RML Group
Ray Mallock Ltd. known as RML Group, is a motorsports and high performance engineering company, based in Wellingborough, United Kingdom. Ray Mallock began building racing cars, alongside his brother Richard, as an assistant to his father, Major Arthur Mallock, who built several Mallock U2 chassis for Clubmans racing. After racing in Formula 3 and sports car racing, Mallock founded his team, Ray Mallock Atlantic Racing, in 1979, which he renamed RML in 1984. Ray Mallock, a driver for Viscount Downe Racing, helped develop the privateer Aston Martin-powered Nimrod NRA/C2 for Group C regulations in the World Endurance Championship in 1983 and 1984. In 1985, RML was contracted to build the Ecurie Ecosse prototypes for the C2 class, winning the class title in 1986. In 1987, RML returned to the main class by developing the Aston Martin AMR-1; the project was closed in 1990. RML prepared NPTI's Nissan R90CK programme for Le Mans. One of the cars manages to set a new lap record. In 1999, RML returned sportscars by producing the RML Mallock P20 Supersports Car, in association with Mallock Sports his brother Richard's company.
The car won the National Supersports championships in 1999 and in 2000. It was driven by Michael Mallock both years. In 2000, RML engineered the Saleen S7 supercar into a competition model, the S7-R, winning the European Le Mans Series in the GT1 class in 2001 and the Spanish GT Championship overall in 2002. In 2004 RML entered the FIA GT Championship with two cars. In 2004, RML ran an MG-Lola EX257 in the Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Endurance Series. After the design became obsolete with the onset of new LMP2 regulations, RML merged components from the EX257 into the Lola B05/40's chassis and bodyshell, creating the MG-Lola EX264, which won Le Mans in the LMP2 class in 2005 and 2006; the team's car was further upgraded for the 2008 Le Mans Series season, using a new XP21 motor developed by MG, renaming the car EX265. This car was replaced before the season finale by a coupe bodystyle, based on the new Lola B08/80. Using components of the EX265, including the MG XP21 motor, the new car was christened the EX265C, made its debut at the 2008 1000km of Silverstone.
In 2009, the team turned to the Mazda MZR-R turbocharged engine in the back of the Lola B08/80, abandoning the MG moniker, but issues with the spec fuel caused several engine failures over the season, the car finishing only twice over the whole season. For the 2010 season, the team is retaining the Lola B08/80 chassis, but with a aspirated V8 engine developed by Honda Performance Development, the same engine used in the HPD ARX-01. RML competed in the Le Mans Series in 2011 with a HPD ARX-01d LMP2 car, becoming the second team to run the ARX-01 in Europe after Strakka Racing. In 2012, RML developed a new engine on behalf of Nissan for the unique Nissan DeltaWing RML, as Nissans Motorpsort Partner ran the car and provided engineering and technical support at Le Mans 24 hours and Petit Le Mans where it finished 5th overall. For 2014, RML were engaged to design and build the Nissan ZEOD RC, an innovative race car designed to run in Le Mans Garage 56; the car was the first to switch between Petrol powered Propulsion.
RML were responsible for the whole vehicle, including developing a high performance lightweight powertrain. The engine was a new RML design, a 3-cylinder 1.5 litre weighing only 40 kg and producing over 400 bhp. The ZOED RC suffered a gearbox failure due to a new part with a material defect early in the 24 hour race, however in practice had achieved the first all electric lap of Le Mans and over 300kph on in Electric mode. Taking advantage of its relationship to Ecurie Ecosse, RML made its debut in touring car racing in 1992, by moving to the British Touring Car Championship; the team ran two semi-works Vauxhall Cavaliers for Ecurie Ecosse for two years. Due to the car's success, RML was awarded with the works deal in 1994 taking over from Dave Cook Racing, winning the championship the following year; the RML Vauxhall Cavalier won the 1995 in Drivers standings. Vauxhall launched the new Vectra for 1996; the season was a transitional year with the team scoring just one victory with James Thompson.
At the end of the season Vauxhall switched to Triple Eight Race Engineering and RML picked up the works contract from Nissan to run the BTCC programme. RML's association with Nissan grew in 1997 with the team building the Nissan Primera for the BTCC; the team won the Drivers Championship in 1999 with Laurent Aïello, along with the manufacturers and teams titles in 1998 & 1999. In 2004, SEAT Sport UK acquired two SEAT Toledo Cupras, which RML campaigned in the BTCC, but at the end of the year the partnership was dissolved when RML entered the WTCC RML re-entered the BTCC in 2009, running ex-WTCC Chevrolet Lacettis for 2001 champion Jason Plato, Mat Jackson since round two and James Nash since round four, their 2009 campaign has brought good results, taking 11 wins and Plato taking second in the drivers championship. In 2010, RML ran the Works Chevrolet team in the BTCC, winning the drivers championship with Jason Plato. On 1 February 2012, Chevrolet announced that they will be pulling out of the BTCC to focus on the WTCC, therefore RML will not be taking part in the 2012 BTCC season.
