Sprints /Hillclimbs
Please
note that this is only a brief outline of what is involved. If you want to know
more our club nights are a great source of information and there will always be
someone there who will answer any questions you may have.
What is it?
A sprint is usually held on a racetrack, airfield
or sometimes at a stately home (e.g. Lydden Hill, Debden or Longleat). Cars set
off one at a time and compete against the clock. You usually get a couple of
practise runs followed by a number of timed runs, with your best timed run to
count. Being time based you can compete against your own ‘previous best’ or
more normally others running in your class of car.
Some of the easiest events
to get started on are those held on airfield circuits such as North Weald,
where cones are used to mark out the course. One of the benefits of this type
of course is that it is usually fairly difficult to hit anything solid (it is
however possible, if you try hard enough!).
Hillclimbs are very similar to sprints, but take place on a
private road or drive that, not surprisingly, runs uphill (e.g.
The simple definition of a
hillclimb is a sprint where the finish is higher than
the start!
What do I
need to get started?
Age
17 [with
a parent or guardian present] or 18.
Paperwork
Club
membership card (7oaks or invited clubs, see individual regs) and a non-race
National B licence available from the Motor Sports Association (MSA) for £34. For cars running in production classes, the MOT
certificate, insurance and tax.
Vehicle
There are numerous classes
for a great variety of vehicles although constraints on some venues may mean
that not all classes are allowed. For example, some venues exclude
single-seater racing cars over two litres. There are classes for most road
going vehicles and it is fairly common for cars in production classes to be
driven to and from the venue.
Useful
items/modifications
You will need an MSA
approved helmet and fire-retardant overalls. There is no requirement at present
for a roll cage in production classes, but if one is fitted it needs to be of
an approved type. Cars in production classes will need current tax, insurance
and MOT.
What will
it cost
Entry fees are currently between £50 and £100 an
event depending on venue.
What can
I enter
The club runs a
championship of 16 rounds of which 10 count. There are also many other sprint
and hillclimb events to which our members are
invited.
The down side - possible pitfalls.
You will be driving at a
higher speed than is possible on the road and the cars can, and do, sometimes
break. If you have driven to the event it may need to be taken home by trailer.
If you are using a road
car then either the performance on the track or the road manners of the car
will be compromised, you can’t have it both ways!
You will get less ‘track
time’ per £ than say a ‘track day’ but you do get the ‘competitive element’ and
events are often won and lost over fractions of seconds.
As with any form of motor sport, although they are
rare, accidents can happen. You must be aware of the risks and accept them, if
you are to compete.