BriSCA F1 Stock Cars Category Single seaters Active since 1954 Country/region Engine Unlimited capacityChevrolet V8 engines Carburettor only Normally aspirated Cast iron block Tyres American Racer World champion 124 Kyle Gray National points champion 1 Tom Harris British champion 1 Tom Harris European champion 464 Joe Booth
BriSCA (British Stock Car Association) Formula 1 Stock Cars are a class of stock-car-racing in the UK with custom-built cars, with races conducted on walled oval tracks of either shale or tarmac of approximately a quarter-mile in length.
The cars follow open wheel design principles, and there are no horsepower restrictions for the engines. Drivers may use any engine they choose, with Chevrolet based small or big block V8 engines being the most popular. The season runs from March through to November, with occasional meetings over the Christmas period.
History BriSCA F1 Stock Car racing can trace its roots to the first stock car race in United Kingdom, which was held at New Cross Stadium in London on Good Friday, 16 April 1954, promoted by a Northampton-born Australian showman called Digger Pugh. It was hugely successful with two further meetings taking place at New Cross before the next meeting took place at Odsal Stadium, Bradford, on 26 May 1954. The new craze spread rapidly around the country and was dubbed the "seven day wonder". Originally, the cars were slightly modified saloon cars, hence the term stock as opposed to race cars. Most of the cars were American models with V8 engines, with some larger European cars. The cars were standard makes with wheel arches removed, and with bumpers added along with roll bars.
In 1956 the drivers' association was formed. In 1957, thanks to the efforts of Peter Arnold, a national numbering system was introduced, BriSCA, the association of promoters was formed and the Stock Car Racing Board of Control created. There was also an agreement that BriSCA would only use drivers of the drivers' association. From the initial explosion in 1954 things started to settle down, tracks opened and closed but racing rules were introduced and the cars became more refined, while star drivers started to emerge. BriSCA has raced continuously since 1954 and held over 5,500 meetings across the United Kingdom.
In 1975, about 30 southern based drivers broke away from BriSCA and formed their own association called SCOTA (Stock Car Oval Track Association). They were disappointed at the lack of F1 meetings being held in the south of the country. They raced for promoter Spedeworth in cars exactly the same as BriSCA F1. In 1978 it was renamed F1SCA (Formula One Stock Car Association). In 1980, F1SCA decided to introduce a five-litre limit, and make the cars slightly smaller. Renamed 'Formula 80' the cars ran until 2018 under the name 'Spedeworth V8 Stock Cars'.
In 2019 the Spedeworth V8 Stock Cars separated from all racing governing bodies and became an outlaw group. They now race as the 'V8 Stock Cars Tour' and race at tracks wherever they are welcome. In 2023 the sport has seen the addition of new drivers moving from the BriSCA V8 Hot Stox formula to the V8 Outlaw Tour.
Currently BriSCA F1 are governed by the British Stock Car (promoters) Association, Oval Racing Council International (ORCi), and Spedeworth International.
Administration BriSCA F1 Stock Cars are governed by the BriSCA Management Board, comprising three members of the association of promoters (BriSCA) and three members of the BSCDA (British Stock Car Drivers Association) together with an independent secretary. Rules and regulations relating to car specifications, race procedures, track requirements and all other aspects of the sport are updated annually by the BriSCA Management Board. All drivers wishing to race at a BriSCA F1 meeting have to be registered in advance by the BSCDA. All venues that stage BriSCA F1 racing must be licensed by BriSCA.
Cars
During the 1960s, the cars developed from stock road cars into specially built cars with fabricated chassis and race-tuned V8 engines. While NASCAR in the US also races specially-built race cars, they retain the appearance of a road car, unlike the BriSCA F1 which now bears no resemblance to a road car.
A modern BriSCA F1 configuration is front-engined, rear-wheel drive, and open-wheeled, with the driver located centrally. The cars are constructed on race engineered steel ladder chassis with robust roll-over-safety cages and aluminium sheet body panelling, There is no limit in engine capacity or number of cylinders but engines must be naturally aspirated (no fuel injection, no supercharging or turbo charging permitted) and the engine blocks must be cast iron. The most common engines used, due to their reliability and availability, are based on the American Chevrolet V8 engine in both small block (350 ci) 5.7 litre and big block (454 ci) 7.4 litre varieties, producing upwards of 740 bhp with approximately 640 ft-lbs of torque but some cars are known to have been equipped with engines of 9 litre capacity (540 ci). Power is most typically delivered through a 'Doug Nash' style gearbox with two forward gears (one for racing) and reverse, and use a heavily modified Ford Transit rear axle with a locked differential.
The cars use a control tyres on the outside rear manufactured by 'American Racer'. The cars are also restricted in what dampers can be used, to control costs. Cars can reach speeds of 80–90 mph around a quarter-mile oval, so most cars use large roof mounted aerofoils, similar to those found on American sprint cars, to create downforce on the corners and provide some extra cornering grip. Wings are not compulsory.
Cars must weigh between 1,350 and 1,500 kg and due to always racing anticlockwise, the cars are limited to having a maximum of 52% of the weight on the left hand side of the car when viewed from the rear. Cars are weighed at each meeting to make sure they conform to this rule.
Many drivers use two separate cars; one set up primarily for use on shale or dirt ovals, while the other car will be set up for tarmac or asphalt ovals. However, a few drivers with limited budgets may optimise just one car for both surface types, changing various components for each different track and surface.
