58 - Darren Smith

Class: A

Team:

The driver is preparing his profile

Although he see Sports/Saloons racing as good fun, his passion lies with TVR and he races in the DTEC series as it is a great opportunity to have some good races in the company of like minded people.
 
He started with track days in a Chimaera 500 and a succession of cheap hot hatches (mainly Peugeot 309 Gti’s) in 2001. He still has the Chimaera and still does track days, but bought his Challenge Tuscan in 2005
 Anglesey.

 

He rates Anglesey as the ultimate track, stating that it has everything Oulton has – Speed, Contours, Technicality, Views and great memories, but Anglesey adds the drama of being on the coast as well.

 

Outside of his racing Darren finds time to run his business to pay for the racing Training, Classic cars, Track Days and TVR events in the Chimaera. He has just finished rebuilding another Tuscan also to race in DTEC.
 
The car is TVR Purple Pearl and for 2011 it is now back to the original width 250 tyres and the car now runs totally original Tuscan Challenge spec.
 
The fuel injected 4.5 ltr TVR AJP V8 Challenge Spec engine is mated to a T5 gearbox and produces around 425 bhp for its 950 kg.
 
It was a TVR Works car from new, build No RA9712 in 1998 for Bobby Verdon Roe.
1999 TVR Tuscan Challenge Championship wining car driven by Ian McKellar.
2000-2003 TVR Tuscan Challenge driven by Ben Samuelson.
2004 TVR Tuscan Challenge driven by Ben Samualson and other factory guest drivers.
2005 TVR Tuscan Challenge ceased, and car sold by factory.
2006 -2011 driven by Darren in BARC NW Sports/Saloons, Dunlop TVR Challenge and AMOC Super GT races. It still races as No58 and in the original TVR Works colours.