Healeysport
Welcome to the Healeysport website
Healeysport is the motor sports centre for the Austin Healey Club UK and this website is dedicated to keeping Healeys racing.
2024 Speed Championship - Sprint and Hill Climb Challenge
The 2024 Healeysport Speed Championship Sprint and Hill Climb regulations and entry form are available now by clicking on the Speed Championship menu and selecting Regulations from the drop-down list. If you are thinking of taking part or if you have any questions, please contact Paul Baker our Championship Organiser on competitionsec@austinhealeyclub.com
The 2024 challenge will be a 15 round championship with two Healey classes sponsored by Bill Rawles Classic Cars
(BRCC) and a Sprite, plus our new Libre classes sponsored by Peter May Engineering Ltd. In addition to the class awards, Cape International sponsor the award for the overall
Sprint and Hill Climb champion.
Our 2024 events calendar can be seen by clicking on the Speed Championship drop-down box above.
Paul Baker (pictured right) was our 2023 Overall Champion in his black Jensen Healey. The first time that a Jensen Healey has won the overall championship.
Following our practice day at Curborough on 28 March, the 2024 championship will include double header events (two rounds) of hill climbing at Prescott, Shelsley Walsh, Harewood, Loton Park and Gurston Down. In addition, there will be a two day sprint at Anglesey with single day sprints at Lydden Hill, Goodwood and Curborough.
Each venue provides a different set of challenges to test the Healey driver's skill and abilities to the full. This series is open to any Healey or MG Midget driver with some or no motor sport experience and a car that can be road standard, modified or part of our new Libre class; over half the races will have target times set for each driver, to take into account the different abilities of the driver and their cars, so everyone has an opportunity to win a race. Although highly competitive, there is also a strong sense of camaraderie amongst the thirty or so drivers who regularly compete and the social aspect of this sport is very important to everyone.
2023 Healeysport Awards
Our annual Awards Dinner took place at the Holt hotel near Bicester on Saturday 18th November. A celebration of this year's achievements of Healeys on track, deeds done and even problems encountered combined with a dinner, a raffle and some fun on the dance floor.
This was our second year at the Holt hotel and they did not disappoint. The staff at the Holt put on a great evening with a welcome drink, an excellent meal with friendly but impeccable service.
As an ice-breaker - if ever one were needed with this group - our photographic archive was raided and hard copy pictures produced of most of the people at the event, some dating back to the start of the championship in 1996. The photos were table specific and provided a huge amount of amusement and a good talking point for all.
Steve Casson was our Master of Ceremonies for the evening and he had a lot to get through. He started by welcoming all our guests, including Bill, Rose and Jack Rawles (from Bill Rawles Classic Cars) who sponsor our Big Healey and Jensen Healey classes and Steve and Karen Norton (from Cape International) who sponsor our overall Champion award. Unfortunately, Dominic Mooney (from Peter May Engineering) who sponsor our Sprite and Libre classes could not be there.
The awards part of the evening was run by the usual duo of Paul Baker
and
Richard Mason ably assisted by Rose and Jack Rawles and Steve Norton.
Richard presented the points based awards and then Paul presented the discretionary awards with the help of Jack and Rose. A retirement gift was presented to David Abram who hung up his racing boots at the end of this season and then the evening was completed by Richard presenting our 2023 Overall Champion award to Paul Baker - the first winner of this award for a Jensen Healey driver.
Along with the perpetual trophies, all the class and points based winners received engraved glassware as a memento of their award.
Jackie Baker, our club photographer, was presented with a huge
box of chocolates to show the thanks and appreciation from the drivers
for all her efforts in recording what they get up to on track over the
last year.
A big thank you to our Sponsors - Bill Rawles Classic Cars who sponsor our Big Healey and Jensen Healey classes, Peter May Engineering for sponsoring our Sprite and Libre classes and Cape International who sponsor our Overall Champion award.
Steve Casson then ran the raffle with his usual amusing selection of festive and unusual prizes. As always, the most keenly sought was a huge cuddly teddy bear which was won by Marius Abram, who was somewhat taken aback at winning this enormous teddy.
After the final photo's were taken, our DJ, fired up and the dance floor filled fast and stayed that way all evening.
Overall, the feedback from everyone was that the evening was a great success - much more a party than a formal event. They all had a great time, finished off by breakfast together the next morning in a private dining facility before everyone headed home for a much needed rest. Huge thanks was given to the team at the Holt Hotel for organising such a successful event.
