Little car – big racing

If, like me, you love Citroen 2CVs, you should get yourself to Snetterton Race track in Norfolk for the annual Classic 2CV 24-hour race on the 27th and 28th August.

Ok, so 2CVs don’t readily spring to mind when you think about endurance racing, and you might think that spending that amount of time in the rickety tin box which forms the greater part of the endearing little French vehicle may be a bit tough on your bones, but, so the Classic 2CV Racing Club says, the humble car lends itself particularly well to the challenges posed by a 24 hour duel.

The organisers say that many driver/enthusiasts believe that endurance racing is more “civilised” than sprint racing and that the ethos is about preserving the cars rather than smashing and crashing into each other at the first corner.

I’ve never raced one, but they say the little vehicles are really fun to race and their lack of horsepower (most have a mere 49bhp) mean that it’s important to get the hang of sliding through corners so you don’t lose speed in braking.

If all this has whetted your appetite and you’re thinking that maybe you’d like to enter next year’s race, then here’s what you’ll need (apart from a Citroen 2CV of course):

• Three or four drivers (men or women) – depending on budget
• A team manager – to report driver changes among other tasks
• A refueller – wearing fire-retardant clothing
• A fireman, or fire marshal – to be ready with a fire extinguisher at pit stops
• Mechanics – to carry out repairs, top up fluids, change engines, etc.

So, is anyone up for making the CoverGirl 2CV Racing Team a reality – I would love to have a go!

Labels: 24-hour race, 2CV, drivers, women