Latest News
Dave ‘The Bandit‘ Charlton, and his 1303 bug ‘Smokey‘ took the coveted ‘BARC Driver of the Year‘ award at the annual British Automobile Racing Club Awards Presentation… adding yet more to his silverware collection… Big Up ‘Smokey and the Bandit‘ …
Craig ‘Grandpa‘ Winfield, was also recently presented an award from the BARC, winning the ‘Best Prepared Race Car‘Â for his No.78 race car.. collecting a Torque Wrench as a prize.
It’s going to be a busy weekend in March… the 27th is the 2010 season opener at Brands Hatch, which will be debut a few more new drivers and bugs on the grid…
Then on Sunday 28th March, we are excited to announce, we will be rolling from Brands Paddocks directly into the exhibition halls at Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, to the Volksworld Show 2010, were we will be featuring some of our race cars, literally directly from the grid, along side the very best show cars from all over Europe. (Hope they don’t mind some of the bumps and scrapes on the race cars?.. Rubbin’ is Racing after all !!! )
Book your tickets online at www.volksworld.com
Below are the 2010 Race Dates:
March 27th - Brands Hatch
April 10th - Cadwell Park
May 16th - Mallory Park
May 29th - Snetterton
June 12th/13th - Brands Hatch (Sat or Sun TBA)
June 26th/27th - Lydden (Sat or Sun TBA)
August 29th - Rockingham
TBA - Circuit not yet finalised
November 6th - Brands Hatch
.
Do come and visit us in the Brands Hatch paddocks for a cup of Tea and a chin wag!
The season starts at Brands Hatch on March 27th and in May it goes to Mallory Park for the live televised meeting on the 16th. All the races during that day will be shown live on Motors TV and then repeated at least twice during the following week. A free DVD will be sent to every driver and free hospitality will be provided to each team member on the day.
The full set of race dates for 2010 look to be delayed for a while yet, due to the Silverstone/Donnington fiasco. Currently dates are changing on a near daily basis as the organizing clubs try to reconcile the changes to their race calendars.
Next season you’ll see a new Race Support Vehicle in the paddocks.. keeping true to our routes it’s going to be an aircooled bus, wearing a stunning orange flip coat (the same as the No68 race car).
Body work was repaired and replaced.. the donor bus was superb.
Bernie trying to convince an eager team that all you need to restore vehicles is a small yellow tool box, and two hammers.
The bus shot in white, after all the body was massaged.. nice straight sides!
What you can’t see is Bernie looking smug saying “I told you so!”
Even more massaging of the panels after filler primer, a hive of activity!
Door, boot and decklid panels receiving that mad Orange Flip paint (Look at that reflection! all the hard work and effort from all is paying off!) You can just see Stu in the adjacent booth with the bus getting it’s top coat)
Bus receiving it’s final coats of clear lacquer.. you can see the flip in the pain on the rear quarter panel.
Many thanks to Morelli Paints and of course the CNWL paint and body teams who continue to support our racing series. The bus will be built up over the next few weeks now.. then it’s time for the livery graphics!…
Lawrence Butcher has been updating his ongoing blog regarding the build up of his Beetlechallenge Race Car.
Read more on www.racecar-engineering.com
Also follow the build up of this car in Volksworld Magazine, available monthly at a newsagent near you!
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-1
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-2
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-3
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-4
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-5
As you prepare your car for next season please remember to also check that your race suit and helmet are still up to date. As outlined in this years Blue book, helmets to standard BS6658-85 Type A will not be allowed next year but those to BS6658-85 Type A/FR (with fire proof lining ) will be. Similarly suits to standard FIA1986 will no longer be allowed next year. We understand that helmets to Snell SA2000 will be allowed for a further year but have not had official confirmation of this yet. For more details please see page 168 of the Blue book which can be viewed on line at. http://www.msauk.org/uploadedfiles/msa_forms/bluebooks/09/Competitors_Safety.pdf.
Please also remember to check that your belts have not passed their use until date.
 £3250 or £2600 without the engine.
This is the Ex-Rich Welsh Beetle Cup Car that has recently been re-commissioned to full MSA and Beetle Challenge regulations. This car wants for nothing and is fully race ready having just competed at Brands Hatch (14th Nov) finishing both races trouble free.
