|
The British Automobile Racing Club (BARC) is one of biggest organising clubs for auto racing in the United Kingdom. ==History== The Cyclecar Club was formed in 1912, running races for the small and light motorbike powered vehicles at Brooklands as well as rallies and sporting trials. Among the founder members of the club were H.R. Godfrey and Archie Frazer-Nash. 〔''BARC Gazette'', April 1965, Page 2.〕 In 1919, with cyclecars on the decline, the name of the club changed to the Junior Car Club (JCC). The club was immediately successful, with regional centres being formed in 1921, the same year the 200-Mile Race at Brooklands was organised, the first long-distance race to be run in Britain. The race, a contest for 1,500 c.c. light cars, was won by Henry Segrave in a Talbot-Darracq. Captain Frazer Nash (G.N.) won the cyclecar race. 〔''The Manchester Guardian'', 24 October 1921, Page 3; ''The Times of India'', 16 November 1921, Page A4.〕 Further long distance races were organised both at Brooklands and Donington Park, as well as rallies and International Trophy Races. After the Second World War, due to the demise of Brooklands, the JCC was amalgamated with the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club. The club then based itself at Goodwood Circuit, changing its name to the British Automobile Racing Club in 1949. 〔''Motor Sport'', February 1949, Page 34.〕 Over the next 18 years, BARC organised at least one international meeting at Goodwood a year, notably Easter Monday Formula One races and 9-hour sportscar races - the first night races to be run in Britain. The club was also involved in the opening meeting at Crystal Palace in 1953, and organised the British Grand Prix when held at Aintree in the late 50s and early 60s. In 1951 the BARC Eastbourne Rally was held on 30 June with the best performance by Bancroft in a Ford 10 saloon. The event featured a Midnight Concours d'Elegance. 〔''Motor Year Book 1952'', Temple Press, Page 194.〕 During the period 1956–1967 the BARC organised competitive events at the Firle Hill Climb in Sussex. The event held on Sunday, 2 June 1957, was run in conjunction with the BARC 11th Annual Rally at Eastbourne, a 50-mile road event held the day before, starting at the Grasshopper Inn near Westerham, with intermittent driving tests, including one at Butts Hill, Willingdon, and then on to Eastbourne, via Beachy Head. 〔Joint Eastbourne Rally/Firle Hill Climb Programme, 1-2 June 1957.〕 Goodwood was closed on safety grounds in 1966. The last event was a club meeting organised by the BARC on 2 July 1966. 〔Goodwood Motor Circuit Programme, Saturday 2 July 1966.〕 The club relocated to Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire, opening in 1968, and becoming club headquarters in 1974. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「British Automobile Racing Club」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|