In 1990 the FIA decided to change the Group C regulations from free engine displacement and type with a limited amount of fuel to a specific displacement but with unlimited fuel. The new engines would be 3.5 liter normally aspirated, essentially Formula 1 units.
With the advent of Group C, sport car racing had reached a peak of popularity by the end of the decade that rivaled Formula 1. Porsche, Mercedes, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Aston Martin, Lancia and Jaguar were all involved as were a healthy amount of privateer teams.
The new regulations effectively eliminated the privateers by making the older cars )mostly Porsche 962) uncompetitive and pricing them out of the series. By holding shorter races to compete with Formula 1, the series alienated fans of endurance, nobody really cared for two seater F1 cars.
Despite manufacturer involvement from Peugeot, Jaguar, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota, by '93 it was all over: Races had to be cancelled for lack of entries. Endurance racing globally was a giant mess that has only recently begun to make a real comeback.
Still, those 3.5 prototypes were amazing machines. The 1991 Jaguar XJR-14 was designed by Ross Brawn and built by TWR. It used the same Ford V8 engine the Benetton F1 car, albeit rebadged as Jaguar. Aluminum honeycomb and carbon fiber monocoque, pushrod suspension, carbon brakes and very advanced aero which gave it a huge edge over rivals, a couple of seconds a lap. Other teams eventually copied Jaguar's detached rear wing and ground effect chassis.
This XJR-14, originally raced by Derek Warkick and Martin Brundle, was driven at Monza recently by Belgian Christophe d'Assenbourg in the Coppa Intereuropa, part of the FIA Masters Historic racing series.
As the often priceless machinery ripped around Massenet and onto Casino, I was taking pictures from the inside of the square and I remembered wondering how in the world Alex could see anything over that gigantic, school bus sized steering wheel.
As it turns out, he's just the right size and seated low enough in the car that he was watching those monegasque guard rails THROUGH the steering wheel!
Check it out.
Buncombe led that race flag to flag after putting the bronze Jaguar on pole, The C-Type is one of 55 ever made and is no garage queen despite being worth many millions. Originally driven by Juan Manuel Fangio it had just done the historic Mille Miglia earlier this year, driven by Buncombe and Chris Harris.
Buncombe made it look easy and fun around Monaco but remember these cars have crappy tires and , by modern standards, no brakes.
I found this clip on Joe Saward's blog. Tom Walkinshaw was not only team boss but took no prisoners behind the wheel. Check out how he put this Jaguar XJ-S on pole for the 1985 Bathurst 1000 with this mindblowing lap. Notice how back then the course was lined with unprotected trees, especially on the very fast downhill section, insane! Could you picture Luca di Montezemolo doing that?
Download the book "Jaguar 1935-2010, Seventy five years of fast beautiful cars" for your iPad, iPhone or computer HERE Follow the Flickr links for super high resolution version of these great shots courtesy of Jag.
We all love tin top racing but generally it's modified econoboxes slugging it out, what about automotive fatties, who loves big sedans? Italy's Superstars Series does.
Where else can you see a BMW M5 slugging it out with a Chrysler 300C Srt8 and a Porsche Panamera S?
The fight between behemoths, Maserati Quattroporte, Cadillac CTS-V but also Mercedes C63AMG, Audi RS4 and BMW M3's is kept even with restrictors and reward weights and all cars must run spec brakes, rear wing and tires.
The formula is relatively "low cost" based on production models and with a big focus on marketing opportunities. Event week ends combine the big fellas with a Superstars GT Sprint which is for FIA GT2, GT3, GT4 and GT Cup cars and even Ferrari Challenge races.
With fan and marketing friendly special events, paddock access and even hot laps in special cars, Superstars has all the ingredients for a pretty fun week end.
Check out this clip from a recent race at Hockenheim and learn more about the Superstars Series HERE. Technical regulations are found HERE.
Paul Gentilozzi is another name familiar to American fans from his Trans Am racing and from his bid to run the Champ Car series. Rocketsports Racing team is back with a Jaguar for ALMS and LM. The GT2 Jaguar RSR will be driven by Gentilozzi, Marc Goossens and Ryan Dalziel.
March 15, 2010 – The JaguarRSR race team is set to make its Sebring debut with the JaguarRSR XKR GT this weekend in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron season opener, the 58th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida.
Driving the #75 JaguarRSR XKR GT will be Marc Goossens from Belgium and Scotland’s Ryan Dalziel, who can almost call this a home race as he resides in Orlando, Florida. With Sebring being one of the longer endurance events this season, JaguarRSR Principal Partner and driver Paul Gentilozzi has been slotted as the third driver for the team’s entry this weekend.
1992 was the last time Gentilozzi’s team won the 12 hours of Sebring in a Bob Riley designed car. The team won the 1992 GTO Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championship and the 1992 and 1993 GTS Manufacturers’ Championship, second in GTS Drivers’ points in 1993. Gentilozzi’s return this year continues that relationship as Bob and Bill Riley’s Riley Technologies company will be joining the team to further the development program of the new JaguarRSR XKR GT.
Incidentally, the #75 JaguarRSR XKR GT will not be the only Jaguar on track this weekend. The field for the 58th Annual Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Fresh From Florida will be paced by a production based XKR, as Jaguar also serves as the Official Car of Sebring International Raceway.
The team will take to the track on Monday, the first of a three-day promoter test before the race weekend officially kicks off on Thursday, March 18. There will be three practice sessions on Thursday and qualifying will be held on Friday at 1:50 p.m. ET for the GT and GTC classes. The 58th running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida takes the green flag at 10:30 am on Saturday, March 20th, kicking-off the 2010 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patron.
Want to take the JaguarRSR XKR GT for a test drive around Sebring? Download the Jalopnik Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 3 on the Xbox 360 to drive the newly available JaguarRSR XKR GT. In Forza Motorsport 3, live the most realistic racing experience available as you take the wheel of more than 400 of the most-beloved cars on over 100 renowned real-world tracks and exotic road courses from around the globe. The download content itself costs 400 Microsoft Points and if you would like to add it to your download queue check out this link.
Recently, a reader complained bitterly that our philosophy of trying to get as much fun out of every corner possible was wrong and that sliding the car is inefficient and a measure of how little control the driver has...not to mention a waste of rubber. To that reader we say, you are probably right about the rubber but you know what, life's too short not to have fun with it!
To illustrate my point I call upon that bishop of bloviation, that master of mirth Jeremy Clarkson and the Supreme Being of Oversteer, the Stig. This is from JC's "DUEL" DVD. Top Gear's new season kicks off tomorrow night.