RML won the contract to run the works Chevrolet Lacetti in the WTCC from the 2005 season. The Lacetti won 1 race in its first year, 7 wins in 2007 and 5 wins in 2008. RML continue to run the Chevrolet works outfit in the WTCC, with the new Chevrolet Cruze being introduced in 2009 and taking 6 wins in the first year. In 2010, the Chevrolet team won both the Manufacturers Championship by a substantial 74 points and, with Yvan Muller, won the Drivers Cham
Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring
The VLN, properly the Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring is an organisation of motorsport clubs of which each hosts one event of a nine-race series held on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the "VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring". The series was named "BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft" from 2001 to 2009. Participants of VLN races range from amateurs in small road legal cars with rollcages and harnesses to professional factory teams racing Group GT3 cars; the VLN series is associated with the 24 Hours Nürburgring, as it has similar rules, the same participants. In the calendar, several weeks around the 24h date in May/June are taken off to allow teams to prepare for the 24h, to fix their cars afterwards; the 24h is not part of the championship anymore, though. The VLN was founded in 1977 by several motorsport clubs, which are members of ADAC or Deutscher Motorsport Verband, in order to join forces; each club had run its own touring car racing event on the Nürburgring, lasting for 3.5 to 6 hours, with about 150 cars and 400 drivers taking part.
The rules were unified and the races were made part of a series. The winners of the series were awarded a Cup, sponsored by Valvoline and Veedol lubrication products. Due to this, both organisation and races were informally called "Veedol-Cup" for many years. Since the change of sponsorship and the official recognition by Deutscher Motor Sport Bund as the German endurance championship in 2001, the former Veedol Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring was the BFGoodrich Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring; the name of the VLN organisation stays the same, reflected by their website addresses and title. Apart from the 24 Hours, the Rundstrecken Challenge Nürburgring and GLP are related smaller events dedicated to non-professionals; each VLN race is held as a "one-day event" on Saturdays only. The mandatory drivers briefing is at 7:45, practice is from 8:30 to 10:00. Following a warmup lap behind safety cars, the first of three groups starts the race at 12:00, followed by the other two a few minutes in time before the fastest cars complete their first lap in just over 8 minutes.
After parc fermé is opened and the winners are honoured, the teams can travel home on race day. At some events, the schedule accommodates additional sprint races of visiting other series classic cars and youngtimers; the "6 hours" are considered the season highlight – in 1998 Sir Jack Brabham took part, at age 72. Here, 2 to 4 drivers per cars are entered, while in all others races, a single driver can drive all alone for 4 hours, or up to 3 can form a team. Another highlight is the last race, the Münsterlandpokal, called "Schinkenrennen" as large pieces of ham from the Münsterland area are presented to class winners. Most of the fans watch the race on the Nordschleife. To get to the favourite viewing points it is necessary to take a walk. Several sections, including "Schwedenkreuz", "Adenauer Forst", "Karussell", "Wippermann", are up to a kilometer away from the nearest main road. Easy to reach and always well attended are sections such as "Breidscheid", "Brünnchen", "Pflanzgarten". Around the whole Nordschleife no entrance fee is raised.
Just for the paddock and the grandstands on the Grand Prix circuit of the Nürburgring tickets for the price of 15 € are required. A variety of cars compete at the same time during each race. In the 2009 season, there were 30 classes of cars in four divisions; the Series Cars division is intended to allow low cost racing with near-series cars. It consists of six gasoline classes differentiated by engine displacement V1 to V6 and a diesel class VD; the Specials division consists of pure race cars. It consists of the classes SP1 to SP8 differentiated by engine displacement with an optional suffix T for turbo charged engines, the SP9 class for FIA GT3 cars, the SP10 class for SRO GT4 cars, the special E1-XP 2009 class and the D1T to D4T classes differentiated by engine displacement for diesel cars; the Cup division consists of one-make cup cars in the classes Cup1: Seat Leon, Cup2: Honda Civic R, Cup3: Porsche Carrera Cup. The H division consists of cars made before, it consists of the classes H1 to H4 differentiated by engine displacement.
