Vic Lee Racing
Encyclopedia
Vic Lee Racing formerly Vic Lee Motorsport (VLM) was a UK auto racing
team, most famous for running BMW
s and Peugeot
s in the British Touring Car Championship
, and most infamous for the drug-related convictions of its owner Vic Lee.
won his class in a VLM prepared BMW M3, 1991 saw Will Hoy
take the BTCC title in a similar car, and Tim Harvey
won the championship for the team in a BMW 318is.
However, the company was liquidated when Lee and others were convicted of importing drugs hidden in their race transporters worth £6 million, suspicions having been raised due to the number of times the team found it necessary to test at the Zandvoort
circuit in Holland. Lee received a sentence of twelve years' imprisonment in 1993.
The team was liquidated, and some of the assets sold went to the team's driver Ray Bellm
and Steve Neal, who together formed Team Dynamics
.
s driven by Toni Ruokonen and Alan Morrison
respectively.
On the strength of these results Peugeot
enlisted VLR to run their works entry in the new-look BTCC for 2001. VLR signed Dan Eaves
, former VLM driver Steve Soper
and Matt Neal
to drive the bright yellow Peugeot 406 coupés
, but sponsorship difficulties meant Neal was released from his contract after only two rounds. In addition, former Superbike racer Aaron Slight
drove an extra car for one race weekend mid-season. The dominance of Vauxhall
in 2001 meant that the team were not as successful as Peugeot hoped, resulting in the withdrawal of works backing.
However, despite rumours linking the team to running Lexus
cars for 2002, they continued with the 406s under the guise of "Team Halfords" having landed substantial backing from the company. Eaves remained with the team, and was joined by 1992 champion Tim Harvey, Soper having retired after a career-ending crash at the final round of the 2001 season. Midway through the season they were joined by single-seater refugee Carl Breeze
, and by the year's end Eaves had claimed 1st in the Independent's championship, with the team a creditable 5th overall.
For 2003 VLR switched to a Peugeot 307
with Eaves and Breeze, however the car was not as competitive and Breeze jumped ship to GA Motorsports with Clio ace Danny Buxton taking his place. Despite lodging an entry for the 2004 season, nothing materialised, leading to Eaves taking Halfords
sponsorship to Team Dynamics
at the last minute. In 2005 Lee was again charged with three others and convicted of drug trafficking offences, which he received again, twelve years imprisonment.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
team, most famous for running BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
s and Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
s in the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
, and most infamous for the drug-related convictions of its owner Vic Lee.
VLM years (1990-1992)
As Vic Lee Motorsport the team had considerable success in the early 1990s: in 1990 Jeff AllamJeff Allam
Jeff Allam , was a British racing driver who made his name in Saloon Car racing. He now works as a dealer principal for Allam Motor Services in Epsom and Dorking which are a Skoda, Alfa Romeo and Kia dealership....
won his class in a VLM prepared BMW M3, 1991 saw Will Hoy
Will Hoy
William Ewing Hoy , was a British racing driver and the 1991 British Touring Car Champion, the highlight of a 20-year career in motor racing. Born in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, Hoy did not begin racing until his late 20s and first raced at international level in 1985, taking on the full World...
take the BTCC title in a similar car, and Tim Harvey
Tim Harvey
Tim Harvey is a racing driver from England. He was the 2008 and 2010 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain Champion. A household name in the 1990s, Harvey won the prestigious BTCC title in 1992, and was a frontrunner for most of the late 80s and early 90s...
won the championship for the team in a BMW 318is.
However, the company was liquidated when Lee and others were convicted of importing drugs hidden in their race transporters worth £6 million, suspicions having been raised due to the number of times the team found it necessary to test at the Zandvoort
Zandvoort
Zandvoort is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.Zandvoort is one of the major beach resorts of the Netherlands; it has a long sandy beach, bordered by coastal dunes...
circuit in Holland. Lee received a sentence of twelve years' imprisonment in 1993.
The team was liquidated, and some of the assets sold went to the team's driver Ray Bellm
Ray Bellm
Ray Bellm is an auto racing driver from Britain.He began his racing career in 1980, running in Historic racing series and winning the British Historic 2L GT class in 1983 and 1984 driving his Chevron B19 sports car. He made the move to modern sports car racing in 1984, driving for Gordon Spice...
and Steve Neal, who together formed Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics is a UK-based motor-racing team based in Pershore, Worcestershire; best known for their successes as an independent squad in the British Touring Car Championship, including winning the Overall Drivers title in 2005 and 2006 with Matt Neal...
.
