Nick Tandy wields a BriSCA F1 stock car. Photo: Gary HawkinsNick Tandy is a top-level Porsche factory driver, but he's not afraid to roll his sleeves up and get involved with stock car racing
Our colleagues at Motorsport News have hung out the bunting this week to celebrate the 60th birthday of their publication.
Despite being launched in 1955 with an editorial tirade against the perils of flashing indicators on road cars, the weekly newspaper has focused on motorsport for most of its six decades.
As part of a bumper anniversary edition, MN persuaded Nick Tandy, part of Porsche’s winning driver team at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, to test drive a BriSCA F1 stock car.
Tandy’s back-story is remarkable. Part of a short oval racing dynasty, he worked up from grassroots motor sport to claim victory in one of the world’s most famous events.
Swapping his hybrid Porsche 919 for rear-drive, V8 Chevrolet-powered stock car that’s set-up to only turn left proved an interesting challenge for Tandy when he visited Birmingham Wheels oval track for MN's article.
The stock car has only two forward gears, a tricky clutch and is geared for maximum drive out of corners rather than outright top speed. When a track is just 330 metres long, there is not much space to stretch your legs.
Often when sportspeople hit the big time they are reluctant to stray too far out of their comfort zones, so full marks to Britain’s new sports car racing ace for getting stuck in.
The article is well worth a read, as is the rest of the 60th anniversary issue of Motorsport News. The stock car test makes for a good video too, as you can see below.
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