Club Historic Racing - Page 3

Robert Farrell · 22 Dec 2010, 14:16 (Ref:2807393)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

What is club motorsport? Is it "run what you brung with no safety gear"? well that wouldn't work so it must be a series of races that people who don't get paid to race, enter whether the organiser is a "club" or a "promoter".

I would assume that "Club Motorsport" is that run by clubs for the benefit of the members of that or other invited clubs. The other form, commercial events are run by promoters for the benefit of the promoters.
I think, usually, there is room for both types of event. However, 2011 is starting to look rather crowded.
Club events usually cost less than the "Promoter" events. This does not neccessarily mean that Club events are better value. You pays your money and you makes your choice. "Market forces dear boy"

Al Weyman · 22 Dec 2010, 14:20 (Ref:2807394)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

That's because it was a 4l triple webbered version. Zef et al I wasn't suggesting that anyone was taking a moral high ground. Just pointing out that self prep is just an option.

Very quick and very scruffy though

MartinSmith · 22 Dec 2010, 15:37 (Ref:2807417)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Very quick and very scruffy though

Peter is very quick and very scruffy?.....mmm Im losing this convo

Al Weyman · 22 Dec 2010, 16:19 (Ref:2807430)

He was talking about a 4 litre triple Webber Carbed Capri owned by Francis Butcher which quite frankly looked an out and out dog but was very fast and deceptive compared with the way it appeared.

midgetman · 22 Dec 2010, 17:30 (Ref:2807454)

>>>>>>>>>>now we have a motorhome its exactly what we're going to start doing again

Strewth, motorhome deffo puts you out of clubbie league then, you pro-driver you

Club racing I think is a state of mind rather than a state of wallet. It's the cameraderie of the race, sharing a beer afterwards, eating together. It's lending out your spare engine so your rival can get a race. It's looking round the attractions at a race meeting, going off and watching other races, not just going back to the pit/hospitality/hotel. It's HAVING FUN!

Would some of the "top end" historic racers qualify? I don't know, I don't move in those circles. There are some who are definitely having fun, and that to my mind makes them club racers...

Equally, there are some self-professed club racers who I've never met despite being at the same meetings, and who seem to take themselves just that bit "too" seriously.

zefarelly · 22 Dec 2010, 17:34 (Ref:2807457)

Funny you say that midgetman . . . . when you see the oval racers and some of the 'other side' as it where. they have some enormous rigs

that may be because its their house though!

Brian A · 22 Dec 2010, 17:43 (Ref:2807462)

Quote:

Originally Posted by compte deGraves

I was really looking forward to going to Spa and Nurburgring again this year but I have just been informed that Formula Juniors are not going to either. Bummer.

If you hadn't got rid of the Elite, you could have joined us at the Spa Summer Classic in June.

As it's just up the road from you, you could always come and spectate

Robyn Slater · 22 Dec 2010, 17:56 (Ref:2807468)

Quote:

Club racing I think is a state of mind rather than a state of wallet. It's the cameraderie of the race, sharing a beer afterwards, eating together. It's lending out your spare engine so your rival can get a race. It's looking round the attractions at a race meeting, going off and watching other races, not just going back to the pit/hospitality/hotel. It's HAVING FUN!

Thats exactly what club racing is for me.

Mike Bell · 22 Dec 2010, 18:40 (Ref:2807484)

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetman

Club racing I think is a state of mind rather than a state of wallet. It's the cameraderie of the race, sharing a beer afterwards, eating together. It's lending out your spare engine so your rival can get a race. It's looking round the attractions at a race meeting, going off and watching other races, not just going back to the pit/hospitality/hotel. It's HAVING FUN!

Well put Max!

MartinSmith · 22 Dec 2010, 18:54 (Ref:2807495)

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetman

Club racing I think is a state of mind rather than a state of wallet. It's the cameraderie of the race, sharing a beer afterwards, eating together. It's lending out your spare engine so your rival can get a race. It's looking round the attractions at a race meeting, going off and watching other races, not just going back to the pit/hospitality/hotel. It's HAVING FUN!
.