Rallying
VLR were contracted by Peugeot Sport to design, build and develop cars for the Peugeot 206 Cup.Touring Cars
After his prison sentence, Vic took over the Bowman Motorsport team, and restarted the team as 'VLR' (Vic Lee Racing) by running a programme in the National Saloon Car Championship. For the 2000 BTCC season they ran a joint campaign in the NSC and BTCC Class B last season, winning both with Peugeot 306Peugeot 306
The Peugeot 306 is a small family car built by the French car manufacturer Peugeot from 1993 to 2002 replacing the 309. Peugeot gave the 306 many updates and aesthetic changes to keep up the competition but it was replaced by the 307 in 2001. Cabriolet and estate versions continued until 2002...
s driven by Toni Ruokonen and Alan Morrison
Alan Morrison (racing driver)
Alan Morrison is a British racing driver who resides in Northern Ireland.-Racing career:After spending his early racing years in motocross, he first started circuit racing in the Ford Fiesta championship in 1997 and again this time winning the championship in 1998. He entered the Vauxhall Vectra...
respectively.
On the strength of these results Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
enlisted VLR to run their works entry in the new-look BTCC for 2001. VLR signed Dan Eaves
Dan Eaves
Dan Eaves is a British auto racing driver.- Career :He started racing karts in 1990 before switching to cars in 1994. He raced in the National Saloon Cup in 1999 and 2000, finishing 4th in the series both times with a Bowman Motorsport Peugeot 306...
, former VLM driver Steve Soper
Steve Soper
Steve Soper is a retired racing driver from Surrey, England, born in 1951. He raced in sports cars and touring cars at the top level for over 20 years. In 1983 he almost won the British Touring Car Championship before his Rover was deemed illegal. He finished as runner-up in the series in 1988 in a...
and Matt Neal
Matt Neal
Matthew Neal is a British motor racing driver. He won the British Touring Car Championship in 2005, 2006 and 2011. He has also won a European Touring Car Championship race. He is 6' 6" tall, making him almost entirely unable to race single-seaters...
to drive the bright yellow Peugeot 406 coupés
Peugeot 406
The Peugeot 406 was a large family car made by the French automaker Peugeot from 1995 to 2004. Available in saloon, estate and coupé bodystyles with a choice of petrol or turbodiesel engines, the 406 replaced the Peugeot 405 in Peugeot's lineup, and was itself replaced by the Peugeot 407...
, but sponsorship difficulties meant Neal was released from his contract after only two rounds. In addition, former Superbike racer Aaron Slight
Aaron Slight
Aaron Tony Slight is a former professional motorcycle road racer who has recently dabbled in car racing and now fronts the AA Torque Show....
drove an extra car for one race weekend mid-season. The dominance of Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
in 2001 meant that the team were not as successful as Peugeot hoped, resulting in the withdrawal of works backing.
However, despite rumours linking the team to running Lexus
Lexus
is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has...
cars for 2002, they continued with the 406s under the guise of "Team Halfords" having landed substantial backing from the company. Eaves remained with the team, and was joined by 1992 champion Tim Harvey, Soper having retired after a career-ending crash at the final round of the 2001 season. Midway through the season they were joined by single-seater refugee Carl Breeze
Carl Breeze
Carl Breeze is a British auto racing driver, born 7 July 1979. He is not to be confused with Hyla Breese, another racer with British Touring Car Championship experience. His racing heroes include Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Valentino Rossi....
, and by the year's end Eaves had claimed 1st in the Independent's championship, with the team a creditable 5th overall.
For 2003 VLR switched to a Peugeot 307
Peugeot 307
The Peugeot 307 is a small family car produced by the French Peugeot manufacturer since 2001. It was awarded the European Car of the Year title for 2002, and continues to be offered in China and certain South American markets through 2009 despite the French launch of the 308 in September...
with Eaves and Breeze, however the car was not as competitive and Breeze jumped ship to GA Motorsports with Clio ace Danny Buxton taking his place. Despite lodging an entry for the 2004 season, nothing materialised, leading to Eaves taking Halfords
Halfords
Halfords Group plc is a leading retailer of car parts, car enhancements and bicycles operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Czech Republic and more recently in Poland, although it is currently pulling out of the latter two countries...
sponsorship to Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics
Team Dynamics is a UK-based motor-racing team based in Pershore, Worcestershire; best known for their successes as an independent squad in the British Touring Car Championship, including winning the Overall Drivers title in 2005 and 2006 with Matt Neal...
at the last minute. In 2005 Lee was again charged with three others and convicted of drug trafficking offences, which he received again, twelve years imprisonment.