Hot Rods (oval racing)
Encyclopedia
Hot Rods or simply Rods refer to a number of British
oval racing formula (not to be confused with hot rod
s, which are generally road-going modified vintage cars). Hot Rods were introduced at Hednesford
Hills Raceway in the early 1960s as a British counterpart to NASCAR
-style production car racing. The term 'stock car' was not adopted because it was already in use for a form of oval racing in Britain that had evolved in a very different way than American stock cars.
In south west England, hot rod racing evolved from a class known as sports and production car racing, introduced at tracks such as Plymouth and St Austell in the 1950s.
Hot Rod racing rules vary depending on promoters, of which there are many, but almost all are based on Europe
an or Japan
ese hot hatch
es and race on tarmac
1/4 mile ovals with deliberate contact banned, although accidents are common due to the large number of cars within a tight environment. The fastest and most expensive Rod formula are the National Hot Rods (not to be confused with the National Hot Rod Association
) which utilise tube chassis, kevlar
bodies and highly tuned 2 litre straight-4
engines. Hot Rod formulas also race in Ireland
, continental Europe and South Africa. They have similarities with some of the more sophisticated mini-stock divisions in the USA. The World Championship for the National Hot Rods is staged at Foxhall Stadium
in Ipswich in the first weekend of July each year. The 2 Litre Hot Rods are the next class down; their World Championship is held at various tracks in England, every third year at the Nutts Corner track in Northern Ireland.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
oval racing formula (not to be confused with hot rod
Hot rod
Hot rods are typically American cars with large engines modified for linear speed. The origin of the term "hot rod" is unclear. One explanation is that the term is a contraction of "hot roadster," meaning a roadster that was modified for speed. Another possible origin includes modifications to or...
s, which are generally road-going modified vintage cars). Hot Rods were introduced at Hednesford
Hednesford
Hednesford is a small town and civil parish in Staffordshire, England, within Cannock Chase District. It adjoins Cannock Chase to the north, and the town of Cannock to the south. It had a 2010 mid-year estimated population of 16,928.-History:...
Hills Raceway in the early 1960s as a British counterpart to NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
-style production car racing. The term 'stock car' was not adopted because it was already in use for a form of oval racing in Britain that had evolved in a very different way than American stock cars.
In south west England, hot rod racing evolved from a class known as sports and production car racing, introduced at tracks such as Plymouth and St Austell in the 1950s.
Hot Rod racing rules vary depending on promoters, of which there are many, but almost all are based on Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an or Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese hot hatch
Hot hatch
Hot hatch was originally an informal automotive industry term, shortened from hot hatchback, initially coined by the British motoring press in 1984, for a high-performance derivative of a car body style consisting of a three- or five-door hatchback automobile.Vehicles of this class are based on...
es and race on tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
1/4 mile ovals with deliberate contact banned, although accidents are common due to the large number of cars within a tight environment. The fastest and most expensive Rod formula are the National Hot Rods (not to be confused with the National Hot Rod Association
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
) which utilise tube chassis, kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
bodies and highly tuned 2 litre straight-4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engines. Hot Rod formulas also race in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, continental Europe and South Africa. They have similarities with some of the more sophisticated mini-stock divisions in the USA. The World Championship for the National Hot Rods is staged at Foxhall Stadium
Foxhall Stadium
Foxhall Stadium is a Stock car racing stadium located in Foxhall near Ipswich. The Stadium is also used by the Ipswich Witches Speedway team, which race on most Thursday nights from March to October starting at 7.30pm. The stadium also hosts carboot sales on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from...
in Ipswich in the first weekend of July each year. The 2 Litre Hot Rods are the next class down; their World Championship is held at various tracks in England, every third year at the Nutts Corner track in Northern Ireland.
External links
- National Hot Rod website
- http://www.waterfordraceway.tk, Waterford Raceway, Short Circuit oval racing in Waterford Ireland
- http://www.ovalrace.com/gallery/main.php/v/FrankDorau/2011/ipswich2011/spedeweekend2/ Photos from Hot Rod World Finale Ipswich 2011