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Top Gear
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here are nine of the wackiest motor races you've never heard of
Advertisement No doubt you've heard of lawn mower racing, but are you aware of the jewel in the crown – the British Lawn Mower Racing Association 12 Hour? Yep, it's an endurance race for mowers. Heck, the first one in 1978 was won by Stirling Moss and five time Le Mans winner Derek Bell. Advertisement - Page continues below Imagine a banger race on a tarmac oval where all of the cars are FWD and have metal plates welded under their rear wheels. We assume that was the elevator pitch for Skid Plate Racing, and it's just as entertaining as it sounds. Who said motorsport has to be fast? These things top out at around 35mph. You might like Extreme Barbie Jeep racing Extreme Barbie Jeep Racing involves fully grown Americans racing downhill on dirt tracks while riding plastic Power Wheels cars designed for kids. Extra points for a unicorn liveried Jeep, we hope. Advertisement - Page continues below How do you make the US pastime of figure eight racing even more chaotic? Why, you chain two more cars to the back of yours, stick a second driver in the rearmost one and then pray you don't get T-boned crossing the track. You may recall Sabine Schmitz and Chris Harris having a go in S25 E1 of the TV show. The TukTuk Tournament traverses Sri Lanka in a three-wheeled rickshaw. Teams take on a magical fantasy quest to slay dragons and find fake gems, all with the goal of being crowned champion while raising money for charity in the process. It's weird and we love it. Another uniquely British event, the Nifty Fifty is a five hour, off road endurance race for 50cc mopeds. Teams fit knobbly tyres to otherwise standard mopeds, before four riders take on the climbs and jumps of a motocross dirt track. Hope you like the sounds of teeny four strokes. Of course it was those zany Dutch who decided motor racing would be more exciting if everyone was driving backwards. This was made possible by the DAF 66's Variomatic CVT transmission, which allowed it to hit its top speed of over 70mph in reverse. Cars do get a little erm... unstable, though. Advertisement - Page continues below The annual Pig-N-Ford races take place at the Tillamook county fair in Oregon. There's a Le Mans style start with drivers running to pick up live pigs from the other side of the track. Carrying said pigs, they then start their Model Ts with a hand crank and complete three laps, stopping each lap to swap pigs. Bonneville barstool class The 'World of Speed' happens every year at Bonneville. It's not just 500+mph streamliners stretching for a top speed – there's also a class specifically for actual barstools fitted with 12V electric motors. The current record is 55.935mph. Advertisement - Page continues below Top Gear's Top 9 Motorsport News See more on Top Gear's Top 9
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
There's a major problem Monaco must solve if it is to survive on the F1 calendar, writes JONATHAN McEVOY
It is time for Monaco to bend, for once in its proud life, to the overdue requirement to build an overtaking acre to preserve its status as the grand prix venue first among equals. I speak as one of its friends. And had I never been to a race and could choose which to visit it would be here. It is a place of glamour, redolent of ghosts past, from Princess Grace, Her Serene Highness who added Hollywood glamour to its royal house, to stars such as Sir Stirling Moss and Graham Hill, aka Mr Monaco, and beyond to the cast of today.
TimesLIVE
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
'South African Champion' chronicles 125 years of single-seater racing
A new book covering the history of South African single-seater racing, Formula One Grands Prix and the country's many high-powered specials is now on sale. Authored by motoring journalist and motorsport aficionado Michele Lupini, South African Champion tells the exclusive story of 125 years of local single-seater racing, starting from the first race in Cape Town in 1900 and powering on past the Cooper Formula juniors of the 1960s and 1970s. Single-seater racing was huge during the early 20th century and drew crowds of up to 40,000 to watch South African-built single-seater specials giving international guests a hard time. Each season is written and presented in a separate, eight-chapter story in the 304-page, limited edition book backed up by comprehensive data, images and original artwork. Multiple races featuring iconic nameplates such as Auto Union were hosted in South Africa, and the book covers the racing exploits of legends such as Stirling Moss, John Love, Jim Clark and more. The Springbok series, and newer series such as the A1-GP, Formula Ford, GTI, Volkswagen and Formula Vee are covered, including milestone anniversaries. Only 500 books will be printed. 'It took a year to put together. The book tracks an incredible history as it tells a truly epic story. 'Much of it was long forgotten, but South African Champion recalls it all in a full and representative timeline of single seater, specials and Formula One racing in Southern Africa,' Lupini said.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Here Are the First F1 Cars Confirmed for Monterey Motorsports Reunion
