Pickup Truck Racing

This article is about the British motor racing series. For generic pickup truck racing, see Pickup truck racing.

Pickup Truck Racing

Category	Pickup truck racing
Country	United Kingdom
Inaugural season	1997
Drivers	31 (2007)
Constructors	SHP Engineering
Engine suppliers	Vauxhall, Ford
Drivers' champion	Steve Dance
Official website	PickupTruckRacing.com

Pickup Truck Racing is an auto racing series, running in the United Kingdom, including races on both road courses and ovals. It is currently the only racing series that races at Rockingham Motor Speedway.

History

Launched in 1997 by Sonny Howard, the Pickup Truck Racing series, intended to bring the American pickup truck culture to Europe, is for purpose built 230 bhp (170 kW) racing specials. They have a tubular space frame chassis, are powered by a 2 litre multi-valve twin-cam engine and weigh 900 kg (2,000 lb). The race trucks are designed to place an emphasis on driver ability.

In 2001 the Pickup series became the main support for the Rockingham-based oval SCSA (then called ASCAR) racing series. At this time the Pickups were right hand drive in configuration and as such not permitted to race on the anti-clockwise 1.5 mile speedway. An 'oval' course was created to allow the drivers to compete.

For the 2003 season the Pickups were converted to left hand drive and finally allowed onto the oval track, as can be seen.

Pickup Truck Racing is unique in 'big' oval racing, in that unlike e.g. NASCAR the trucks have rain tyres, wipers and rear safety lights, and will race on the ovals in the wet. Speeds are about 18 mph slower than when racing in fully dry conditions.

Pickup Truck Racing is also the only racing series in the UK for which no race-by-race entry fees are charged.

Technical specification

Pickup Truck
Overview
Manufacturer	SHP Engineering
Body and chassis
Class	Pickup truck, Race car
Powertrain
Engine	Vauxhall 2 litre, Ford Duratec 2.3 litre 2 litre (229 bhp)
Transmission	Four speed manual transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2720 mm (107.1 in)
Curb weight	870 kg (1918 lb)

Pickup Truck Racing is a single make series, and the trucks are governed by the Pickup Truck Racing regulations. The chassis is made by SHP Engineering, who are also responsible for the vehicle used in T Cars, a series for young drivers.

The main flexibility in the regulations comes in the choice of engine. From 2011 the trucks could be fitted with either a Vauxhall Petrol Injected 2 litre red top engine or a Ford Duratec engine, both of which are four cylinder engines with a 2 litre capacity and 16 valves.

In 2010 the front end of the pickup trucks was changed with the choice of either an Isuzu Denver Max LE or a Ford Ranger Front. Later in the year a Vauxhall front was then also introduced to the Championship.

Provisional 2012 race dates

Date	Track	Event
31 March/1 April	Pembrey	BTRA Trucks
19/20 April	Brands Hatch	BTRA Trucks
19/20 May	Rockingham	BARC
10 June	Knockhill	Modified Live
30 June/1 July	Donington	FIA Trucks
8 July	Brands Hatch	Modified Live
28/29 July	Thruxton	BTRA Trucks
18/19 August	Rockingham	BRSCC
1/2 September	Rockingham	BARC
23 September	Snetterton	Modified Live
13/14 October	Pembrey	BTRA Trucks
27/28 October	Brands Hatch	BTRA Trucks

Race format

Under normal circumstances race weekends follow the traditional format of practice and qualifying on the Saturday, and two races on Sunday. Qualifying is used to shake the car down and work on the setup, and to meet the MSA requirements for race entry of three qualifying laps, and not to set the starting grid.

The grid is set by reversing the top 10 qualifiers (whoever qualifies 10th will be on pole, and whoever qualifies 1st will start from 10th). The top 10 qualifiers also receive points, starting from 20 and decreasing by 2 for every place until 10th place, after which drivers receive 0 points. Rookies always start from the rear of the grid as do competitors who have broken seals on controlled components such as differentials. Drivers can also elect to start from the back should they wish to do so.

At some circuits, qualifying takes place on Saturday morning, with the first race on Saturday afternoon and the second on Sunday.

Previous seasons

Main article: 2009 Pickup Truck Racing season

Pete Wilkinson's pickup being prepared for the first 2007 race

For the 2009 season, races will take place on weekends between March and November. There will be racing weekends at six different circuits; the majority of the races were held at Rockingham Motor Speedway but others will be held at Brands Hatch, Thruxton, Silverstone, Pembrey, Donington Park and Oulton Park. Each round will comprise two races, making a twenty two round competition in total.

2009 will see a number of rule changes:

Qualifying

One qualifying session will be held, split into two sections. The fastest ten drivers in the first session will make up the first ten places on the grid, but in reverse qualification order. The second session will be the same, but for race two.

Success Ballast

The podium finishers in each race will be subject to the application of success ballast as follows:

1st: 30 kg 2nd: 20 kg 3rd: 10 kg

Ballast will be applied up to a maximum of 70 kg. 10 kg will be removed each time a truck finishes outside of the top three.

Sprint/Feature Races

Two events will host a Sprint/Feature race format; one at Rockingham and one at a road course

The series will continue to operate two championships: the Oval Championship and the Overall Championship

Main article: 2008 Pickup Truck Racing season

Main article: 2007 Pickup Truck Racing season

Previous champions

Note: 1997 was the inaugural year and as such, races were not part of a championship

Year	Overall Champion	Rockingham Champion	Top Rookie
2012	Steve Dance	Phil White	Paul Jones
2011	Steve Dance	Steve Dance	Paul Tompkins
2010	Steve Dance	Nic Grindrod	Charlie Weaver
2009	Pete Stevens	Pete Stevens	Greg Wood
2008	Gavin Seager	Gavin Seager	n/a
2007	Steve Dance	Paul Poulter	Neil Tressler
2006	Nic Grindrod	Nic Grindrod	John Stant
2005	Nic Grindrod	Paul Poulter	Paul Poulter
2004	Gavin Seager	Mark Willis	Martin Heath
2003	Steve Dance	Steve Dance	Mark Willis
2002	Gavin Seager	n/a	Nic Grindrod
2001	Lee Caroline	n/a	Davy Philp
2000	Lee Caroline	n/a	Phil White
1999	Kevin Clarke	n/a	Pete Wilkinson
1998	Jeff Simpson	n/a	n/a

Points system

1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th	13th	14th	15th	16th	17th	18th	19th	20th
200	195	190	185	180	175	170	165	160	155	150	145	140	135	130	125	120	115	110	105
21st	22nd	23rd	24th	25th	26th	27th	28th	29th	30th	31st	32nd	33rd
100	95	90	85	80	75	70	65	60	55	50	45	40

Any other classified finishers receive 20 points and any non-finishers receive 10 points except in the case of disqualification.

External links

• Official website
• SHP Engineering website