The Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship, overseen by the Clubmans Register, will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a commemorative parade, displays and special guest appearances during its race event on the Donington Park Grand Prix circuit this weekend (19/20 July).
Clubmans racing, for front-engined prototype race cars with slicks and wings, dates back to March 1965 when the formula first appeared on a race programme at Brands Hatch. The concept was dreamt up in the first instance by two of motorsport’s best known journalists, Simon Taylor and Andrew Marriott, together with Nick Syrett of the BRSCC.
The rest, as they say, is history. Clubmans have formed a regular – and distinct – part of the grassroots motorsport landscape in the UK ever since. Indeed, the championship remains in excellent shape during its modern era under the watch of MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR), which has acted as its organising club since 2020.
That good health is reflected this weekend in a 33-strong entry in the East Midlands this weekend, with further cars appearing especially to mark the anniversary. Special cars being wheeled out for the occasion include a Lotus 3/7 (a works car from 1965), plus a U2 Mk2, the U2 Mk6, the Pink Panther Gryphon, a pair of original Lotus 7s and Mike Luck's recently rebuilt DART from 2000.
A number of personalities from the Clubmans world will attend too, including Richard and Sue Mallock, long-time car constructors who took over the manufacturing of Mallock Clubmans from Richard’s father Arthur. Ray Mallock, Arthur’s younger son, who founded the RML Group motorsport engineering company, also plans to attend.
Others of note joining the celebrations include Tim Goss, who won the 1967 championship at the wheel of a Lotus 3/7, and Noel Stanbury who raced Clubmans throughout the late ‘60s and 1970s.
Peter Richings, Clubmans Register Championship Coordinator said: "It's a great achievement for Clubmans to reach 60 - two years more than even FF1600! I have been involved with Clubmans since 1979 either racing or as an officer of the Clubmans Register. Clubmans has given so many drivers the opportunity to drive seriously fast cars without spending a fortune. I can't think of another racing category I would rather have been involved with"
The Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship celebrations at Donington Park will primarily centre on the Saturday of the race meeting, with a dedicated parade taking place during the lunch break. However the cars will race competitively both days with a Saturday double-header followed by one more race on Sunday morning.