210CHALLENGE.COM
Welcome to the 210 Challenge website
/Sep%2007%202008%20047%20(800%20x%20536).jpg)
/Aug%2025%202008%20111%20(1024%20x%20685).jpg)
The karts are 210 National Gearbox karts which use a highly tuned evolution of the original British Villiers 9E/11E 2-stroke air-cooled engine!
Navigate this site to find out more about our exciting class of kart racing!
If you fancy a visit to one of the circuits to see what 210 racing is all about, first go to the "race dates" section, then navigate to the "links" section for travelling directions to your chosen track. If you do visit us at any of the circuits, please make yourself known to us - we are a really friendly crowd who will be happy to see you.
Known throughout the world of Karting as having a uniquely friendly and supportive membership the 210 Challenge is the National Championship for 210 Gearbox karts – a very competitive MSA/ABkC licensed Championship with large grids at every event.
210 National is the longest surviving form of competitive Karting in the UK having commenced in the 1960’s with the Villiers engine which remains to this day. Modern regulations have enabled the engine to be upgraded and it can now produce up to 42hp – more than six times the power of the original 1955 engine!
The class has a proud tradition – having produced many famous racing drivers including F1 World Champion Nigel Mansell and today the Challenge is still producing drivers who would do well in most classes of Motorsport. We still break lap records today.
Apart from good competitive racing and a fabulous esprit-de-corps the Challenge can offer gearbox kart racing at relatively low cost because it is less constrained by its own technical regulations than other kart classes.
The Challenge 25 years down the line is now run for the drivers by the drivers and was originally organised to gather the 210’s together that were scattered around the country.
We have a Steering Group comprising of ten members which was formed in 1997 to steer the 210 National Class in the right direction for continued success. We meet periodically to discuss and implement issues as and when they arise.
Let’s make it another good year.
If you are interested then read on. There is information on both the Long and Short Circuit Challenge which include dates, regulations and general information: or you can contact:-
Kate Bateman 210 Challenge Co-ordinator
Email: 210challenge@talktalk.net
Notice To Drivers
Entry forms for all the rounds will either be handed out or posted to you well in advance, and short circuit entry forms are also available on this site. It is then your responsibility for it to reach the appropriate competition secretary before the closing date.
2008 Membership fees for drivers - £60
Social Membership which includes regular postal newsletter and updates - £10
For more info please contact Kate Bateman at: 210challenge@talktalk.net
2007 Short Circuit Champion - Stephen Plain racing at Kimbolton
2007 Long Circuit Champion - Louise Colin in action at Mallory Park
A Packed Grid Ready To Race - Kimbolton, June 2007
All photos copyright. Reproduced by kind permission of Len Slack
VILLIERS HISTORY
“9E”
Fifty Golden Years
In 1955 The Villiers Engineering Company launched what was to become their most successful 2 stroke engine codenamed 9E. E designated 197cc and 9 followed on from the post war 6, 7 and 8E designs. In the next decade the 9E engine and its derivatives ranging from the 31c 147cc through to the 37A 250cc were to provide the motive power for a vast range of vehicles.
Originally designed as a ‘ride to work’ motorcycle engine it was taken up by a host of manufacturers and improved and developed to power all types of competition machinery.
These ranged from trials bikes to international scramblers in the hands of such legendary stars as Brian Stonebridge and Dave Bickers.
The British 250cc motorcycle road racing class was revolutionised with the launch of the Greeves Silverstone in 1961 and the embryonic gearbox karting scene quickly took the new engine to its heart.
In the following years new engines from Europe and Japan took over as the British manufacturers fortunes faded.
The Villiers engine survived however in karting becoming a classic class organised by the 210 Challenge.
And today it is making a motorcycling comeback with a thriving pre 65 trials and scrambles series and classic road racing with past and present riders reliving some of those famous successes.
