Caterham Graduates Racing Club


Caterham Graduates Racing Club is a British motor-racing club for privateer racing drivers in Caterham Seven type cars.

History

The Caterham Graduates Championship was started in 1998 by competitors from the 1997 Caterham Scholarship. For the first year it was called the Graduate 797 series. In its first two years, it was a multi-discipline series, with the rounds being made up of sprints, hillclimbs, and circuit races, similar to the Caterham Scholarship format. The emphasis moved more and more towards circuit races, and from 2000-on the series has been entirely circuit races.
In 2001, following the Caterham Academy's change to Rover-engined cars, the championship launched a second class named Super Graduates, based upon an uprated K-Series Academy car.
In 2003, the Super Graduates class was further upgraded and renamed the Mega Graduates. A replacement Super Graduates class was created to accommodate standard ex-Academy cars with Rover K-series engines.
In 2007, the "Graduates" class was rebranded "Classic Graduates".
In 2010, Ford Sigma-engined cars were introduced as a sub-class of Super Graduates. From 2011 onwards, the Sigma cars have been a separate, 4th championship class.
In 2013, a 5th championship class was introduced for variants of the Ford Sigma-engined cars - SigMax. This allows suspension and engine upgrades in line with the Caterham Tracksport and Supersport series.
The series is one of the largest in the UK, if not the largest, with well over 100 registered competitors. The competitors come from a variety of backgrounds - a number have "graduated" from the novice Caterham Scholarship and Academy series, whilst many others have made it their first foray into motorsport.

Racing

The Caterham Graduates race series takes place over a number of races meeting each year at UK and European . The races are usually run over 20–30 minutes and the leading car across the line after the time has expired is the winner. Wherever possible, each class starts on its own grids, but on larger grids it is usually necessary to combine two or more classes. The events are typified by close wheel to wheel racing, often having several lead changes on the same lap.
In Super Graduates and Mega Graduates, points are awarded thus: 40 for a win, 39 for 2nd place, 38 for 3rd place, right down to 2 points for finishing 39th or lower. It is 30 points for a win in Classic Graduates and Sigma Graduates, as they generally have slightly smaller grids. And even a driver who fails to finish will still earn one point. At the end of the season, drivers drop their lowest three scores, to allow for missing a race or two, or a "DNF".
In addition to the standard MSA motorsport rules, the club operates a Driving Standards function which ensures that the close racing is fair and safe for all.
The club's racing is organised through the BARC.

Car Specifications

The cars in the series are genuinely road-going, although Mega and SigMax Graduates spec is moving away from this with the deletion of lights, and indeed a few are driven to and from races. Many are used by drivers mid-week for transport to work and for shopping, needing no more than the covering up of competition numbers to make them road-legal. No changes from the standard specification are allowed, putting the emphasis firmly on driving ability rather than car development and set-up. Along with low consumable costs, this keeps the costs of running a car very much under control, making it one of the most cost-effective ways to go racing. The large grid sizes are a testament to this low-cost formula.
Current classes are:

Classic Graduate

1600cc Ford or Vauxhall engined Caterham Sevens with a live axle, from the Caterham Scholarship or Academy 1995 - 2000. These cars are fully road legal and produce around 100 bhp.

SigMax Graduate

Uprated 1600cc Ford Sigma-engined cars from the 2008 Caterham Academy onwards or 2009/10 Roadsport B. No lights or windscreen, widetrack suspension, controlled engine upgrades and lightened flywheel.

Mega Graduate

Uprated 1600cc Rover K-series Caterham Sevens with independent rear suspension from the Caterham Academy 2001 - 2008. These cars are semi-road legal and with controlled modifications produce around 140 bhp.
All classes run on road legal tyres. Classic Graduates race on MSA list 1A A539s, whilst Sigmas, Supers, Sigmax and Megas use the stickier list 1B A048R

Affordability and Technical Support

Affordability is a key ingredient to Caterham Graduates racing. Strict regulations allow only limited modifications and work on the sealed engines is limited to nominated engine builders - and - for Sigmas and K-series only - Caterham Cars.
Other ways the club promotes affordability include limiting the amount of tyres the drivers can use through the season, providing race-day catering as part of the drivers' membership fees, and encouraging drivers either to stay on-site at the circuits or in budget hotels locally.

Race Numbers

Race numbers 1 - 49 go to Mega Graduates, 51 - 69 to Sigma Graduates, 71 - 99 to Classic Graduates, 101 - 149 to Super Graduates and 151-199 to Sigmax Graduate cars.
The lower race numbers represent a driver's performance in the previous season, as the first ten numbers in each class are reserved for those finishing in the previous year's top ten. For instance, Ian Anderson's number 171 indicates that he came 1st in Sigma Graduates in 2011. Higher numbers go to those who are new to the championship or class.

