"Equipe”GTS 2008
Having read through various comments and mostly compliments from previous threads, I am starting a new thread to introduce myself and to provide some additional information of the “Equipe”GTS race series.
Christophe Wilmart and myself started the “Equipe”GTS race series a few years ago having realised there was plenty of races for larger engined and more powerful historic cars in which smaller engined cars can try to compete – but typically usually only as “also-rans”. At least at that time, there was no race series predominantly for lesser powered historic production sports-cars.
Over the last six seasons, we have enjoyed organising some excellent European motor races including events at Montlhery, Spa Fancorchamps, Zandvoort, Dijon-Prenios, Zolder, Le Mans-Bugatti and Clermont Ferrand, plus other longer distance races at some of the more popular and demanding UK circuits including Donington Park, Silverstone International, Brands Hatch, Snetterton and the Shell-oils circuit at Oulton Park among many others. We have attracted cars and drivers from Germany, Italy, Holland, France, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden, plus a host of UK drivers and all have enjoyed some excellent racing.
Our races are predominantly for lesser powered historic production sports-cars including MGAs, MGBs, Triumph TR3 and 4, Morgan 4/4 and Plus-4, Standard and “Special-bodied” Sprites and Midgets, Sabre 6, TVR Grantura, Elva Courier, AC Ace and Alfa Romeo cars among many others. Most cars run to period E to F “FIA” specification or to an acceptable period modified specification to be approved by the organising committee and on controlled historic style tyres. We no longer accept entries form cars over 2.7 litres, nor from Lotus Elans, Marcos, Porsche 911 or any sports-racing cars.
We do not hold any form of championship and the need to win or be competitive is not of paramount importance among our growing number of competitors. Our aims and objectives are to be able to provide a reasonably safe environment for owners of high quality historic cars to race in longer distance races at better quality circuits and meetings.
Over the past 6 seasons, we have attracted some beautiful cars to race with us including no less than five ex-works MG cars including a ex-Le Mans and ex Sebring MGBs and a "Jacobs" style MG Midget, both ex-works Le Mans Sunbeam Alpines, one of three ex Le Mans Triumph Spitfires, plus several superb sports-cars with genuine 1960s racing history.
During the recent 2007 season, we held 14 x 30 minute races at 8 different circuits. Helped with support from Virgin Radio Classic Rock, we held race entry fees at £150 for a single 30-minute race, £295 for double-header 30-minute races. We do not charge any registration fee and during this last season we attracted no less than 101 drivers.
Our next year’s provisional calendar is taking shape, but dates are very provisional and too early to publish at this time. However, we have planned double headers at Spa Francorchamps, Zandvoort, Silverstone International, Snetterton and the new GP length circuit at Angelsey, plus single races at Brands Hatch and Donington “pencilled-in” for 2008. I will make public the calendar as soon as possible.
Information can be found on http://www.historique.co.uk
Importantly, we would love to see more Morgans running with us in 2008. Any FIA specification Triumph engined Plus4 or Ford pre cross-flow 4/4 would be eligible, certain period type modifications may be acceptable, but must be declared upon registration.
Please ask anything you might like to know and I will be happy to help where I can.
Thank you.
Jim Lowry.
"Equipe"GTS - 2008
Moderator: John Clarke
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Mark Shears
- Posts: 810
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:33 pm
- Location: Banbury,Oxfordshire, England
GTS Equipe
Hi Jim,
I just thought I would reply to you so you know we Morgan types are interested in your posting!
So much so in fact that Richard Plant and myself are definitely interested in racing with you next season at some of your meetings.
I know Mark Hoble has raced with you before but I do not know his plans for next season. I am sure though like Richard and myself he will be racing in Historic Roadsports with the HSCC.
There are several other potential Morgan Plus 4 drivers with eligible cars and I hope we may persuade them out next year too.
All the best,
Cheers
Mark
I just thought I would reply to you so you know we Morgan types are interested in your posting!
So much so in fact that Richard Plant and myself are definitely interested in racing with you next season at some of your meetings.
I know Mark Hoble has raced with you before but I do not know his plans for next season. I am sure though like Richard and myself he will be racing in Historic Roadsports with the HSCC.
There are several other potential Morgan Plus 4 drivers with eligible cars and I hope we may persuade them out next year too.
All the best,
Cheers
Mark
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John Emberson
- Morgan Class B
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 12:10 pm
- Location: Hertfordshire
- Contact:
Hi Tim.
Yes of course, novice drivers have to start somewhere and probably a series like "Equipe"GTS where the cars have similar tyres and relatively an equal amount of engine power is as good as anywhere.
Welcome aboard.
If you (or anyone?) take another look at http://www.historique.co.uk and follow the link to "Registration", there you can download a Driver registration form.
