Paddock News

There are just 100 days to go before the UK’s first-ever National Ferrari Owners’ Day, to be held at the historic Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire on Saturday 5th June 2021. This is an opportunity for our Ferrari racing family to display and promote what we do to the largest possible audience. So please bring along your race car for display and enjoy a super Ferrari day out. Sywell has lots of room so the more the merrier. Uniquely the day is open to all Ferrari owners, not just FOC members.

The day is set to see the biggest gathering of Ferrari tipos in the UK for many years. At the heart of the event will be a curated Ferrari Timeline, representing every possible model and era of production from Italy’s most illustrious marque. Ferrari visitors to the show can display their pride and joy in the Meguiars’ Pride of Ownership Trophy – not a concours, but an opportunity for owners who keep their car in excellent order to compete for the free-to-enter Meguiars’ Trophy.

Ferrari owners can pre-register for the Superformance Runway Speed Experience. If you have never driven your Ferrari at speed this is the perfect opportunity to try it in a controlled environment on Sywell’s 1,200-metre runway. Across the aerodrome there will be numerous casual food and drink options, as well as exhibits and displays from Official Ferrari Dealerships, Club Partners and other lifestyle brands. Iconic Auctioneers are holding a best of breed Sale of Ferraris in Hanger One, with lots expected from across the UK and Europe.

To make your booking and for lots more information go to the dedicated website.

Our original 355 Challenge wheels are now well over 20yrs old. Being Magnesium they are difficult and expensive to repair. Good ones are also quite hard to find these days with accompanying price tags. In hard racing use over many years they can crack and go out of true. With our 355 Challenge cars becoming so popular this problem could only get worse as time went on. Fortunately original manufacturer Speedline have come to our aid with an acceptable alternative. Working with great encouragement from Tim Walker they are producing a batch of wheels to original Challenge specifications albeit in a different style and material. The only alteration being a slight change to the offset of the front wheel only to accommodate clearance of the Challenge caliper.

These attractive wheels will be available exclusively from Walkersport at a discounted rate for registered competitors. Please contact Tim at Walkersport and get your order in.

The Ferrari Challenge UK will return in 2021 with an expanded calendar. Despite the difficulties induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ferrari Challenge UK 2020 season still managed to successfully fulfil the season calendar to the delight of clients. Following on from the success of the previous two years, the 2021 season will feature the biggest and most impressive calendar to date, with a fifth race weekend increasing the series from eight races to ten. Like last year, the championship will travel to iconic UK circuits, racing at Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Silverstone and Snetterton, as well as Oulton Park which is the new venue for 2021.

Also new for 2021 is the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo kit. The Evo kit increases the car’s overall performance and consistency in race conditions, and also improves the handling for even better feedback and driving pleasure. Better performance is guaranteed by higher downforce and new Pirelli tyres, while driving feedback was addressed from the early stages of development using Ferrari’s GT driving simulator, revising the aero balance between the axles. To improve turn-in and reduce understeer out of corners, the downforce over the front has been increased.

Ferrari UK Challenge 2021

14 – 16            May Brands Hatch Indy & GP             UK Challenge

12 – 13            June Donington Park                          UK Challenge

10 – 11            July Snetterton                                   UK Challenge

17 – 19            September Silverstone GP                  UK Challenge

01 – 02            October Oulton Park                          UK Challenge

Please note that all dates are provisional and may be subject to change.

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Mike Reeder. Mike and Graham Reeder have been a part of club life for many years. Through their Reeder Brothers garage business they looked after many Wiltshire members road and race Ferraris.

Like Graham Mike raced with the club for many years most recently in his lovely 355 Challenge car. Mike was also a valuable member of our track day instructor team. Our sympathies go to wife Barbara and his children. Always friendly and willing to help anybody he will be missed by all who knew him.

A Ferrari team entered by RnR Performance Cars raced with some success at the Birkett 6 hour relay race last week-end. The team consisted of Nigel Jenkins (458 Challenge) Chris Compton-Goddard (430 Challenge) and the 430 Challenge of Vance Kearney which he shared with RnR boss Richard Dougal. In fairly horrid conditions the team qualified and raced well. Even with two time penalties and a spin they finished 4th overall by just 9/100ths of a second after 6 hours of racing. They were also the first tin top car home.

The Birkett has a long history and is very popular. It was the creation of Holland “Holly” Birkett who desired an endurance race that was affordable for the many. The first Birkett took place at Silverstone in 1951. Famous names such as Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Steve McQueen have all raced “the Birkett” at some point in the past. This year some 69 teams of up to 6 cars entered and the race was live streamed on You Tube. Our congratulations to the entire team.

