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 First
launched in 1997, the Pickup series is for purpose built 230bhp racing
specials. A tubular space frame chassis follows well-proven SHP Motor
sport principles and the racers are pushed along by a 2 litre
multi-valve twin-cam engine. Weighing in at just 900kg, these dramatic
machines place the emphasis firmly on driver ability.
The racing is fast and furious and the racing Pickups have won the
hearts of race fans and drivers alike. Several of the leading
drivers consider the Pickup to be the finest racing machine to
date to be
created at SHP. They
 are
a joy to drive and simply beg the driver to give the throttle a
further prod to kick the back end out of line. Progressive power
over steer and beautifully balanced handling makes the Pickup a
racer to be enjoyed, whether you are at the front or back of the
field.
But the spectacle is not just about the racing Trucks. Aboard the
Trucks are some of the real characters of British Motorsport.
Fiercely competitive on the track, they are friendly and
approachable off the track. These are the guys who will
 sign
autographs and pose with the young race fans for photos. They are
the characters from which folk heroes are made and are always the
real stars of the show.
Back
in 1994 Sonny Howard first had the idea of proper racing Pickups
but it was so radical at the time that nobody would have done it.
Sonny knew however
that he could build a proper racing machine that people
 would
be queuing up for. "We wanted to take a piece of America and
transport it back to England, but we created something that could
also work in Europe."
Some
of the purist racing is found in Pickup Trucks. Door handle to door
handle with no quarter asked or given, Pickup racing is frequently
breath-taking and the sturdy Truck i s a great racing machine. There
is a saying in America that goes along the lines of 'if you ain't
rubbin', you ain't racin'. It was an expression that could have been
coined for the Pickups. The sheer closeness of the racing ensures
that the Trucks race mere inches apart, sometimes even
closer, but this does not indicate poor driving standards. The
drivers have a mutual respect and they will give each other just
enough room, but not an inch more than is absolutely necessary, of
course!!
 Dates this year
include several visits to Rockingham Motor Speedway in Corby, an
American style oval the Pickups have waited eagerly for, an
opportunity to thrill the crowds at the Truck Grand Prix at the
Nurburgring in Germany plus a few other venues in the UK. |