Spectating Cars, drivers and their pit crews can be accessed, approached and watched while they prepare or repair cars between races, with drivers generally being happy to allow children to sit on or in their cars for photographs as well as to discuss how their racing is progressing.
Tracks The active UK tracks where BriSCA F1 stock cars race are: Aldershot - Rushmoor Arena Buxton Cowdenbeath - Central Park Hednesford Hills Raceway Ipswich - Foxhall Stadium King's Lynn Stadium Knockhill - Knockhill Tri-Oval Circuit Mildenhall Stadium Northampton Shaleway Nutts Corner Raceway, Northern Ireland Scunthorpe - Eddie Wright Raceway Skegness Stadium Yarmouth Stadium
Both Cowdenbeath and Knockhill stage meetings biannually.
In 2026 the first meeting was held at Nutts Corner Raceway in Northern Ireland with #452 Joshua Spiers being crowned the inaugural Irish Champion.
Netherlands: Raceway Venray Blauwhuis Raceway Emmen Raceway
BriSCA F1 drivers also compete with their Dutch counterparts at Texel, Sint Maarten, Blauwhuis and Lelystad in the Netherlands and Warneton in Belgium.
Defunct tracks The following tracks no longer host BriSCA F1. Some have been demolished, others continue to hold meetings for other formulae including BriSCA Formula 2 Stock Cars, Superstox and Banger racing:* Aldershot - Tongham Stadium Aycliffe Stadium Barnsley Belle Vue, Hyde Road, Manchester Belle Vue Stadium Birmingham (Perry Barr) Birmingham Wheels Park Blackburn Bolton Boston Bradford - Odsal Stadium Bristol - Mendips Raceway Bristol - Knowle Cleethorpes Coventry Stadium Crayford Stadium Crewe Stadium Doncaster Dublin - Republic of Ireland Eastbourne - Arlington Stadium, Hailsham Edinburgh - Meadowbank Stadium Glasgow - Carntyne Stadium Glasgow - White City Harringay Stadium Hartlepool Leicester Stadium - Blackbird Road Long Eaton Neath Abbey Nelson - Seedhill Football Ground Newcastle, Brough Park Newtongrange (Scotland) New Cross Stadium Norwich Oxford Stadium Plymouth Prestatyn Purfleet Reading Stadium Rayleigh Ringwood Raceway Rochdale Rye House Stadium Scunthorpe - Ashby Ville Stadium Scunthorpe - Quibell Park Stadium Sheffield = Owlerton Stadium Southampton St Austell Staines Stoke - Loomer Road Stadium Stoke - Sun Street, Hanley Swaffham Swindon Tamworth Walthamstow Stadium Wembley Stadium (1923) West Ham Stadium Weymouth White City Stadium (Manchester) Wimbledon Stadium Wisbech (SCOTA only) Wolverhampton Woolwich
Big tracks: Baarlo (Netherlands) Brands Hatch Cadwell Park Lydden Hill Race Circuit Mallory Park Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
Grading of drivers Each driver is graded according to past results, their roof or wing painted accordingly. Red roofs with amber flashing lights are known as 'Superstar' grade; then Red (star), Blue ('A' grade), Yellow ('B' grade) and White ('C' grade). Every month during the season, the list is recompiled based on points scored at that month's meetings, and drivers move up and down according to their latest position. There are restrictions on movement down the grades based on limited meetings raced at, and the previous highest grade reached. Novice drivers for their first three meetings are allowed to start at the back of the grid and show a black saltire on the rear cab panel, so that other drivers know to avoid deliberate contact with the new driver.
Championship winners are designated specific roof colours: Gold - World champion Silver - National points champion Black & White checks - British champion Red & Yellow checks - European champion Green & White checks - Irish Champion
If one driver wins more than one title, roof colours will be a combination of whatever titles have been won.
In stock car terminology, the roof colour will also be known as the 'top'; for example, cars with a white roof will be known as a 'white top' whereas a star driver will be termed a 'red top.'
Drivers are always referred to by their racing number and name, for example '53' John Lund. Drivers tend to carry their racing number throughout their careers. If they win the world championship they can choose to race as number '1' until the next world championship.
Races BriSCA F1 Stock Car races are normally held on short, approximately quarter-mile, oval tracks, either tarmac or shale. Heats usually consist of 16 laps, with meeting finals lasting 20 laps. Special events (such as the world final) are held over 25 laps.
The race line up is unique in that best drivers start at the rear of the field. The lowest, 'C' graded, drivers start each race at the front, then 'B', 'A' and 'star', while the 'superstars' start each race from the rear of the field. Championship races are usually gridded in qualifying order, with the highest qualifiers starting at the front of the grid.
The number of competitors at a meeting will usually aim to be around 60. The meetings usually consist of three heats (20 cars in each), a consolation race, a final and a grand national. The first eight from the heats qualify for the final. Those who do not qualify from the heats can race in the consolation race and the first six qualify for the final. The final usually consists of 30 cars, and the grand national race is open to all, with the winner of the final, if racing, given a one-lap handicap. If the number of cars racing is lower, around 40 cars, they can split the cars into a two-thirds format. Each driver races in two heats, with a compilation of points deciding who races in the final.
The grand national is an all-season competition with the points collected resulting in a one-off race at the end of the season for the 'grand national champion'