The car has many new parts and comes with a spare set of Alloys, its even road legal with long T&T. This is a well sorted good handling car all you need is a competition license and your good to go. Car is located in West London Heathrow, for full specification and details of the car please contact Phil  phil@perftec.com or 07904682870
Get in early for the 2010 season
Neil Birkitts 1969 no.14 ex Beetle Cup car £2750.00 ono
Contact: simonhenty@yahoo.co.uk
Currently fitted with a new zero mile 1600 twinport with twin Italian Weber 36
idf’s ultrasonically cleaned carbs with all new internals.
Full flow oil cooling system fitted with external oil filter/thermostat and
Mocal cooler coil
Recently fitted engine, clutch, release bearing, exhaust
system, oil cooling, new fuel lines, door seals, engine seals, new battery, new bulbs
and rear lenses.
Everything else on the car is as it was when it was last raced, the paint is
slightly tired in places and a few knocks on paintwork but there are no holes or
underlying issues. No welding needed!
Comes with two spare doors a bonnet plus a spare alloy wheel
Interior is full rollcage plus Ridgard racing seat with 5 point harness,914
clocks and custom electrics(full wiring diagram)
Externally there is Spax suspension, anti roll bars, camber kit, front discs and a
welded gearbox, all side windows are plastic.
  
  
 See all the photos from the wet and wild racing at Brands Hatch in the main gallery - click here to view the gallery
and a quick video of an unexpected 360 spin!
Provisional time table for us is
Saturday 14th only (no racing on the Sunday)
Sign on 7:00
Scrutiny 7:30
Qually 9:00
Race 1 11:08
Race 2 13:36
Nick, Cookie & Phil’s racers all have MoT’s and are in final pre-race prep stage! (Well done guys during these tough financial times) - The Red and Silver cars were shot at the College of North West London and look amazing!
This is a rough diamond… lot’s of neat stuff on this car.. engine is getting an update also…
Calling all drivers……
Can you let me know which of the remaining races you intend to enter this year.
Congratulations  Dave 2 more finishes at Snetterton…..
New driver Lawrence Butcher will be joining us soon follow his car build up on his Blog
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/opinion/384510/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-1.html
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/opinion/384772/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-2.html
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/opinion/386810/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-3.html
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/opinion/395614/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-4.html
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/news/opinion/397084/ccc-vw-beetle-tin-top-challenger-pt-5.html
Here we have another car in progress.. soon to join the grid…
Cookies circuit racer nears completion… now ready for tax n’ ticket so that it can be shaken down initially on the road… shhhhhh ! Cookie would like to thank Thingamies Beetles for the build, and the College of North West London for the Paint and Body.
Some fear a complete ‘A.R.S.E’ will be driving it…
Some don’t care as he is clearly up for the craic!…
But scarily someone peered through is window and complimented him on his ‘rim’ <ed: Steering>
Collected the old number 13 car earlier today, tomorrow the non race parts come out and the cage goes back in.
Missing a few bits and needs a few parts updating, should soon be ready for the track again!
The Lydden Races were held over the full weekend, with the BARC putting on a fun BBQ and usual frolics you’d expect from a fun circuit host!
David ‘The Bandit’ Charlton and his faithful steed ‘Smokey’ came to the event with a single point lead in the overall tin-tops championship which the beetles are running as a class (Dave 193 points, Ken Angel 192 points!) he went on to win both class races over the weekend… (A special mention must go out to Tony Sharpe who made good progress chasing The Bandit down, given this was the first time the car had turned a wheel!.. but was let down by a faulty throttle cable in race one, and an issue with 2nd Gear in race two…)
Tony Sharpe debuted his No: 65Â Challenge car this weekends at the Lydden Circuit.
It’s taken a year to prepare (The classic it takes three times as long as you think it will) but was very well received and a welcome addition to the paddocks. Having not turned a wheel in anger, Tony set out on the track to start dialing it in, and it looks like this car has a lot of potential to start working it’s way up to the front of the grid.
Good luck for the rest of the season!
Richard Warners number 13 Cup car, needs a full re prep and the cage bolting back in then it will be a on track.
Nick joins Steve in a race to see who can get there freshly painted cars finished first!
(Fresh Diablo Red paint and Black interior laid down by the teams at the CNWL again!)
Cookie’s car has gone from this….
to this….
after a does of magic in the College of North West London’s Paint and Body repair centre.. thanks for their ongoing support of the series in helping us get cars painted. The car has now been transported back to the workshop for final pre-race prep.. so we hope to see him out on the track shortly… (With a 1600cc motor initially.. he has a 1914cc in the pipeline.. but is just keen to get out)
Nick ‘The Vicar’ has his car in the bodyshop as I type and we are due to collect his this Friday (in a bright Diablo Red!) then it’ll be the case of bolting everything back in, and doing the pre-race prep to get through scrutineering (Nick will be running a 1641cc ex-cup engine initially - albiet with twin 40’s etc.. but he has a 2332cc sat in the corner ready to put in at some point!)
