Best old one-make series?

[chunterer]

Was just thinking about the plethora of national/club one make series we used to have, mainly saloon based but there was also some sportscar and single seater ones from memory more internationally.

One could argue that they set the tone for what we have today throughout the racing scene at quite high levels that perhaps wouldn't even have been considered 20 plus years ago like one make F3, F2 etc.

I used to like the Euro Renault Alpines and later the Spiders in the UK. The Metro's and 5 GT/Turbos were always pretty good value.

Has anyone got any particular favourites and memories to share?

[andrewc]

TVR Tuscan challenge was always exciting to watch

[Graz]

Originally Posted by andrewc

TVR Tuscan challenge was always exciting to watch

+1. Also, the Honda CRX championship was mental exciting when it visited Mondello in the late 80's.

[Mulsanne Bleu]

Originally Posted by andrewc

TVR Tuscan challenge was always exciting to watch

+1, I agreeon this one too

[Thundersports]

For me too TVR Tuscan challenge

[dave vass]

Although never devised as a one make series, Eurocars were really a Ford Mondeo championship which was very exciting and is still much revered today.
Another series that I remember as being fun, but quite fraught, was the BMW County Championship. The TVR Tuscans though do have to be up there amoungst the best.

[medius]

The Rover Challenge for the GTi and later Tomcats were fab on telly when I was growing up. As were the Vento VR6 and Polo G40's.

Plus all the years of Caterhams.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by andrewc

TVR Tuscan challenge was always exciting to watch

Originally Posted by Mulsanne Bleu

+1, I agreeon this one too

Originally Posted by Thundersports

For me too TVR Tuscan challenge

Originally Posted by dave vass

Although never devised as a one make series, Eurocars were really a Ford Mondeo championship which was very exciting and is still much revered today.
Another series that I remember as being fun, but quite fraught, was the BMW County Championship. The TVR Tuscans though do have to be up there amoungst the best.

So The Tuscan Challenge is a clear favourite so far then, and I can easily see why.

I remember when it was launched in 1989 or ('90?) it had some decent drivers in it, like Gerry Marshall, Jeff Allam, Tim Harvey and Chris Hodgetts. These guys were well used to powerful rear drive cars but some lesser lights, err, well weren't whihc led to plenty of offs!

The cars were tail happy in the extreme and were a brilliant addition to any raceday timetables.

The Eurocar concept was interesting, they came along long before Rockingham was built didn't they? I also seem to recall they liked rolling over a lot!!

The BMW County challenge that dave mentions was a good one but a bit before my time unfortunately. I've had to make do with programme listings and images to see that the creme of UK National racing competed in that.

There were a few oddballs that didn't make it like the Saab's in the late 80's which attracted good drivers but not enough cars and anyone remember the Ford P100 pickup challenge? I think that got canned because the entrants were complete hooligans!!

[zefarelly]

Escort mexicos looked like fun in the early 70's

[Al Weyman]

The Euro cars were spaceframed with glass bodies were'nt they? A European attempt at NASCAR hence EUROCAR.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Escort mexicos looked like fun in the early 70's

It was. My mate George Polley did a few of them and at first was well off the pace. Like all one make series they should have been "all the same" but of course they wasn't. It was only when we found others were using starter bendix springs inside the McPherson struts and other "tweeks" that he got faster

[Dan Rear]

Isn't it fair to say One-Make/Single spec is the root of all evil in racing???

[Al Weyman]

There has only ever been one truely 'One make racing' series and my favourite and that is the American International Race Of Champions or IROC. The only reason these were all the same was because they were run by Penske Racing and meticulously prepared to ensure they were all identical and the famous drivers turned up on the day and literally pulled the ignition keys out of a hat and that was their mount for the weekend. I have one of these original cars at home.

As far as I am concerned all other one makes are not equal which is why I hate them with a passion, when you see someone have the legs on someone down the back straight whats that all about? How many have been caught cheating in the past including some well known faces.

[dave vass]

[QUOTE=Al Weyman;2616308]There has only ever been one truely 'One make racing' series and my favourite and that is the American International Race Of Champions or IROC.
Al, we did have one truely 'One make race' in this country! It was to promote the new Vauxhall HP Firenza and all the cars were even identical in colour - silver! They were all driven by the stars of the national club racing scene and the race can be seen on You Tube - HP Firenza race @ Thruxton 1974. I was marshalling that day and remember the excitement of having such an event!

[Al Weyman]

But they would only be identical if set up by the company running the series and no further adjustments made not to tracking, brakes, shockers, camber & caster, brake bias and especially engine management as the IROC cars were or it defeats the object to find the true best. All they could do was literally adjust the seat and belts and that was it but this does cost a lot of money and why IROC went over to tubular space framed cars as the production based Porches and Camaros just could not be kept equal after a couple of dings.

[dave vass]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

The Euro cars were spaceframed with glass bodies were'nt they? A European attempt at NASCAR hence EUROCAR.

Yes Al, Eurocars were 'invented' by Incarace, and the first ever race was run at Hednesford Hills Raceway with a field of eight cars, one of which was driven by Kevin Clarke (he did a lot of oval racing in those days). The cars looked to be too big for our ovals, hence their move to the circuits; which makes me surprised that the European Late Model Series seemed to work OK when they appeared at Hednesford last year!

[dave vass]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

But they would only be identical if set up by the company running the series and no further adjustments made not to tracking, brakes, shockers, camber & caster, brake bias and especially engine management

The Thruxton event was a one off race, not a series, and if I remember correctly the drivers drew the cars they were to race out of a hat that morning!

[Al Weyman]

Thats fair enough, shame it was only one race.

[andrewc]

P100 pickups!

The Ginetta G50 series looks like it could take off in the same way as the TVR Tuscan series - hairy RWD cars.

[dave vass]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Thats fair enough, shame it was only one race.

Goodness knows what they did with all those cars afterwards.
One owner from new!
Only fifty miles on the clock! So not yet run in!
Never raced or rallied!
I wonder!

[Al Weyman]

They would have auctioned them off. I was at Alexandra Palace car auctions once and Vauxhall put through several works Manta 400 rally cars as I recollect. They were cheap as well!

[Splendid Cat]

XJR-15's in Jaguar Intercontinental Challenge. Lovely cars, great drivers, pure indulgence.

[Thundersports]

P100 challenge usually supported the trucks and yes they were hooligans! Keith Holland drove one thanks to knowing Jackie Epstein from his F5000 days and the drive was free, mainly all the pick ups running costs were picked up by Ford including the vehicles.

[chunterer]

Running costs or rebuild costs?!!!!

[expaddockrunner]

Originally Posted by Graz

+1. Also, the Honda CRX championship was mental exciting when it visited Mondello in the late 80's.

Honda's CRX
Madza MX5
Ford Fiesta's
Renault 5's or Cilo's

any of these would be great to watch