The CSCC Special Saloons + Modsports series
Lotus Elans
DRIVER : PAUL SIBLEY from Lavendon , Norfolk
CAR : LOTUS ELAN MODSPORT
ENGINE : LOTUS TWIN-CAM 1997 cc ( 2011-14 )
COSWORTH BDG 2.0 ( 2015 ) approx 270 BHP
CLASS : C NUMBER : 77
SERIES STARTS : 28 - 3 OUTRIGHT WINS -
21 - CLASS WINS
5 POLE POSITIONS - 4 CLASS RUNNER-UP
THE CAR :
Flying the flag for the Modsports brigade is Paul Sibley who has so far has raced in more CSCC revival series rounds than
any other competitor. 2013 was particulary good for this rapid car with a clean sweep of 9 Class C wins in 9 races and outright victory at round 7 Snetterton. Sibley also won a round of the SEMSEC Saloon/Sports at Lydden.
`Originally built by Racing Fabrications in Suffolk it raced in various championships with great success during the 80s and early 90s by Nigel Reuben and Phillip Barak` said Paul. `I purchesd the Elan in early 2012 and converted it from 1600cc to a 203 BHP Lotus twin cam 1997cc engine built by John Smirthwaite.
It was however powered by a Ford BDA`. Paul is still tracing the cars race history and expressed an interest in any old photos race fans may have of his car.
The car was one of a handfull built in the 80s by Racing Fabrications in Suffolk , Rob Cox`s famous `Black Bullet` was its first owner. Nigel Reuben raced it the BARC NW Sports / Saloons championship , taking a class win in 1989 and right through the 90s The yellow car was then sold to veteran racer Philip Barak , who repainted into his usual blue and was a regular top 6 finisher , taking 2nd in class in 2001 + 2002.
DRIVER : PAT THOMAS
CAR : LOTUS ELAN GT
ENGINE : ( 2400 cc )
CLASS : B NUMBER : 33
SERIES STARTS : 2 -
Pat has raced this Elan in 2 spells since the late 70`s and runs Kelvedon Lotus specialists in Spalding. Its one of the 2 built by Racing Fabrications , the other one is the Paul Sibley car above.The car originally had a 1600cc Lotus Twin Cam and was a front runner in the BARC STP Modsports in the early 80s. Pat sold the car to Andrew Wearing in the mid-80s who raced it regulary until selling it back too Thomas around 1996. Kelvedon restored the car and fitted a Cosworth YB engine. The car was raced more occasionally in light of fewer obvious series` about but featured in the CSCC revival races in 2011. Thomas finished 4th in both CSCC races in 2012 at Mallory Park before selling the car on again.
photo kindly supplied by Mike Allen
THE CAR :
Built and Hillclimbed by Tony Wiltshire before being track raced by Andy Cumming for 1991 as his Lenham replacement in the BARC NW Sports/Saloons winning class D. At least 4 class wins and class lap records followed in 1993 to win class B now with a 1.8 engine. By 1995 in 2-litre guise it took Andy to the overall title with at least 3 outright wins just ahead of rival Tony Sugden. This success in the BARC Championship was continued by its next owner Mark Campbell taking class B in 2001. The car was rebuilt and returned to again win class B for at least the 3rd time , in 2004 .
David Brewis aquired this succesful car in 2010 but its engine blew on its debut. A replacement Jeff Wilson-built 2-litre Duratec unit was fitted and David took 2 class wins at Castle Combe in 2012 in the revival series.
Over the winter of 13/14 the car was sold to a collector and David returned to the series with his other race car , a Suzuki SC100.
This 1967 Series 3 Elan has a remarkably long racing history having been raced by Bill Brown , then Bob Speak in 1.8 litre form. 2 outright wins in the BARC STP Modsports of 1983 took Speak to 4th overall.
Richard Ward was already an Elan racer with his blue car and aquired the white , Speak car for 1986. A crash a Oulton Park required a rebuild but 1987 was a particulary busy year for Ward : The 2-litre class winner in the 750 MC Sportscar series ( 4th overall ) , the 2.5-litre class winner in the BRSCC ( SW ) Castle Combe Special GT Championship and 2nd overall. Engine failure in the penultimate round cost the chance of the outright win against Brian Fisher`s Skoda.This latter series was still contested by Ward to 1993 and still competitive against the influx of Mallock race cars having fitted a 2-litre unit. By then Ward was also a regular in the BARC (NW ) Sports/Saloons Championship throughout the 90`s , still running in white and having many a class battle with the Elan of Andy Cumming in particular ( the Brewis car mentioned above ) and against the Class A car of Tony Sugden ( Skoda ) up to the end of 2000.
New owner Patrick Smyth kept the run going in the same series with 3rd in class in 2001 and with the car repainted red , a 2.5 unit fitted and with more aerodynamic aids.
Smyth has been a regular in the BARC Sports/Saloons since and in 2014 raced in the Taster class in the CSCC Special Saloons + Modsports at Mallory Park. Having only set 17th fastest time took 5th in race 1 and 3rd in race 2 with overall fastest race lap too. Smyth and regular Paul Sibley in the other red Elan both throwing their cars into hairpin in close formation with aplomb.
DRIVER : PATRICK SMYTH from Frodisham
CAR : LOTUS ELAN S3
ENGINE : 2498 cc )
CLASS : T NUMBER : 81
SERIES STARTS : 2 -
2 CLASS WINS
1 RACE FASTEST LAP
DRIVER : DAVID BREWIS from Belford , Northumberland
CAR : LOTUS ELAN
ENGINE : LOTUS TWIN-CAM ( 1997 cc )
CLASS : C NUMBER : 99
SERIES STARTS : 4 -
2 CLASS WINS
1 CLASS RUNNER-UP