ADAC-Westfalen e. V. Renngemeinschaft Düren e. V. DMV AC Altkreis Schwelm e. V. im ADAC MSC Adenau e. V. im ADAC Dortmunder MC e. V. im ADAC Rheydter Club für Motorsport e. V. DMV MSC Ruhr-Blitz Bochum e. V. im ADAC MSC Sinzig e. V. im ADAC AC Monheim e. V. DMV MSC Münster e. V. DMV Auteg Motorsport Manthey Racing Official website Official website VLN champions Nürburgring Fan Project 24 Hours of Nürburgring Race VLN Storage VLN Divisions and Classes To take part in one of the VLN races
Jeremy Clarkson: Meets the Neighbours
Jeremy Clarkson: Meets the Neighbours is a television series presented by Jeremy Clarkson and during the course of the series, he drives a 1960s Jaguar E-Type around six European countries. The show was first June 2002 on BBC Two. Over the series, Clarkson drives around 20,000 miles visiting six European countries to discover just how different their lifestyles are to those in Britain, whether the reality matches the stereotypical perception of each country; the show was executively produced by Richard Pearson. Meet The Neighbours was the second of two series involving Clarkson which were filmed during his hiatus from Top Gear, his fifth documentary series for the BBC, following Motorworld, Extreme Machines, Car Years and Speed; the show was first shown on UK television channel BBC Two, before being shown to an international audience on BBC World. As of 2008, it has been repeated on various UKTV channels, most being Dave. 30-minute versions of each episode have been aired
Porsche 997
Porsche 997 is the internal designation for the Porsche 911 sports car manufactured and sold by German manufacturer Porsche between 2004 and 2012. Production of the Carrera and Carrera S coupés began in early 2004, all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S began to be delivered to customers in November 2005, the Turbo and GT3 derivatives went on sale in late 2006 and the GT2 in 2007. In addition to the coupé and cabriolet versions, Targa versions of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S were available, which carry on with the "glass canopy" roof design used since its first application on the 993 until the 991, which reverted to the classic targa top layout used on the early 911 Targas; the 997 was an evolution of the preceding 996, with the most significant changes being interior and exterior styling, the most notable being the replacement of the "fried egg" headlamps used on the 996 with the classic "bug eye" units. Larger 18-inch wheels were fitted as standard, other engineering changes include increased power.
A new S version was offered, with additional power from a larger engine, sports suspension, sports exhaust. During 2009, Porsche updated the 997 line-up including styling changes, a revised engine with direct injection and the introduction of the company's new "PDK" dual clutch transmission; as a result, the updated 997 models were faster and more fuel efficient than the outgoing versions, with improved handling. In the case of the 997 Turbo, a comprehensively re-tuned all wheel drive system with an optional "torque vectoring" system was a part of the upgrades package; the 997 is the most commercially successful 911 of all time, having sold 100,000 units in the first phase alone between its introduction in 2005 and July 2007. It has received positive reviews from the worldwide motoring press. By February 1999, just a few months into the 997 development programme that began in the fourth quarter of 1998, designers were at work on the 997 body design. After numerous reviews during the rest of 1999 and full size clay models built from 2000 into 2001, a final design by designer Grant Larson was approved.
Early prototypes were built based on the newly set parameters. While the exterior styling was revised, it was again more evolution rather than revolution; the rear bodywork was a total of 88 mm wider than its predecessor. However, the most notable aesthetic difference between the 997 and the 996 was the return to oval headlights like those of pre-996 Carreras, with separate indicator units; the interior was re-designed with new controls. The body in general remained low profile with a drag coefficient of 0.28 for the Carrera and 0.29 for the Carrera S. For the first time, development of the cabriolet version of the 997 led the design and engineering effort at Porsche with the coupé following. Porsche applied the logic that if you started with the more difficult cabriolet challenges the coupé version would be more rigid. Despite additional weight, the cabriolet versions attain nearly the same performance figures as their coupé counterparts; the rear tail comes up higher on the cabriolets to compensate for differences in drag over the canvas top vs. the smoother coupé shape.
The 997 cabriolet had factory optional hard tops that provided extended protection from unexpected weather conditions than the conventional canvas top. It is interchangeable with that available on the late 996 cabriolet models; the hardtop provides a winter option to cabriolet owners. The 911 club coupé is a limited version of 2006 Carrera S coupé with X51 Powerkit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Club of America; the vehicle included an Azurro California-colour scheme, a vehicle identification number which ended with the production number and special commemorative badging and door sills, Sport Chrono Package Plus system, optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes. The car bearing chassis number # 001 was transferred to the Porsche Museum in Germany. One PCA member won the car bearing chassis number #050 in a sweepstakes drawing; the remaining 48 units were sold to randomly chosen U. S. and Canadian PCA members. After 2005-08-15, unsold units were made available to the general public.
