Hillclimbing & Sprinting The Essential Manual

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1 Hillclimbing & Sprinting The Essential Manual Start Line and lights Finish Line and beam Finish clock display with speed trap figure (Courtesy Whatnonegatives) Start ramp position each car just behind a detector beam that runs over the Start Line.. As the driver sets off, the Strut breaks the start beam and the clock starts running.. As each car crosses the Finish Line it cuts a second beam and the clock for that car is stopped.. Dependent on the length of the course, up to four or even five cars can be spaced out round the track at any one time.. The elapsed time for every competitor is recorded and the fastest of each competitor s Timed Runs is used to establish which is the quickest in each class and overall.. Checking the times How do I keep track of the competition? At most venues the Organisers have digital clocks set up so that spectators can see the elapsed time, whilst a clock is usually placed some distance after the Finish Line so that drivers can also see their times.. Failing that, the times are 8

2 Hillclimbing & Sprinting The Essential Manual Ferrari Owners Club on parade A line-up of Moggies Locaterfields ready for the start one of these fabulous motor cars.. TVR, Triumph, Lotus, Morgan, Austin Seven, Porsche, Reliant, MG the list is quite substantial and you will find details in the relevant club magazine.. Having a slightly different slant on Speed Eventing is the Caterham Academy, which provides a great way to get into motor sport without massive outlay.. With this series you get tuition, guidance and test days, before building up to a series of Sprints and Hillclimbs, followed by races; a very cost-effective way of becoming a racing driver.. (Details in Appendices..) This kind of car the Lotus 7/Caterham/ Westfield/Sylva/etc kit-type minimalist sports car (nicknamed Locaterfields!) is probably the most popular in Speed Eventing, and gives stunning performance for minimal outlay, so representing excellent value.. The vehicles are generally road legal, so you can usually take them for a blast at any time traffic laws of the country permitting, of course or even drive them to and from events.. Many people do just that, though their carrying capacity for spares, tools and equipment is obviously somewhat limited.. So many of these cars are used in Hillclimbs and Sprints that there are several capacity classes, as well as the road-going and non-road-going divisions.. Other possibilities The classic car movement is huge in this country and, apart from the enjoyment of restoring and maintaining such a car, many owners also drive them enthusiastically.. For some, an occasional Sunday afternoon outing, or the odd fun run may not be enough, so a spot of gentle or not so gentle competition may be undertaken.. For these individuals, there is a lot of choice: however, an historic rally may be too rough and an historic race may be too risky, but a Hillclimb or Sprint could be just the ticket no risk of damage (unless you go off in the wrong place), and no-one else s accident to get 32

3 Trailers, awnings & motorhomes Home-built fabric cover Take a look around any Paddock and you ll see a variety of trailers.. Quite a few are home-made from scratch or have an enclosed top (waterproof material, wood or aluminium panelling) set on a proprietary chassis.. Both are popular and suitable options as long as you have the skills and facilities to do the job properly (take a close look at the Construction and Use Regulations), as they will certainly save you money and give you a trailer tailored to your specific car and needs.. If saving money is less of a consideration, there are some truly fantastic trailers around, with space, storage, nice loading features, side doors, internal lighting, cooking facilities, etc, etc.. Size is important, though, both internally (to take your pride and joy and its associated bits and pieces) and externally.. Bear in mind that you do have to (a) tow the thing, (b) manoeuvre it, some times in tight spaces, and (c) be able to park it somewhere safe in-between events.. Don t forget also that you ought to insure your trailer (and its contents) for your own peace of mind and check with your tow car insurance company that you are covered whilst towing.. Then there s the tow car itself.. If you don t already possess something with the required muscle for towing, give some thought to what you might need.. The ubiquitous 4 x 4 of today s idiom is a likely candidate; as well as having good internal space (you will need to carry a certain amount of kit with you on events), it is generally quite powerful and can easily pull a trailer, plus 4-wheel drive is useful for getting out of a boggy Paddock or trailer park.. A reasonably-sized estate car, or even a hatchback, will also suffice, though check the manufacturer s stated Plastic and aluminium box trailer A large box trailer Tow car 4x4 or estate? 45

4 Course Notes on British mainland Speed venues (Courtesy Bristol Motor Club) (Courtesy Itsmymotorsport) venues still in use within the British Sprint Championship.. Croft by Peter Herbert Whilst standing on the Brands Hatch podium, former Sports Car Champion, John Lepp, was asked to name his favourite track.. That it was Croft was as much a disappointment to his Kentish hosts as it was a measure of this north eastern outpost of English motor racing.. Used for Racing, Rallying, Rallycross, and Sprinting, it is here that Darlington and District Motor Club traditionally runs the British Sprint Championship opening round.. The 3..1kilometre/1..9mile Sprint Course uses most of the race circuit, from the starting grid to just short of the final hairpin.. Croft is gloriously flowing, so, to be competitive, it 71

5 Photo Gallery Roy Lane s brutal McRae GM1 at Harewood, 1975 Mike Dean sparks his way up Barbon Manor Graeme Wight Junior in the ultra-smart Predator at Craigantlet 93