Willhire 24 Hour
Encyclopedia
The Willhire 24 Hour was an endurance race for production cars held at Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
in Norfolk
, England
between 1980 and 1994. Over the years, the race included both sports car
s and saloon cars. Latterly, it was contested by competitors running in the FIA
Group N
specification National Saloon Car Cup. The race was run by the British Racing and Sports Car Club
(BRSCC), which was also responsible for the aforementioned series.
), a local car rental
company, after its owner Roger Williams was approached to sponsor a motor racing event at the circuit. Roger talked about sponsoring a 6- or 24-hour event, initially as a joke, but the offer was accepted and the United Kingdom's first 24-hour race was founded. The race was first held in 1980. The 1989 event was 25 hours long to mark the 25th anniversary of the Willhire company. The final event was held in 1994.
disc jockey
Mike Smith
and Lionel Abbott, who became the first two-driver team to win the race. The full list of winners is given below. Other notable drivers who competed in the past other than those listed below include Martin Brundle
, Steve Soper
, John Cleland
, Kieth O'dor, Tiff Needell
, James Thompson
and Gerry Marshall
.
night races from 1999, and Willhire-sponsored endurance races in 2002, 2003 and 2004, but full 24-hour racing did not return until 2003, when the 2CV 24 Hour Race
moved to Snetterton. However, national 24 hour endurance racing would not return until the introduction of the Silverstone Britcar 24-Hour
in 2005, taking place at Silverstone Circuit
. The 2005 Britcar event is sometimes referred to as the Britcar Willhire 24 Hour Race.
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Norfolk, England. Owned by MotorSport Vision, it is situated on the A11 road some 20 km north-east of the town of Thetford and 30 km south-west of the city of Norwich...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
between 1980 and 1994. Over the years, the race included both sports car
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
s and saloon cars. Latterly, it was contested by competitors running in the FIA
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
Group N
Group N
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class"....
specification National Saloon Car Cup. The race was run by the British Racing and Sports Car Club
British Racing and Sports Car Club
The British Racing and Sports Car Club is one of the major organisers of motorsport events in the United Kingdom.-History:The 500 Club, as it was then known, was founded in 1946. The club promoted racing in 500 c.c. single-seater racing cars, later known as Formula Three. Motor Sport reported in...
(BRSCC), which was also responsible for the aforementioned series.
History
The race was sponsored by Willhire Vehicles Rentals (now Anglian Willhire, part of NorthgateNorthgate plc
Northgate plc is a British based vehicle rental company headquartered in Darlington, County Durham, UK. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
), a local car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
company, after its owner Roger Williams was approached to sponsor a motor racing event at the circuit. Roger talked about sponsoring a 6- or 24-hour event, initially as a joke, but the offer was accepted and the United Kingdom's first 24-hour race was founded. The race was first held in 1980. The 1989 event was 25 hours long to mark the 25th anniversary of the Willhire company. The final event was held in 1994.
Winners
The Willhire 24 Hour was won by a number of drivers who went on to have success in other forms of racing. In 1986, the winning car was co-driven by then BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Mike Smith
Mike Smith (television presenter)
Mike Smith is a British television, radio presenter, racing driver, pilot, and businessman.-Radio career:...
and Lionel Abbott, who became the first two-driver team to win the race. The full list of winners is given below. Other notable drivers who competed in the past other than those listed below include Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle
Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012....
, 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...
, John Cleland
John Cleland (racing driver)
John Cleland . is a retired Scottish auto racing driver. He raced autocross and hillclimb in the 1970s, before achieving success in British Production Car and Thundersaloon championships, before joining Vauxhall for the 1989 British Touring Car Championship...
, Kieth O'dor, Tiff Needell
Tiff Needell
Timothy "Tiff" Needell isa British racing driver and television presenter. He is best known as a former co-presenter of Top Gear and current co-presenter of Fifth Gear.-Biography:...
, James Thompson
James Thompson (racing driver)
James Thompson is a British auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's motorsport coverage. He has twice been champion of the British Touring Car Championship , and was third in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:He started racing in the BTCC in a privately-entered...
and Gerry Marshall
Gerry Marshall
Gerry Marshall was a British saloon car racing driver, and, according to a 2002 magazine poll, one of the best drivers of all time.- Career :...
.