We have long enjoyed an excellent relationship with our Ferrari Racing friends in Holland. In the early 1980s there were visits to the Italia Zandvoort meeting and Dutch racers appeared in our relay races.

At Brands Hatch we welcomed Robin Biesbroek in his 348 GTS. Robin clearly had an excellent experience and has written this all in a blog which you can see here: www.marstoeverestinaferrari.com

Let’s hope this was the first of many visits.

Our Pirelli formula classic racers had no less than three races over the weekend of 25/26 July at Brands Hatch, as part of the Ferrari Challenge UK bill. The quality entry included some new names and returning racers. The Saturday race on the short Indy circuit was teeming wet.  Whilst Tim Mogridge took the flag in his Invitation class 355 it was Jim Cartwright in his Group 3 328 GTB that took the glory securing second place overall and maximum house points. Sunday’s two races on the full GP circuit were dry and saw some hectic racing up and down the field. All in all it was an excellent showing from our racers which was clearly appreciated by the FNE executives present. Full reports and pictures will soon be posted.

From our series co-ordinator Steve Burns:

• 25th July – Brands Hatch Indy
• 26th July – Brands Hatch GP
• 16th August – Brands Hatch Indy – Festival Italia
• 29th/30th August – Donington Park
• 19th/20th September – Silverstone GP
• 9th/10th October – Snetterton 300 (note Fri/Sat with PFfc qualifying and racing expected both days)

Like many other race series we have made the first steps into the virtual world. Check out the video section and you will see clips from event 1 at Croft and event 2 at Snetterton. We now have Richard Dougal from RnR  joining in and Vance Kearney is nearly ready too. Any club member, hill climber or racer can get involved just by contacting Tris Simpson as he really is the driving force here.

The top photo shows four cars in their correct formula classic livery. From the left there is Tim Walker, Tris Simpson, Darren Mills and Carl Cavers.

We may not be able to get our Ferrari racing fix for a while in the real world, but maybe we can take a lead from Formula 1 and go virtual. Our own classic racer Tris Simpson has been into simulator racing games for a while and has an excellent rig at home. The photo shows his 355 Challenge car in its virtual world. Fellow racers Darren Mills and Carl Cavers are also preparing their’s. If enough of us got together maybe there is a race ahead? I’m sure that Tris can advise on suitable kit which need not be expensive. Tris’s contact details are on the main website as the North East area group organiser.

Keep well, stay safe and do let us have any items of news that may be of interest to all. Fingers crossed for at least Brands Hatch in July and the best paddock party ever!

The Club’s racing series’ were on show for the three days of Race Retro. Thanks to Nick Cartwright there was a very shiny 328 GTB on the stand. The initial impression from those manning the stand is that it was a good event to attend and a number of new contacts were made with potential new racers. The stand was a new venture for the Club and it certainly succeeded in raising awareness of the Pirelli Ferrari formula classic series an an event attended by many people actively involved with classic car racing.

We are delighted to welcome another new racer to our formula classic series. Jago Keen took up motorsport some 25 years ago via the VSCC but then got diverted by carriage driving, polo and showjumping. As he says “fumes & expense are common to both sports” but he eventually decided on four wheels over four hooves.

In 2019 he competed in the MG Cup coming 4th in his championship. He has also tried hillclimbing in his Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF. Together with Adam Cordery of Mowgli Motorsport he is currently recommissioning the Ex. Fred Honour Group 2 308 GTB (see photo). Jago says: ” I’m looking forward to the series, the clean racing and the joy of racing another fine thoroughbred”. “I am not likely to challenge for a trophy too soon on the basis that I do it for fun rather than  competition”

Jago finished by saying, “I have had such a good initial impression of the Club from my dealings with Sarah, Jeremy and Steve. They are such a joy to deal with and always willing to help. I am grateful to them for the welcome”.

We are pleased to let you know that the Ferrari Owners Club have taken a stand at the forthcoming Race Retro Show to promote our formula classic series and Ferraris in club competition generally. The date is February 21-23 and the location is Stoneleigh Park Coventry. Race Retro claims to be Europe’s No.1 historic motorsport show and some 24,000 motorsport fans are expected to attend.

Our photo shows Tony Worswick demonstrating at this event a few years ago. The link (apart from Ferrari of course) is that Tony won the first ever Maranello Challenge Race at Mallory Park in this car (May 1986) which he still owns today. Our club’s racing heritage – some 34 years of continuous circuit competition with Ferrari – is unequalled anywhere in the word.

Do visit the show and fly the Ferrari Racing flag if you can.

