| BriSCA F1 Stockcar | |
|---|---|
| Category | Single seaters |
| Active since | 1954 |
| Country/region | United Kingdom |
| Engine | Chevrolet V8 engine Unlimited Capacity Normally Aspirated |
| World Champion 2011 | 2 Paul Harrison |
| National Series Champion 2011 | 55 Craig Finnikin |
| British Champion 2011 | 2 Paul Harrison |
| European Champion 2011 | 150 Mick Sworder |
BriSCA Formula 1 Stock Cars is a class of single seater auto racing in the UK. Cars are custom-built and race on oval tracks of either shale or tarmac.
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BriSCA F1 Stock Car racing can trace its roots to the first stock car race in United Kingdom, which was held at New Cross Stadium in London on Good Friday, April 16, 1954. Since then it has raced continuously and held over 5000 meetings across the United Kingdom.
Originally, the cars were slightly modified saloon cars, hence the term stock as opposed to race cars. Most of the cars were American models with a V8 engine, although some were larger European cars. The cars were standard cars with wheel arches removed and with bumpers and roll bars added.
In the mid seventies, a group of southern based drivers broke away from the BSCDA (British Stock Car Drivers Association) and formed their own association, called SCOTA (Stock Car Oval Track Association). They raced for promoter Spedeworth International in cars exactly the same as BriSCA F1. In 1980, the southern drivers and Spedeworth decided to introduce a five litre limit, and make the cars slightly smaller. The 1980 formula (known as Formula 80) is still running today under the name of Spedeworth V8 Stock Cars.
During the 1960s, the cars developed from stock road cars into specially built cars with fabricated chassis and race-tuned V8 engines. While NASCAR also races specially-built race cars, they retain the appearance of a road car, unlike the BriSCA F1 which now bears no resemblance to a road car.
A modern BriSCA F1 is a race car with front engine, rear-wheel drive, and open-wheeled with the driver located centrally. Cars make use of an aerofoil mounted on top of the roof that is similar to those found on American Sprint cars. A BriSCA F1 Stock Car is constructed of a race engineering steel chassis with aluminium sheet body panelling and aerofoils (wings) with a robust roll-over/safety cage. They must weigh 1350–1500 kg and use a heavily modified Ford Transit rear axle with a 'Doug Nash' style gearbox with two forward gears (one for racing) and one reverse. The most common engine used, due to its reliability and availability, is a race-tuned American Chevrolet V8 engine in both small block (327 ci) 5.4 L and big block (454 ci) 7.4 L varieties, producing upwards of 740 bhp with approx 640 ft·lbs of torque. There is no limit in engine capacity or number of cylinders but engines must be naturally aspirated (no supercharging or turbocharging permitted). Cars can reach speeds of 80–90 mph around a quarter-mile oval so they use large roof aerofoils to help slow the cars down and create downforce on the corners to provide some extra cornering grip.
Many drivers use two separate cars; one will be set up primarily for use on shale or dirt ovals, while the other car will be set up for tarmac or asphalt ovals; however a few drivers with limited budgets may optimise just one vehicle for both surface types, changing various components for each different track and surface.
BriSCA F1 Stock Car races are normally held on short oval tracks, either tarmac or shale. Heats usually consist of 16 laps, with meeting finals lasting 20 laps. Special events (such as the World Final) are held over 25 laps. The number of drivers per race general falls between 20 and 30 cars but there have often been 40+ cars in a race.
Each driver is graded according to past results, their roofs painted accordingly: red aerofoils with amber flashing lights are known as 'superstar' grade drivers; then red, blue, yellow and white. The lowest graded drivers (white) start each race at the front of the field, while the superstar drivers start each race from the rear of the field. Championship winners are also designated specific roof colours: gold for the World Champion, silver for the National Series Champion, black and white checks for the British Champion, red and yellow checks for the European Champion.
The World Championship is an annual competition and the premier stock car championship. The winner is granted the honour of racing with a gold roof and wing until the next World Final. The World Final is usually held in September. The host tracks, all of which are based in the UK, are chosen by the designated promoter.
The grid for the World Final is comprised of drivers from the UK who are chosen through a series of qualifying rounds and two World Championship Semi-Finals. Drivers who fail to progress from the World Semi-Finals may race again in a Consolation Semi-Final to choose two more entrants, and the reigning World Champion is entitled to start at the rear of the grid if they have not already qualified. The UK drivers are joined by stock car drivers from the Netherlands, and by invited drivers in the nearest equivalent motorsport formulas from other countries often including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.
The most successful driver in World Final races is John Lund, who has won eight. Other notable multiple winners include Stuart Smith (six), Andy Smith (five), Peter Falding (four), Johnny Brise (three) and Dave Chisholm (three).
Since 2009 The National Series Championship is based on the points scored over each meeting throughout the year, with a final ten Shootout rounds in which the top fifteen National Points scoring drivers qualify. Their points are zeroed at this point except for a small amount of additional attendance points. These drivers are then all classed as 'superstar' grade and are split evenly in each race in reverse points order at the rear of the field of cars. The top points scorer of the ten Shootout rounds becomes the National Series Champion and may hold a silver roof during the following season. Previously this honour had been given to the top points scorer over the whole season of racing, or latterly over 35 designated rounds.
The current BriSCA F1 tracks are:
BriSCA F1 Stock Cars is governed by the BriSCA Management Board, comprising three members of the association of promoters (BriSCA) and three members of the British Stock Car Drivers Association (BSCDA) together with an independent secretary. Rules and regulations relating to car specifications, race procedures, track requirements and all other aspects of the sport are updated annually by the BriSCA Management Board. All drivers wishing to race at a BriSCA F1 meeting have to be registered in advance by the BSCDA. All venues that stage BriSCA F1 racing must be licensed by BriSCA.
The 1980s saw BriSCA F1 Stock Cars on national television, featured on ITV's World of Sport.
During 2009, the BBC filmed an F1 Stock Car Season almost in its entirety to produce a 6-part television documentary titled Gears and Tears which features the bitter battle between the two dominant clans in the sport, the Yorkshire-based Wainmans and the Lancashire-based Smiths. Over the nine-month season the film makers enjoyed unprecedented behind the scenes access. The first programmed aired on BBC One on 2 August to over 2,000,000 viewers.[1]