Welcome to the December 2023 JB Data Engineering Newsletter.
AS 2023 draws swiftly to a close, welcome to the JB Data Engineering season review!
Wow! What a year this has been! We’ve provided data engineering services to teams in the GT Cup Championship, the Fun Cup Endurance Championship and the TCR UK Touring Car Championship, worked as Data Scrutineer for the British Endurance Championship and Britcar Trophy, tested with Revolution Race Cars and JWB Motorsport and supplied our range of data and video logging equipment to teams up and down the paddock.
We haven’t stopped since pre-season testing got underway in March and we wanted to share some of the highlights with you as well as express our thanks to everybody we’ve met in 2023!
2024 is just a few days away now so if we can can help you in anyway as you start to prepare for the new season, please contact us on +44 7717 562169 or by email. We’d love to hear from you!
GT Cup
GT Cup Championship racing is always highly competitive and the 2023 season was no exception. JB Data Engineering was delighted to be invited to join Make Happen Racing, which evolved into Morpheus Racing towards the latter half of the season, for their two-car assault on the GTH (GT4) title. Stephen Walton and Chris joined forces to pilot the team’s #69 Mercedes MG GT4 while Jon Currie was partnered with ex-Lamborghini factory driver Phill Keen for the 22-race season.
The GT Cup Championship season is demanding on teams, drivers and machinery. Spread over seven weekends with typically four races per weekend, the pressure is always on to make sure that cars are turned round quickly for the next race and that drivers are coached and prepared for their next challenge.
After 26 races, Stephen and Chris secured the GTH title with 449 points, 39 points ahead of Jon and Phil. The success of the team was, in large part, due to the effort and investment they put into testing outside of the race weekends. With track time limited at the circuit due to the tight scheduling of GT Cup Championship weekends, the opportunity to work through issues on the cars and give each driver the opportunity to develop their skills without pressure meant that each race weekend was approached in a calm and planned manner.
As a result, Stephen and Chris secured 12 class podiums during the season, including five GTH victories, while Jon and Phil stood on the podium on ten occasions and took two class wins.
The key element in making the GT Cup Championship such a fantastic championship is the effective use of Balance of Performance, enabling older generation cars to compete against newer machinery with no fear that they will be outpaced just because they are not current generation. ‘Just turn up and have fun’ is the key message to anyone considering a GT Cup Championship campaign.
JB Data Engineering was delighted to be have been part of Makehappen Racing / Morpheus Racing for the 2023 GT Cup Championship and would like to extend our most grateful thanks to Stephen, Chris, Jon and Phil for the invitation. We very much hope the team will be back on the grid in 2024 and that we can join them to defend their title.
TCR UK
JB Data Engineering provided a variety of services to the the TCR UK Touring Car Championship as well as across the paddock. We were delighted to be present at Brands Hatch for the season finale, providing data analysis support for Carl Boardley, Jenson Brickley and Matt Wilson as well as supporting teams throughout the paddock on what was a thrilling final weekend.
TCR UK shared the weekend with the BRSCC Formula Ford Festival, a championship in which many professional race car drivers first cut their teeth. Scheduled in late October, the weather can often be unpredictable and so it was with torrential rain on the Saturday. Sunday, however, was fine and dry and with five drivers in contention for the TCR UK title led by Carl Boardley in the #41 CBM with Hart GT Cupra, track action was always going to be highly competitive.
Jenson Brickley, at the wheel of #246 Cupra, took pole for the first of Sunday’s two contests, lapping the 1.9 kms of the Indy circuit in 48.283 seconds, just over a quarter of a second ahead of Callum Newsham. Alex Ley, sixth in the championship standings going into the final weekend, completed the top three.
Brickley was unable to take his position at the front of the grid due to a mechanical problem so Callum Newsham led the field away with Carl Boardley in fourth. Boardley was passed but only needed to finish in the top six to take the title so drove a considered race as Chris Smiley and Alex Ley battled it out at the front.
Smiley retired with a power steering issue and, as the chequered flag came out for Alex Ley, Boardley was in fourth and took sufficient points to ensure that the Ipswich-based businessman was crowned the TCR UK Touring Car Champion for 2023
Race Two saw some very unfortunate contact on the run down to Graham Bill Bend on the opening lap, resulting in a lengthy red flag period as cars were recovered. Thankfully nobody was injured but two slow formation laps before the restart meant that cold tyres caused more off-track moments and retirements. Jac Constable brought the #11 Rob Bostin Racing Gen II Audi RS3 home for the win, followed by Jenson Brickley in the #246 Cupra. Alex Ley completed the podium finishers.
2023 has seen the bar raised in TCR UK competition and the racing has been extraordinary. JB Data Engineering has been proud to have been involved in the championship and supporting this season’s champion Carl Boardley. We very much hope to return to the paddock next season.
Fun Cup Endurance Championship
We have been involved with the Fun Cup Endurance Championship for many seasons now and were delighted to be asked to work with Eddie Farrow’s EDF Motorsports for two rounds of the 2023 season, both at Oulton Park.
EDF had three cars on the grid for the four-hour enduro in July with Simon Coles and Rob Croydon qualifying their #212 car the best of the trio. Coles and Croydon started 10th in the overall grid and fifth in the Masters category with Vlad Vassiliev and Matt Dorkings starting from 14th overall in the #246 car. Gary Summers and David Farrow, son of team owner Eddie, started the #104 car 16th on the 21-car grid.
