by Robert Hopkin
•
22 Apr, 2020
This post gives more of a background to gearbox karting from the Villiers-engined karting perspective. Formula 210 National dates back to the 60s and as you can see from the middle picture, equipment was quite basic in those days - this is Dan and Tony Bury's historic kart in the middle picture and you'll see the chassis design is rudimentary (but class-winning in its day), the brakes are drum brakes and cable operated and the tyres much taller and narrower than tyres of today. Additionally, the regulations at that time would not have permitted belt drive conversions for the primary drive. The engines all originate from the 1950s and 1960s and started out like as a 197cc Villiers 9E engine (and derivatives) as used by DOT, Francis Barnett, Greeves and James in their road-going and competition motorcycles - for an authoritative guide have a look at http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/Engineering/Villiers/Villiers.htm#menu . The modernised versions of these engines still use many of the original components and, if you are interested in the historical series of racing, there are significantly fewer modifications allowed. There is a thriving community centred around Historic Karting with the potential for high speed demonstration runs/parades (these are not races - honest!) possible at UK Short Circuits under the auspices of the BHKC - see www.britishhistorickartclub.com - also, to find out more about the history of karting - go visit the The Real Historic Kart Club at www.trhkc.com/ where there are loads and loads of brilliant archive photos. Another source of reference and unbridled fun is the Retro Race Historic Kart Series - see www.retroracer-hks.co.uk/ for more information about what they can provide in terms of historic/retro karting (they cover all classes from vintage/veteran up to more recent 1995-2000 outfits). Anyhow, back to the modern day 210 missiles (in Long Circuit trim at Snetterton, Cadwell Park and Silverstone, they were capable of 140+mph with aero kits and raised gearing); however, now, we concentrate on the Short Circuits as Long Circuit racing became prohibitively expensive and, as a double whammy, the numbers had dwindled to make Long Circuit racing untenable. The racing is still close and exciting; around 35-38 bhp can be extracted from these machines and the average 210 outfit can lap a circuit in about 110-120% of the time that a modern 125cc kart does - although, some of the 210 class racing gods (and goddesses) can give the 125s a race for their money. We are allowed to use slicks and wets, the tyres are in effect a control tyre based on a single compound formula for the slicks (Dunlop SL3) and, trust me, they are hard as nails (as a bonus, they can last a whole season!). If you do not warm them up, you will have an 'on the edge, in the hedge' moment come the first corner of the heat or final. We (kart racing) are not permitted to weave on the warming up laps - but oversteering, by whacking lots of lock on as you go into each corner of the warm up lap(s), and judicious braking provide your best chance of getting heat into the front tyres! The Formula 210 National class is now run by the 210 Challenge - a nicer bunch of karting enthusiasts, drivers and engineering nutters you couldn't wish to meet ... there is a good social side to the racing and although it is fiercely competitive when the visors go down, help and advice is freely given to novices (although don't believe every answer you get when asking about tyre pressures and front/rear track widths!). If you are interested in this sport where it's not all about trying to become the next F1 driver (although Nigel Mansell is a previous class champion), but more about taking on a technical challenge as well as a driving challenge, then go along to a meeting watch the racing and talk to the drivers and pit crew. Racing in this class takes place about 8 times a year at circuits like Little Rissington Kart Club (nr Stow on the Wold), Shenington Kart Racing Club (nr Banbury), Huntingdon Kart Racing Club (Kimbolton, Beds), Three Sisters (Wigan) and Lincolnshire Kart Racing Club (Fulbeck, Lincs). All kart formulas have colour coded number plates to help identify the classes, the 210 Challenge karts have white on red plates; the kart with black and white plates identifies that driver as a novice, we do not have to use 'novice squares' (the black 'X' on a yellow background) system as used in other motorsport classes. If you want to find out more about this fantastic class - the first and the oldest gearbox kart racing formula - visit www.210Challenge.co.uk - there is even a hotly-contested 'challenge within the challenge' for the over 60s (over 4 rounds) ... what's not to like!!