| Year | Drivers | Car | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Pete Hall Pete Hall Pete Hall is a former player in the National Football League. He was drafted in the twelfth round of the 1960 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and later played with the team during the 1961 NFL season.-References:... Phil Dowsett Phil Dowsett Phil Dowsett is a British retired auto racing driver. He competed regularly in the British Touring Car Championship during the 1980's in a Toyota Corolla GT. In 1988 and 1989 he won consecutive class D titles, becoming the last ever driver to win that class... Martin Carroll Syd Fox Hamish Irvine Hamish Irvine Hamish Irvine is a British auto racing driver from Scotland. He is best known for his time competing in the British Touring Car Championship. In his debut season in 1983, he finished fifth overall in the championship with his Class B Mazda RX-7. He returned to the series in 1994 with a privately... Andrew Jeffrey |
Opel Commodore Opel Commodore The Opel Commodore is an executive car produced by Opel. It is the six-cylinder variant of the Rekord with styling differences. The Commodore nameplate was used by Opel from 1967 to 1982. However, its lineage continues with the Australian Holden Commodore... GS/E 2.8 |
955 |
| 1981 | Martin Carroll Pete Hall Andy Rouse Andy Rouse Andrew "Andy" Rouse is an English racing driver, most notably in the BTCC. He won the BTCC in 1975, 1983, 1984 and 1985.... Syd Fox Phil Dowsett |
Opel Commodore GS/E | 990 |
| 1982 | Robb Wells Chris Alford Malcolm Paul |
Morgan Plus 8 Morgan Plus 8 The Morgan Plus 8 is a sports car built by British car makers Morgan between 1968 and 2004. Its instant and enduring popularity has been credited with saving the company and keeping the company famous during the 36 years of its manufacture... 3.5 |
970 |
| 1983 | Tony Dron Tony Dron Tony Dron is a British racing driver as well as being a motoring author and journalist. He finished as runner-up in the 1977 British Saloon Car Championship season with a Triumph Dolomite. Tony became well known for entering competitions with the Porsche marque, winning the Porsche 924... Win Percy Win Percy Winston "Win" Percy is a former motor racing driver from England. He competed in many classes of motorsport during his long career, but is perhaps most famous as one of the greats of touring car racing. Joe Saward of Autosport magazine once described him as being "often regarded as the World's... Andy Rouse Phil Dowsett |
Porsche 928S Porsche 928 The Porsche 928 was a sports-GT car sold by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 to 1995. Originally intended to replace the company's iconic 911, the 928 attempted to combine the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury sedan to create what some... 4.6 |
995 |
| 1984 | Bill Taylor Paul Edwards Barry Robinson Barry Robinson Barry David Robinson is a former English cricketer. Robinson was a right-handed batsman. He was born in Luton, Bedfordshire.... John Lock |
Porsche Carrera RS | 952 |
| 1985 | Roy Eaton David Oates John Clarke |
Ford Capri Ford Capri Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986... 2.8i |
970 |
| 1986 | Mike Smith Lionel Abbott |
Ford Escort RS Turbo | 965 |
| 1987 | Robb Gravett Robb Gravett Robb Gravett is a British retired racing driver and team owner, a winner of the 1987 Willhire 24 Hour, and the 1990 British Touring Car Championship winner with his own Trakstar team, in a Ford Sierra prepared by Australian magnate Dick Johnson... Graham Hathaway Graham Hathaway Graham Hathaway is a British retired auto racing driver. He is presently running his own team Graham Hathaway Racing . His racing career has seen him compete in rallycross and saloon cars... Phil Bullman |
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth Ford Sierra RS Cosworth The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.- Development :... |
984 |
| 1988 | Lionel Abbott Graham Scarborough |
Ford Sierra RS Cosworth | 1,025 |
| 1989 (25 hours) |
Mark Hales Mark Hales Mark Hales is a British auto racing driver and instructor. He is best known for finishing as runner-up in the 1987 British Touring Car Championship season. He was a class B winner that season with his Ford Escort RS Turbo. His final season in the BTCC was in 1991... Slim Borgudd Slim Borgudd Karl Edward Tommy Borgudd, better known as Slim Borgudd is a Swedish former Formula One driver who raced for the ATS and Tyrrell teams.-Biography:Borgudd was born in Borgholm, Kalmar County.... |
Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth | 1,025 |
| 1990 | 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... Dave Wallis Stuart McCrudden |
BMW M3 BMW M3 The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series, and sold with coupé, sedan and convertible body styles... |
896 |
| 1991 | Kurt Luby Kurt Luby Kurt Luby was a British auto racing driver who now works as a motorcycle dealer in his home town of Bolton. He first entered racing through karting in 1978, winning seven championships up to 1987. In 1987 he won the British Formula Ford 1600 series, winning the championship that year and then... 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... 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... |
BMW M3 | 909 |
| 1992 | Mike Jordan Mike Jordan Michael Jordan is a British racing driver who competed in various classes of saloon and sportscar racing. He will compete for his own JordanSport.co.uk team in the 2009 Britcar Production Championship... Steve Griffin Graham Coomes |
BMW M3 | 928 |
| 1993 | Mike Jordan Mike Burtt Charlie Cox Charlie Cox (racing) Charlie Cox , a motorcycling commentator, was brought up in the Sydney suburb of Gymea.-Racing career:His background is based on 4 wheels rather than 2. He raced in the National Saloon Car Cup in Britain using a Ford Escort RS Cosworth in 1993 and 1994, winning several races. He also won the... John Morrison |
BMW M3 | 935 |
| 1994 | Nickie Torregiani Del Delaronde Andrew Jeffrey James Prochowski |
Ford Escort RS Cosworth Ford Escort RS Cosworth The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was a sports derivative of the Ford Escort. It was available from 1992-96 in very limited numbers.It was instantly recognisable due to its large "whale tail" rear spoiler... |
939 |
Legacy
Snetterton's experience in hosting an 24 hour race was proven to be beneficial when subsequently, the track became a host of some British Touring Car ChampionshipBritish 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...
night races from 1999, and Willhire-sponsored endurance races in 2002, 2003 and 2004, but full 24-hour racing did not return until 2003, when the 2CV 24 Hour Race
2CV 24 Hour Race
The 2CV 24 Hour Race is an annual 24 hour endurance race for Citroen 2CVs, held at Snetterton in Norfolk. It is run by the Classic 2CV Racing Club. The race is held in August...
moved to Snetterton. However, national 24 hour endurance racing would not return until the introduction of the Silverstone Britcar 24-Hour
Silverstone Britcar 24-Hour
The Silverstone Britcar 24 Hour is a sports car race in endurance racing,organised by Britcar. It is held annually at Silverstone, UK.In 2007 Top Gear took part in this race for a Top Gear Challenge....
in 2005, taking place at Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
. The 2005 Britcar event is sometimes referred to as the Britcar Willhire 24 Hour Race.