Pedal car racing is a circuit racing endurance sport in the United Kingdom, in which teams of up to six drivers race single-seater human powered sports cars in races of up to 24 hours in length. Four team members share the driving (increasing to six in 24-hour races), with each completing as many laps as they can before handing over to the next driver. Therefore, the races are very similar in style and tactics to endurance sports car races across the world.

Origins

The races grew from the National Scout Car races, which started in 1939 and resumed after the war in 1950 with several large scale races. There is evidence of a 24-hour race in 1968, as captured on film by British Pathe.

British Pedal Car Championship

First run in 1998, the British Pedal Car Championship is a series of endurance races taking place between late March/early April and September/October every year in the UK. Typically, there are 7 or 8 races totaling just over 60 racing hours, including the Shenington 24 hour race in June, where double points are awarded. The championship has evolved into 7 or 8 rounds from its early days, and is now held at mostly Kart tracks around the country, usually starting at Wombwell and ending at Curborough, with the prestige 24-hour race held in June at Shenington. The championship is organised and run by the British Federation of Pedal Car Racing. The races in the current race calendar are: (as of 2024)

Classes

There are eight classes in pedal car racing.