First event advice..

[Dan Friel]

Err....

It's actually happening.. ok not racing. But rather sprinting / hillclimbing. Venue - Goodwood on the 26 May, followed by Gurston Down on the 10 June...(which scares me looking at it)

What have I forgotten to do, any usual first event cock ups to be avoided??

And what's the best way of making a timing strut, any ideas??

[Chris Y]

Just think through everything, prepare as much as you can before going, keep a cool head and don't let nerves get the better of you...

Oh, and don't forget your car

Good luck Dan, you'll do well

[josvandeperre]

Timing strut - mine is made of phenolic painted black attached to a metal bracket which then is mounted via an extended nut and bolt which holds the grille to the body

Start by finding a good mounting point and make a cut-out based on the rac book to include the height above the ground and then figure out what you have around the house to help - corn flake packets covered in felt tip attached to coat hangers gaffer-taped to the number plate have been used before....

Good luck !

[Truckosaurus]

I did my first hillclimb and sprint event over Easter and no-one could have been more ill prepared than me.

I bought my helmet and racesuit late on Thursday afternoon, just before the shop (GP Racewear @ Silverstone) shut up for the Easter break.

Thought I'd left the pack of race numbers behind in Cambridge, so had to take a detour from the ideal route from Dorset to Yorkshire, only to find they were in the boot of the car all along.

Had to stop and pick up a duplicate MoT certificate and new tax disc on the day before the event.

Had to buy some luggage straps from motorway service station to lash battery in securely.

Had to call in at Halfords on the journey up to Yorks to buy some matt black paint for the timing strut, painted and worked out how to attach strut on night before event. Found out strut was 50mm too low according to Blue Book.

Luckily everything worked out fine, no-one measured the strut, and the scrutineer was actually very impressed by the quality of the battery strap.

At the first event at Harewood someone protested the eligibility of one of the cars in our class, so they did a thourough re-scrutineer of the whole class, checking all that all the lights, windows, heater etc. worked and that the cars all had MoTs and insurance - so make sure you have all that with you.

About half the class got dumped into ModProd for various reasons, leaving only 6 people in the main class, I came a galant sixth, but made significant improvements with each run, so I was more than happy.

...and I didn't crash

[Slowcoach]

Good luck old bean.....

Right timing Struts - I simply went to the local hardware store/DIY shop and bought a small sheet of aluminium , you can cut it with a very sturdy pair of scissors or pliers - cut a wide strip and fold it to 90 degrees down its length,top to bottom - spray painting aluminium is difficult and messy , the easiest thing to do is just cover the whole thing in black tank tape - then drill two holes in one side to attach it to the front of the car (at the correct height) and you are away ! - One easy place I've found to attach it is to use one of the number plate retaining screws then simply drill another hole through the number plate just above or below.

Make a list of all the important things you will need , then load it all up at once ticking each thing of as u go and put your Lic.,Ins.,Membership cards etc in one folder and keep the whole lot together. Keep your timing strut in your crash helmet as you can't do without either.
If the weather forecast is bad put your numbers on the night before (when it's dry , but make sure you tape through them thoroughly)
A jack and a screwdriver will be your most important tools and a couple of big binliners to put all your gear in if it's raining whilst you are on the course.
If you get there early scrutineer ASAP as long queues often form later in the morning.

My advice for the first few events is not to let the red mist descend , just try and go a little quicker each time and concentrate on your own times rather than everyone elses .
Try and get there early enough to walk the course - it makes a big difference - walk it with or near to other drivers and listen to them discussing their lines.....

My first event we didnt even have to have overalls ! I just turned with a crash helmet and a lic. - the scrutineer only insisted on one thing - I had to take the hubcaps of my very old XJ12 - I came last by miles but had a great time.

[Dan Friel]

Well the idea is to come very last, but hopefully just get round.. Can't afford for the red mist to descend.. but may end up trying a bit on the last run of the day no doubt..

Good quality dramas Guy, like your style..

Cheers for the help, and wish me luck for a few weeks time..

[StacyVickers]

Originally posted by Slowcoach
Good luck old bean.....

BTW Is your Rover the old Tony/Simon Dickinson car, which had the TVR motor inserted ?

Stacy

[Slowcoach]

It is indeed 'that' car - I bought it engineless and had a new(old) tuscan engine put in , great engine and great car - just had bundles of trouble getting the two in harmony - think almost there now !! Now I just gotta get some experience and learn all the circuits - how things been going for you ?

[StacyVickers]

Originally posted by Slowcoach
It is indeed 'that' car - I bought it engineless and had a new(old) tuscan engine put in , great engine and great car - just had bundles of trouble getting the two in harmony - think almost there now !! Now I just gotta get some experience and learn all the circuits - how things been going for you ?

I enquired about that a while ago, looked a nice car.

Not too clever for me, I have reclaimed the car, spares and a fair amount of money from the prep shop. Absolute shambles. I'll miss Cadwell putting most of it right, but hope to be out for Brands on the 18th. I've bought another shell to do the job properly next year and will share the car with Will McAteer for the remainder of this while we develop it and get it to the position I wanted to be at this February..

You live and learn.

Stacy

[Slowcoach]

Well you have my sympathy - I have been going through exactly the same thing myself and have just started legal proceedings against the guy who installed the engine for a catalogue of mistakes ranging from the ridiculous to the downright dangerous which resulted in me doing only one race last year - no testing this year and a 'DNF' at Thruxton on Easter Monday.
Best of luck and hope to see you at Brands !

[StacyVickers]

Originally posted by Slowcoach
Best of luck and hope to see you at Brands !

Entry has been faxed off, possibly optimisticly, today. I'll be there from the Friday all being well.

Various things to correct before then though, for example brakes, steering and exhaust are all shambolicly done. There are further faults which I'll publicise once I've corrected them.

Here's an example for you - A hole had been cut into the transmission tunnel under the drivers seat to fit the propshaft in the wrong place, and the exhaust. The exhaust runs at very very high temps on the rotary and they had covered this abortion up with a flammable rubber bung and a bit of wood - all under the seat which was mounted on a corroded part of floor with supports not to MSA spec.

My own funeral pyre. I kid you not.

The running theme seems to be that if it couldn't be bought off the shelf, or a simple bolt on assembly job it just wasn't done.

Stacy.

[Tony Harman]

Hi Dan - good luck mate.
Things to remember ?
1. Why you are there ? - To have FUN !
2. Get there as early as possible, you don't want to be pressured for time.
3. Walk the circuit - immensely valuable.
4. Licence and paperwork, most other things your can beg or borrow in the paddock.

Come back and tell us about the great first time out victory !

[Dan Friel]

Now you're just being silly, trophy for being last perhaps...

I'm there to have fun - totally.. I'll be there early, 'marshal early' (rather than racers swaning in half way through the morning as per usual..)

I'll let you know what happens..

[Chris Gamlin]

One last thing Dan, take about 4 thick coats and loads of hot coffee as Goodwood seems to have it's own micro-climate, always about 10ºC below anywhere else on the South Downs.

Good luck!!

Chris