Outlaw Hot Rod racing has developed from National Hot Rod racing. Although not everyone calls them Outlaws or runs to the same specification its still the same idea. Full bodied hot rod racing on big wide racing tyres but on a budget without the pressure of constant travelling in the search of qualifying points. The racing is aimed at drivers who want to race a top spec race car at a local track. Sited as a rival formula to National Hot Rods it only exists because of National Hot Rods. It's more of a step up to the class and numbers racing rise when Nationals do.

The class has developed from some promoters unhappy with the way National Hot Rods are run. They use the same rules because drivers like racing cars like these but can have close, friendly racing. The smaller grids normally mean the cars go home undamaged.

When Hot Rods started in the 1960's promoters had their own set of rules, these gradually became Nationalised and promoters running to these rules all formed the NHRPA and Hot Rods became National Hot Rods. Other classes just became Hot Rods, some running very close in specifications other varied alot. Over the past few years cars running up to National Hot Rods specification are been tagged with the name 'Outlaws'. Promoters use the name Hot Rods as it is recognised as non-contact racing on a oval.

With some of the racing being open meetings there isn't grading for the cars. The heats are usually lined up in reversible order, with the top scorer on pole for the final. Unlike National Hot Rods it's unlikely the same drivers will race week in week out. The quest for points isn't as intense. The only points series that are run are GMP, Buxton and PRI combined with Rolling Thunder because these have regular meetings. Championship meetings are open allowing anyone to race (providing the car is legal). Typical meetings have up to 15 cars, the bigger meeting can have over 20 cars on the grid.

Tracks
Tracks Used: Arena Essex, Buxton, Cowdenbeath, Crimond, Grimley, Knockhill, Mendip Hills, Ringwood, Worthing. For further information check out the Track Guide

Buxton
The northern based track is having a resurgance in driver counts over recent years as well as supplying some of the latest additions for the National class. Buxton used to be part of the NHRPA and has held some big championship meetings. Buxton developed two classes the Hot Rod class which is similar to National Hot Rods on the construction side but don't allow all the engines. Only Ford power is permitted but this could change soon and the 2 litre 16 valve Vauxhall engine could be introduced. The other class is Super Saloons which are a converted road car front wheel drive hot rod formula, closer to how hot rods used to be. Only a few drivers have cars built to these rules. The pair race together under the title Hot Rods.

Open meetings do see travelling drivers from Natinals and GMP. The Buxton drivers also travel to Scotland for championship meetings and provided most of the drivers in Central Hot Rods during 2007/8.

Central Hot Rods
When Incarace took over Northampton in 2001 Outlaw were part of the fixtures with their world series. 1999 and 2000 had a few open meetings that attracted drivers from Buxton, Peterborough and Bovingdon. The faster, higher specced cars handicapped in usual oval racing style. Outlaws stopped in 2001 but Incarace (who are part of the NHRPA) contrinued to run a handful of open meetings. They catered for ex-Peterborough drivers (because the track closed down) and also attracted Buxton and South West based drivers. These open events were retitled Central Hot Rods. Strangely though some meetings were named as 'open' instead of Central Hot Rods even though they are the same. With Spedeworth taking over Incarace in 2008 the fixtures remained the same but in 2009 the Central Hot Rods were dropped. Just to confuse people a little further Slick Cars may replace these.

GMP/ Crimond Hot Rods
In Scotland there is a strong hot rod heritage, over the last 15 years though the National Hot Rods declined and the class was reinvented just using the Ford Pinto engine to hopefully bring more drivers to the class. That saw the end of Scottish presence in the Hot Rod world final. Some drivers though built National Hot Rods and decided not to race in Scotland but in the English series.

The Scottish Hot Rods followed PRI and changed their specification to match the National rules, from the 10th April 2005 Crimond have been racing to Outlaw rules with Cowdenbeath joining later. Over the last two years Vauxhall power has gradually grown and overtaken Pinto power. The class has also seen a Duratec powered car. 2010 could see GMP run under the National Hot Rod banner.

Grimley
The independent track runs many different hot rod classes but until 2008 none had been so highly specced, the hot rod type class introduced is still gaining numbers but it's local is handy for Midland and South-western based drivers who have lost meetings at other tracks.

Mendip Hills
Much improvement has been made to the Bristol track, although considered a stock car track the hot rods are competitive there, 3 times world champion Colin White is a regular there. In the south west the majority of racing used to be promoted by Autospeed but dwindling numbers caused the promoters to drop the class in 2006 and only run Stock Rods. 2007 and 2008 had one-off open style meeting but numbers were still low.

PRI
The promoter gave the formula it's name but it was years after the class began. In 1997 PRI fell out with the NHRPA over many reasons. In 1998 PRI brought in their own class for Arena Essex, which was same as National Hot Rods but drivers could only use the Ford Pinto engine, this at the time was the same as Scottish Hot Rods.

As Nationals had a resurgance it had the same effect here, PRI opened the rules up to allow Vauxhall and Ford 16 valve engines. At this time the class was renamed Outlaws. With Peterborough already running to these rules and Northampton still an independent promoter the three united for the World Series in 2000. This proved very successful in the first year and the title was won by one point. That only lasted for a few years, Peterborough closed and Northampton was taken over by Incarace. The original titles have been dropped and only the British Championship is run by PRI for this class.

Ringwood
The independent track is trying hard to get its reputation back and drivers onto the track. The Hot Rods they run allow up to National specification cars, but the performance can vary between machines. During 2008 the special rods still competed with the Hot Rod class, alot of work needs to be done to drivers back onto track.

Rolling Thunder
Rolling Thunder has had Outlaw Hot Rods racing with them for many years, during 2007 they raced at the first meeting of the month. The major championship they race for is the World Cup during September, qualifying during the season dictates the grid for this race.

Spedeworth
Spedeworth took over the Ringwood track back in 2005, they honoured the Outlaw fixtures for that year. Since then Ringwood has changed hands. The only time Outlaws grace the Spedeworth tracks was the Best in Britain National Hot Rod Open at the end of November. With National Hot Rods numbers dropping at the Best in Britain meeting since it lost its qualifying status it was decided to morph the London Open meeting to the long standing Best in Britain title. The last three were run in this format but with new commercial vehicles regulations hitting London the 2007 event is likely to go down in history as the last.

For 2009 a slick cars event (open to any hot rod with slick tyres) appeared although some Outlaws have raced it has mainly been Super Rods that have raced at these meetings.

Worthing
The oval race club has been running hot rods for many years and provided talented drivers like Dave Longhurst to the stadium tracks. The only chance the track gets to see the full bodied hot rods is the short circuit open, this event returned in 2008 where a few National and Outlaw Hot Rods took on the local based drivers.

Outlaw Hot Rods by Webmaster Paul Ballard added 16th October 2009

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.whistlinjacksmith.co.uk