Robinson Race Cars was founded in 1984 by Andy Robinson. Andy has a rich history in both motorsport and engineering/design.
In 1974, during an engineering apprenticeship, a college lecturer had suggested Andy try marshalling circuit races as a pastime. Marshalling at nearby Blackbushe, he found himself attracted to the Run What Ya Brung activities of local hot rod and custom car clubs, something not available in the circuit racing world. A home-built, high-riding Ford Zephyr was his first serious racing machine and won him his first title, the NDRC Allcomers Street Championship at Long Marston in 1981.
A Chevy Monza followed, and then a Ford Sierra Sapphire, Andy’s first venture into the burgeoning Pro Mod scene to take on leading contenders of the day such as Tim Cook, Dave Mingay, Dave Warne and Dave Pollen. In 1992, a custom-built workshop launched Andy’s career as a professional racing car constructor. On the track, an innovative Rover 800 coupe dominated the Pro Mod scene, winning national championships in 1997 and ’98, and was replaced by Andy’s best-known car, the purple, flamed Studebaker Commander, first in unblown nitrous form, then adopting the supercharged methanol power the team employs to this day. The Studebaker won three MSA Drag Racing Championships.
Its replacement, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro debuted in 2013, has notched four more MSA Drag Racing championships.
In the workshop, activities have gone from strength to strength, RRC building race and championship winners in various categories including:
Masters Pre '66 Touring Cars
Masters Gentleman Drivers
U2TC Pre '66 Touring Cars (under 2 litre)
Super Gas Drag Racing
Super Comp Drag Racing
Street Eliminator Drag Racing
Outlaw Anglia Drag Racing
MSA/MSUK Pro Modified Drag Racing
Formula Student
RRC has also constructed multiple cars that have won the SPRC Best Appearing Car Award. In 2018 Andy was inducted to the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame, an award that coincided with his 30th year in Pro Modified Competition. Andy's son Luke Robinson joined the company in 1998 at age 14, firstly on a part time basis while he completed his studies at GCSE, HNC and degree level, becoming a full time member of the team in 2009 after gaining a Honours Degree in Mechanical Design and Engineering.
Andy and Luke work closely with their 8 person staff to provide racers the highest quality components and race cars and also provide hands-on tuning advice to several teams currently competing within the UK and European Drag Racing Scene, Luke having won the coveted James Edgar Memorial award for Outstanding Crew Member twice in his career. Andy and Luke both sit on the UK Drag Racing Technical Committee and are both authorised SFI inspectors. Andy is also a member of the MSUK Speed Events Committee.
