We are just hours away from the opening round of the 2014 Time Attack Championship!
The world-famous 1.64-mile Silverstone National circuit is the venue for our opening party, but who will be celebrating when the chequered flag drops?
Let’s have a look at the Lap Records and last year’s winning lap times, to get an idea of what the Time Attack Championship Class of 2014 should be aiming to beat.
TA Club Challenge [ NA, FWD, RWD, 4WD]
Entry level / progressive category, open modifications/power
MSA driver licence level required : National B Non Race Speed Licence [ Join and pay on the day – no ARDS test ]
Tyres : Any brand – MSA Blue Book 1B list
Lap Records:
Club NA – 1:04.256 -TVR Tuscan – Jeff Milham – 2008
Club FWD – 1:08.242 – Fiat Coupe – Marco Haig – 2009
Club RWD – 1:03.433 – Toyota Supra JZA80 – Paul Whiffin – 2009
Club 4WD – 1:01.689 – Subaru Impreza – Kev Horsley – 2008
2013 Winning Times: N/A
It’s been a while since the Club Challenge has been to Silverstone National. They missed out last year when the Pros visited a very wet Silverstone, with Club Challenge drivers visiting Donington Park instead. So this year we could see all new Club Challenge records, especially with the strength of this year’s Club Challenge classes. In particular, Marco Haig’s Club FWD record is at risk – 2013 Champion Marc Donnelly returns in his rapid Focus RS-powered Mk3 Ford Escort, and this time he has eleven rivals for the crown.
Also look out for Damien Bradley’s freshly wide-bodied Subaru Legacy in 4WD, and a trio of RX-7s that includes last year’s RWD Champion Umar Masood in his fire-breathing FD3S, up against newcomer Kevin Jones in his rare Noble M12 GTO3!
Driver Name Comp No. Class Car
Damien Bradley | 22 | Club 4WD | Subaru Legacy |
Jason Bird | 400 | Club 4WD | Mitsubishi Evo 5 |
Eric Holmes | 79 | Club 4WD | Mitsubishi Evo |
Mathew Webster | 83 | Club 4WD | Subaru Impreza |
Mark Flook | 800 | Club 4WD | Mitsubishi GTO |
Andy Grady | 43 | Club 4WD | Subaru Impreza |
Dave Coe | 80 | Club 4WD | Subaru Impreza |
Jeff Alden | 19 | Club FWD | Vauxhall Astra |
Neil Wrenn | 29 | Club FWD | Honda Civic |
Antonio Giovinazzo | 27 | Club FWD | Alfa Romeo 155 |
Jonny Fletcher | 64 | Club FWD | Vauxhall Astra |
Marc Donnelly | 76 | Club FWD | Ford Escort |
Adrian Daniel | 31 | Club FWD | Vauxhall Astra Coupe |
Matthew Straker | 30 | Club FWD | Vauxhall Astra |
Daniel Clark | 92 | Club FWD | Vauxhall Astra |
Stewart Summers | 97 | Club FWD | Citroen Saxo |
Darren Spooner | 13 | Club FWD | Peugeot 205 |
Will Watson | 35 | Club FWD | Vauxhall Astra |
Adam Jones | 25 | Club FWD | Honda Civic Type-R |
James Procter | 69 | Club N/A | Honda Civic Type R |
Mark Burnett | 28 | Club N/A | Honda Civic EG6 |
Kai Barker | 86 | Club N/A – OHW | Ford Fiesta ST |
Kevin Jones | 58 | Club RWD | Noble M12 GTO3 |
Darren Johnson | 46 | Club RWD – OHW | KTM Xbow |
Umar Masood | 48 | Club RWD | Maxda RX7 |
Neil Clark | 55 | Club RWD | Maxda RX7 |
Lorence Charter | 44 | Club RWD | Maxda RX7 |
TA Club Pro [ 2WD, 4WD ]
Serious modifications/power and low lap-times
MSA driver licence level required : National B Race or above [ ARDS test required ]
Tyres : Any brand – MSA Blue Book 1B list
Lap Records
Club Pro 2WD – 1:11.171 – Astra VXR – Bo Nielsen – 2013
Club Pro 4WD – 1:01.095 – Mitsubishi Evo 8 – Robin Duxbury – 2009
2013 Winning Times
Club Pro 2WD – 1:11.171 – Astra VXR – Bo Nielsen (wet)
Club Pro 4WD – 1:09.187 – Mistubishi Evo 9 GT – Brad Sheehan (wet)
Club Pro has a very different look this year. Four Evos dominate the class, with Jason Ogg’s “Hulk” the only other 4WD entrant. However, the Hulk does have a new trick up it’s sleeve in the form a new Samsonas sequential gearbox. Ronnie Amis has got out of the drivers-seat of his Sierra Cosworth and into a former BTCC VW Golf! It will be interesting to see how Ronnie’s lap times in the 2WD Golf compare to his 4WD class mates. We’re also looking forward to seeing the rivalry of Brad Sheehan and Andrew Barbour once more, and the pair are joined by newcomer Philip Reed with the backing of Ross Sport. Finally, it’s a big “welcome back'” to Russ Paton. He and his car have been rebuilt over the winter, following a big off at Brands Hatch last year.
Driver Name Comp No. Class Car
Philip Reed | 66 | Club Pro | Mitsubishi Evo 6 |
Jason Ogg | 10 | Club Pro | Subaru Impreza |
Brad Sheehan | 62 | Club Pro | Mitsubishi Evo 9 GT |
Andrew Barbour | 88 | Club Pro | Mitsubishi Evo 5 |
Russ Paton | 14 | Club Pro | Mitsubishi Evo 6 |
Ronnie Amis | 71 | Club Pro | VW Golf |
TA Pro
Superior modifications / power / aero– quicker lap-times than Club Pro
MSA driver licence level required : National B Race or above [ ARDS test required ]
Tyres : Any brand – Slick Racing Tyres
Lap Record
Pro – 57.989 – Subaru Impreza – Olly Clark – 2009
2013 Winning Time
Pro – 1:03.180 – Mitsubishi Evo 6 – Gareth Lloyd (wet)
A compact but varied field in Pro for 2014. From the Evo 9 that Rich Marshall has been working on all winter, to the former Group-B monster that is Mark Pollard’s Metro 6R4 and Scott Robson’s Subaru Impreza. Look out for 2013 Pro 2WD Champion Simon Deaton’s new livery on his Porsche too. Always pink.
Driver Name Comp No. Class Car
Richard Marshall | 5 | Pro | Mitsubishi Evo 9GT |
Mark Pollard | 41 | Pro | MG Metro 6R4 |
Simon Deaton | .00. | Pro | Porsche 997 |
Scott Robson | 33 | Pro | Subaru Impreza |
TA Pro Extreme [ all drive lines ]
Extreme modifications / power / aero – the quickest and fastest cars
MSA driver licence level required : National B Race or above [ ARDS test required ]
Tyres : Any brand – Slick Racing Tyres
No Lap Record or 2013 Winning Time
New for 2014 is the Pro Extreme class. The fewest restrictions of any class and the most extreme machines. Expect the quickest times we’ve ever seen in Time Attack!
Driver Name Comp No. Class Car
Marcus Webster | 24 | Pro Extreme | Nissan Skyline |
Granville Taylor | 208 | Pro Extreme | VW Beetle |
Andy Forest | 6 | Pro Extreme – OHW | Subaru Impreza |
Simon Norris | 9 | Pro Extreme | Mitsubishi Evo |
Olly Clark | 3 | Pro Extreme | Subaru Impreza |
Silverstone National Circuit – Sunday 6th April
See you all there!