How do you pick the best Formula 1 cars from the series' 75-year history? It ain't easy. But when the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion gets under way August 13-16 at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca in California you can assume it'll be spectacular. Ellen Bireley, former executive director of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, will curate the class. She has previously orchestrated memorable displays such as the 2022 tribute to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and last year's 50th anniversary of historic racing at Laguna Seca. 'From England and Australia to Japan and throughout the Americas, I'm in discussion with owners of both early groundbreaking designs to more modern machines that showcase the most advanced technology,' Bireley said. 'Harnessing the vast knowledge of members on our Advisory Council has been critical in locating the best of the best from private collections and museums.' More than two dozen F1 cars from all eras are expected to line up on the grid in August, part of over 400 cars in 14 groups that will race on the 11 turns of the track. That includes the F1 classes of pre-1966 and 1966-1985 cars. So far, we know about three cars chosen. Chassis 101 was campaigned by All American Racers (AAR) in the 1966 and 1967 F1 seasons. With Dan Gurney at the wheel, it managed 5th place finishes at the French and Mexican Grands Prix and a 7th at the German Grand Prix. Also of note, Phil Hill and Bob Bondurant both raced this car for AAR. After its time with AAR, the car was sold and driven by Al Pease, a Canadian who holds the distinction as the only driver disqualified for a Grand Prix for being too slow. One of the most storied in the group, this is the machine Jim Clark took to victory at its race debut at Zandvoort 1967, in addition to wins at Silverstone and Watkins Glen. It is also the same car he drove at Monza in what has been considered the Scotsman's greatest performance. He led the race until lap 12, picked up a puncture and lost an entire lap. Clark then spent the next 48 laps recovering through the field, taking the lead on lap 60 before succumbing to a faulty fuel pump on the final lap, dropping him to third place. A pivotal British racing machine, chassis VW5, was one of the new cars built by Vanwall for the 1957 season. That year, Stirling Moss drove it to two wins, while in 1958 Tony Brooks scored two wins in VW5 and Stirling Moss also added a further victory to this car's tally. For the 1959 season, it was upgraded and renumbered VW11. In this guise it was raced into the 1960 season by Tony Brooks. Vanwall was the first British race car to win the Formula 1 Constructors' World Championship. The addition of the pre-1966 class is a first for Monterey, with many of the entries expected from international drivers. 'I'm looking forward to returning to Monterey Reunion in 2025 to be part of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Formula 1,' Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said when the class was announced last summer. 'McLaren has a long and successful standing in the series, so it's fantastic to celebrate Formula 1's history as we continue our battle to consistently fight at the front of the grid in the present. It's one of my favourite events of the year, so I am excited to attend again with United Autosports as Monterey once again showcases its passion for motorsport.' Friends of Laguna Seca Vice President Bruce Canepa concurred. 'It's the pinnacle of motorsports and we are thrilled to be celebrating F1's heritage, and future, on the series' 75th anniversary. While F1 has never professionally raced at Laguna Seca, the historic F1 cars that race during the Rolex Reunion have been keeping the passion alive for past, present, and future generations.'
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Broad Arrow Auctions Offers Historic 1954 Jaguar D-Type 'OKV 2' Set for Auction at Amelia Island
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious A significant piece of motorsport history, the 1954 Jaguar D-Type 'OKV 2,' is set to cross the auction block at The Amelia Auction in March 2025. With an estimated value between $6.5 million and $8.5 million, this factory Works competition car represents one of the most storied Jaguar race cars ever built. As the lead car in Jaguar's 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans entry, 'OKV 2' was driven by Stirling Moss and Peter Walker, setting the fastest lap of the race before mechanical issues forced its retirement. Despite its early exit, the D-Type would go on to compete in top-tier European races from 1954 to 1958, with legendary drivers including Mike Hawthorn, Tony Rolt, Ivor Bueb, and Norman Dewis behind the wheel. The D-Type's revolutionary design, developed by Malcolm Sayer and Bill Heynes, featured aircraft-inspired aerodynamics, a monocoque chassis, and an advanced braking system. Its engineering advancements helped secure Jaguar's dominance at Le Mans throughout the 1950s. 'OKV 2' played a key role in developing this success, continuing its competition career with privateer teams such as Ecurie Broadhead, where it earned podium finishes at circuits like Silverstone, Goodwood, and Aintree. After spending time in North America, the car underwent a meticulous restoration by Lynx Engineering in the late 1970s and has since been campaigned in historic racing events, including the Goodwood Revival and Le Mans Classic. With extensive documentation, period race records, and ownership by renowned Jaguar expert Terry Larson, 'OKV 2' stands as one of the most important D-Types to remain in private hands. As it heads to auction without reserve, this Jaguar D-Type offers collectors a rare opportunity to acquire a true icon of endurance racing. Broad Arrow Group, Inc. ('Broad Arrow Group') and its subsidiaries, Broad Arrow Auctions, Broad Arrow Capital and Collectors Garage represent the collective vision of its founders, team members, and partners — to be the best advisor, marketplace, and financier for car collectors, with integrity, trust, and innovation. Broad Arrow Group is a holding company founded to develop and operate a portfolio of businesses and brands that address the needs of various segments of the collector car market and to transform the collector car industry. Learn more at
