I am Stephen George, the founder of George Racing Organisation an amatuer Motor Sports team based in South Hertfordshire, England. I won't bore you with a personal resume, but I will say that I am not wealthy and that contrary to popular belief you do not have to have vast amounts of money to compete in some types of Motor Sport.
The history of GRO is best told through it's cars and so this page gives a brief run down of our vehicles in chronological order.
MG BGT V8 Pardon Hairpin, Prescott Hillclimb 1985
Triumph Spitfire 1500. Year Raced 1987. Class Modified Sports up to 1600 cc. The arrival of the Spitfire also signaled the begining of a long friendship and partnership with Mark Andrews from North London. Together Mark and I stripped the Spitfire to it's component parts, lightened it and rebuilt it as a 'Modsports' car. Most major components were changed or altered including suspension, differential, wheels and tyres and of course the engine was massively modified. In fact the engine may have been a little too modified because when we got the traction right the crankshaft and bearings couldn't take the strain. This misfortune at the end of the 1987 Season did however lead to greater things.
Triumph Spitfire 1500. Start Straight Prescott Hillclimb 1987
PMF 01 Toyota 1600. Years Raced 1989 - 1990. Class Racing Cars up to 1600 cc. The demise of the Spitfires engine in 1987 led Mark and I to search for an alternative power unit. We chose a Toyota 2TG 1600 cc Twin Cam unit as fitted to Celica and Corolla GTs in the mid 1970s. One reason we went for the Toyota was cost, a good condition, low mileage engine from Japan could be bought for a fraction of the cost of any of it's European counterparts. In addition the engine was used as a basis for the Formula 3 Novamotor which had dominated F3 from 1976 to 1984. As such there was a host of tuning parts available also at comparitively reasonable prices. We had obtained the engine and had begun to prepare it and the Spitfire when the chance came along to buy a Single Seat Racing Car, the PMF 01. To be fair it was in an awful state when we bought it as a rolling chassis, but we loved it and over the course of a year brought it back to life. The PMF 01 was actually an interesting car, designed by well known Speed competitor Peter Fisk and built at Hawker Siddley's Hatfield factory in 1968, it was based on parts from a Cooper Formula 2 car. Mark and I fitted it with our Toyota engine and a Hewland transaxle added our own bodywork and went racing. Although a little short in it's wheelbase for the power and weight of the engine, the PMF 01 gave us our first class wins and taught us a lot about racing Single Seaters.
PMF 01 Toyota. "The Cross Over" Prescott Hillclimb 1989.
Reynard SF79 Stark Toyota. Years Raced 1991 - 1993. Class Racing Cars up to 1600 cc. The Reynard SF79 started life as a Formula Ford 2000 car, although when it came into our possession it was fitted with a 1600 cc Ford Kent to run in Formula 4. Mark and I fitted our Toyota 2TG which by now we had developed to such a degree that it developed 180 BHP and we felt justified in calling it a Stark Toyota. We changed the wings and shock absorbers on the Reynard and went racing. It has to be said that Adrian Reynard does design a good Race Car and ours was no exception, a joy to drive the Reynard was fast, nimble and forgiving. With it Mark and I dominated the South East Speed Championships taking two Class Championships, two Seconds and two Thirds in three years. On the way to these results we both collected a good haul of silverware.
Reynard SF79 Stark Toyota. Paddock Bend, Brands Hatch 1992.
Maco 278 NES Toyota Novamotor, Years Raced 1993 - 1999. Class Racing Cars over 1600cc. The Maco represents the last Race Car that Mark and I shared. Although our friendship remains, Mark's business commitments have forced him to retire from racing and I could not manage to run the Maco alone. Although not as successful as the Reynard in terms of championship results, the Maco is the pinacle of our Motor Sport. In technical terms the Maco was a quantum leap over the Reynard and it's professionaly built 2000 cc engine producing 240 BHP and Mark Bailey prepared Hewland Gearbox provided it with exilarating performance. As with most minor formulae Race Cars of it's era the Maco could be easily adapted to run as either an F3 or F2 car. Mark and I tried both variants before settling for a mix of F2 wheels, suspension and wings with F3 bodywork. Over the six years we owned the Maco, Mark and I amassed a number of trophies including several FTDs (overall wins) numerous class wins including one at the Brighton National Speed Trials and placings in a few top ten run offs. Fittingly the last meeting before we sold the Maco netted it's last trophy for Best Herts County Member.
Maco 278 in F3 form. "The Hairpin" Longleat Hillclimb 1993
Maco 278 in F2 form. Finish Line Valence School Hillclimb 1995