Wednesday 12th March 2008

Go Team PH

PistonHeads has teamed up with Ginetta Cars to compete in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship.

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Picture in black with smilies.. the G20

How many of us watch motorsport and think… I could do that? Probably quite a few – but how easy is it in reality? Well PH is going on a mission to see if the racing stars of the future are better than us average Joes. We have got our hands on a Ginetta G20 and will be racing in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship.

Ginetta has been around since 1958 (50th anniversary this year), building race and road cars for the track. The G20 PH will be racing is a 1.8 litre Ford Zetec-powered, rear-wheel drive sports car in a championship that is supporting the British F3 and British GT. With limited fettling to the car and grids of over 32 similar cars it should be an exciting spectacle.

The G50

PH will also be hoping to get its hands on the new G50 that Ginetta have built to race in a one make series and the GT4 class of the British GT. This 3.5 litre V6 brute pumps out over 300bhp through the rear wheels and should give some of the more well known manufacturers in the GT4s a run for their money. The whole car was developed from scratch in under a year by LNT Automotive. Who said British manufacturers are dead!

We in the PH Office think we have the driving skill but are unsure of our race mechanical skill level - that is where we would like to hand it over to you. Our in-house racing driver – me – is willing to risk his life with the mechanical expertise of you lot as we look to build a PH Team to help over each race weekend. Though psychological tests to check if you like loosening wheel nuts may be sought.

If you are an ex-F1 mechanic or just want to experience the hustle and bustle of a paddock area, rubbing shoulders with F3 and British GT Race teams, then we would like your help. We are even filming the highs and lows to put on PH.TV.

The race season will be over 10 weekends and will cover the whole country, so if you are interested either reply in the thread or email us at [e-mail] with the race meeting or meetings that you wish to come and support PH.

We are picking the car up this weekend and heading to the media days at Croft next week so looking forward to seeing the black car with smilies on it.

The PH Racing Calendar:

Date	Location	Race Meeting
22 - 24 March	Oulton Park	British F3/GT
5 - 6 April	Cadwell Park	Ginetta Festival
12 -13 April	Knockhill	British GT
26 - 27 April	Croft	British F3
7 - 8 June	Snetterton	British F3/GT
28 - 29 June	Thruxton	British F3/GT
12 - 13 July	Brands Hatch GP	British F3/GT
16 - 17 August	Silverstone	British F3/GT
6 - 7 September	Mallory Park	Ginetta Festival
11 - 12 October	Donington Park	British F3/GT

 

[davepreston50]

Looks like you'll have great fun. Good to see the name Ginetta back in the limelight. Good luck!!

[pikeyboy]

Pete if you drive the ginetta anything like you did the midget a few years back I think you'll do very well, good luck.

[bikemonster]

Looks like heaps of fun.

Now, as PH is reputed for its attention to things grammatical as well as things moor-fanatical, may I point out that the article says "The whole car was developed from scratch in under a year by LNT Automotive, who said British manufacturers are dead!"

That's saying that LNT Automotive announced the death of British manufacturing. I do not think that that is what you meant.

Eats shoots and leaves.

[custardtart]

bikemonster said:

Looks like heaps of fun.

Now, as PH is reputed for its attention to things grammatical as well as things moor-fanatical, may I point out that the article says "The whole car was developed from scratch in under a year by LNT Automotive, who said British manufacturers are dead!"

That's saying that LNT Automotive announced the death of British manufacturing. I do not think that that is what you meant.

Eats shoots and leaves.

You must be fun at parties!

[S3_Graham]

sounds like a good plan. good luck! if i had more time id pop down to help out!

[Foolish Dave]

Wow! I hope this will increase the exposure Ginetta has in PH!

Good luck!

Edited by Foolish Dave on Wednesday 12th March 08:58

[Northern-Loop]

Good Luck Pete/PH

[R400]

Custard you're right there. It should have ended in a "?" surely?

I'm no fun at parties either

[vrooom]

look fun.

[Beefmeister]

I'll come down to Brands to see you guys - though my mechanical skills are somewhat lacking...

I make a mean cuppa though! Need a tea boy?

[RacingPete]

Cheers for the support... tea boy position accepted , I might even get some custom PH T-Shirts made up for all those who help too!

[Andy_sx]

I can help at Brands, my spanner monkerying is not too shady either and dont mind getting my hands dirty at all

Andy_sx

[Shrimper]

I got a ride around Brands in one of these with a guy who was campainging one at the time. He was an instructor for my old mans track day company and said he'd take me out. He scared the out of me. My seat was a thin bit of foam and I got quite a hot ass during those few laps. Absolutely loved it tho and would love to have a drive.

So are you planning to put a team together of entirely volunteers Pete?

[RacingPete]

Shrimper said:

So are you planning to put a team together of entirely volunteers Pete?

The plan is for any PHer who wants to help out at any of the races is more than welcome to come along, so all volunteers... I will get the first round in too

[Matt2101]

I'd like to get involved Pete. Im studying motorsport engineering at Coventry alongside racing a Locost for the umpteenth year, as well as embarking on the very early stages of a career as an instructor so I might be of some use to you. Whenever the dates dont clash with instructing or Locosting I'll do my best to be there. I've prepared a few cars before (www.tmcmotorsport.co.uk) so I roughly know my way around a spanner!
Please let me know of any plans!

Cheers,
Matt

[Tonto]

bikemonster said:

Looks like heaps of fun.

Now, as PH is reputed for its attention to things grammatical as well as things moor-fanatical, may I point out that the article says "The whole car was developed from scratch in under a year by LNT Automotive, who said British manufacturers are dead!"

That's saying that LNT Automotive announced the death of British manufacturing. I do not think that that is what you meant.

Eats shoots and leaves.

Those Barstewards at LNT !!!!!

[mattsayle]

Good luck guys! I will take some piccies of you guys hard at work at Oulton

[RacingPete]

Thanks everyone for their offers of help...

We will be working through the emails and posts above to get numbers for each race meeting and email you all individually.

Though plenty of room for some more.. so keep them coming in!

[1275GT]

What day is the media day at Croft next week?

I live just down the road so may well pop by and say hello.

[flattotheboards]

Sounds good fun, good luck