The vehicle was unveiled in PCA's 50th Annual Porsche Parade in Pa.. The vehicle had MSRP of $99,911 USD and $145,911 CDN; the Targa 4 and 4S versions were introduced in 2006. Like its predecessors, the 993 and 996, the 997 Targa is equipped with a glass roof system. At any speed, the roof can be opened where it drops down 25 mm and slides a metre back underneath the rear window; as the roof weighs an additional 60 kg, the suspension has been modified as compared to the other Carrera models. When the glass roof is retracted, a small glass deflector is raised above the windshield to aid aerodynamic stability. Unlike previous versions, the 997 Targa was only available with all-wheel drive. Targa 4 models are slower than the hard top Carrera models because of the heavier roof and the all-wheel-drive system; the 997 Targa became available in the fall of 2006 as a 2007 Model. In the first year, Porsche produced 1,760 cars worldw
Truck racing
Truck racing is a form of motorsport road racing which involves modified versions of heavy tractor units on road racing or oval track circuits. The sport started in the United States at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on June 17, 1979 and was the opening scene in the movie Smokey and the Bandit II; as a sanctioned sport it began as ATRA in 1979 was sold to N. Linn Henndershott in 1982 and it became the Great American Truck Racing circuit; the races were run on dirt and paved ovals in the Eastern United States. The trucks used in the beginning were working trucks with tandem rear axles and used street tires yet still attained speeds of 150 mph on the front straight at Pocono Raceway and set the closed course record of 132 mph in qualifying at Texas World Speedway by Charlie Baker on March 21, 1982. After 1986 when the series was bought by Glenn Donnelly of DIRT the GATR trucks became modified with the bodies being cut and lowered, losing the tag axle and shedding more than 2,000 pounds in weight.
The last sanctioned GATR race in the US was in July 1993 at Rolling Wheels NY. The FIA European Truck Racing Championship was created in 1985. In Brazil, the Fórmula Truck has been held since 1996; the Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series debuted in the United States in 2017, giving America its first truck race series since GATR in 1993. Maximum race speed is restricted to 160 km/h for safety reasons, a minimum weight limit is 5500 kg. Races start from a rolling start, races last from 8 to 12 laps. Although a non contact sport, due to the physical size, closeness of trucks to one another during races, minor collisions can occur. However, injuries to drivers are rare. Unlike other forms of motor sport aside from touring car racing, race trucks look like their road-going counterparts and conform to regulations to ensure that major components used are the same. Mexico started its own truck racing version called Tractocamiones, which ran from 1992 to 2000 and was revived in 2015. Notable international drivers that have raced in the series include former Champ Car race winner Michel Jourdain Jr. former F1 driver Allen Berg, Indy 500 Rookie of the year Bernard Jourdain, the late Carlos Pardo, Rubén Pardo, Jorge Goeters, Carlos Contreras and Jimmy Morales among others.
T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship is a truck racing championship in India by Tata Motors. This was on the calendar of Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India; this event was held 23 March 2014 at Greater Noida. In the United States, the top promotion is the Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series. 13 races are scheduled for the 2017 season, with historic tracks Hickory Motor Speedway and Greenville-Pickens Speedway included on the schedule. In Britain, in the last few years the profile of truck racing has increased, over 30 teams compete; the sporting regulations came under the control of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile to ensure that the vehicles conform to the layout and original style of the truck, whilst defining the safety standards required to race. The makes of truck represented in truck racing cover most of the common marques over the last 20 years; the regulations allow for trucks to compete in two classes, so trucks with less sophisticated engine management systems and braking systems can compete effectively.
