Best national racing series in the UK

[peenuts]

can i go for any racing as long as its good and clean

[jaysalv]

for me in no particular order it has to be
legends
stock hatch
dmn
clio cup

[jerryk]

The Thoroughbred Sports Cars Championship for me too

[rbs]

The HSCC have several championships that fit in here, that have not been mentioned yet. The Derek Bell Trophy and Formula Junior for single seaters and 70's roadsports and Saloons are all in my top 10 championships.

[diz]

Formula Ford 1600 in regional, classic and soon to be national again guises.
Not much else really as I am just a wee bit biased.
I'd better add in Club F3 as I am soon to become biased there as well.

Taking my biased hat off, Caterhams are usually a bit tasty, as are -or at least were - the Mini 7 and Mini Miglia brigade [not seen them for a while though]

I can live without anything on the F3 / GT and BTCC packages.

Ladies and Gentlemen I will take my leave now and see some of you next weekend at the last race meeting of the 2007 season.

[Chigley]

And you've all missed the most entertaining, closest, underated and brilliant championship that is multi disciplined and totally national. The Pick Up Trucks!

[chris bailey]

So how do you define "best"? I've come back to racing this year, in Sports 2000 Pinto. Proper race cars, long(ish) races. Best tracks (Silverstone and Brands GP/Spa/Zandvoort/Cadwell/Donington). Low running costs. Clean driving. Great bunch of people. High retention values. There's nothing out there I'd rather be racing for the same money.

Rollo Tomasi - Swift DB2 #36

[nyssa7]

Originally Posted by retro_msport

A Nissan ... thats enough

Like I said, there's room for DMN and LMA, but this season LMA had:

3 Nissan Primera Supertourers
2 Honda Accords
2 Ford Mondeo
1 Vauxhall Vectra
1 Vauxhall Cavalier

Throw in 2 Escort Cossies and 2 Noble M400s

and at least 6 of those were present in 10 of the 13 races this season

An observation as somehow who has raced in both series this season - found both series friendly places to be but in similar sized grids, the front guys in DMN are fairly evenly matched with the front guys in LMA, but DMN has a lot more "slower" cars, ie easier for me to qualify in a half decent overall grid position in DMN

Again doesn't make LMA better than DMN in itself, just takes us back to the title of the thread - NATIONAL. When I get tired of travelling the country, then guess I'll major in DMN as I'm a southerner

[Al Weyman]

I never knew a Noble was a saloon, how bizzare they let that in, talk about a catch all, is there anything they don't allow in?

[Ian Sowman]

It is the LMA Euro Saloon and Sports Car Championship, to give something approximating to its full title.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I never knew a Noble was a saloon, how bizzare they let that in, talk about a catch all, is there anything they don't allow in?

With regard to the inclusion of Nobles (and Elises, Exiges, Marcos Mantis, Harriers et al) is because the championship become the LMA Euro Saloon and Sports Car Championship at the start of '07. Hence most European cars are eligible. That said, there have been occasional non production vehicles allowed in such as a V8STAR Audi.

[jonbryant]

Actually the more I think about it, the more championships I like. It might be easier to go for those I don't like!

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by kipper

With regard to the inclusion of Nobles (and Elises, Exiges, Marcos Mantis, Harriers et al) is because the championship become the LMA Euro Saloon and Sports Car Championship at the start of '07. Hence most European cars are eligible. That said, there have been occasional non production vehicles allowed in such as a V8STAR Audi.

Are right, a catch all then!

[rcarr]

I enjoy Britsports type of cars and Sports 2000 type cars.

Close saloon car racing is good, Britcar.

I feel 1 make series is killing British motorsport. The Scottish Motor Racing Club is over run with 1 make series, Minis, XR2s and Legends. For ladies and gents of the fuller figure can't really make racing in 1 make series because the weight disadvantage is huge. I was racing up against someone half my weight in the XR2s.

[Al Weyman]

At 19 stone I just have to go along with that!

[Grahame West]

As a marshal to be found either at Croft or Knockhill my top three national would be

Northern Sports & Saloons.
Legends.
Scottish Saloons & Sportscars.

SMRC do have a predomiance of one make series but as I've recently relocated north of the border -I find their format of short sharp races makes for interesting day.

Must be doing something right as Knockhill always seems to get a good few spectators at their SMRC events.

[rcarr]

Originally Posted by Grahame West

As a marshal to be found either at Croft or Knockhill my top three national would be

Northern Sports & Saloons.
Legends.
Scottish Saloons & Sportscars.

