First Formed in 1912 As the Cyclecar Club, It Catered for the Growing
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First formed in 1912 as The Because of this very popular up-grade Rallies were also organised, which Cyclecar Club, it catered for the to the Light Car, the membership grew included The British Rally to the United growing number of people who quickly. A secretary and key staff were States and Canada which were held in could now afford to own their own appointed in 1921, while regional centres were 1936 and 1939. When World War II broke relatively cheap motorised transport as, since the formed in the North, South West, Yorkshire and out in 1939, the racing stopped and the invention of the combustion engine, they were North Wales. In the same year the JCC organised site was commandeered for production of moving away from the horse drawn carriage. the first long-distance race in Britain. There was also military aircraft. Some of the track was a 200 Mile Race at Brooklands which was won by damaged by enemy bombing and a new A Cyclecar, which was Henry Segrave in a Talbot-Darracq. access road to the Hawker factory was produced from 1910, had a cut through, and with the track being single-cylinder V-twin The “200” was run at annually at Brooklands until deemed too dangerous to reopen, engine which was often 1928 and was the highlight of the JCC calendar. Brooklands was closed. used in motorcycles. Three or four wheeled, it was halfway between a motorcycle and the more expensive car and was fitted with a light weight body. With normally just enough room for a driver and one passenger, it was an extremely crude affair with limited protection from the weather. The transmission of the power to the wheels was either by a belt or chain drive. Soon little cottage industries popped up everywhere and with the UK and France leading the way it soon became worldwide. At its peak there we around 200 companies in the UK With names like, the ‘Castle After the Second World War, Three’, ‘Humberette’ and ‘Lad’ and nearly 100 in the Junior Car Club was France with examples amalgamated with the of the ‘Tic Tac’, Sphinx Brooklands Automobile Racing and ‘Tom Pouce’ going Club In conjunction with The on sale. Buick in Jersey Motorcycle and Light Car Club, the America of course Jersey International Road Race is born. went on to greater things. The Cyclecar Club grew quickly and organised racing events at the The ‘Double Twelve Hour already established Brooklands Circuit which had ’race is introduced and been open since 1907. Rallies and touring trials were becomes the highlight of also organised on the open road. But its domination the JCC Calendar. was short lived and by the end of the First World War they were on the decline with a preference now towards larger engined cars. In 1919 the name of the Club was changed to The Junior Car A 1000 Mile Race Club (JJC) to reflect this change was also organised as Club members now owned at Brooklands and Light Cars; defined as four was won by Elsie seater’s weighing less than Wisdom and Joan 15cwt., or two-seater’s Richmond in a Riley. weighing less than 13cwt. Both The new home for the newly named British The JCC was one of categories had an engine capacity Automobile Racing Club, was Goodwood circuit on the first clubs to allow limit of less than 1500cc (four the outskirts of Chichester in West Sussex. Easter women to compete stroke) or 1100cc (two stroke). Monday International Races often featured a against men. Formula One race. Harewood Hillclimb is built Thruxton becomes BARC’s headquarters, and opened at Stockton with purpose built offices constructed Farm near Leeds by the under the grandstands. Yorkshire Centre. A nine-hour sports car race is run, the first after-dark racing ever organised in Britain. They run again in 1953 and 1959. Goodwood was the venue of In 1954 the 3 mile Aintree Motor Racing many important BARC Circuit was opened. Built within the promotions, with at least one International Aintree Race Course, it utilised the same fixture each year until the circuit was closed grandstands as the horse racing track. on public safety grounds in August 1966. On the social side, the BARC organised The following year it hosted the British its first Beaujolias Challenge in 1981. Grand Prix and it was to run at Aintree Goodwood’s closure was serious; the BARC had no This very popular fun motoring event, again in 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1962; the “home”. The 1967 Easter Monday International was which ran every year up to 1997, started BARC was the organiser. switched temporarily to Silverstone, while its new at Lacenas in France on dates which circuit, Thruxton, was transformed coincided with the annual release of the from a bleak wartime airfield into a Beaujolais Nouveau and