By Paul Rachwal
Wednesday, Jul 18th, 2012 @ 11:58 am
 
The Ariel Atom, once described by the controversial Jeremy Clarkson as "little more than some scaffolding and a seat," will get its own race series in the U.K. in 2013. The Cup Spec cars will be modified and have 300 horsepower from Honda's 2.0-liter, inline-four Type R engine.

There will be eight races featuring the identical cars, with the same Yokohama tires and even a spec fuel for the series each car has to burn. The race series was started thanks to a partnership between Ariel Motor Company and Atomic Race Management, AutoCar reported.

Compared to the standard cars, the racecars will get roll-over protection, race instruments, and suspension from specialist Ohlins. It will have similar, if not better performance, than the standard car, which weighs just over 1,000lbs and can accelerate to 62mph from a standstill in 3.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 150mph.

Options on the race cars will include a stainless exhaust manifold, a carbon fiber instrument panel, an FIA-approved passenger seatbelt, and a data log system.

Racers will have three packages to choose from: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Bronze (£63,835 or about $99,600) includes the race car and race entry for all eight races along with access to the hospitality tents. Silver (£71,985 or about $112,300) adds tires, fuel and a track assistant that will help set the car up for every round. The Gold package (£83,580 or $130,400) will have the most worry-free racing experience, as it adds car storage, transport, and maintenance.

The Spec Race Atom one-make series is running in the U.S. since 2010, with U.K. drivers also able to participate.