Please print, complete and sign the form and post it back to me. I will than add your name and email address to the mailing list. Thereafter you will receive up to the minute news and race entry forms by email.
Good to hear from you and we look forward to meeting you.
Cheers,
Jim.
Yes of course, novice drivers have to start somewhere and probably a series like "Equipe"GTS where the cars have similar tyres and relatively an equal amount of engine power is as good as anywhere.
Welcome aboard.
If you (or anyone?) take another look at http://www.historique.co.uk and follow the link to "Registration", there you can download a Driver registration form.
Please print, complete and sign the form and post it back to me. I will than add your name and email address to the mailing list. Thereafter you will receive up to the minute news and race entry forms by email.
Good to hear from you and we look forward to meeting you.
Cheers,
Jim.
I received a telephone call this morning and was asked to explain the “Equipe”GTS tyre regulations. I quite agree, it is a bit confusing but hopefully I can clarify here for all to see.
In each engine capacity class there is a minimum weight for each car, this is purely to determine which tyres the car may or must use.
The set weights are 750kg for class 3, 800kg for class 4 and 900kg for class 5.
A pre crossflow 4/4 would slot into class 3 – Cars from 1401cc to 1650cc.
A TR engined Plus 4 would slot into either class 4 – cars from 1651 cc to 2000cc
Or class 5 – Cars from 2001cc to 2700cc.
All cars under these set weights must use Dunlop Historic race tyres. Either L or M section tyres are acceptable.
All cars over each set weight must use either the Dunlop Historic or any 70 series road legal tyre, the Avon ZZ being the most popular, especially in the wet.
Therefore for example, a 1991cc TR3 engined Plus 4 running on Avon ZZ tyres must weigh at least 800kg at the end of each qualifying and race session. From my database file, I would not expect many Plus 4s to be under this weight.
We have never had a 4/4 running in “Equipe”GTS and I have little if any data or weighbridge information for this model, but importantly, ballast may be added to any car to bring it up to weight if necessary. The easiest way to add weight is to run with extra fuel, or go shopping in your local sports store and buy some dumbbell weights and bolt them securely to the car.
Plus 4s running in class 5 are likely to run into problems. I understand some FIA Plus 4s are weighing in at around 810-820 kg. It is obviously then your choice if you think it worthwhile to add ballast to use the Avons, or to run at the lower weight and use Dunlop Historics.
Please note; We regularly check the weights of random and sometimes all cars as they leave the circuit in Parc Ferme.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now from here on, I will have to choose my words very carefully.
“Equipe”GTS events do not constitute any form of championship and there will be no end of season overall winner or champion. We are merely racing for fun.
We obviously have a set of regulations and they work very well. Some drivers are very keen to be competitive, other drivers are there just to have fun and winning is of far less importance and in some cases - quite unlikely.
Both TVR Granturas and MGBs run with the MG B series engine, these are the models which tend to win every “Equipe”GTS race. Every driver using one of these engines must sign a declaration to confirm their engine is compliant with the series regulations. We allow all MGB engined cars to overbore up to 2000cc. with 1950cc being the most common being no different now to as it was in the early 1960s. Under the guidance of the chief scrutineer, we remove cylinder heads from the most competitive MGB engined cars at random after races. To date, we have inspected four MGB engined cars and all have found to be within the regulations.
Please note, it is only MGB engined cars where drivers have to sign any such declaration.
The important word used in the last paragraph was “competitive”. Using a certain amount of “common sense” there is no point in our eligibility scrutineer looking too closely at a car consistently running in the back half of the grid.
And so . . . . . . . upon entering an “Equipe”GTS race in your Morgan Plus4, it would appear you have the choice of running in either class 4 or 5. With class 4 being the most competitive with TVR Granturas and some very quick MGBs, it is unlikely that a 2litre Plus 4 even running on Avon ZZs would finish among the leaders. If it did, Christophe and I might start thinking about quite how legal the car was and we might consider suggesting an alternative.
Remember - “Equipe”GTS events do not constitute any form of championship and there will be no end of season overall winner or champion. Our greatest concern is in the standards of both car presentation and driver conduct. Both Christophe and I pride ourselves on the high standard of our entrant’s cars, most likely helped by our yellow card / red card system for drivers who we think may be driving in an aggressive or unsporting manner. We are merely racing for fun among other drivers of treasured and often valuable cars.
Interestingly, Dion Kremer raced his Plus4 with us recently at Brands Hatch and set the fastest lap in class 5 ( 2001cc to 2700cc) on Dunlop Historic L section tyres, faster than all the Triumph TR4s which were all using Avons.
Cheers,
Jim.
In each engine capacity class there is a minimum weight for each car, this is purely to determine which tyres the car may or must use.
