Season 2023
Barton Racing Barton Racing
Striving for performance and consistency
The Grid

We welcome our subscribers to the first official newsletter, our way of keeping in touch.

 

"OK Harry. Tell us, what’s it all about?"

"It’s quite simple really. I’m twenty years old, and my ambition is to race at Le Mans, the world’s most famous sports-car race."

"That’s a tall order."

"Believe me, I know."

"That’s why, during the winter lay-off I’ve been honing my ice-racing skills in Scandinavia, and racing in America. And just last week I was with the team, testing our cars at Goodwood. We have more testing at Donington."

"After a very successful first season that saw you lifting the HSCC Historic Touring Car Trophy, I guess this year represents the next rung of the ladder?"

"Exactly. We have two new cars for 2023. The mainstay will be our TVR Griffith, built by marque specialist Nigel Reuben. It’s a real animal, and fast enough to take on the best in Europe. I’ll be sharing most events with co-driver Oliver Reuben as our schedule involves a series of endurance races, cumulating in the tough Six Hours of Spa Francorchamps in October. The second car, just as exciting, is our 1969 BMW 2002, developed by Retro Engineering, and built primarily for later events, involving Group 2 cars. Of course, I still have the championship winning 1965 BMW TiSA. So as you can see: the team has a very busy season in prospect."

Barton Racing Event Schedule April-June 2023

 

7/8 April. Masters Race Weekend. Donington Park. UK.

Masters Tickets

22/23 April. HSCC Autosport 3 Hours. Snetterton.

HSCC Tickets

29/30 April. Motor Racing Legends Pall Mall Cup. Donington Park.

Legends Tickets

5 May. Masters Hockenheim. Germany Jim Clark Revival.

Masters Tickets

26/27/28 May. Masters Historic Festival. Brands Hatch.

Masters Tickets

16 June. Masters Zandvoort. Holland. Historic Grand Prix.

Masters Tickets

Pre-season Testing

 

1 March Goodwood England

After months of hard work by the guys from Retro Engineering, now was the moment of truth. Our first test session of 2023 with the TVR Griffith and BMW TiSA, both cars subject to off-season upgrades and modifications aimed at making them faster and more responsive. In attendance, number one driver Harry Barton, his co-driver, Ollie Reuben, and the vastly experienced coach, and Le Mans Aston Martin pilot, Oliver Bryant. Nigel Bridger and his guys from Retro Engineering, plus Nigel Reuben, top man in the world of TVR, were in the paddock.

There are warmer places around Europe in spring, but Goodwood, protected by the Sussex Downs enjoys something of a micro climate, witness the early bloom of daffodils, thus the fast 2.4 mile circuit is ideal for the job in hand. Today’s weather? Overcast but dry, with just a gentle breeze. Not perfect, but good enough.

By lunchtime a pattern was emerging. The BMW was well on the pace, all three drivers beating last year’s times, Harry was happy. Attention switched to the TVR. Any car delivering 450 bhp through a very short and lightweight 750 kilo chassis is going to be a hard beast to tame. Twitchy would be a good word. Every other lap the car was back in and up in the air. Brakes, roll bar settings, tyre pressures, even fuel load were adjusted. Balance somebody muttered. It’s all about balance. By close of play the TVR had proved totally reliable, but with plenty of room for improvement.

7 March Donington Park

Very cold day, but thankfully any rumour of snow proved unfounded. In fact after lunch the sun appeared. Both TVR Griffith and BMW TiSA looking good. Again BMW circulates with few problems. It is the TVR that requires more set-up changes. Both Harry and Ollie (Reuben) drive and as the sessions pass so the car slowly improves its lap times. Testing concludes at 16.00. That’s it for now, what will be will be, until the first race meeting, here at Donington on 7/8 April. 

Latest News

 

We at Barton Racing are pleased to announce that the very experienced and talented Ollie Reuben is confirmed as Harry Barton's co-driver in the TVR during 2023.

 

A solo feature on Ollie to follow in our next newsletter and on our website.

One of the Cast

 

George Barton: Director, Marketing and Communications

I’m into American muscle cars, in fact anything with a big V8. I have a Dodge Challenger Jailbreak, in my opinion the last great muscle car tucked away in my garage, and I recently completed a three hundred mile round trip down to Goodwood in my Aston Martin V600 Le Mans (the ultimate Tadek Marek designed twin supercharged 600bhp V8), I even got the chance to take it round the track. Not a bad way to begin 2023.

Tickets to Elton John's Farewell Tour!!!

 

The Barton Racing Team has decided to bring a friendly competition to our first edition readers.

 

The concert is taking place at Birmingham Resort World on Sunday the 26th of March so for those wanting to enter clear the date and answer fast!

 

To win one of the two pairs of tickets just answer the following three questions correctly.

 

Elton John was born in: 1917, 1947 or 2017?
Elton John’s Song Candle In The Wind was dedicated to which famous Princess?
Elton John has sold records totaling: five thousand, One hundred thousand or
three hundred million?

 

Please send your answers to george@barton-racing.com with the subject Competition Answers for Elton John Tickets.

 

All answers will be checked as soon as they are received and with there being a limited number of tickets, prizes will be awarded to the fastest correct answers.

Photography By Peter Baker From Retro-Speed
Please visit Retro-Speeds website and view their other work
Retro-Speed
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