About Us

The Army Sports Car Racing team is formed of Officers and Soldiers with two things in common; they are Regular and Reserve personnel currently serving with the British Army; and they have a passion for Motorsport whether that is to drive, to manage or to maintain.

All ASCR drivers own their vehicles outright (there is a limited opportunity with an Army owned car) and are fully responsible for their upkeep and maintenance. In addition to drivers, other members of the team exclusively support the ASCR output whether through administrative & logistical roles or through mechanical & pit lane support. Multiple members of the team are even utilising their transferable skillsets on weekends in STEM activities working alongside professional Motorsports teams within series such as the British GT series and the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). ASCR are also fortunate to have an amazing selection of sponsors who support the team with amazing products and discounts without which many of us would not be able to compete.

Affiliated to the British Army Motorsport Association and the Army Sport Control Board, ASCR aims to give serving members of the Army the opportunity to participate in grass roots Motorsport whilst offering the platform for both personal and STEM development.

ASCR Competitor Tiers

The Army Sports Car Racing team consists of 4 tiers of racing:

Sprint. Selected drivers compete exclusively in 20 minute “sprint” races within the Armed Forces Race Challenge; a Tri-Service Sports Car series that uses a Performance Index (PI) points system to ensure parity across the grid. Here, drivers are rewarded for lap consistency, therefore, allowing for a diverse grid of cars and neutralising budget as a means to success. That being said, there are still trophies for class-based finishing, so is truly a series catering to all manner of driver needs and abilities. This series incorporates a novice championship to reward grassroots development and performance. New for 2023 is the Graduate Championship, this focuses on the use of BMW 116 Trophy spec cars in a mini-series of their own, further incentivising low-cost racing.

Intermediate. Selected intermediate drivers continue to race within the AFRC, but will also expand into other sports car series which include mini endurance events such as the Roadsports series run by 750 Motor Club, and other single-make series such as Blue Ovals to reward those drivers that want to race in other series and further develop talent. Intermediate drivers may also be selected to take part in longer multi driver races such as the 6-hour Birkett Relay at Silverstone or the 12-hour Race of Remembrance at Anglesey Trac Mon.

Endurance. The endurance drivers within the team compete in lengthy races which typically exceed 1-2 hours in duration, this promotes the requirement for excellent race craft and true tactical prowess to deliver success. Primarily, the focus for the advanced drivers is the BMW 116 Trophy, one of the largest single make series in the country. Previously the Team ran the Holden Commodore V8 race car in the 750MC Club Enduro series where they finished the 2022 season as the Clubman Champions. A phenomenal feat considering the level of drivers in the series! This tier is currently where the only Army-owned car operates from, the BMW 116 Trophy car.

GT Team. New for 2023 is the aspiration to go GT racing. Although still in its infancy, the Team has clear plans for what it hopes to achieve in the now and the future. The team are currently competing with a personally owned Ferrari 430 Challenge car within the Classic Sports Car Club (CSCC) Slicks series and are hoping to venture into other GT series in the future such as GT Cup.

Armed Forces Race Challenge

Novice and Intermediate drivers will typically compete within the AFRC against service personnel from the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Veterans and guest entries. The AFRC is organised by a committee of volunteers from all three-Armed Services, some veterans and some civilian guests. The AFRC’s aim is to primarily provide a motor racing community for Service personnel and veterans, but also invites all members of the UK Emergency Services and selected guests to compliment the competition.

The AFRC, operating as an official championship since 2017, has become a firmly established part of 750 Motor Club’s staple of race series’ with over 30 cars regularly filling its own grid. As the official UK Armed Forces race series, it prides itself on offering excellent track time and value for money with its ethos firmly mirroring that of the military. The paddock is renowned for its relaxed but professional atmosphere, with each of the Armed Services and drivers prepared to help each other out in a tight spot. This doesn’t detract from the competitive edge with all races strongly contested. Cars are grouped in 4 categories based upon power to eight with prizes awarded for class positions.

Class A up to 300 hp/ton
Class B up to 240 hp/ton
Class C up to 180 hp/ton
Class D up to 135 hp/ton

The championship has a unique point scoring system, that ensures any driver from any class is in contention to become overall AFRC champion. Parity and the balance of performance between all race cars is brought about by a number of handicap measures, but emphasis and award is based on lap time consistency over “first to the chequered flag”. Points are awarded for consistency in lap times for each round (10 in total) with the best rounds counting towards the overall championship. The championship is contended over four race weekends, each consisting of 2 x 18min + 1 lap sprint races. Further detail on the Armed Forces Race Challenge can be found on its own dedicated website here.