A consortium, led by Thurso-based AGM Batteries, has been awarded funding towards a £5.4 million project to develop the next generation of battery packs for high performance, low carbon vehicles.
Northampton power train supplier Cosworth has announced the completion of the first part of its multi-stage power package for Subaru’s FA20 powertrain. The Stage 1 upgrade brings together a fully tuned stainless steel exhaust system, a bespoke four into two into one exhaust manifold, a high-flow sports CAT, a high performance panel air filter and a specially mapped ECU program to ensure all these components work together in perfect harmony while conservatively improving power by approximately 24hp over the original equipment. The FA20 features in the Scion FR-S (Toyota GT86) and the Subaru BRZ. Cosworth is currently exhibiting the Stage 1 Power Package at Booth #23324 at Las Vegas’ SEMA Show.
Toyo Tires has announced its support of the British Army Motorsport Association (BAMA) through the supply of discount tyres to Army racers throughout the season. Toyo will also provide prizes for successful competitors and set-up advice.
Yokohama will begin its 2013 UK motorsport season at Silverstone, when four different series will utilise the Japanese brand as control tyres. The first round of the new BRDC Formula 4 series will be joined by the Aerial Atom Cup, the Sports 2000 series and Caterham Graduates.
Writing in the UK newspaper The Times, Robert Lea says "One of the great names of the British motor industry, renowned for building high performance engines for racing teams and sports cars, has been put up for sale.
Maxxis, the official partner of the British Drift Championship, has reported that the organisers of this series have acclaimed the 2011 season as “the best in the championship’s history” thanks to overwhelming support for all three classes. According to the company, such was the level of skill demonstrated over the past six months that there was everything to play for at the final round, held at the Nissan factory in Sunderland, and some very close battles provided a fitting end to the campaign.
Following the recovery of Maxxis-sponsored Team Japspeed’s Subaru Impreza, stolen from Santa Pod on 11 June, tyre manufacturer and drift team alike are racing to ready the car for action in round three of the Maxxis British Drift Championship (BDC). The series makes a welcome return to the Teesside Autodrome in Middlesbrough over the weekend of 2-3 July, when Team Japspeed driver Steve Biagioni is aiming to be back behind the wheel of the 600bhp Impreza and challenging for a podium in the Super-Pro class.
Making a guest appearance at round two of the Maxxis British Drift Championship, drift star Remmo Niezen from the Netherlands piloted his V8 BMW E30 to victory, while title sponsor Maxxis’s Super-Pro championship leader Mark Luney used his MA-Z1 Drift tyres to make it on to the podium.
The Maxxis British Drift Championship recently got underway again following a six month break, and the title sponsor says the series continues to grow in popularity and is now bigger than ever. In order to give smaller teams and individual drivers the chance to maximise their resources the championship format has been tweaked and the 84 drivers competing this year have been split into three categories – Semi-Pro, Pro and Super-Pro – based on their driving skills and drift experience. Following the opening round of the 2011 series at Donington, Maxxis says it was delighted to see Mark Luney and SAT/Cosworth – one of its sponsored teams using the Maxxis MA-Z1 Drift tyre – take victory in the new Super-Pro class.
This Easter weekend (22-23 April) sees the 2011 Maxxis British Drift Championship get underway at Donington Park, with new regulations in place designed to make racing more competitive. Teams competing this year on Maxxis’ MA-Z1 Drift tyre will include Paul Cheshire’s 650bhp G35 Skyline and the tyre brand’s own sponsored SATS Cosworth Supra, driven by Mark Luney.
Tyre brand Maxxis is the current title sponsor of the ACU British Motocross Championship – in addition to sponsoring several teams individually – and has pronounced itself delighted to see more close racing when the third round of the Championship took place at the sandy Cadders Hill circuit in in Lyng, Norfolk on 17 April. Maxxis also said its sponsored teams put in “a strong showing to deliver some solid top ten finishes”.
The results in round two of the Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship at Canada Heights on 27 March turned out to be a repeat of the season opener, reports the brand and title-sponsor. Shaun Simpson (LS Honda) and Arnaud Tonus (Bike It Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamaha) took victory in the MX1 and MX2 classes respectively, while other Maxxis-sponsored teams also posted top ten finishes.
Title-sponsor Maxxis reports that the 2011 Maxxis ACU British Motocross Championship got underway in Exeter on Sunday 6 March with five different winners from six races, leaving both the MX1 and MX2 classes “wide open”. Despite the cold weather, Maxxis says the season opener drew a large gallery of spectators who watched Shaun Simpson on the LS Racing Honda CRF450 take victory in the MX1 Class ahead of Buildbase CCM-Racing’s Tom Church and Jason Dougan of the Bike It Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamaha team. Despite a win in race three, the fact that pre-event favourite Stephen Sword did not finish the first two motos means he is lying in 14th position with some catching up to do.
Four of the top ten finishers at the GMF Motor Factors Wydean Forest Rally on 12 February were shod with Kumho R800 gravel rally tyres, the Korean manufacturer reports. They included the Peugeot Cosworth of Andy Burton and Robin Kellard, which took the top podium spot, and the Mitsubishi Evo IX of David Wright and Michael Wilkinson that was fourth overall and first in class B13.
Maxxis has announced that it will take its MA-Z1 Drift tyre onto the European drifting circuit, with the sponsorship of reigning European Drift champion Mark Luney in the SATS Cosworth team. The SATS Cosworth Supra combines the drifting expertise of the SATS Motorsport team with an engine capable of pushing over 800bhp provided by Cosworth. Mark Luney, who has won the championship two years in a row and was also a contender for the title of Maxxis British Drift Champion in 2010, has signed to drive the car over the course of the year at major championships both in the UK and across Europe.
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