First time sprinter

[Galveston]

Hello,

I've foolishly entered a couple of sprints this year, one in a couple of weeks and one in May. I'll be using my bog-standard Clio 172 Cup, running in the "road going series production" class.

I've done a fair bit of club motorsport in my time so I'm not a complete noobie, however I've realised that I have no real idea how sprints are organised and feel it would be helpful to fill a few gaps in my knowledge before the big day. So here are some questions for those with a bit more experience than me...

1) Will my runs be grouped together, or is it (as I imagine) that I'll do one run, then wait while everyone else does theirs, then do my next run, and so on?

2) Are competitors asked to marshal between their runs?

3) Will the entry be seeded? If so, how? Do plebes go first or last?

That'll do for starters.

Thanks, Rob.

[Vocal Minority]

Galveston said:

Hello,

I've foolishly entered a couple of sprints this year, one in a couple of weeks and one in May. I'll be using my bog-standard Clio 172 Cup, running in the "road going series production" class.

I've done a fair bit of club motorsport in my time so I'm not a complete noobie, however I've realised that I have no real idea how sprints are organised and feel it would be helpful to fill a few gaps in my knowledge before the big day. So here are some questions for those with a bit more experience than me...

1) Will my runs be grouped together, or is it (as I imagine) that I'll do one run, then wait while everyone else does theirs, then do my next run, and so on?

2) Are competitors asked to marshal between their runs?

3) Will the entry be seeded? If so, how? Do plebes go first or last?

That'll do for starters.

Thanks, Rob.

1 and 3 will depend on organisers, but in my experience

1). You'll do one run, then everyone will have a turn, then you'll do your next runs

2). Definitely not

3). Generally road going classes go first, but inside the class I don't think they are ordered particularly

[Trev450]

In addition to the answers already given, if the sprint is a round of the British Championship then production classes go last.

[LordHaveMurci]

Never sprinted but have hillclimbed my 172 Cup many times, you're going to have a blast

[mozzerS]

Nothing "foolish" about that! 172 cup will be a great production class car.
Agree with other answers.
Where are you sprinting?

[Galveston]

Thanks for the responses - I'm feeling a bit more like I know what to expect now!

mozzerS said:

Nothing "foolish" about that! 172 cup will be a great production class car.
Agree with other answers.
Where are you sprinting?

The "foolish" bit is about having done no research or prep. With 2.5 weeks to go until Sprint No.1 I've hardly given it a second though - 2016's being a bit too busy so far.

The first sprint is at Hullavington, and the second at Llandow.

[Galveston]

Vocal Minority said:

1). You'll do one run, then everyone will have a turn, then you'll do your next runs

Follow-up question... are you given a time to arrive at the start 'control' (you might be able to tell that my background's rallying) for each run? Or do you have to keep an eye on what's going on and turn up when it seems about right?

I'm over thinking this aren't I...?!

[df76]

Galveston said:

Or do you have to keep an eye on what's going on and turn up when it seems about right?

Correct!

[mozzerS]

Ahh I see what you mean.
At some events there's a paddock marshal to give you the heads-up warning to get ready and then call you for your run. Not sure about Craven MC.
Otherwise, most events run in number order so just keep an eye on the lower numbers before you and be ready to follow on. As has been said, chances are you will go fairly early as you are production class. Should show all that on the entry list.

[Roadru77er]

Most events run in number order and paddock parking is also in number order so when the guys around you start getting ready join them it's a bit like a Mexican wave around the paddock.

[denisb]

2) Are competitors asked to marshal between their runs? - Has been known, but would be unusual and only if they are desperately short of marshals.

[Trev450]

Galveston said:

The first sprint is at Hullavington, and the second at Llandow.

I would guess that you are doing the ASWMC championship in class A3 then, in which case is one of the same championships as me. I'm not at Hullavington as doing Combe the day before, but should be at Llandow in May. I'm class A4, white Evo RS - I'll keep an eye out for you.

