TVRCC Challenge season starts now

Exciting 2006 includes a race meeting at Spa

The next TVRCC Challenge season starts in just two weeks. It looks like an exciting season ahead -- including a meeting at Spa. Here's a preview from ace Tuscan racer and PistonHeads devotee Graham Walden.

The mighty Thorpedo

2006 is possibly the most exciting time in TVRCC racing since the Tasmin Challenge first started in 2000. The all-Tasmin series reached grids of 20 cars, before the decision was taken to open the TVRCC Challenge to all types of TVR in 2004.

2005 proved to be a watershed with the demise of the factory GT teams and the Tuscan Challenge facing an uncertain future. The series suffered: we had plenty of different cars and drivers but struggled to get them all out together with delayed builds, accidents, and engine problems conspiring to keep the grids low. Yet despite the low grids, people commented on some fantastic racing in both the Tuscans and the TVRCC Challenge.

At the end of 2005, the TVRCC Challenge were offered an extra race at Snetterton. This proved to be an excellent opportunity to mix the TVRCC Challenge and the Tuscan challenge, although a few eyebrows were raised at the thought of mixing cars with a large performance difference on one of the fastest tracks in the UK. They needn’t have worried, there was a difference in speeds but there were no dramas and everyone enjoyed themselves.

The 2006 season

With the successful race at Snetterton behind us, John Reid of Readman Racing then set about arranging with the organising clubs, the MSA and potential series sponsors to find a home for the Tuscans and the TVRCC Challenge cup cars. Working with the BRSCC, John has come up with a good mix of UK circuits and the jewel in the crown: a weekend's racing at Spa-Francorchamps in June.

For some TVR enthusiasts that could prove the start of a month-long European tour. The Monster Track Day at Spa on the Wednesday 31 May, the TVRs racing at the weekend, followed by the Zolder track day and then finishing off with the 24 Heures du Mans -- no doubt with the Ring in between.

The series is supported by four main sponsors, Dunlop Tyres, Royal Purple Oils, Jays race wear and the TVRCC. Along with this sponsorship, John Reid has also arranged for the series to be covered on Men and Motors on Sky TV.

Dates and cars

The season will consist of ten race weekends, with both the Tuscans and the TVRCC Challenge all on track at the same time. This should produce some exciting battles all around the track, with all cars competing for Class and overall honours. The cars you can expect to see on the track are:

280i Tasmins
Turbo Tasmins
S3
Vixen’s
Griff 500
Chimaera
1960s Tuscan
RV8 Tuscan Challenge cars and other modified ex-Challenge cars
The Mighty Thorpedo (see pic)

There'll even be full-on AJP Tuscan challenge cars and some Sagarises.

With a very simple set of regulations and all cars eligible to compete for the TVRCC Challenge cup, this should grow into the place to see new and old TVRs racing. With the current low prices of early TVR Chimaeras and Griffs, it would be wonderful to see more of these cars racing as well -- and there is a rumour that a Cerbera may come out to play too.

Meetings

Oulton Park - 1/4/2006
Silverstone - 15/4/2006
Castle Combe - 1/5/2006
Pembrey - 13/5/2006
Spa Francorchamps - 4/6/2006
Snetterton - 24/6/2006
Rockingham - 8-9/7/2006
Mallory Park - 20/8/2006
Brands Hatch - 2/9/2006
Oulton Park - 7/10/2006

Classes

For 2006 there are three classes to encompass all suitably prepared TVRs The regulations are very simple with the only stipulations being that all cars must be prepared to MSA standards and that Dunlop tyres are used.

Class A: Normally aspirated over five litres and over 350bhp, and forced induction over 350bhp
Class B: Normally aspirated between three and five litres, and forced induction under 350bhp
Class C: Normally aspirated under 3litres

To make it easy to spot the different classes on the track, they will carry different coloured number backgrounds.