SPOT ON - if this was a captions contest...YOU WOULD HAVE WON WITH THAT STATEMENT

Lancsbreaker · 22 Dec 2010, 19:09 (Ref:2807500)

Have to agree with verticallychallengedman

too - I've only raced with CSCC, although I used to go along to a lot of my current race-partner's races when he was running with 750MC, and most of the people involved in all those meetings seem to be there for the fun of it, and don't wave their wallets about......its all about the battles with those about you, and the mutual p155-taking

As for the question of busy forums...as I have an interest in Alfas ( I make my living out of breaking them) I keep thinking of racing one of them, so pop into the ARCA forum from time to time.......its like tumbleweed city, even in the racing season - I guess because of the numbers involved in the series, and as I said earlier, and someone else pointed out, the small percentages of racers likely to venture onto the forums......

As just one other point - does "Derwent" really exist - or just pop in to throw a stone and watch the ripples........doesn't appear to have commented after the original post.......

grantp · 22 Dec 2010, 22:02 (Ref:2807542)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefarelly

I've seen you operate a trolley jack, wave gaffer tape about etc, . . . . .

Hmm. Sounds like a 'Pro' sort of activity to me .....

Especially the gaffer tape.

grantp · 22 Dec 2010, 22:24 (Ref:2807548)

I'm slightly concerned about a club racer having a spare engine that might be loaned to another competitor.

<Clears throat.>

Back in the day one might have most of the bits for parts of spare engines but an entire engine? Surely not? Sounds a bit 'professional' to me.

The whole idea, or so I thought, was to operate on a shoe-string (if one could afford a shoe-string) and if anything went wrong on the day you just fixed it or rebuilt it (an engine or gearbox for example). Good planning meant having a conforming road car on hand that could be stripped for any necessary parts . (Best if it was someone else's car.)

As for individuals with big rigs and motorhomes ... well, what can one say?

zefarelly · 22 Dec 2010, 22:58 (Ref:2807556)

GrantP, he had WD40 as well, AND insulation tape.

the motorhome ( read big camper van) is instead of holidays, twas the wifes idea, who am I to argue . . . .

I have a spare engine . . . . took me a year or two to collect all the nice bits . . . then I sold it and built another and it sort of snowballed from there, think I've got a few now, then it was spare gearbox parts, a spare gearbox, diff . . . then well I've got the parts, I just need another project to put them in . . . oops a car, where did that come from!

Paul D · 23 Dec 2010, 00:41 (Ref:2807571)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefarelly

GrantP, he had WD40 as well, AND insulation tape.

WD40 AND insulation tape?

That constitutes a works team in my book, no way can he claim to be a club-racer!

grantp · 23 Dec 2010, 00:46 (Ref:2807574)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefarelly

GrantP, he had WD40 as well, AND insulation tape.

Conclusive proof.

I assume I don't need to ask if he was wielding a lump hammer?

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefarelly

the motorhome ( read big camper van) is instead of holidays, twas the wifes idea, who am I to argue . . . .

No way would one risk everything (or even anything) arguing against that suggestion. Or, indeed, any other coming from that direction really.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefarelly

I have a spare engine . . . . took me a year or two to collect all the nice bits . . . then I sold it and built another and it sort of snowballed from there, think I've got a few now, then it was spare gearbox parts, a spare gearbox, diff . . . then well I've got the parts, I just need another project to put them in . . . oops a car, where did that come from!

Well, given the extended time during which this activity has taken place that os, almost, similar to and 'in advance' version of paddock panic fixing - without the panic of course. Much more in tune (as it were) with the spirit of club racing than one might, for instance, consider to be the case for anyone who arrives with a large cheque book and a pantechnicon.

There are, of course, some notable exceptions to my observation above where the chequebook and the truck are accompanied by passion and deep involvement (though it may stop short of extensive technical hands on actiity.) There is still space (in the paddock) for that approach I think - given some passion for the racing and, in the context of Historic racing, the historic perspective of the cars.

**Peter Mallett** · 23 Dec 2010, 05:06 (Ref:2807617)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul D

WD40 AND insulation tape?

That constitutes a works team in my book, no way can he claim to be a club-racer!

It was a moment of madness in 2005. I promised then not to repeat the aberration and thus far I've stuck to that promise.

Mike Bell · 23 Dec 2010, 05:57 (Ref:2807623)

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetman

Club racing I think is a state of mind rather than a state of wallet. It's the cameraderie of the race, sharing a beer afterwards, eating together. It's lending out your spare engine so your rival can get a race. It's looking round the attractions at a race meeting, going off and watching other races, not just going back to the pit/hospitality/hotel. It's HAVING FUN!

