A brief history of GCRE

Formed in 1995 as the technical division of Great Central Racing; Its remit to build, maintain, repair and improve GCR's race cars to ensure the team has the best possible machinery at its disposal, and to provide full technical backup to Great Central Racing both at and between races.

1995-1998:

Completed a huge amount of development work for GCR, turning the second-hand rolling chassis that became the WindCutter into GCR's front line race car. This car runs to its seventh evolution, taking the team to several race victories and the 1998 and 1999 British Championships.

1999:

Built Apollo, GCRE's first race car designed and constructed entirely in house.

Designed wholly on computer to a new design and incorporating a variety of innovations, it is loaned free to Swebbelli Racing in exchange for its use as a rolling test bed for development work. Apollo takes Swebbelli to a Scout Car race win and several good BPCC results, including one visit to the podium and fifth overall for the year.

2000:

Two new, Apollo type-B, cars are built incorporating several developments from the original. Aquarius (chassis A2/B) replaces Apollo as Swebbelli's race car, while A3/B Odyssey is used as Great Central Racing's first team car. The WindCutter Evolution VII is passed to GCR2, while Apollo is sold to 47th Killay (Swansea).

The new cars are the class of the field, with GCR2 now outclassed mechanically. GCRE build another new car in just 2 weeks mid-season, whilst continuing a full maintenance program on the other vehicles. Intrepid (chassis A4/B) debuts at the South Berkshire weekend (BPCC rounds 4 & 5) with only a handful of testing miles under its wheels and the paint only just dry.

GCR2 double Intrepid's mileage within a few minutes of the start of the event, going on to win ahead of GCR1, the new car performing faultlessly all day. The following day the positions are reversed to give another GCR 1-2 and secure a third consecutive championship for Great Central. Intrepid takes GCR2 to another race win at the final round, to give GCR an unprecedented championship 1-2.

Incontestably the most successful design in the BPCC, Apollo type-B cars finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the championship (GCR1, GCR2, Swebbelli) with the original type-A finishing 4th (47th Killay).

2001:

GCRE undertake a series of modifications and upgrades on Killay's original Apollo to bring it up to type B standard.

GCRE continue to evolve the design, with disk brakes and pit-to-car radios both debuted at round one.

For the Swansea 24 hour, GCRE produce a brand new car, Apollo type-C, Clipper (chassis A5/C), distinguishable by its twin disk brakes and no facility for mounting standard calipers. The car runs faultlessly for the full 24 hour race distance (382 miles) to notch up another win for Great Central Racing.

By the end of the season, the top four championship positions were claimed by teams driving our cars for the second successive year, with Great Central claiming a second championship 1-2.

2002:

2002 starts with construction of an all new car, the D-type, for Great Central Racing's 1,000 mile world record attempt, PC1000.

2002 also sees the birth of GCRE's aerodynamics division, to assist with this record attempt and future race development.

The D-type and its aerodynamic body help GCR to establish the 1,000 mile record at 62 hours, 38 minutes and 26 seconds, then takes them to race victories at Wolverhampton and the Swansea 24 hour race, where its full body again protects the team and the car against the elements.

Chassis and aerodynamic developments continue as GCRE works for the benefit of all the teams it supports.