The Competition

I have listed below a few notes on carts that we've raced against several times...

This list is by no means exhaustive and will grow as photo's and information regarding the other teams becomes available... (Please feel free to send info' to be included ! ) gerry@quinns.info

 

C12 pictured at the camp site during a Dalby Forest weekendC12

Driver - Stephen Thomas

Let's come clean and admit that this is just about the fastest bogie on the planet ! We accept that very high speeds have been recorded in USA using GPS tracking devices, but you can only go as fast as the course allows. C12 has been recorded exceeding 70mph using a police radar gun at Cairngorm Extreme.

Built from Carbon Fibre - Genuine high-tech !
 

The cart has won just about everything available and is definitely the one to watch wherever it races.
More information available at www.c12cfd.co.uk

 

Andy pushing Michele at the Humber Bridge meetingCenta Bavaria

Driver - Andy Ash

Centa Bavaria attracts attention at every event it enters. Painted in its Gulf racing colours, it is a cart of beauty. It has been around forever, winning many races. It is one of a very select few that have actually beaten C12...

Not only quick, the cart features a sound system screaming loud engine noises as it races !

Not content with only racing, Andy and Michele put much effort back into the sport and organise the famous races at Dalby Forest.

 

Soapybox at Cairngorm Extreme.Soapybox

Driver - Ben Thompson

Soapybox is the creation of Ben Thompson and Thomas Coysh, both of whom work at Triumph motorcycles. Their first event was Cairngorm Extreme 2011 (Like us !)

The team's had a mixed set of results over their history, sometimes blisteringly quick, balanced against wheel issues and crashes !

They're famous for their "Go big or go home" attitude !

They should be bringing out a new cart for 2014. This should see Thomas getting to drive... He's too tall for the current model. They have a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/soapybox?fref=ts

 

Team Rooket during Border BogiesTeam Rooket

Drivers - Iain Rooney
               Paul Janson

Team Rooket are a very quick, very successful Scottish gravity racing team. They are the current SCA cartie champions having previously won the trophy in 2011. Paul and Iain are experienced racers, they have put years of development into their cart. They will be seen at all the Scottish venues and will often race in England as well. They will more often than not be seen on the podium at the end of the meeting.

They have their own website at http://www.teamrooket.webs.com

 

The beautiful carts of Pist 'n Broke in the Denholm sunshine.Pist 'n Broke

Drivers - Graham and Carol Kerr

Pist 'n Broke are another experienced Scottish outfit. They became a two cart team with new colours for the Border Bogies 2012 meeting.

We first met the team at Cairngorm 2010, before we made our first racer. Their friendly, helpful and care-free attitude convinced me to go home to Charlesworth and build WMS1.
 

Graham was in the final of Cairngorm Extreme 2011 which saw a nail biting finish down the last stretch for 2nd,3rd and 4th places...

 

Charlie racing at CairngormTeam Alford

Driver - Charlie

Team Alford are one of the more experienced Scottish teams. Charlie has raced at all the venues. To be honest, had it not been for the abysmal weather at the end of the 2012 season, Charlie would have won the SCA Championship outright... But that's racing - we tied.

 

 

Roadrunner I
Roadrunner II

Drivers - Martin Butler
                Barron Hall

Roadrunner I being driven by Martin ButlerRoadrunner II being driven by Barron Hall

Now two carts and entered as such, Barron and Martin used to race together. They have raced for some years, developing their carts, getting ever faster. They will now be seen with podium places at many events in the UK.

 

Formula Gravity in 'Gadget Show' liveryFormula Gravity

Driver - Jonathan Ackroyd

Not so much a racing team as a 'Genre'...

David Ackroyd built his first racer in 2000 and has grown Formula Gravity to provide kits and support for schools and other organisations wishing to embark on the engineering project of building a gravity racer. They appeared on the 'Gadget Show' racing for the 'Official' world gravity speed record !
David has shipped over 1000 kits, they've been sent around the world, and can often be seen at gravity events.

They have a web site at http://www.formulagravity.co.uk

 

Bad Attitude cart during Border Bogies 2013Bad Attitude Racing

Driver - Darren Tait

This is another experienced Scottish racing outfit. Darren has constantly improved the cart and is now posting really quick times in many events.

 

 

 

Black Dog during the Humber Bridge gravity event where it gained second place, closely behind Centa BavariaBlack Dog

Driver - Rick Kent

Rick has been gravity racing for several years now. The Black Dog cart has been modified several times, but was almost retired in 2013 as Rick started Gravity Bike racing.

However, it has been given a total facelift for the 2014 season, so it may be around for a while longer.

 

 

Cemex gravity cartCemex Soapbox Rollers

Driver - Varies !

We first came across the Cemex gravity car at a charity event on the Humber bridge. It was fair to say that they'd just started and were a little short of speed...
However, the team has improved with every event it has entered. They have now fitted the cart with suspension and it gave a really good performance at Worlaby 2013.

 

 

Team Art waiting to race at Dalby ForestTeam Art Racing

Driver - Richard Thomas

Team Art started whilst Richard was watching Border Bogies several years ago. He was convinced he could build a cart faster than most of them there... He was correct ! The team always post very fast times and have competed at many events, not only in Scotland but South of the border as well.

 

 

 

 

Zara Lane sitting in the Woodworm cart. Sunshine at Denholm 2013.Woodworm

Driver - Zara Lane

This is a new team that made it's debut at Border Bogies 2013.
What a first event ! Zara put in some blistering times and came third behind C12 and Lola ! A fantastic result. Worlaby saw Zara have her first brush with the hay bales, but this cart will certainly be very competitive at future events.

 

 

 

 
 

Stephen Hall in the SCA Bandit at Screwfix finalThe SCA Bandit

Driver - Stephen Hall

The SCA Bandit has been around forever. It has nothing spent on it, it rusts away in the closed winter season...
Stephen drags it out when he's not using the side car outfit... And it performs !

Seen here at the Screwfix off road National final, coming a very close second to C12.

 

 
 

Lola awaiting transportLola

Drivers - Richard Thomas
                Andy Ash

In stark contrast to the SCA Bandit above, there could not be a more different approach to gravity cart racing !
Lola was professionally built to perform in the Goodwood festival of speed... It lay dormant for many years before being brought out of retirement by Rich' and Andy. It came a very close second to C12 at Border Bogies 2013.

 

Ffestiniog Soapbox at Dalby Forest 2014Ffestiniog

Driver - Steve Pritchard

Ffestiniog Soapbox started out as 'Little Red Bull' - The original cart is seen here with Steve's son driving.
Steve drives a Sejcora, a professionally built soapbox made to European regulations. It gets faster with each event.

 

 
Other vehicles of note...

There are many gravity 'Vehicles' constructed around the world...
If you have built one you think should be included, please feel free to submit its details...

 

Challenger

Driver - Don Baumea

In 1983 Don Baumea built the Challenger to set the Land Speed Record for gravity powered vehicles.
It weighed 75 pounds (<35 Kg), was 1/2 inch off the ground, could drift in turns, had dual parachutes and a onboard breathing system. It tested at 65 mph easily, but as no organization existed then to help set up the event, he was not able to obtain road closure permits. He was aiming for 80 plus mph.

 

This list is nowhere near exhaustive...

If you race a gravity cart at meetings in the UK, please send details / photo's !

 
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Gerry Quinn. 38b Marple Road, Charlesworth, Glossop. SK13 5DA
Telephone: 01457 865952
Mobile: 07824 998039
e-mail:
info@wheresmespanners.co.uk