YRC History

In the beginning

Biographies always start from ‘humble beginnings’ and YRC’s story is no different. Sat in an exhibition hall in Birmingham at the annual racing car show, Autosport International, Hannah (that’s me) cooked up an idea to start a racing team. It was a cunning plan!

All too aware of the challenges of seeking out corporate sponsorship, I decided to try something different. Involve racing fans through a subscription club and commemorate their membership by putting their name and an image of their choice on a race car. YourRacingCar.com was born.

Begging and borrowing to scratch together the funding to establish the club, the website was up and running within four weeks of that day and plans were afoot to collect a car, register in a championship, recruit a team and go racing…so who was going to drive for this upstart outfit?

Rumours of the new team filtered through the motorsport fraternity as fast as rocket fuel and knowing me from my days at SEAT Sport UK when Fulvio was contesting the SEAT Cupra Championship, he made the call. He presented a suitably bulletproof argument as to why it was his name that ought to be on the YRC entry form and the decision was made.

2009 – Chapter #1

Ginetta G50 was the YRC steed of choice for 2009. Hordes of racing fans joined the YRC club throughout the season and enjoyed the candid approach we took by revealing the truth behind each and every race weekend this year. The bunch of valuable perks and benefits offered to members by YRC partners was a bonus but the real deal for the YRC fans was seeing their name and picture on the race car.

 

 

2010 – Chapter #2

With the recession taking hold of the country by the neck, asking people to renew their membership to YRC was a big ask but sign up again they did and with an eye on the British Touring Cars, Fulvio and I decided to move into the Renault Clio Cup to give the team some front wheel drive experience. With the support of 49 small business owners, we managed to rustle up the budget but half way through the season, things weren’t going to plan. Changing TV schedules, one set of rules for some teams and another for others and constantly moving goal posts meant that YRC had a big decision to make. It was tough but we believe in racing and sport and enjoying ourselves and this was not fun.

We left the championship exactly half way through and gained the support of the YRC members and our sponsors to enter the BTCC for a one-off weekend. Every single penny we had went into that weekend at Silverstone and it opened our eyes to a new world for YRC where if we wanted to stay, we were going to have to ask bigger businesses for help. And that’s when AmD Milltek Racing knocked at the door.

2011 – Chapter #3

A full year commitment in the BTCC was a dream come true for YRC. With Shaun Hollamby’s support, it was all possible and we headed into the 2011 season with high hopes. The member’s pictures still adorned the roof of the race car and with the YRC Dome trackside at the majority of the race weekends, the YRC community was strong.

However, in an extraordinary turn of events, the superstar driver we had on board, Tom Onslow-Cole left the team, the BTCC regulations were changed for the umpteenth time and even with a brilliant new racer (Martin Byford) on board, we didn’t stand a chance against the big boys. What a season that was!

2012 – Chapter #4

We listened to the feedback of YRCers and something interesting was emerging… and here we are… heading into the 2012 season with a return to our roots.