The organising body for truck racing in the United Kingdom is the British Truck Racing Association founded in 1984. The British Championships and race events are organised by the British Automobile Racing Club. Fórmula Truck T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship British Truck Racing Association website Minimizer Bandit Big Rig Series website
Chevrolet Cruze
The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact car, made by the Chevrolet division of General Motors since 2008. The nameplate has been used in Japan, for a version of a subcompact hatchback car produced under a joint venture with Suzuki from 2001 to 2007, was based on the Suzuki Ignis. Since 2009, the Cruze nameplate has designated a globally developed and manufactured four-door compact sedan—complemented by a five-door hatchback body variant from 2011, a station wagon in 2012; the Cruze was released earlier in 2008 to the South Korean market under the name Daewoo Lacetti Premiere until the phasing out of the Daewoo brand in favor of Chevrolet in 2011. In Australia, the model has been on sale since 2009 as the Holden Cruze; this new generation Cruze does not serve as a replacement for the Suzuki-derived Japanese market predecessor. Instead, it replaces three other compact models: the Chevrolet Optra sold internationally under various names, the Chevrolet Cobalt, sold in North America, the Opel-sourced, Australia-market Holden Cruze.
Production of the Cruze in the United States and Mexico ended in 2019, while the car is still produced and sold in other markets worldwide. Before the release of the global Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan in 2008, General Motors made use of the name "Cruze" between 2001 and 2008 in Japan. Announced as the Chevrolet YGM1 concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1999, the original Cruze was derived from the subcompact Suzuki Ignis five-door hatchback. Despite the Chevrolet branding, the YGM1, like the production car, was the work of GM's Australian arm, Holden. Along with the styling, Holden executed most of the engineering work and were responsible for devising the "Cruze" nameplate; the Cruze came either with a 1.3- or 1.5-liter engine coupled to either five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions. Manufactured by Suzuki in Japan, GM revealed the production Chevrolet Cruze in October 2001, with Japanese sales commencing the following month. From 2002 through to 2006 this generation of Cruze was sold in New Zealand.
In New Zealand this generation Cruze was sold as the Chevrolet Cruze. The production Cruze had standard front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive optional. Chevrolet pursued a marketing strategy that positioned the high-riding Cruze as a light-duty sport utility vehicle; this contrasted with Suzuki's approach with the Ignis marketed as a conventional passenger model. From 2003, Suzuki of Europe began manufacturing the Cruze as the Suzuki Ignis—representing a facelift of the original Ignis, but only for European markets. In 2008, GM introduced the Cruze compact car; this J300 iteration serves as a replacement for the Chevrolet Cobalt, Daewoo Lacetti and Holden Astra—all unrelated cars. GM phased out production of the Cobalt and its badge engineered counterpart, the Pontiac G5 in 2010, just prior to the manufacturing of the Chevrolet Cruze was to commence; the first renderings of the Cruze were revealed by GM at a press conference on July 15, 2008, with the first official images released on August 21, 2008.
Cruze production sites include Gunsan, South Korea. Holden's localized hatchback version of the Cruze built at the Elizabeth, South Australia factory from late 2011 joined the Cruze sedan manufactured there since March 2011. GM in the United States has upgraded the existing plant in Lordstown, Ohio to manufacture the Cruze, investing more than US$350 million. At the ceremony of the start of production of Cruze at Ohio, Mark Reuss, the president of GM's North American operations said, "This is everything for us", it is described as GM's most significant new vehicle introduction into North America since the Chapter 11 reorganization in 2009, is GM's latest attempt to build a small size car that North American consumers would "buy because they like it – not because it is cheap". Underpinned by the front-wheel drive GM Delta II platform, GM has confirmed the Cruze development program occurred under a global design and engineering team. GM Daewoo in South Korea played a leading role in the design and engineering of the Cruze, along with GM's German-based Opel division.
This development program spanned over 27 months at a cost of US$4 billion. A total of 221 prototypes were tested in Australia, China, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. According to GM, the Cruze's body structure is 65 percent high-strength steel. MacPherson struts are utilized in the front suspension with a solid torsion beam axle for the rear, avoiding the cost and complexity needed for a modern multi-link independent rear suspension used by some more expensive rivals. According to GM's global product development chief Mark Reuss, the North America version Cruze is modified from the global platform as it requires reinforcements to the engine compartment because it offers a bigger engine than in other markets and uses torsion beam suspension. Hydraulically-assisted rack and pinion steering gives for a 10.9-meter turning circle. Braking-wise, ventilated front, solid rear disc brakes are employed, both using piston steel calipers. To counteract noise and harshness, engineers have designed the Cruze with an isolate
Klaus Abbelen
Klaus Abbelen is a butcher master, an entrepreneur for meat products, a race car driver. After starting racing Ferraris in the 1990s, he became the Euro GT Series champion in 2000, he has recently competed in the FIA GT Championship, as well as in the Le Mans Endurance Series. In 2006, he and Sabine Schmitz drove the #97 Porsche 997 in the VLN endurance racing series on the Nürburgring, entered by Land Motorsport. Company website Team Website