Just going back to the above and Grant's last paragraph. As part of a 'very big plan' I hope to travel in 2012 (if survive until then

) with a bigger truck that can live in as well- for extended periods. But will still be building, preparing and driving own car(s), still be on pitwall helping mates when they are racing, still be lending and borrowing, still be having a beer afterwards in the paddock..... And as with Zef's motorhome, the extra running costs of the truck will more than cancel out hotel and commuting expenses

zefarelly · 23 Dec 2010, 08:24 (Ref:2807638)

With a 5 year old in tow its the only way Mike, costs no more to run that a car. Hotels and chaufering a little team about is a logistical headache, not to say pricey at any level, I think Roger can vouch for that (only other person I know with a little team that races)

You don't earn a decent racing budget doing an ordinary 9-5 job and you don't go racing on a beans budget without putting the hours in, so I think I can safely say for all of us is to get to the circuit with an entered working car, any car, requires a lot of hard work.

How tired one feels at the end of an event is testament to that, JR's grin and bleary eyes at the end of LMC was memorable, or most of us at the end of the 6 hour day, An HSCC/CTCRC one dayer is a long one with travel, that last 20 miles home . . . . the very fact you prattle on to friends or colleagues even the wife about that overtake, or drift, or even win of any description is testament to the fun factor, which is why we bother.

A very worthwhile investment for personal wellbeing

Happy bolooming christmas!

simon drabble · 23 Dec 2010, 08:28 (Ref:2807641)

Racing is too expensive to do it half cocked - for that reason I prefer to be run by a team.
If that stops me being a clubbie so be it.....

midgetman · 23 Dec 2010, 09:29 (Ref:2807654)

Quote:

Originally Posted by grantp

I'm slightly concerned about a club racer having a spare engine that might be loaned to another competitor.

As for individuals with big rigs and motorhomes ... well, what can one say?

When we did FISC it was 3 races over three days, and spare engines to various states of tune were common. As was lending them. Mind you the cost of an A series is peanuts I'll admit compared to proper race engines. Also I had three sets of wheels, dries, inters and wets, which I suppose puts us into the pro league but were swapped between mates as needed. But with tyres 160 set Inc vat, buffing and fitting it wasn't a big investment. Mind you, I needed time to change to wets as they were the trailer's road wheels

When my car was wrecked at Zandvoort, before it got back home I had the offer of loan of a complete car for the next race at Dijon.

So Grant, at club level it does happen!

Re the motorhomes...I confess to being a hotel tart, with a camping-hating wife and a 7 year old it wasn't an option to stay on site. But the cost of hotels was substantially less than a motor home! For the 360 I was on my own and my motorhome was the back of my 406 Estate.

midgetman · 23 Dec 2010, 09:30 (Ref:2807655)

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon drabble

Racing is too expensive to do it half cocked - for that reason I prefer to be run by a team.
If that stops me being a clubbie so be it.....

Not by my definition it doesn't, as long as you play nicely after the races with the other boys

grantp · 23 Dec 2010, 13:47 (Ref:2807746)

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetman

.... the cost of an A series is peanuts I'll .... three sets of wheels, dries, inters and wets, .... swapped between mates as needed. But with tyres 160 set Inc vat, buffing and fitting it wasn't a big investment. Mind you, I needed time to change to wets as they were the trailer's road wheels

When my car was wrecked at Zandvoort, before it got back home I had the offer of loan of a complete car for the next race at Dijon.

For the 360 I was on my own and my motorhome was the back of my 406 Estate.

You see all this is fine for Club/Cooperative status with one aspect being balanced by another.

(Relatively) Low cost engines and tyres, using the wheels and tyres on the trailer (could only be bettered if the car WAS the trailer imo) and sleeping in the back of the tow car are all good examples of club level expectations, making up for the occasional hotel stay.

Robyn Slater · 23 Dec 2010, 18:46 (Ref:2807845)

Quote:

sleeping in the back of the tow car

Been doing that this year.

I must be a clubie

grantp · 23 Dec 2010, 19:03 (Ref:2807858)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robyn Slater

Been doing that this year.

I must be a clubie

I suppose the only more qualifying scenario would be driving the race car to the circuit and then in the absence of a tow car, sleeping in it too!

Volvo estate maybe?

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