What happened to Slick 50? Current Equivalent?

[HoTWire]

Whilst I'm asking questions ... I was talking to my dad whilst we were at Combe at the weekend, we were wondering what happened to Slick 50 Saloon Championship.

One of the things that appeals about the 70's Road Sports championship is the extra points for driving to the circuit, which used to be an integral part of the Slick 50 series. To my mind it encourages people on a budget to get involved in racing, it can be really intimadating to go into a paddock and there are all these very professionally set up teams with their purpose built trucks and mobile homes. The whole atmosphere of Slick 50 seemed geared towards getting people to 'have a go'.

Does it live on under a different sponsor? Any equivilent series?

[Al Weyman]

Well I can tell you that Tim Dodwell who used to run it and posts here and will probably reply shortly is now racing with the Classic Touring Car Racing Club Pre 66's and was out at the weekend with us in his Mini at Donington and will not have it any other way and still drives to the circuit. I personally am not convinced having run in the championship years ago and being stranded when I wrecked a car 200 mile from home at Oulton in fact it was this that prompted two of us both stranded to start a rival series. I also think race cars are race cars and road cars are road cars and both are incompatable. For a start would you really want to use a hard race brake pad that requires a bit of heat in them before they work properly on the road especially as it could be miles of motorway before you used them and they would be stone cold. Also the tyres could be shot and illegal after a good hammering around the track and any other problem that may beset you. My car and people both sides of me suffered various engine and gearbox problems at the weekend and none would have been able to make it home under their own steam.

However I also know Tim will disagree with this outlook as we have had many a friendly discussion on the subject. :-)

BTW there is a thread running called Road Saloons where are they now or something, do a search as its an interesting read.

[AR-CoolC]

Wasn't the Slick50 what now is the Stock Hatch in the 750MC?

Or am I thinking of something else?

[Al Weyman]

No you are thinking of something else. :-) Also I have Slick 50 Road Saloons to blame for getting me into this lark. I was driving down to my mums in Cromer a long time ago and about three of them came blasting past on the A11 and I thought I want some of that!

[HoTWire]

Al, I see what you're saying about race cars being racing cars and road cars being road cars. However the landscape of hobby level motorsport has changed in the past 5 or 6 years. People are regularly going to track days now, carrying spare sets of wheels, taking a friend along in case they smash up/break down.

What I think Slick 50 provided was the stepping stone from that, untimed, not hugely regulated etc. into actual competative motorsport. A gateway drug if you will.

I'll have a look up of the thread, would be interested to know what happened to the cars, I really enjoyed watching it running at Brands Hatch waaaaay back when.

[Colin McKay]

In the 80's didn't Classic & Sportscar mag run a series for novice drivers in which you had to drive the car to the track? I remember being tempted to have a go, nearly bought a GT6 for it, then chickened out (or kids came along, one or the other) and it took me 30 years to get around to it!

[Caramba]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

In the 80's didn't Classic & Sportscar mag run a series for novice drivers in which you had to drive the car to the track? I remember being tempted to have a go, nearly bought a GT6 for it, then chickened out (or kids came along, one or the other) and it took me 30 years to get around to it!

I was on my way to marshal at the Classic meeting at Combe last Sunday when I was passed by a red GT6 on the way to the circuit just before the Severn crossing. Not you by any chace ?!

[Al Weyman]

What I think Slick 50 provided was the stepping stone from that, untimed, not hugely regulated etc. into actual competative motorsport. A gateway drug if you will.

Dunno about not regulated I think they were over regulated and thats one of the reasons I and a partner in crime started a rival championship, Modified Production saloons!

[HoTWire]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Dunno about not regulated I think they were over regulated and thats one of the reasons I and a partner in crime started a rival championship, Modified Production saloons!

Poorly worded on my part,.. I meant that track days are not hugely regulated and that something like an equivilent to Slick 50 would be a good stepping stone from the world of Track days to the world of actual competative motorsport.

Right now it is easier for me to start Hillclimbing as there are classes set up a real entry level. In circuit racing since the death of Slick 50 as a championship there is a gap between the keen enthusiast and the person with a car out there racing, and it looks like a big gap standing on this side of it.

[Alan Cherry]

Originally Posted by HoTWire

Poorly worded on my part,.. I meant that track days are not hugely regulated and that something like an equivilent to Slick 50 would be a good stepping stone from the world of Track days to the world of actual competative motorsport.

Right now it is easier for me to start Hillclimbing as there are classes set up a real entry level. In circuit racing since the death of Slick 50 as a championship there is a gap between the keen enthusiast and the person with a car out there racing, and it looks like a big gap standing on this side of it.

Try contacting Graham Bahr on this forum. He writes the regs for the BARC TinTops - steel bodied saloons, limited mods, have to run on road tyres, and did mention the possibilities of an even more production based class - trim etc etc. Don't know if it's still on the cards or not.
My proper 'race saloon' (Astra) is unwell at the moment - dropped valve or something, and I don't really have time to repair it at present, so I'm running what is basically a bog standard (sub standard) Rover 220 turbo Coupe. OK it's got different springs and shockers , and a cage. but I'm out there having fun. BARC Tintops (although I've missed a few rounds) and a few rounds of the RCN (but on slicks and different front pads) have done the Spa round in june, and i'm off this friday for saturdays round at the 'Ring. You can always pick a series like BARC Tintops or CSCC Tintops, and just get out there - you can develop the car and yourself as time goes on !

Sorry - should have mentioned - the RCN has a historic (H) class that the Rover fits into (pre 1995) so you will not be up against the latest mega hot hatches etc - I would guess sports car are ok, as they run Porsches in the series.

[Colin McKay]

<I was on my way to marshal at the Classic meeting at Combe last Sunday when I was passed by a red GT6 on the way to the circuit just before the Severn crossing. Not you by any chace ?!>

Nope, I'm now in a Mk2 Jag which enjoys a trailer ride to meetings. Must be something genetic though, because the son-who-wasn't-born way back then lusts after a GT6