Happy New Year to all our club racers past, present and future. On which subject we are pleased to welcome a new driver to the Pirelli Ferrari formula classic race series in 2020. Congratulations to Andy Riddoch who has secured a Group 3 328 GTB from Tim Walker. This is Tim’s original class winning car that spent last year with Darren Mills. Andy is new to racing and we understand that some tuition and general guidance has been included in the sale – a wise move.  We would like to wish Andy every success and welcome him to a fantastic race series. 

Our Race Regs will be out very soon and our media and track day at Silverstone is set for March 16th, so not too far away. News on our National Ferrari Owner’s day at Sywell will be posted soon. We are looking for as many race cars and preparers to attend as possible. As well as being just a great day out there will also be the chance to run your car on the 1/4 mile strip against the clock!

Winter well!

Prizes were awarded to both Pirelli Ferrari formula classic and Ferrari Club Racing competitors at a very successful end of season event aboard a paddle steamer on the Thames. Principal awards went to the following:

• Ivan Bishop Trophy      Wayne Marrs
• Trofeo Italia                    Nick Cartwright
• The Big Swifty                Chris Butler
• Stirling Cup                    Richard Fenny
• Stubberfield Trophy     William Moorwood
• Wilkinson Trophy         Colin Sowter
• David Preston Trophy  Barkaways
• Hard Charger Award    Pete Fisk
• Blue Haze Award           Chris Butler

In addition there were Group Awards given to FCR racers:

• James Little
• Richard Fenny
• Tim Mogridge

Some 71,000 people attended this year’s three day Classic Car Show at the NEC Birmingham. It was the show’s 35th anniversary and a Grand Finale to the classic year. This is one of the biggest shows of it’s kind in Europe and the various stats. are all impressive. Some 300 motoring clubs were present for example.

This year our club chose to showcase the Heritage of Ferrari Challenge cars from 348 through to the latest 488. It made a superb and well attended display appreciated by all. Ferrari North Europe joined in displaying the safety car used in this year’s UK Challenge races.

Thanks go to everyone who made it all possible and to Richard Dredge for the photo.

Every year Brian Jackson produces a fabulous record of all the times set by all the competitors in the Club’s hillclimb championship going back to 1987, and he has now updated this to include the 2019 season. It really is a monumental piece of historical record and it shows just how many of our members have competed in this lovely championship over the years. We thank Brian once again for letting us post this document for all to enjoy.

The final race report of the year from Hockenheim is now posted, and with just the end of season events to go we are edging closer to wrapping up another competition year.

With our Pirelli Ferrari formula classic and Ferrari Club Racing series, plus our Pirelli Ferrari Hillclimb championship and the new UK Ferrari Challenge championship we have reported on some 45 races this year. It’s time to thank all our contributors. Guest reporters, photographers and videographers who have all helped make your site we hope an interesting, entertaining and informative place to visit, so thank you all.

We don’t as a rule feature photos of incidents, but this photo supplied to us by Chris Graham was so exceptional we thought we should make an exception – we hope you agree.

The start line incident at the beginning of the second UK Challenge race brought a halt to the meeting as it was deemed too lengthy a job to repair the barriers in a reasonable time. This also cancelled our formula classic race 3. Fortunately nobody was injured in the incident, which is pretty remarkable and in the end is all that really matters. Until then good fun was had by all. Winner of race 1 was Jamie Clarke. It was his maiden win over the all conquering Jason Baker. Full report & photos.

Before our dedicated Ferrari Club Racing web site all Club circuit and hillclimb competitions were documented via printed media. Competition News, as it was named originally, formed a small part of the Club’s Ferrari News magazine before being printed as a separate item. This much later became CompRes which was designed as a lightweight version. Over the years the paper and printing improved and colour was introduced. These publications were distributed to all registered competitors and sponsors etc. However any member could obtain the magazines if they wished. A few of us are fortunate enough to hold complete collections of Competition News and CompRes, and the Club office library also has a set which is available to view by members. These magazines form a quite remarkable archive of Club racing activities from the mid 1980s to 2014.

It is amazing to consider that this was all the work of John and Anne Swift. One can only imagine the time and effort involved over so many years, and we all owe them a great debt of gratitude. Now John has gone even further and has been working on making these publications available on-line. To date we have CompRes issues 001 (Feb. 2005) to issue 099 (Dec. 2014). John is working on previous issues too, but this may take a little longer as they were not held digitally. There will be a separate tab on the site in due course but for now you can see the archive via this link: www.issuu.com/compresults

I can’t imagine that there are many clubs with such a complete and accessible archive and we should be proud of it. For serious research, or just a wander down memory lane it’s quite compelling.

Some of you may have seen our Club’s promotional video for the formula classic series at the NEC or at our RAC prize-giving event. This excellent video is now posted on this site in the video section and is available by clicking here.