BARC Open Sports Racing Cup

[scoop]

This press release has just been issued; thought it might be of interest!

The BARC has unveiled plans for the Open Sports Racing Cup in 2005. The new series will be open to an extensive range of sports-racing cars and will run over six weekends, with three races per weekend.

Following representation from sports-racing car drivers and manufacturers, the new series will accept all current National Supersports cars as well as a wide range of both open and closed-top sports-racing cars. Discussions with the BARC started in April 2004 and agreement is now in place for 2005 and beyond.

Apart from a weight limit for each class (which will include the driver), there will be no specific regulations beyond the normal vehicle regulations. Costs will be controlled by the use of success ballast in each of four classes.

The classes are:
A: engines of more than 3000cc; minimum weight including driver of 700kg
B: engines of 2001 - 3000cc; minimum weight including driver of 650kg
C: engines of 1501 - 2000cc; minimum weight including driver of 600kg
D: engines of up to 1500cc; minimum weight including driver of 575kg

Each race weekend will include one qualifying session and three 50km races. The grid for race one will be decided by qualifying times, the grid for race two will be the reverse of finishing positions in race one and the grid for race three will be the finishing order from race two.

"We are keen that there is a series that will cover a niche in the market that is not covered by other series," says Ian Watson of the BARC. "The open regulations will allow as many cars as possible and we would particularly like to see cars that are not currently being used back on the track."

The BARC also recognises the importance of a category that allows new racing car designers freedom to develop their skills. Such a class is good news for the British motor racing industry, and the development of Chiron designer Henry Nickless is a shining example of the fact that the sport needs classes where new design talent can emerge.

A core of competitors will transfer across from National Supersports and the initiative has the full support of the National Supersports Association. "This is not only excellent news for drivers with National Supersports cars, it is good for anyone with a sports-racing car," says NSA chairman Mike Swinnerton.

Entry fees for each weekend are expected to be around £325, meaning a fee of just over £100 for each 50km race. "This represents great value for money," says Swinnerton. "The concept of having one race weekend each month is designed to help make it affordable for competitors." Registration for the series is free, although competitors will need to be members of the BARC and a competitors' association. A minimum National B race licence will be required.

A wide variety of cars are eligible for the category, including:
All Radicals
All National Supersports cars
All SR2 cars
All Sports 2000 (both Classic and Pro-Series)
Historic Group 6 cars
LM 3000s
Prototypes and one-offs, including motorbike engined cars

The provisional 2005 calendar is as follows:
1 April 24, Donington Park (two races)
2 May 28/29, Snetterton (three races)
3 June 25/26, Croft (three races)
4 July 30/31, Brands Hatch (three races)
5 August 27/28, Rockingham (three races)
6 September 24/25, Pembrey (three races)

For more information, please call Ian Watson at the BARC on 01264 882200.

[andy97]

Does it include the Front engined Clubman cars?

[Tim Falce]

This should send Sam Collins off on one

[Elio]

Aren`t the EERC successfully doing this already??

[Ian Sowman]

First - this isn't a new championship. Second - EERC are considering dropping Britsports (as Steve Wood said on these pages a few weeks back). So it actually looks like a sensible way of creating a catchall for more cars and bigger grids, to me.

[diz]

Make it 2 x 50 mile and one 100 mile race and you are back to the 200 mile race that BARC used to run until 1966 - as chronicled in chapter five, The Unfulfilled Dream, by Tony Bagnall, recently published by tfm Publishing. A fine tome that I received last Saturday - a history of Aintree.

Well done scoop

[Asp]

Originally posted by scoop
The new series will be open to an extensive range of sports-racing cars and will run over six weekends, with three races per weekend.
...
The provisional 2005 calendar is as follows:
1 April 24, Donington Park (two races)

hrug: :confused:

[Elio]

Could see the point if EERC drop Britsports but not if not (if you see what I mean!). Unless of course the weekends don`t clash. From the look of this weekend`s Brands Britsport entry I don`t see why the club would want to drop it.

[scoop]

Diz:
You've spotted my multi-tasking function! How many hats can you wear? Quite a few, really.

Elio: it is important to remember that this is a series, not a championship. That status would only follow in later years if competitor support was sufficient to meet CCP criteria.
As Ian points out, the future of Britsports is uncertain based on comments posted by EERC's media contact. Equally, the length of races and diverse mix of cars in Britsport makes it somewhat different to what the BARC is planning.

Asp: well spotted, one weekend (the first one at Donington) is a one-day only, so just two races. But given the popularity of Donington and no other avaailable two-day slots, this seemed like an OK way to start the season.
Anyway, like any new initiative, it will stand or fall on competitor support, and that's always a tough one to predict as we all know.
Andy97: My understanding is that all-enveloping front bodywork is required, but that's worth double-checking.

[diz]

scoop
I was amused that - on one of the Autsport threads - you do not exist.

Will the real Paul Lawrence stand up please.

[Elio]

Oh well, I looked at the press release and thought "Britsports" personally!

