Pickup Truck Racing

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Pickup Truck Racing
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Category Pickup trucks
Country or region United Kingdom
Inaugural season 1997
Drivers 31 (2007)
Constructors SHP Engineering
Engine suppliers Vauxhall, Ford
Last Drivers' champion Steve Dance
Official website PickupTruckRacing.com

Pickup Truck Racing is a motor racing series for pickup trucks that holds races at circuits in the United Kingdom. It was created in 1997 to bring the American pickup truck culture to Europe.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

Launched in 1997, the Pickup series is for purpose built 230bhp racing specials. They have a tubular spaceframe chassis, are powered by a 2 litre multi-valve twin-cam engine and weigh 900kg. The race trucks are designed to place an emphasis on driver ability.

In 2001 the Pickup series became the main support for the Rockingham-based oval SCSA (then called ASCAR) racing series. At this time the Pickups were right hand drive in configuration and as such not permitted to race on the anti-clockwise 1.5 mile speedway. A 'roval' course was created to allow the drivers to compete.

For the 2003 season the Pickups were converted to left hand drive and finally allowed onto the oval track, as can be seen Here.

Pickup Truck Racing is unique in 'big' oval racing, in that unlike e.g. NASCAR the trucks have rain tyres, wipers and rear safety lights, and will race on the ovals in the wet. Speeds are about 18 mph slower than when racing in fully dry conditions.

Pickup Truck Racing is also the only racing series in the UK for which no race-by-race entry fees are charged[2].

[edit] Technical specification

Pickup Truck
Manufacturer SHP Engineering
Class Pickup truck, Race car
Engine(s) Vauxhall 2 litre, Ford Zetec 2 litre
(229 bhp)
Transmission(s) Four speed manual transmission
Wheelbase 2720 mm (107.1 in)
Curb weight 870 kg (1918 lb)

Pickup Truck Racing is a single make series, and the trucks are governed by the Pickup Truck Racing regulations,[3]. The chassis is made by SHP Engineering, who are also responsible for the vehicle used in T Cars, a series for young drivers.

The main flexibility in the regulations comes in the choice of engine. The trucks can be fitted with either a Vauxhall or a Ford Zetec engine, both of which are four cylinder engines with a 2 litre capacity and 16 valves.

[edit] Current season

Main article: 2008 Pickup Truck Racing season
Pete Wilkinson's pickup being prepared for the first 2007 race
Pete Wilkinson's pickup being prepared for the first 2007 race

For the 2008 season, races will take place on weekends between March and November. There will be eleven racing weekends at six different circuits; the majority of the races will be held at Rockingham Motor Speedway but others will be held at Brands Hatch, Thruxton, Donnington, Pembrey and Mondello Park. Each round comprises two races, making a twenty two round competition in total.

In the past the focus of Pickup Truck Racing has been on the oval races at Rockingham. The 2008 season will give equal emphasis on road courses leading to a more balanced championship. The road courses races for 2008 will be of a higher pedigree, with the Pickups racing at a one off date as support for the DTM series; alongside the BTRA British Truck Racing Association championship, and two dates with the International FIA Trucks.[4] Premier races will also be supported at Rockingham, including the British F3 and British GT events there.

[edit] Previous seasons

Main article: 2007 Pickup Truck Racing season

[edit] Race Format

Under normal circumstances race weekends follow the traditional format of practice and qualifying on the Saturday, and two races on Sunday. Qualifying is used to shake the car down and work on the setup, and to meet the MSA requirements for race entry of three qualifying laps, and not to set the starting grid.

The grid is set by reversing the current championship order. Rookies always start from the rear of the grid as do competitors who have broken seals on controlled components such as differentials. Drivers can also elect to start from the back should they wish to do so.

At some circuits, qualifying takes place on Saturday morning, with the first race on Saturday afternoon and the second on Sunday.

[edit] Previous champions

Note: 1997 was the inaugural year and as such, races were not part of a championship

Year # Driver Points
2006 22 Nic Grindrod 3210
2005 22 Nic Grindrod 3760
2004 54 Gavin Seager 3400
2003 16 Steve Dance 3160
2002 54 Gavin Seager 2985
2001 38 Lee Caroline 2815
2000 38 Lee Caroline 4475
1999 4 Kevin Clarke 4640
1998 3 Jeff Simpson 3865

[edit] Points system

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
200 195 190 185 180 175 170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135 130 125 120 115 110 105
21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd
100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40

Any other classified finishers receive 20 points and any non-finishers receive 10 points except in the case of exclusion.


[edit] References

  1. ^ What are Pickups? : History. Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
  2. ^ No Entry Fees for 2008. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
  3. ^ 2007 Pickup Truck Racing Championship : Sporting, Technical & Commercial Regulations (PDF). Retrieved on 2007-04-27.
  4. ^ 2008 Race Dates - Pickups to a new level. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
2007 Pickup Truck Racing season
Drivers
Dance • Seager • N Grindrod • Willis • Wilkinson • Stevens • Smith • Heath • Wells • Turner • Poulter • R Grindrod • White • S Carr • Briggs • Tressler • Hawkins • Saunders • Pyke • Pearce • Mumford • Arnold • Stant • Rogers • Dobbs • France • D Carr • Novell • Butterfield • Doble • Dawkins
Circuits