[Galveston]

Thanks all.

Next daft question... what's the start system? Is there a countdown system with a green light as per rallying, or is it an "in your own time" set-up like AutoSolo?

Trev450 said:

I would guess that you are doing the ASWMC championship in class A3

I haven't registered for the championship, just picked a couple of local-ish events to dip a toe in the water.

[Trev450]

Start system is preceeded by the marshals lining you up exactly in line with the timing beam, and when the light goes green you usually have about 10 seconds to get underway before it will return to red.

[skeggysteve]

Just incase I thought I'd tell you to fit a the timing beam splitter to the front of the car.
Good luck and keep it on the black stuff!

[Galveston]

I've got the timing strut sorted, but perhaps it's a good idea to run through the list of other stuff I need to do/take...

Licence and club card
Timing strut
Helmet (need to get a new one as my old rally hat has been culled by the MSA)
Overalls
Fireproof gloves (but weirdly not boots)
White door squares and numbers (although looking at lots of photos on the web most people don't seem to bother with the white backgrounds...?)
Tyres (from List 1a for Hullavington and 1b for Llandow)
A sticker to show which way the ignition key turns off (because they're all different, obviously).

Anything else? Do I need a tarpaulin to park on and a spill kit?

I'm currently weighing up whether to drag along the other-half with another car full of tools and stuff, or just to travel light in the Clio. The latter approach may benefit my relationship.

[LordHaveMurci]

Galveston said:

I've got the timing strut sorted, but perhaps it's a good idea to run through the list of other stuff I need to do/take...

Licence and club card
Timing strut
Helmet (need to get a new one as my old rally hat has been culled by the MSA)
Overalls
Fireproof gloves (but weirdly not boots)
White door squares and numbers (although looking at lots of photos on the web most people don't seem to bother with the white backgrounds...?)
Tyres (from List 1a for Hullavington and 1b for Llandow)
A sticker to show which way the ignition key turns off (because they're all different, obviously).

Anything else? Do I need a tarpaulin to park on and a spill kit?

I'm currently weighing up whether to drag along the other-half with another car full of tools and stuff, or just to travel light in the Clio. The latter approach may benefit my relationship.

For hillclimbs I print race number on A4 sheets & stick inside back windows.
No great need for masses of tools etc, ignition sticker I just use making tape & write it on!
Do you need to make - battery terminal with yellow tape?
A pump/tyre pressure guage will be useful to make adjustments between runs, what wheels/tyres are you using?

[Galveston]

LordHaveMurci said:

For hillclimbs I print race number on A4 sheets & stick inside back windows.
No great need for masses of tools etc, ignition sticker I just use making tape & write it on!
Do you need to make - battery terminal with yellow tape?
A pump/tyre pressure guage will be useful to make adjustments between runs, what wheels/tyres are you using?

Thanks, its good to know that a bit of informality is tolerated. Good point about the battery terminal.

I've got a growing collection of 15" OZ F1 wheels from the early 172s, which I'll use with Michelin Pilot Sport 3s for List 1a and probably Toyo R888Rs for List 1b.

Cheers.

[df76]

You sound sorted.. if you have any questions on the day, just ask. The paddock is a friendly place at a sprint event. I'm half thinking of a late Hullavington entry, if i'm there, I'll come an say hello.

[binnerboy]

I am at LLandow if it is the Bristol Motor club one, I will be one of the many mx5s

The start sequence will be covered at the drivers briefing. At LLandow your class is called by the paddock marshalls, you queue up in Number order, move forward with the queue keeping an eye on the paddock and start marshalls as re-runs may be put in the queue ahead of you. When you get near the start you will be called forward by the start line marshalls.

They hold your car, when the light goes green you start. The time starts when your timing strut breaks the laser so it is not a reaction test to the light.

This is me last year at LLandow , my second ever sprint

http://www.jackflashphotography.co.uk/llandow2015/...

say hello :-)

Edited by binnerboy on Thursday 3rd March 14:53