The 2016 historic motorsport season was one of the most successful in the long history of Denis Welch Motorsport with overall victories in 2 race series as a constructor as well as supplying parts and services to winning cars including the Tour Auto and the Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior Cars.
Jeremy Welch and Martyn Corfield were declared overall winners of the GT and Sports Car Cup driving Welch’s Austin Healey 3000. The pairing also secured 4 class victories in the 5 race series which visited some of Europe’s most challenging circuits including Silverstone and Portimao. This is the second time that Jeremy has won the GTSCC title.
Julian Thomas and Calum Lockie scored 4 wins in 5 races to secure the Jaguar Classic Challenge in Thomas’s Low Drag E-Type. Their total dominance of the series included winning at Le Mans by 35 seconds and comfortably winning the season finale at Oulton Park. This race was particularly challenging for the team as the car suffered damage just weeks earlier at the Nürburgring and it was a race against time to undertake repairs, which included a new bonnet. This was fitted just in time, though sporting an unpainted finish, prompting a number of questions from fans in the paddock.
Interest in historic motorsport continues to grow and the team are currently preparing a number of cars ready for the start of the 2017 season and aim for another successful year. In addition many other customers use the winter break to rebuild major components such as engines, gearboxes and differentials. These arrive at the Yoxall factory from all over the world, where a dedicated team of experts is kept busy dismantling, cleaning, rebuilding and testing them prior to dispatch. Such is the reputation of Denis Welch Motorsport that demand is higher than ever.
Building on success
Managing Director Jeremy Welch said “Following our fantastic performance in 2016 we’re really looking forward to the new season. Demand for our workshop and parts services is very high, proving that our success on track is fuelling demand from other competitors in the paddock.”
Despite Jaguar and Austin Healey cars being well into their 50’s and 60’s, Denis Welch Motorsport continue to develop new parts, seeking improvements in both performance and reliability. This continual development requires a dedicated team of staff which includes a drawing office and extensive manufacturing facilities at the company workshops in Staffordshire.
Welch added “Our philosophy has always been to push the boundaries of performance whilst staying very much within the rules of racing, creating parts that are ‘Better Than Original’. Even after all these years we continue to find areas where improvements can be made and have a number of new products under development for Austin Healey, Jaguar and other classic sports and race cars.”
Entries are now open for many race series for the upcoming season including the GT and Sports Car Cup and the Jaguar Classic Challenge. Both will open at the Donington Historic Festival in April, which will be the first major outing for the team. Other circuits visited will include Silverstone, Brands Hatch and for the first time, the Jaguar Classic Challenge will visit Spa as part of the 6 Hours Meeting in September. Enthusiasts are encouraged to visit the team’s big red truck in the paddock to see the cars and meet the drivers.
In the meantime, historic motorsport enthusiasts might like to visit the Historic Motorsport International where they can see the series winning Jaguar E-Type of Julian Thomas and Calum Lockie, which will be displayed on the Racelogic stand, 23rd to 26th February at London’s Excel.
Customers can browse and purchase the range of performance parts online at www.bighealey.co.uk where they may also order a copy of the latest Big Healey and E-Type Performance catalogues.
