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Planning a Club Championship
By Graeme Adams
It is said that everything needs a plan. Well if that’s the case - here is a quick overview of how to win ‘your’ class in the club championship, the speed and/or the non-speed championship or indeed the club championship itself. If you think about it and consider the overall series of events you will realise there are a number of ways to be successful.
By inspecting the points gained by the winners in the last few years, you will have a fair idea of the number of points that will be needed to be competitive.
A quick overview of the events tells us that the events are in three general categories; static events like the Concourse, non-speed events like Motorkhanas; and Speed events including Sprints and Hill Climbs.
At this point you need to refer to the current Competition Rules that are posted on the Club Web Site as they change from time to time. This will tell you your cars class, the number and type of events that are counted for the year along with the point’s structure for outright and class placings.
Reference then needs to be made to the Club Competition Calendar to see if that fits in with your other work and family commitments. You can approach from the “grass roots” end as then a powerful car is not required, but that does not mean you cannot have fun at a speed event; the Rob Roy Hill Climb would be a great place to start; and provided your car is in good roadworthy condition you will not do any harm to it.
All forms of motor sport cost money but if you come from the grass roots end the cost will be minimal. For those who have the a speed ambition along with the time and budget the Club events can be a stepping stone to MG Racing but then the costs will multiple very quickly.
Another question that you have to answer is what tyres? With the one tyre rule it means that you have to stay with the same tyre type. Any change in size or ‘grip’ will result in your points being counted as if you were in another car. In all cases a quick check of cars at an event of your liking will give you an idea of what others have chosen.
Often the best approach is to jump in and enter the event of your choice; that’s a great (only) way to gain hands on experience. The Competition Register is another place that you will find any number of people who will be only too willing to assist and answer just about all your questions. Remember at the start you are really only competing against yourself and you will be surprised just how quickly you will improve once you get started.
As an aside, many of the past winners have spent a good deal of time and effort in "learning the craft" over a number of years via our Club Competition and you only have to ask any of them for assistance.
Graeme Adams - 8/18