The set weights are 750kg for class 3, 800kg for class 4 and 900kg for class 5.
A pre crossflow 4/4 would slot into class 3 – Cars from 1401cc to 1650cc.
A TR engined Plus 4 would slot into either class 4 – cars from 1651 cc to 2000cc
Or class 5 – Cars from 2001cc to 2700cc.
All cars under these set weights must use Dunlop Historic race tyres. Either L or M section tyres are acceptable.
All cars over each set weight must use either the Dunlop Historic or any 70 series road legal tyre, the Avon ZZ being the most popular, especially in the wet.
Therefore for example, a 1991cc TR3 engined Plus 4 running on Avon ZZ tyres must weigh at least 800kg at the end of each qualifying and race session. From my database file, I would not expect many Plus 4s to be under this weight.
We have never had a 4/4 running in “Equipe”GTS and I have little if any data or weighbridge information for this model, but importantly, ballast may be added to any car to bring it up to weight if necessary. The easiest way to add weight is to run with extra fuel, or go shopping in your local sports store and buy some dumbbell weights and bolt them securely to the car.
Plus 4s running in class 5 are likely to run into problems. I understand some FIA Plus 4s are weighing in at around 810-820 kg. It is obviously then your choice if you think it worthwhile to add ballast to use the Avons, or to run at the lower weight and use Dunlop Historics.
Please note; We regularly check the weights of random and sometimes all cars as they leave the circuit in Parc Ferme.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Now from here on, I will have to choose my words very carefully.
“Equipe”GTS events do not constitute any form of championship and there will be no end of season overall winner or champion. We are merely racing for fun.
We obviously have a set of regulations and they work very well. Some drivers are very keen to be competitive, other drivers are there just to have fun and winning is of far less importance and in some cases - quite unlikely.
Both TVR Granturas and MGBs run with the MG B series engine, these are the models which tend to win every “Equipe”GTS race. Every driver using one of these engines must sign a declaration to confirm their engine is compliant with the series regulations. We allow all MGB engined cars to overbore up to 2000cc. with 1950cc being the most common being no different now to as it was in the early 1960s. Under the guidance of the chief scrutineer, we remove cylinder heads from the most competitive MGB engined cars at random after races. To date, we have inspected four MGB engined cars and all have found to be within the regulations.
Please note, it is only MGB engined cars where drivers have to sign any such declaration.
The important word used in the last paragraph was “competitive”. Using a certain amount of “common sense” there is no point in our eligibility scrutineer looking too closely at a car consistently running in the back half of the grid.
And so . . . . . . . upon entering an “Equipe”GTS race in your Morgan Plus4, it would appear you have the choice of running in either class 4 or 5. With class 4 being the most competitive with TVR Granturas and some very quick MGBs, it is unlikely that a 2litre Plus 4 even running on Avon ZZs would finish among the leaders. If it did, Christophe and I might start thinking about quite how legal the car was and we might consider suggesting an alternative.
Remember - “Equipe”GTS events do not constitute any form of championship and there will be no end of season overall winner or champion. Our greatest concern is in the standards of both car presentation and driver conduct. Both Christophe and I pride ourselves on the high standard of our entrant’s cars, most likely helped by our yellow card / red card system for drivers who we think may be driving in an aggressive or unsporting manner. We are merely racing for fun among other drivers of treasured and often valuable cars.
Interestingly, Dion Kremer raced his Plus4 with us recently at Brands Hatch and set the fastest lap in class 5 ( 2001cc to 2700cc) on Dunlop Historic L section tyres, faster than all the Triumph TR4s which were all using Avons.
Cheers,
Jim.
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Mark Shears
- Posts: 810
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:33 pm
- Location: Banbury,Oxfordshire, England
GTS Equipe and Mogs
Hi Jim,
This is very helpful to us all - thank you. Am I right in saying that us Morgan drivers have to run with full width windscreens too?
I know that traditionally Morgans have mostly been raced sans windscreens and with aeros. Indeed most Mogs racing with the HSCC race in this configuration (and most 'modern' Mogs racing in the Morgan Challenge series do likewise).
Cheers,
Mark
This is very helpful to us all - thank you. Am I right in saying that us Morgan drivers have to run with full width windscreens too?
I know that traditionally Morgans have mostly been raced sans windscreens and with aeros. Indeed most Mogs racing with the HSCC race in this configuration (and most 'modern' Mogs racing in the Morgan Challenge series do likewise).
Cheers,
Mark
Hi Mark
Yes, quite right “Equipe”GTS regulations insist upon windscreens as per FIA Appendix K regulations.
You will see that all “ Series Production” cars should run a production windscreen.
More importantly, a “Competition GT” car, which is basically a period modified car running with period homologated parts such as Weber carbs, tubular manifolds, etc. must comply with Regulation 13.1 which states;
13.1.2 – For open cars built before 1955, windscreens are free provided that they extend at least 20cm vertically above the scuttle top surface.