The list of vehicles encompasses everything I`ve seen compete in Britsports, and I`ve not seen much more in Britsports that doesn`t appear in that list! In my opinion that makes the two pretty similar!! If the two are so different we ought to be able to come up with MANY examples of cars seen in one competition that are not eligible for the other... should we not?

Also, Championship? Series? - does it make THAT much of a difference? A new Series or Championship would need a unique selling point in my opinion. Maybe shorter races (than Britsport) and aimed at a single driver rather than 2 sharing might do it.

Also.... Has this Series been thought up exclusively because BARC have latched onto the EERCs comments about ditching Britsports I wonder?? Perhaps it`s just a subtle re-branding of the very same series!!

[Tony_Simpson]

If Britsports are to be dropped then this is the ideal series that should start, as there needs to be a sports car series out there, as they look good and are damm quick.

The only small thing I would add is another class for upto 1100cc bike engined cars, so that the Radical clubsports, Sports 1000 and Global lights can also come out to play if they want to.

Just hope this series is a success.

[Ian Sowman]

Tony, I believe the type of cars you mention will be catered for in a series of races organised by the 750MC next season (Autosport today, p101) - effectively an expansion of the nascent Sports 1000 series.

[Alan Green]

Originally posted by Elio
From the look of this weekend`s Brands Britsport entry I don`t see why the club would want to drop it.

Unfortunately I don't think the brands entry (or the donington entry two weeks ago) are representitive of what has happened this year. Croft cancelled because of only 9 definate entries, and generally low grids IIRC.

If the EERC are looking at going to a saloons + GT package rather than saloons + sports, then good luck to BARC, but if it's a rival series then I think this can go into the other running thread of "too many similar championships".

Al.

[Ian Sowman]

Indeed, the Britsports entry has been propped up for most of the year by cars due to be appearing in the Goldarts races - even combined, the entries have been less than great.

[Alan Green]

Just a note to add to this, from the news release on the EERC site talking about the 2005 season...

"The Britsports and Gold Arts series will continue much as this season, with the two splitting when possible to create another success story"

???

[johnw]

Seems like a great initiative and should be good to watch.

Look forward to receiving the same km per £ deal for all other BARC series and Championships

[andy97]

Originally posted by scoop
My understanding is that all-enveloping front bodywork is required, but that's worth double-checking. [/B]

Well thats written off about 20 cars (for eg Clubmans K Sports)from your potential grid, which is where NSA went wrong in the first place when it ruled out the front engined Vauxhall Supersports cars.

[Ian Sowman]

But then BARC (in association with the Clubmans Register) already run a championship for Clubmans/K Sports-type cars, so why would they want to dilute that?

[andy97]

Originally posted by Ian Sowman
But then BARC (in association with the Clubmans Register) already run a championship for Clubmans/K Sports-type cars, so why would they want to dilute that?

I don't see this as a question of "dilution" . I thought that this was an Open series, running just 6 weekends a year. Why, then, rule out a whole class of cars? There are also still some Vauxhall engined cars around, with few places to race, surely they should be encouraged out again?

[ss_collins]

this or britsports - and my leaning is towards james tuckers Britsports.

[rbs]

With Sports cars enjoying a revival at the moment lets have an "Open" British championship and not worry if a Radical wins the championship over a Sports Prototype as we did years ago, when a Rejo succeeded over larger and more exotic machinery.

May be we could also get AMOC to run the Martini International race on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit again.

[ChironWSC]

Britsports Enduro Racing, Open Sports Racing Cup sprint races. I dont think that allot of you really know how much differant this make the 2 series. For Sprint racing a 25-30 liter fuel tank is needed for Britsport 60 liter tank if you have ever tried putting a fuel tank twice the size in a racing car i think you will find it is near impossible so that makes allot of cars unable to compete in BritSports and on top of that you need to add Dry break fueling kit around £1,500-2,000.
How many cars this year that did SuperSports had a go at Britsports and vice versa think you will find that number to be 2 both my customer cars and only because they are fitted with 60 liter tanks. Having done 4 BritSport Races this year and SuperSports we will have all our cars in the new Open Sports Racing Cup next year cant wait it should be great. And good for the spectators lots of action and great cars because Motorsport really does need to get the spectators back to the track.

Henry

[archibold]

The BARC series sounds like a re-branded NSA, which clearly was not working, else it would have continued.

Not sure about the comments about fueling above, when I had an 1100 Radical it could do an hour on 1 tank and the 1300's are mostly fitted with dry-break. If you need to get Dry break, speak to fuel safe (no connection) who have kitted out most of Britcar for a lot less than what is being quoted above.

Britsport/Goldarts seemed reasonably well represented on Saturday, why introduce competition as the series is finding it's feet ??

[ChironWSC]

I was not talking about Radicals the fuel tank problem is aimed at current SuperSports and Sports2000 cars etc and old Front engined Vauxhall clubmans cars. And if you want to challenge for wins in BritSport you will need to spend around £1,500 to £2,000 at Fuel safe for Dual Dry break with one or two 25L dump cans or ATL will cost you £2,440 for 2" Dual dry break and two 25L dump cans.

Henry