To see all the pictures taken by John Tewson click here and to see a complete list of the Award Winners click here.
Drivers support 'Headway Surrey' Charity in 2024
Points for Charity - For 2024, all drivers taking part in the
Sprint and Hill Climb championship have the option to give.jpg)
(£1 a
point) to a chosen charity based on the number of championship points
they accrue by the end of the season. The Overall Champion at the end of the
previous season chooses the
charity for the year ahead. The scheme is entirely voluntary as the drivers need to tick the "Points for Charity" box on their championship entry form to agree to opt into the scheme.
In 2023 we raised nearly £1000 for Headway Surrey and hope we can do
better next year.
Paul Baker is our 2023 Overall Champion and he has chosen to continue supporting Headway Surrey to be our charity for 2024. Headway Surrey is a charity that supports people and families where a head or brain injury requires some rehabilitation. Their biggest client group are those recovering from road traffic accidents.
To contact Headway Surrey to make a donation - click on this link
Beginners Guide to Sprinting and Hill Climbing
Do you own a Healey - Sprite/MG Midget, 100, 3000, Silverstone or Jensen Healey? Are you interested in getting more out of your car and doing something you have always considered but put to one side? Well, why not take part in a fantastic sport with some really friendly and enthusiastic fellow Healey owners. Take a look at our Beginners Guide to Sprinting and Hill Climbing and then send Paul Baker, our championship organiser, an email on competitionsec@austinhealeyclub.com Alternatively, you can click on our Join Us option and follow the prompts.
** Stop Press ** New Libre Class
Healeysport have created a brand new class in their Sprint and Hill
Climb Championship that will accept a whole range of cars.
The original car must be either an Austin Healey Sprite, 100, 100/6 or 3000, an MG Midget (1961 - 1979) or a Jensen Healey, but the modifications can be quite extensive. The car must retain the original central monocoque and front chassis. Fully space framed cars are not allowed. The make and size of the engine is free, as long as it retains the same number of cylinders as the original car. Fuel injection and supercharging is also allowed. The transmission, suspension, steering and brakes are also free. Aerodynamic aids such as: rear wings, front air dams, diffusers or venturis must fit within the confines of the original panels. Click here to see the regs for this and all the other classes.
The Libre class will allow a whole range of new cars to compete with us including any of the existing Class A, B or E cars from the Lackford Midget Challenge. If you are interested and have questions, contact Paul Baker on competitionsec@austinhealeyclub.com
Jensen Healeys - Welcome
Healeysport offers Jensen Healey drivers the chance to take part in the Healeysport Speed Championship and compete against Big Healeys and Sprites. The regulations have been agreed with Motorsports UK to allow for any Jensen Healey - Roadster or GT - that is a standard road car or modified car to take part. With its modern, Lotus designed, 2 or 2.2 litre, 16 valve, twin cam engine contained in a lightweight body these reasonably priced, pre 1976 cars will be competitive in road legal form, so with some modification they will be very competitive indeed.
This will also mean that we will have Healey and MG cars from three decades in the championship, with the Silverstone's, 100's, 100/6's and Frogeye's from the 50's - the Sprites/Midgets and 3000's from the 60's and now the Jensen Healey's from the 70's. Many would argue the golden era of British Sports Car production.
We have drivers signed up for the Jensen Healey class but are looking for more drivers to take part. So if you have a Jensen Healey and would like to find out more email Paul Baker on competitionsec@austinhealeyclub.com Alternatively, check out the regulations for the championship and the technical regulations for the cars (menu option above) and get in touch.
Lackford Engineering Midget and Sprite Challenge
If you are interested in circuit racing your Austin Healey Sprite or MG Midget then contact Mike Parker the organiser of this championship - see contact detail below.
The series sponsor continues to be Robin Lackford of
Lackford Engineering who also takes part in the championship in his red Austin
Healey Frogeye Sprite sporting no.57.
This championship is open to MG Midgets and Austin Healey Sprites and there are three classes to choose from Fully modified, Race modified and Road Modified plus an Invitation class at the discretion of the Championship Coordinator.
Good grids are expected at all rounds, so come along to any of the events and witness what promises to be an electrifying series with close racing throughout the field.
To view the 'Championship Regulations' and entry requirements, click on the Spridget Challenge tab above and then click on the Regulations tab. Alternatively, go to the Spridget Challenge website www.mgmidgetchallenge.club/ or contact Mike Parker at mikeparker78@btinternet.com or call on 01235 525255 if you are interested in taking part.
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