Birkett Six Hour Relay At Silverstone
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Date25th October 2008
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PlaceSilverstone Circuit, Northants, NN12 8TN
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Miles from Oxford25
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Web
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The Birkett Relay
The Birkett Relay is the last race of the season for many people involved in club racing.
Gail Hill didn't race this year but we looked forward to seeing local Kougar driver Graham Paddick.
There is always lots to see at our "local" racing circuit.
We assembled near the paddock at the end of the old runway (see map).
Then most people spent their time either watching the race from a good vantage point, or
wandering round the paddock seeing the huge variety of different cars.
Always a lot of fun - hope you didn't miss it!
(For those of you who are diurnally challenged please note that
this event was on a Saturday and not a Sunday as many others are.)
The Birkett Relay (Unexpurgated Version!)
The race is a unique event in the world of motor racing and was originally conceived to give cars of
differing performance the opportunity of competing on "equal" terms in a long-distance race.
The concept obviously worked and it has proved to be one of the most popular events in the UK.
The event is based upon a free relay system for teams of cars.
Working on information provided and many years of experience, the handicappers decide upon which
team they consider will complete the most laps within the 6 hours - this is the "Scratch" team.
The remainder of the teams are given credit laps according to their estimated performance in comparison to
the Scratch team and these credit laps are added to those actually completed.
Should the Safety Car be used, then the credit laps are proportionally adjusted.
The results of the race can be affected by the tactics of the Team Manager just as easily as by
the performance and reliability of the cars. If one car in a team is significantly faster than the others,
the handicappers may assume that that car will attempt to do more than its fair share of the racing;
in that case there may be a limit placed upon the number of laps which that particular car is permitted to complete.
If that car does more than its permitted laps, the team faces disqualification from
the handicap results, or can opt out of the handicap and simply race for the overall win.
During the length of the race, cars will break down out on the circuit.
The Team Manager has to decide by how long a car can be "missing" before sending out a replacement.
If the "missing" car has simply spun and rejoined the race, no laps are scored whilst
two cars from the same team are racing.
Results are issued at 60 minute intervals to show the current placings both on handicap and actual.
Whew!
The 750 Club
In case you're wondering the 750 club was founded in 1939 for people racing 750cc Austin 7s. They now organise 20 or more races over more than a dozen classes. Whew again!
