Willhire 24 Hour

The Willhire 24 Hour was an endurance race for production cars held at Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit in Norfolk, England between 1980 and 1994. Over the years, the race included both sports cars and saloon cars. Latterly, it was contested by competitors running in the FIA Group N specification National Saloon Car Cup. The race was run by the British Racing and Sports Car Club (BRSCC), [cite web|url=http://www.motorracing-archive.com/sub_page.cfm/editID/266|title=BRSCC year-by-year|publisher=Motor Racing Archive|accessdate=2008-03-06] which was also responsible for the aforementioned series.cite book
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title = Showroom Stock Race Car Preparation
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The race was sponsored by Willhire Vehicles Rentals (now Anglian Willhire, part of Northgate PLC), a local car rental company, after its owner Roger Williams was approached to sponsor a motor racing event at the circuit. Roger talked about sponsoring a 6- or 24-hour event, initially as a joke, but the offer was accepted and the United Kingdom's first 24-hour race was founded.cite web|url=http://www.motorracing-archive.com/sub_page.cfm/editID/886|title=The Willhire 24 Hour|publisher=Motor Racing Archive|accessdate=2008-03-02] The 1989 event was 25 hours long to mark the 25th anniversary of the Willhire company. [cite news|title=Top field for 25-hour race|publisher="The Times"|date=1989-06-17]

The final event was held in 1994. Its experience in hosting an 24 hour race was proven to be beneficial when subsequently, Snetterton became a host of some British Touring Car Championship night races from 1999, but full 24-hour racing did not return until 2003, with the introduction of the Snetterton 24-Hour 2CV Race. [cite news|url=http://www.2cvracing.co.uk/2003/24hr/index.htm|title=Introduction: Snetterton 24-Hour 2CV Race 2003|publisher=2CV Racing Club|accessdate=2008-03-02] [cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2003/05/23/emn2cv23.xml|title=Round-the-clock racing|publisher="Daily Telegraph"|date=2003-05-24|accessdate=2008-03-02] However, national 24 hour endurance racing would not return until the introduction of the Britcar 24 Hours in 2005, taking place at Silverstone Circuit. The 2005 Britcar event is sometimes referred to as the Britcar Willhire 24 Hour Race. [cite news|url=http://www.thegrid.co.uk/Mickel%20Racing.htm|title=Double finish for MG-ZR duo at Donington|publisher=theGrid.co.uk|accessdate=2008-03-06]

Winners

The Willhire 24 Hour was won by a number of drivers who went on to have success in other forms of racing. In 1986, the winning car was co-driven by then BBC Radio 1 disc jockey Mike Smith. [cite news|title=Detroit could see a charge from the non-turbo cars|author=John Blunsden|publisher="The Times"|date=1987-06-20] The full list of winners is given below. Other notable drivers who competed in the past other than those listed below include Kieth O'dor, Tiff Needell, Steve Soper, John Cleland, James Thompson and Gerry Marshall.

References