SMRC do have a predomiance of one make series but as I've recently relocated north of the border -I find their format of short sharp races makes for interesting day.

Must be doing something right as Knockhill always seems to get a good few spectators at their SMRC events.

Yes the spectator numbers are OK but the club isn't happy about the numbers of the Sports and Saloons grid. We've been given a "yellow card" for next season, we have to regularly get over 18 cars on the grid or we won't have a championship for 09'. I am personally gutted because it is the only championship I can enter with my car and I can't afford to travel to Croft for every other DDMC meeting.

The Sports and Saloons race is the amalgamation of Clubmans, GT/Sports, Road saloons, kitcars etc it has been the backbone of motor racing in Scotland since the SMRC was formed 51 years ago. Many great drivers have competed in the various championships over the years. Sir Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Roy Salvadori, to name 3.

[nyssa7]

Originally Posted by kipper

With regard to the inclusion of Nobles (and Elises, Exiges, Marcos Mantis, Harriers et al) is because the championship become the LMA Euro Saloon and Sports Car Championship at the start of '07. Hence most European cars are eligible. That said, there have been occasional non production vehicles allowed in such as a V8STAR Audi.

In simple terms, so long as there has been one production example road registered in Europe, its eligible. There are exceptions specially quoted in the regs to keep impossibly fast (against the target entrants) cars such as bike engined Radical types, Caterham types, and new for 2008 (probably - awaiting ratification) an exclusion on Porsche Motorsport built cars and current FIA GT cars

The Audi V8 Star ran as a non-point scoring guest, there is a guest class for this purpose

[chezza]

Gary...I've read that somewhere before!

I am biased has to be DMN for me, however we are south eastern based. Nationally has to be legends and minis (any variety of proper mini).

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Chigley

And you've all missed the most entertaining, closest, underated and brilliant championship that is multi disciplined and totally national. The Pick Up Trucks!

Mentioned it on the first page of this thread

http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....2&postcount=12

[Suze]

FF1600 and Formula Vee for single seaters.....and then the legends and stock hatch.......

[Austinspace75]

Personally, I think its pretty much impossible for any competitor to give a balanced decision regarding what's best from a competitor's point of view. You would need to have competed in so many different championships (of all varieties) to gain a decent opinion, that I doubt anyone's really qualified to give one!
This is partly why everyone is simply 'bigging up' the series they're currently competing in as its the only one they can offer an experienced opinion about.

Anyway, whatever, probably the best way to look at it is from a purely spectator perspective and when I do that (having spent a ridiculous number of weekends stood on grassy banks of the last 25 years), there's a clear winner everytime:

Mini Sevens/Miglias

Very fast, fantastically close, scary AND quite funny all at the same time, whilst still managing to avoid contact. It ALWAYS has me utterly captivated and jumping about like a loony. I struggle to think of a single sporting event of any type that has the same effect on me.

I know there's plenty who would rather watch a mix of cars, but as a 'racing' series, Minis have never been rivalled in my opinion.

[R59]

Originally Posted by Chigley

And you've all missed the most entertaining, closest, underated and brilliant championship that is multi disciplined and totally national. The Pick Up Trucks!

You can go off some people...

(Go on Ian - post that "thread" link on here - I dare you!)

Having raced in the DMN series in the past, I have to say that it is very good, and has a very good following.

Never mind the quality, feel the width.

Rob.

[gravel_monkey]

who would have thought me of all people could spark off a heated and sensible debate, theres a first for everything.
really enjoying reading through peoples thoughts on here, i do understand peoples love of the dmn series, never seen it but always read the reports in autosport and will have to go to see them. as stated though, the dmn suffer the same as britcar. around thier local area they always have big grids and fantastic races, anywere else i.e up north they are not known, britcar comes to oulton but brings so few cars because of the distance people dont get excited by them, i have marshalled several britcars races down south and they are brilliant and dmn we have never seen around the likes of oulton. i also like the post about sports 2000. i remember a few years ago these were dying off but increasing popularity each year and bigger grids these are getting better each year

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by gravel_monkey

britcar comes to oulton but brings so few cars because of the distance people dont get excited by them,

Maybe that's why there's no Britcar at Oulton next year! We must be thankful for small mercies!

dmn we have never seen around the likes of oulton.

I don't know anything about DMN, but I suspect it's just a southern version of BARC NW Sports/saloons or DDMC Sports/saloons.

I'm surpised that nobody's mentioned Ford Saloons - one of my favourite championships.

.....and let's not forget the Alfas, although I do have to admit to a certain bias there!