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Updated 06-Jan-2007
An introduction to Motorsport
There is a huge range to choose from to suit all tastes & budgets. Below is a resume of various forms of motorsport offered by many Motor Clubs throughout the UK. Some Clubs will specialise in a particular discipline, but they all should be able to put you in touch with the right people.
Marshalling | Auto Tests | Treasure Hunts | Navigational, Road Events & Scatters | Stage Rallies | Sprint, Hillclimb & Race | Photos
Marshalling – No Motorsport event would exist
without marshals, it is a great way to first get involved with the sport.
You don’t have to own a car or even be able to drive and it’s not going to
cost you a lot either. Club members marshal at all types of motorsport events,
Classic Car runs, Production Car trials, Autotests, Stage & Navigational
Rallies, Sprints, Hillclimbs, Races, at Club, National & International
levels, locally, throughout the UK & Europe. You can get as involved as
you wish. If you just want to go out on the odd local event or wish to progress
through the ranks to event organisation, there is a wide range of training
available from First Aid & Fire Training to Event Officials & Organisers.
Best way to get started is to join your local Club & buddy up with some
experienced marshals.
Driving Tests (Auto Tests), Gymkhana’s & Production
Car Trials – Grass routes Motorsport, ideal for a low budget. You
can use any car with absolutely no modifications (may be best to take the
shopping home first – if you don’t want your frozen chips to defrost). Many
clubs run these as fun Summer events. A field or car park, a few cones, a
route around the cones and a stopwatch.
Production car trials involve driving up a hill between markers, the further
you get the less penalties.
There are Regional & National Championships compete in if you wish &
some very specialist cars too.
Treasure Hunts – A family afternoon out, use the shopping car, put the kids in the back & off you go. You will be given a set of route instructions with questions to answer (sometimes cryptic) whilst you are travelling around the route and usually some “Treasure” to collect, points will be awarded at the end, nice to finish the events with a BBQ.
Navigational, Road Events & Scatters –
Everything from the Table top rally (a good way to begin), to 12 Car Navigational
Exercises, Road Rallies, Classic Car & Regularity Events and Road Rally.
The Table Top Rally is a bit like a board game, usually held in the back room
of a Pub or Village hall, you plot a route on a map from a selection of route
plotting methods. A 12 Car Nav-Ex (as they are called) is putting the Table
Top Rally into practice, you plot a route and drive it, around the route,
made up of several sections, there will be Marshal points (Controls) and Code
Boards (Letter or Number boards, usually cut up number plates) for you to
make a note of, this is to prove that you have driven the correct route, there
is also a timing element. Road Rallies are logically the next step up, generally
for the more experienced, longer events, sometimes with more complex navigation
& timing. Regularity events are similar again, but the emphasis is on
Average Speed, You Have to plot a route & average the given speed around
the route, you have to arrive at the controls at your allotted times, but
you do not know where on the route they are. Navigational Scatters basically
a treasure hunt with no set route, you are given a number of map references,
you plot them and visit them in the order that you think will be the most
efficient, to prove that you have visited the locations you will either be
asked a question about something at that location or there will be a code
board with letters or numbers on it, just note it on the check sheet and proceed
to the next location.
Stage Rallies – You have all seen the World
Rally events on the TV, obviously that is the top flight, very expensive,
for the top few drivers & navigators. But every last one of them started
Rallying at a lower level, You can start at the Entry level the Club Stage
Rally. A one day event for about 60-70 cars 40 or so Competitive miles, in
various classes, usually part of a local/regional championship and just using,
in the main one venue. Next up is the National Championship events, one or
two day events, lots more miles, using more venues. More often than not these
events are held on a disused airfields or MOD bases, or areas of woodland
& country estate roads.
From this the progression is to the International Status events also covered
on TV, again yet bigger events, using forestry or closed roads. Also expensive
to enter & take part. From there World Rally.
If you are really into Stage Rallies but cannot afford it, how about helping
out someone else, join a Service Crew/Support Team, you don’t necessarily
have to get your hands dirty, they may need someone to drive the van or make
the Sarnies.
Sprint, Hillclimb & Race – Sprint & Hillclimb can be a cheap way to start off, racing generally costs more, you can use your own road car with a couple of safety modifications right up to a second hand F1 car (if you can afford it) Sprint’s & Hillclimb’s are short speed trials, usually upto about a mile maximum. The venues are anything from airfields & stately homes to a Sea Front Promenade to a Purpose built Circuit. There are various classes in each type of competition, to suit your choice of vehicle & the size of your wallet.
Whatever your motorsport interest maybe, your local Motor Club will
be able to guide you in the direction you choose. The vast majority of Clubs
in the UK are affiliated to the Motor Sport Association, they are the UK motor
sports governing body, the clubs organise events in accordance with the Rules
& Regulations of the MSA who issue event permits & competition licences.
The best way to find your local Club visit the Motor
Sport Association Website www.msauk.org or look in the Yellow pages.