All three cars made it to the chequered flag with the #212the best of the EDF entries, Coles and Croydon coming home fifth overall and second in the Masters category.
JB Data Engineering returned to work with EDF Motorsports for the Fun Cup Championship season finale at Oulton Park in October where the Lincolnshire-based team enjoyed mixed fortunes. Vassiliev and Dorkings brought the #246 car home in 12th place overall and 6th in the Masters category with the #104 and #212 cars finishing 10th and 11th in class in Race One. In Race Two, Simon and Rob finished 6th in class, one place ahead of Vlad and Matt.
Fun Cup racing reminds us very much of racing in the European Le Mans Series where the four-hour race format allows for different strategies and anything can happen with safety cars. The fact that the cars are very close in performance, drivers vary in experience and championship entry is good value means that the racing is always hard-fought.
Our collaboration with EDF Motorsports is more than just racing; it’s a testament to resilience and precision in the face of challenges. Navigating the demands of Fun Cup cars, we showcased not only the skill involved in data and video analysis but also the unwavering spirit of JB Data Engineering. As we reflect on the achievements of 2023, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to EDF Motorsports for the invitation to be part of their Fun Cup journey.
The chequered flag may have fallen on 2023 but the thrill of the season is etched in our memories!
British Endurance Championship
Data scrutineering is probably one of the less visible roles over the course of race weekend but is vital if competitors are to have the confidence that the technical regulations are being applied correctly and fairly.
JB Data Engineering was proud to have been invited to be part of the data scrutineering team for the 2023 British Endurance Championship and Britcar Trophy. The championship, coordinated by Claire Hedley and her team, is the perfect entry into GT and endurance racing for amateur drivers with its one-day, multi-class format. With BEC grids approaching 20 cars for most rounds and with six or more classes racing, the on-track action was always spectacular and every race weekend was great fun.
Team Hard, with its Porsche 991 Cup entry, secured the overall British Endurance Championship title, finishing just four points ahead of the Venture Innovations Mercedes-AMG GT4 while Rhys Lloyd and Jack Meakin in the Dragon Sport Renault Clio secured the Britcar Trophy by less than 20 points from William Puttergill in the CH Racing Honda Civic Cup Type R.
It was great to see how the competitors across both championships embraced the concept of data scrutineering. Our cloud-based solution allows for quick collection and review of data and the role is clearly seen as helping level the playing field and making sure that everyone can compete with confidence.
The British Endurance Championship and the Britcar Trophy have played an important role in the growth of JB Data Engineering and we look forward to hopefully continuing that relationship for many years to come.
Testing
Testing is an important element of the work of a data engineer and we were delighted to be invited to join Nick Beaumont’s JWB Motorsport as the team tested its Porsche Cayman GT4 at Silverstone in June. We supplied data and system support which is always fun on a car as capable as the Cayman GT4. We also provided support to Revolution Race Cars at Zolder and Spa-Francorchamps in August when potential customers were invited to test the team’s lightweight 820kg sports prototype.
Later in the season, Reflex Racing invited JB Data Engineering to be part of their team when they tested their Ligier JS2 R. Reflex was the first team to bring the Ligier JS2 R to the UK after it was launched in 2018 and the test at Snetterton was a great opportunity to understand this fantastic car, inspired by the 1972 JS2 which was described at the time as having the best power-to weight ratio of GT cars of that period.
If JB Data Engineering can support you during your 2024 testing programmes, please call us to discuss how we can help.
Equipment Supply
JB Data Engineering specialises in the supply, fitting and maintenance of data logging, racing lap timers and data acquisition systems for race cars and motorsport.
We are authorised suppliers of products by AiM, Ecumaster and VBOX Automotive. In addition to supply and fitting, we can also train you and your engineers in the correct operation of any equipment, ensuring that the return on your investment is optimised throughout the season.
In 2023, we introduced a number of new products, including the ECU Master PMU-24 DL, the SmartyCam 3 Dual and the RaceSense Digital tyre pressure gauge. Click here to view the full range of products that we can supply.
If you’re looking to upgrade your data acquisition systems in readiness for the new season, call us now on +44 (0) 7717 562169 to discuss the latest developments and see how we can support you.
Thank You!
As we approach the final days of 2023, JB Data Engineering wants to express sincere gratitude to the incredible teams, drivers, championships, suppliers and friends who made this year such an overwhelming success.
It’s been an exhilarating 12 months and as we gear up for the upcoming season, we’re excited to bring our wealth of experience, effectiveness and reliability to the forefront. If you’re currently in the midst of planning for the new season and searching for a partner to enhance your racing experience, your search ends here.
With the start of the 2024 racing season only a few months away, our calendar is filling up quickly. Reach out to JB Data Engineering now via phone or email to secure your spot and discuss how we can contribute to achieving your racing goals next year.
Finally, let’s raise a glass to another year of triumphs on the track and meaningful partnerships. Let’s make 2024 a season to remember! We’ll be answering the phone and checking our emails throughout the Christmas and New Year period so please call us on +44 (0) 7717 562169 or email jordan@jbdataengineering.co.uk if we can help in any way.
All the best, JB Data Engineering