Phil (of Perftec fame.. you have probably seen him at many VW shows over the years selling his great range of clothing) has just picked up an ex-cup car and is feverishly working to bring it up todate and out on the track ASAP… (it has been stored in a Barn for years - which at some point had a fire - no damage to the car.. but he thought it was painted black… until he noticed it was a dense layer of soot! - the car is yellow LoL!!!) His plan is to get it out ASAP (the next race hopefully) to shake it down a bit.. then give it a fresh paint scheme for next season. (He too will be running a 1641cc initially)
Dave does it again. Two Beetles came out for Brands and it looked like Dave was going to have some competition this round. Unfortunately for Trigger what initially looked like a minor oil leak, turned out to be a pre curser for something more terminal. This then led to his engine expiring during race one, leaving Dave unchallenged to take any points that were on offer for first race and handing the points for the second race to him on a plate.
Once again it was Dave the Beetle Challenge’s lone crusader flying the flag for the Beetle drivers, unfortunately no other drivers have been able to start there season yet leaving Dave to get valuable track time in and get a good head start in the points table.
Dave Chartlon - Has hit the ground running, and is stacking up some well earned championship points, having made it to the ‘09 season opener at Brands Hatch. He will also be campainging for more points at Castle Combe.. hopefully building his lead to give him a buffer over the remainder of the season when we will see a lot more Bugs out on the track..
The Honey Monster (AKA - Simon Sergides) - Has been progressing the development of his car no: 68 ‘Monster’ over the winter - in between building nursery’s and baby-proofing his home - and is pleased to announced a new member to his pit crew baby George! - This welcomed addition to the family has slowed things down over the past couple of months, and the HoneyMonster is planning to be back out on the track at the May Brands Hatch Race, sporting a fresh rebuild of his 2165cc motor (after torching a rod on the last lap of the last race last year!) This year will see some new CB Wedgeport Heads added, and we will be trying some 45 & 48 Dells to see which gives the most ‘driveable’ motor. The engine is going to dump the semi-exotic ‘accusump’ system, which just didn’t cut the mustard! and replacing this with a deepsump and a raised gearbox to increase ground clearance, in the short term and hopefully the addition of a dry sump system mid season (got everything apart from the pump.. if anybody knows a good source for a 3 stage pump please contact us!) Other changes which will happen this season are: Tarrox 6 pot & Vented front disc’s, and a new Bear’s tall geared IRS box with a Quaife LSD installed (Which I picked up 2nd hand but un-used!)
Trigger -Â He too has been building his pit crew, with the birth of baby girl ‘Tasmin’ which has slowed down the development of the race car for obvious reasons. This season will see his No.89 car ‘Nasty Bug’ get an IRS conversion (Mainly because the HoneyMonster ‘borrowed’ the car and in true destructive style annialated the gearbox - at least he is consistent with his carnage.) - Trigger aims to be back out at the May Brand Hatch event with the car given the once over for the coming season.
Craig Winfield - Work and Home commitments, have delayed his ‘09 season start - but he will be back out in his immaculately prepared No.78 car at the May round at Brand’s Hatch
Nick Whitty - With the purchase of Mark Lloyd Jones ex Cup car (as seen in some of the below posts) and a 2332cc motor! Nick will join us real soon on the grid (He is targeting the May Race at Brands Hatch for his debut) There will be a flurry of activity to do the final pre-race prep on the car, so if anybody fancys helping out with spannering and having some fun in the pits then do drop an email (use the contact us page)
Tony Sharpe - Is building ‘the’ car to be reckoned wit, by all accounts.. details are being teased out by Tony.. but it will look like we will have to wait until his debut race to see it in the flesh! - spy sources have unconfirmed (but pretty certain!) reports of a 1303, with custom brakes, a monster 2332cc engine of a high spec and a lot of effort and engineering over the past 10 months during the build of the car… can’t wait to see this one in the flesh… Tony’s aim is to make it to the Brands Hatch race in May for his debut.