13.1.3 – For cars built between 1955 and 1961 inclusive, windscreens must have the following minimum dimensions;
- Vertical height above scuttle top surface; 20cm
- Width 90cm up to 1000cm3, 100cm over 1000cm3
For cars built after 1961, it gets a bit complicated, but basically a production windscreen is mandatory on a Morgan.
So to conclude; we can have an aero screen on a pre 1955 car, a full width cut down screen on a 1955-61 car, then a factory screen on all other cars.
Quite true, in UK club racing during the 1950s and 60s most of our types of cars ran with aero-screens, but only in club racing - not in International events. Club racing has obviously progressed and nowadays in most UK races, historic ( or should I say “older” ) cars often run without any windscreens and most with glass fibre panels, 50 or 60 series sticky tyres and in many cases, a relative freedom of mechanical and tuning modifications. Most owner / drivers want to go faster – and fair enough providing the regulations allow it.
The reason why we follow the FIA regulations in “Equipe”GTS is that we are trying to replicate International racing of the period. Owners and enthusiasts of genuine historic cars would obviously prefer to race their cars in the correct period specification, this has undoubtedly encouraged several cars with genuine 1950s and 60s International competition history to race with us.
Thanks for asking the question, giving me another good opportunity to explain some of the reasoning behind our regulations.
Cheers,
Jim.
Yes, quite right “Equipe”GTS regulations insist upon windscreens as per FIA Appendix K regulations.
You will see that all “ Series Production” cars should run a production windscreen.
More importantly, a “Competition GT” car, which is basically a period modified car running with period homologated parts such as Weber carbs, tubular manifolds, etc. must comply with Regulation 13.1 which states;
13.1.2 – For open cars built before 1955, windscreens are free provided that they extend at least 20cm vertically above the scuttle top surface.
13.1.3 – For cars built between 1955 and 1961 inclusive, windscreens must have the following minimum dimensions;
- Vertical height above scuttle top surface; 20cm
- Width 90cm up to 1000cm3, 100cm over 1000cm3
For cars built after 1961, it gets a bit complicated, but basically a production windscreen is mandatory on a Morgan.
So to conclude; we can have an aero screen on a pre 1955 car, a full width cut down screen on a 1955-61 car, then a factory screen on all other cars.
Quite true, in UK club racing during the 1950s and 60s most of our types of cars ran with aero-screens, but only in club racing - not in International events. Club racing has obviously progressed and nowadays in most UK races, historic ( or should I say “older” ) cars often run without any windscreens and most with glass fibre panels, 50 or 60 series sticky tyres and in many cases, a relative freedom of mechanical and tuning modifications. Most owner / drivers want to go faster – and fair enough providing the regulations allow it.
The reason why we follow the FIA regulations in “Equipe”GTS is that we are trying to replicate International racing of the period. Owners and enthusiasts of genuine historic cars would obviously prefer to race their cars in the correct period specification, this has undoubtedly encouraged several cars with genuine 1950s and 60s International competition history to race with us.
Thanks for asking the question, giving me another good opportunity to explain some of the reasoning behind our regulations.
Cheers,
Jim.
-
Mark Shears
- Posts: 810
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:33 pm
- Location: Banbury,Oxfordshire, England
-
RICHARD PLANT
- Morgan Class E
- Posts: 409
- Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:46 pm
- Location: Stratford on Avon
- Contact:
as Mark has already said we look forward to receiving the dates do you have any provisional’s yet as I would like to start pencilling them in to the diary?-
John Emberson
- Morgan Class B
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 12:10 pm
- Location: Hertfordshire
- Contact:
-
RICHARD PLANT
- Morgan Class E
- Posts: 409
- Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:46 pm
- Location: Stratford on Avon
- Contact:
-
Mark Shears
- Posts: 810
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:33 pm
- Location: Banbury,Oxfordshire, England
Equipe GTS
Hi Jim,
Me again! I have just been looking at your website and saw that in 2006 you were running some of the races as 'Pit Stop' races. This meant that there was a compulsory pit stop and two drivers could share the car.
This would add an extra 'frisson' to the race and would certainly be of interest to me and a friend of mine who is very keen to compete.
Are you thinking of running any of the races next season as two driver races or giving us that option?
Cheers,
Mark
Me again! I have just been looking at your website and saw that in 2006 you were running some of the races as 'Pit Stop' races. This meant that there was a compulsory pit stop and two drivers could share the car.
This would add an extra 'frisson' to the race and would certainly be of interest to me and a friend of mine who is very keen to compete.
Are you thinking of running any of the races next season as two driver races or giving us that option?
Cheers,
Mark