On Sunday 15 December, Sheffield RC Racing Club hosted their most challenging event yet. A 5 hour team endurance event for GT Tamiya tub chassis cars running brushed electrics. The field was split into Pro and Am based teams, all of which had turned up with new GT body shells ready to be sacrificed to the racing gods. The track was a fast flowing circuit with plenty of room for overtaking, perfect for a Tamiya race class. The body shell concourse was won by P2P racing with their skilfully prepared Golf 24 body painted in the Racing Point F1 race team livery.
Just after 10AM the endurance started with MaccyDees AMG Motorsport setting a blistering pace, they were the only team to go for a TA05 chassis. The older chassis with the SLS body was flying, leaving Team Rubbins Racing and INITTOWINIT to battle over
second place. In the GT5-AM class (teams that had a junior or beginner in their team), Hobby Circuit were mixing it with the GT5-PRO teams as they led the AM class.
second place. In the GT5-AM class (teams that had a junior or beginner in their team), Hobby Circuit were mixing it with the GT5-PRO teams as they led the AM class. It was all change after the first hour though as MaccyDee’s had a major suspension breakage, Rubbins Racing had a minor wheel problem and INITTOWINIT were forced to make a motor change. This left Team’s Blazing Rotors and Crash & Burn to fight for the overall lead. Hobby Circuit continued to lead the GT5-AM class but everyone was finding it hard to keep their cars in one piece, it was going to be a very long race. At the mid way stage of the race both Blazing Rotors and Crash & Burn had started to encounter problems allowing Rubbins Racing to catch back up to make it a three way fight for the lead. All three teams sea-sawing with pace as different drivers took over the controls. In the AM class Hobby Circuit run out of their luck as a failed motor dropped them down into a very close group of GT5-AM teams. The class lead was changing every 15minutes during the middle of the race. The teams were having to hunt for missing driveshafts, replace destroyed tyres and even change out faulty electrics. There wasn’t a team in the pits getting away with a problem-free race, but everyone was still moving. 
In the final hour of the race, Blazing Rotors were looking in control with a 40 lap lead. Rubbin’s Racing were in second but had lost laps after a motor failure, with a new motor fitted they were flying. MaccyDees AMG were also back on form and chasing down the leaders. The win was still all to play for. Team SRC had now started to control the lead of the AM class after they got to the bottom of a drive shaft issue. The fast Hobby Circuit team were closing in though, it was going to be close if they both ran problem free to the end. In the last 15 minutes all three of the overall leaders battled minor issues. Rubbins Racing dropped further back from Blazing Rotors and had to defend hard from losing their second place to MaccyDees AMG. They managed to stay ahead by 4 laps, but it was Blazing Rotors day to shine as the completed 1119 laps to be GT5 2019 Winners. The GT5-AM battle was much closer as Hobby Circuit pushed hard to chase down Team SRC. But time went faster than they could race, leaving the local team to take the class win by just 9 laps!
The event was a massive success with all 11 cars making it to the finish after such a difficult challenge. The pit atmosphere was amazing, the cars looked fantastic and the racing was respectful. It was a very memorable race that will most likely be run again in the near future.
