SPORTS 2000 WILL HEAD TO LE MANS AFTER EURO TIE-UP

Photos: Steve Jones, Dave Ayres, Jakob Ebrey, Gary Hawkins

Competitors in the Sports 2000 Championship will get the chance to race at Le Mans this year after the club announced a new European tie-up.

The Sports Racing Car Club has linked with French organiser HVM Racing, which runs the Proto Cup for similar two-litre sportscars. The deal means that UK Sports 2000 drivers from all three classes – Duratec, Pinto and Historic – will get a guest grid slots for HVMR’S meeting on the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit on September 23-25.

SRCC is also in talks with HVMR to allow its Historic class cars – produced pre-1985 – to join the Grand Prix de Pau Historique race on the famous French street circuit on May 21/22.

Sports 2000 head Colin Feyerabend said: “Traditionally we’ve always run a European race, but they can prove costly if we don’t fill the grid. With this tie-up we can open the door to Europe more easily as we’re running with local cars, which makes it more financially stable.

“Le Mans is the ultimate place to race a sports-prototype so we’re expecting big interest for that date.”

Feyerabend added that the SRCC was exploring tie-ups in other areas of Europe, including Germany. A date at Hockenheim has been tabled for 2017.

Sports 2000’s UK schedule includes key changes for this year, including a return to Snetterton 300 in support of British GT on August 6/7, and going back to Castle Combe for the first time since 2011. “The calendar offers a blend of tracks and we’re hopeful of good grids,” added Feyerabend. “The recession caught up with us quite late, but drivers and cars are coming back out now .”