2015 Racing Calendar

YearClassChampionRunner-upThird
2017SigMax GraduatesOliver GibsonJamie EllwoodJames Russell
2017Mega GraduatesDeclan DolanGlenn BurtenshawRoger Ford
2017Super GraduatesToby BriantAndy Molsom-
2017Sigma GraduatesJon HarmerBen Winrow-
2017Classic GraduatesGraeme SmithRobin WebbPeter Tattersall
2016SigMax GraduatesDylan StanleyLee BristowScott Lawrence
2016Mega GraduatesOliver GibsonLuke CooperGlenn Burtenshaw
2016Super GraduatesEd BensonToby BriantAndy Molsom
2016Sigma GraduatesDavid WebberJamie WinrowJason Gale
2016Classic GraduatesSteve McMasterGraeme SmithRobin Webb
2015SigMax GraduatesNeil ShinnerDylan StanleyMick Whitehead
2015Mega GraduatesOliver GibsonGlenn BurtenshawAndy Skinner
2015Super GraduatesToby BriantMartin KayGareth Cordey
2015Sigma GraduatesNigel BoardJason GaleAndrew Outterside
2015Classic GraduatesGraham SmithSteve McMasterTrevor Harber
2014SigMax GraduatesJeremy WebbMick WhiteheadNeil Shinner
2014Mega GraduatesAdrian RussellBrett RayTom Overton
2014Super GraduatesToby BriantMartin KayJonathan Miller
2014Sigma GraduatesTristan JudgeScott LawrenceZoltan Csabai
2014Classic GraduatesGraham SmithStu ThompsonGraeme Smith
2013SigMax GraduatesJeremy WebbIan AndersonMick Whitehead
2013Mega GraduatesJamie EllwoodAdrian RussellDave Hewitt
2013Super GraduatesDylan StanleyToby BriantGareth Cordey
2013Sigma GraduatesAmanda BlackSteve HumphreysYolande Humphreys
2013Classic GraduatesGraham SmithAndrew OuttersideStu Thompson
2012Mega GraduatesMyles PackmanNick HaryettNick Frost
2012Super GraduatesDylan StanleyNeil ShinnerToby Briant
2012Sigma GraduatesIan AndersonIan DybleBill Scott
2012Classic GraduatesDave PearsonJustin CoxGraeme Smith
2011Mega GraduatesMyles PackmanMick WhiteheadPaul Manyweathers
2011Super GraduatesReece SomerfieldDylan StanleyNeil Shinner
2011Sigma GraduatesIan AndersonIan DybleJohn Gil
2011Classic GraduatesJohn ParkerRowan WilliamsGraeme Smith
2010Mega GraduatesPaul TurleyMyles PackmanDavid Shaw
2010Super GraduatesJames SibbetJamie WaringDaniel Malkin
2010Sigma GraduatesReece SomerfieldJohn GilIan Dyble
2010Classic GraduatesGraeme SmithCharles FitzhughJohn Parker
2009Mega GraduatesJamie EllwoodJames BarlowAdrian Russell
2009Super GraduatesTrevor NewmanDavid PearceMick Whitehead
2009Classic GraduatesFlick HaighGraeme SmithAdam Bettinson
2008Mega GraduatesJamie EllwoodAndrew EnnisGeorge Longmuir
2008Super GraduatesTrevor NewmanEdward BensonJames Sibbet
2008Classic GraduatesGraeme SmithAdam BettinsonCharles Fitzhugh
2007Mega GraduatesJamie EllwoodOliver JacksonMike Welburn
2007Super GraduatesAndrew VickersAndrew EnnisJames Sibbet
2007Classic GraduatesGraeme SmithTrevor NewmanJonathan Vamplew
2006Mega GraduatesGuy HalleyMartin AmisonPaul Hudson
2006Super GraduatesCharlie HuntTrevor NewmanAndrew Ennis
2006GraduatesGraeme SmithAndrew SmithAndy Coombs
2005Mega GraduatesMatthew BurrowsMartin AmisonGeorge Longmuir
2005Super GraduatesJamie EllwoodRory YoungPaul Manyweathers
2005GraduatesMartin OxboroughGraeme SmithRob Draper
2004Mega GraduatesJamie EllwoodChris BattenGuy Halley
2004Super GraduatesMalcolm BarnettNick HaryettMatthew Gillbanks
2004GraduatesAndy AdsheadToby BriantGarry Kennedy
2003Super Graduates A Simon LambertJamie EllwoodSteve Knox
2003Super Graduates B Andy BaylieRussell VeitchAlan Williamson
2003GraduatesCharlie HuntEdward ChinnJames Campbell
2002Super GraduatesSimon LambertJon BarnesMac Apostolides
2002GraduatesRachel GreenSteve KnoxGeorge Longmuir
2001Super GraduatesNelson RoweRupert WhyteSteve Ruston
2001GraduatesJamie EllwoodPaul ManyweathersTimothy Evans
2000GraduatesDavid WilliamsRupert WhyteSteve Ruston
1999GraduatesDavid WilliamsChristian MarryatRoger Wilkin
1998GraduatesDavid WilliamsNick HaryettNick Frost

Notable Past Champions

About a dozen or so companies have their branding across each of the 100-plus racecars, and on the club's website .
Relatively few of the drivers have individual sponsors, although this is permitted.