Steve ‘Cookie’ McGillivray - Has been frantically building his 1303, and can see the light at the end of the tunnel (It’s just about to go into paint!) then it will be a furious push to bolt everything back on, and install his fresh built 1914cc Motor, with Twin 45 Dells, 9.5:1 Compression, Big Valve 044 Heads, Engle 130cam, Straight Cut Gears, H-Beam Rods, Lightend Flywheel, 1″ 5/8 merged header - (Cookie is gunning for his debut at May’s Brands Date also - may the force be with you!)
Johnny ‘Ace’ - The ex-cup racer, is threatening to finish the build of his race car with the intention of joining us shortly
Do you see a pattern emerging here!!!!… most racers will be out from the May Brands Hatch Round! (Who will then be playing catch up to Dave Charltons early lead!)
So it looks like the May Brands race will be a fantastic round for the beetles, with the biggest grid of Beetles to date, mixing it up with all the other manufacturer cars in the BARC South East Region TinTop’s Race Series which we are piggy-backing until we build enough cars to have our own dedicated bug only grid.
There are several other cars in the early / mid stages of being built at the moment, so we will bring more details on them once their respective owner/builders release information on the spec they are building them too.. if you would like to get involved contact us as we may have some ways to help you (We have access to some ex-cup cars which unquestionably are the quickest route to get on the grid!)
Props have to go out to all the racers who are building cars at the moment, especially given the economic climate, as ALL of us are doing this out of passion, ambition, and enthusiasm, as we have done this all off our own backs as this is not a big sponsored series - just a bunch of like minded individuals who want to go racing… so the fact that we have expanded to 8 cars and increasing over the past 12 months is pretty incredible… well done guys (and girls!)
Only Dave Charlton was ready for the first race of the season and arrived with the car smartened up with some fresh paint and sporting a few mechanical developments. Unfortunately some of us other drivers have not had the time for one reason or another to get the cars ready due to various distractions (congratulations Trigger & Simon who have both had new arrivals, nappy changing had to take priority over car preparation) we will all be out soon now the weather has started to brighten up and the preparation can get back on track.
Dave’s car looked a little lonely as the only Bug out on track and we all looked a little guilty watching from the side lines having not got ready in time, but it means Dave will get a good head start in the points and gives him a good chance to get the track time in and work on the cars set up.
Over the next few rounds we should see more cars out with several new cars and drivers joining the grid. Congratulations and thanks to Dave for making the effort to get the car out, he was rewarded with 2 drama free finishes and no mechanical problems for his trouble.
 
The ‘09 Beetle Challenge regulations have been approved, and can be found on the regulations page - click here (Download the PDF Regs here)
Please note that we also have to comply with the BARC South East Centre’s Tin Top Regulations, as we are currently running as a ‘Beetle’ class in their host championship (To keep costs down and offer driver/builders the opportunity to join us racing at any time in the season when they finish their car builds) Once we have suffcient cars we will look to have our own exclusive grid - hopefully during the 2010 season as we anticipate 10+ cars by the end of this ‘09 season.
For more details on the regulations and general information surrounding them and the BARC requirements - view the ‘regulations’ page here.
The full race calendar has been announced:
The BeetleChallenge will again be running as a ‘Beetle‘ class in the CANNON’S MOTOR SPARES AND ACCESSORIES 2009 TIN TOP CHALLENGE in association with TOYO TYRES
MARCH 15 - BRANDS HATCH
(Might only be a couple of bugs at this race)
APRIL 13 - CASTLE COMBE MAY 9 - BRANDS HATCHMAY 24 - MALLORY PARK
JUNE 27/28Â - LYDDEN HILLÂ
(50th anniversary of the Mini)
Beetle Race likely to be on 28thAUGUST 22 - SNETTERTONSEPTEMBER 5
- LYDDEN HILLÂ
(festival of motorsport) OCTOBER 3 / 4Â - SILVERSTONE GPNOVEMBER 14 - BRANDS HATCH
We will keep people posted on who’s going to be at the races etc.. and if there are any spare paddock tickets up for grabs!
Both the Orange ‘Monster’ bug of Simon’s and the Blue ‘Nasty’ Bug of Triggers won’t be able to make the first race in March due to expectant partners who’s due date are within a week of the first race 
April however will debut some new race bugs aswell so should have a healthy grid of bugs! (By the end of the season we should have around 10 Bugs racing… fantastic news!)
The first race will be at Brands Hatch on the 15th of March.
The series will also be visiting Lydden, Rockingham, Silverstone and Snetterton over the course of the season. More information as we get it.
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