Hillclimb / Sprint Regs

[Dan Friel]

Having competed in sprints / hillclimbs over the last couple of years, one thing really amazes me - the difference in the regulations from championship to championship and event to event.. for example, some standard classes allow any road tyre, whereas some allow only those on the 1a list - this can be a huge difference in performance..

Does anyone know how this situation arose? And although it's tricky to achieve, are the MSA making any efforts to standardise the regs across the country?

[Anuauto]

Since 1994/5 time all significant English regions except the ASWMC have been List1A for roadgoing vehicles. Consequently people living where you do need two sets of wheels/tyres to be competitive (or three if you include your local hillclimb which, uniquely, doesnt run roadgoing classes). ASWMC differs in capacity classes too. Their 1800cc split rather than 2000 used elsewhere was described by their long-time Sec as being intended "to cover the modern cars people buy now". Quite apart from the fact that motorsports people are more likely to buy the 2000 homologation version rather than the 1800 European tax break version of a model, the class has always been dominated by 35 year old overbored Ford engines in old cars!
The MSC has agreed new std roadgoing regs to replace the ones in the Blue Book for several years that no one used. Since they did not listen to advice from properly-experienced people, no one will use these either because they have production minimums that conflict with what has been used in regions for about 13 years.
Why? Because MSC committees are still not democratically elected and the Hill Climb and Sprint Sub-committee has arguably only ever had one member who understood the wider issues and facts on roadgoing vehicles in speed events. You can contact the new MSC Chairman via the MSA web site and tell him if you like.......

[Dan Friel]

So a general lack of co-ordinated thinking!

You rightly point out that it points me in a tricky situation, do I:

1. Enter the ASWMC but need sticky Yokos! (or run uncompetitively)
2. Enter the ASCMC running on 1a – but then run at events where classes don’t seem to match these regs.. and I don’t seem to be overly inspired by the sprint calendar this year.
3. Would like to run at Gurston (just down the road) – but then I need slicks and a Modified car! Presumably they get enough entries to ignore standard cars??

What I actually intend to do, is mix up the events I do this year just to get some experience at selected venues (Wiscombe / Gurston). What I need to do is fix the MGB sitting in my garage and run in the MGCC championship this year… calendar looks pretty good this year and I would get to most of the venues that I like to the look of.

Considering that the MSA has to ratify all of the regs, you’re right in saying that it’s them that needs telling!

[ss_collins]

daft innit - common regs should be nation wide. I even think it would be possible for some classes to work across different disciplines.

Formula 1000 would work in Rallying, speed events and circuit racing.