raised a permanent motor racing facility. considerable amount of money for charity. The BARC continued to organise the British Grand Prix at Aintree. The 1955 race sees Stirling Moss' first ever World Championship Grand Prix win. The BARC continue to run the Grand Prix at Aintree in 1957, 1959, 1961 and 1962. The RAC's Classic Tourist Trophy The new pits and control tower at Thruxton sports car race is revived by the Circuit are opened by BARC Chairman Michael BARC at Goodwood. Grove in his Jaguar XJ120 with passenger BARC Vice-Chairman Peter Griffin on the 8th July. BARC took on Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire. Major meetings were held each year including Gurston Down the Easter Monday Formula 2 Hillclimb, near Race, counting towards the Salisbury in European Championship until Wiltshire, also its demise in 1984. There were held its first ever Due to the circuit being taken over by the Ministry of also major races for the British event this year Defence during the Second World War, the Formula 1 Championship, after months of A round of the new Formula 3000 Championship, well-established Crystal Palace Circuit wasn’t British Formula 3 Championship planning and successor to Formula 2, is run at Thruxton but not reopened until 1953 but the BARC was there to help. and Saloon Car Championship. preparation. thereafter due to its financial structure. The BARC was instrumental in the introduction of several important new formulae. Formula Vauxhall Lotus in 1988, Formula Renault in 1989, and Formula BMW in 2004. There is a similar story with Saloon cars, including the Renault Clio Championship and the SEAT Championship. Following the death of Ian Taylor at Spa in Belgium, the BARC purchased the Ian Taylor Motor Racing School in 1998 (now trading as Thruxton Motorsport In June 1993, following an Centre) and have developed this school into a first class driving experience centre. It still offers drives in idea from BARC Council Thruxton is modernised with the removal of the old both exciting and exotic machinery such as Formula member Ian Bax, a hillclimb pedestrian bridge and a new tunnel under the track Renault Single seat racing cars, Porsches, Ferraris event called the Festival of is constructed. and Lamborghini super cars. Yet another milestone in the Speed for cars and motorcycles of different eras, was Club’s history came in 1990, held at Goodwood House, the home of the BARC when BARC signed a 50 year president, The Earl of March. The following year the lease on Goodwood Festival of Speed celebrated 100 years of Pembrey Circuit in South Wales. motorsport. The now annual event During the following two years race has grown into what is described administration buildings and a by the press as the premier event restaurant were erected. in the Historic motorsport world BARC introduces Formula BMW. It was a support calendar. Cars are flown in from Championship to most Grand Prix in Europe. around the world to be driven by stars such as Moss, Surtees, Gonzales and current Grand Prix and GT drivers. A purpose-built Kart centre and Four-Wheel Drive facility have also been added to the Thruxton Motorsport Centre’s portfolio. The BARC purchases Mallory Park (Motorsport) Ltd., the company which arranged motorsport at the Sees the first visit of the British Formula 3 and British Mallory Park circuit. BARC were also able to Touring Car Championships to Pembrey Circuit. 1992 purchase the TOCA Company who operates the also marked the BARC's 80th anniversary, with the In July 1995 at Donington, the BARC British Touring Car Championship, thereby adding celebrations being marked with a Ball at Goodwood organised the first ever UK round of the another prestige Championship to its portfolio. House in October. FIA International Touring Car series. With the main race organisers in Germany and support races Goodwood Revival In the autumn of 1998 motor coming from Italy (Maserati) and France (Eurocup racing returned to Renault Clio) this was a truly international event that Goodwood for the first time called for immense planning and organisation. since its closure in 1966. Known as the Goodwood Revival, the event, organised by the BARC, has since become one of the biggest historic motorsport events in the world and the only one to be staged entirely in period dress. Taking place over three days, it involves static and BARC invested in the August 1995 saw the Club organising the BBC Top air displays with events on purchase of Croft Circuit, Nr. Gear World Electric Challenge featuring a round of the original circuit from Darlington, North Yorkshire. The unofficial lap record of Thruxton is set by Damon the FIA Electro-Solar Cup 1995 – the first ever race racing cars built between Croft PromoSport Ltd was previously Hill in a Williams Renault Formula One car.