Spotlight on Sprinting

The poor relation of motorsport? Not real racing! That’s how sprinting has been described to me by people who know very little about motor racing apart from their fortnightly diet of F1, with the added bonus of Suzy Perry. Sprinting has been around for many years, offers a variety of clubs and circuits all over the country. Thousands compete from the local level right up to the MSA run National Championship in a massive variety of machines from Ex formula 3 single-seaters to a standard Mini from the 1980s and everything in between.
Over this season I will be on the lookout for the machines that we enjoy at classiccarmag.net their details and owners out there competing with car and driver against the track and the clock. Where better place than my local circuit the historic and fast track of Goodwood to seek out these machines, trailered or driven by their owners, no 40 ton artics or extendable motorhomes in this paddock. Owner/driver/mechanic is the norm but if you are lucky like I was you had some help from a trusty mate who didn’t mind getting his hands dirty. The paddock is always a friendly place with help if you need it from all areas especially your competition, every effort made to get every car out for their runs. With a multitude of classes, variety of cars and various amounts of driver skill and experience there is a place for anyone looking to enter the world of motorsport.
Car - Austin 7 Ulster 750cc
Owner - Mark Groves
Year - 1930
Owned - 7 years
Class - Modified production
Engine - Standard block all else modified
Gearbox - Standard
Suspension/brakes - Sort of standard/everything uprated
Future plans - Race/sprint and enjoy
Car - Ford Anglia 105e
Owner - Graham Kendall owned for 12 years
Year - 1960
How long sprinting - 3 years
Class - Sports Libre
Engine - 1.6 Toyota Twin cam ex MR2/twin 45 del auto carbs
Gearbox - Ford 2000e 4 speed/ Toyota bell housing and cover/ Ford centre courtesy 105 speed
Suspension/brakes - Front Mk 2 Cortina, Quaffe Diff
Owned - 12 years /Bad crash 2008 forced change to front end and space frame design
Car - Volvo Amazon 1998cc/owner Kevin Diamond
How long sprinting - 18 months
Year - 1967
How long owned - 18 months
Class - Production saloon up to 2.0L
Engine mods - High lift cams. Balanced and lightened
Gearbox - Standard 4 speed
Suspension/brakes - standard braked, competition pads, stiffened front Bilsteins, poly bushes
Future - More sprints/hillclimbs, suspension overhaul, fit twin Webber carbs
Car - MG MGA Coupe
Owner - Martin Phillis
Year - 1958
Owned - 17 years
Class - Road going modified
Engine - Peter Burgess built 1950cc MGB
Gearbox - Mgb with overdrive
Suspension/brakes - Lowered stiffened front end with MGB V8 brakes
Future - Just to keep on racing for as many years as possible
Car - Mk 6 Jedi
Owner - Stephen Chaplin
Class entered - D14 Racing Cars upto 1100cc
Year - 2006
Engine - Suzuki GSXR 1000 K5
Gear Box -Sequential 6 speed as supplied by Suzuki, upgraded clutch
Suspension - Adjustable AVO shocks
Brakes - AP 2 Pot all round, groved discs
Future - Club Sprinting, plus double driving with my son in his Mini Cooper
Owner - Stephen Laing
How long sprinting : 15 years + ( campaign history:- Westfield 2litre Punto, Caterham 1700 Crossflow, Exige Mk1, Caterham R500)
Car – Caterham R500
Year - 2009
Purchased: 2011
Engine – Ford Duratec 1998cc Caterham spec.
Gear Box -Sequential 6 speed
Suspension and brakes – Caterham R500 standard issue
Class entered – A8 Road going Kit Type and Replica Cars (Appendix 1 ) of 1701 cc and over including motorcycled engine cars of any capacity. ( Appendix 1 = Caterham, Westfield, Sylva, Fisher and Lotus 7, Elise, Exige, and 340R, Vauxhall 220, X – Bow and similar types/derivatives of these cars)
Future – Continue to enjoy Sprinting,
Owner - Chris Gallacher
Car - Reliant Sabre Six
Year - 1964
Engine - 2553cc straight six Ford
Gearbox - Ford standard
Used for - Road rallies, sprints and hill climbs
Owner - Rob Farley
Car - SSC Stylus Classic (self built)
Year - 1997
Engine - 2.0 Zetec
Gearbox - Quaife type 9
Suspension - Heavierly modified fr and rear adjustable/coil overs
Future - No plans to retire driver or car
Owner - Rob King
Car - Ford XR2
Year - 1989 owned from new
Engine - Standard apart from Twin 40 Webbers and up rated exhaust
Gearbox - standard
Suspension - Spax units
Brakes - Up rated pads and discs
Future plans - carry on the same, life long partners
Owner - Tim Cole (father) Sarah Munns (daughter)
Car - Mini
Year - 1978
Engine - Full race 1380cc
Gearbox - Straight cut with LSD
Suspension - Fully adjustable
Brakes - 4 pot calipers and ventilated disc
Future - The car is completed, the family carrying on in sprinting
Owner - Richard Carter (father) / James Carter (son)
Car - Scimitar GTE SE5
Year - 1972 (car built from several 2007-2008)
Engine - Essex 3.0 fuel injected
Gearbox - four speed
Suspension - modified Avo coilovers
Brakes - Front and rear modified
Future - Win More Championships
Owner: James Smith
Car: Rellard /Reliant-Allard
Year: 1968
Engine: Ford V6 Essex
Gearbox: Getrag 5 Speed
Suspension/brakes: Reliant Scimitar standard
Future: carry on with all forms of motorsport, inc Trials/hillclimbs/sprints
If you want to add your own car to this article them email us at info@classiccarmag.net.Tags:
Spotlight on Sprinting