suspect potential club racers now support track days instead. Shame really

[FredericRobinson]

jeremyc said:

It's been done with a VW Caddy previously which put up a good show in the series against regular cars.

I saw a Caddy win a VW cup race at Oulton, it was a good fun series, got more boring later when it became higher standard and was just a procession of identical golfs and siroccos

[bigothunter]

Race series for Sierra P100 pick-ups was run several years ago. Seemed to be reasonable grid sizes but the series didn't last very long.

Any space for historic pick-ups?

[Thundersports]

bigothunter said:

Race series for Sierra P100 pick-ups was run several years ago. Seemed to be reasonable grid sizes but the series didn't last very long.

Any space for historic pick-ups?

That was back in the 80s. My understanding was that Ford had an excess amount of P100 pick ups and through Brands Hatch Leisure having a tie up with Ford launched a race series. The series mainly ran at truck meetings and was won by F5000 star of the past Keith Holland who hadn't raced for over 10 years!

[quigonjay]

A series for trans only people, could call it the Trans-Am challenge

[moffspeed]

How about a series for compact & powerful rudimentary single seaters with little in the way of aero/ driving aids. Not too much in the way of stifling regs so lots of different constructors and visibly different chassis design.

A not-too-fancy small block V8 will keep costs down and ensure that power will always exceed grip. The noise of a grid full of these things taking off will be sublime. Anyone remember noisy race cars.

Engines of just under 5 Litres so we could call it F5000 ?

Edited by moffspeed on Wednesday 3rd June 20:32

[loskie]

quigonjay said:

A series for trans only people, could call it the Trans-Am challenge

Many of them wouldn't have the balls to race.

[Milkyway]

Tesla Racing is coming... You have been warmed.

[bigothunter]

moffspeed said:

How about a series for compact & powerful rudimentary single seaters with little in the way of aero/ driving aids. Not too much in the way of stifling regs so lots of different constructors and visibly different chassis design.

A not-too-fancy small block V8 will keep costs down and ensure that power will always exceed grip. The noise of a grid full of these things taking off will be sublime. Anyone remember noisy race cars.

Engines of just under 5 Litres so we could call it F5000 ?

Sublime

[freedman]

NoUserNameAvailable said:

Just what is needed. Yet another series to thin out the pool of drivers even more and reduce the available track time for other series. UK racing needs to contract in terms of the number of series not expand IMO.

As above

This is at least in part caused by competing clubs trying to provide similar offerings

750 Started the Swift Challenge in 2025 and it’s been a massive success with huge grids

Shortly after it was announced the BRSCC announced a series for the DS3 based around similar regulations, with both offers ring kits to build cars and recommended builders etc

The DS3 series has gained much traction, having to share grids with other series due to lack of entries

Add the to the Ka challenge and City Car cup, C1s etc

[Drumroll]

Sebastian Tombs said:

How do we make this happen?

We don't the UK has to many poorly supported series, all set up with the best intentions.

[bigothunter]

Drumroll said:

Sebastian Tombs said:

How do we make this happen?

We don't the UK has to many poorly supported series, all set up with the best intentions.

Does Club Racing have a future in Britain? MGCC discovered it didn't and stopped organising race meetings back in 2023.

[Drumroll]

bigothunter said:

Drumroll said:

Sebastian Tombs said:

How do we make this happen?

We don't the UK has to many poorly supported series, all set up with the best intentions.

Does Club Racing have a future in Britain? MGCC discovered it didn't and stopped organising race meetings back in 2023.

Maybe if we can get rid of the petty squabbles, that sees series getting diluted etc.

[bergclimber34]

If venues are prepared to take more of a hit financially then it has a future yes, but sadly they all seem to want to maximise profit for their events and therefore entry fees have gone up astronomically.

it is basically a parody of the UK political system, how much can we push these idiots before they revolt, as we have seen this week, too far sometimes.

So, they ramp up entry fees relentlessly, a lot of series die, some succeed, some trickle along.

It is the case everywhere, especially rallying, hence the popularity increase in roads and targas etc.

It is up to drivers to say enough is enough, but sadly they are too keen to race so venues know they can almost do what they want, same as MSUK in a similar way.