MSA Spring 2014

SPRING 2014

MY BUSTTH ING Disp

e misconlling the about ceptions mo SEE P tor sport AGE 40

THE

MAGAZINE FOR BRITISH MOTOR SPORT

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR CLUB COMPETITORS

KNOCKHILL CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE WITH CORNER WEIGHTS WHERE TO FIND THE BEST GEAR FOR YOUR RADIATOR

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT How motor sport can be a force for good

RALLYCROSS

BACK ON TRACK The one-time breeding ground for some of Britain’s finest competitors comes of age 001 Cover mocks v3.indd 1

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10:39 09:27

this issue

Contents 05 Forum

36

This issue’s postbag

ON THE

COVER

06 Action replay The Night of Champions

09 Briefing

MYTH BUSTIN G

SPRING 2014

Dispelling misconce the about motoptions r sport SEE

All the latest motor sport news

PAGE 40

THE

MAGAZINE FOR

BRITISH MOTOR

SPORT

CH COMMUNITY OUTREA

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT can GUIDE THE ESSENTIAL ITORS FOR CLUB COMPET TES

17 Opinion

How motor sportgood be a force for

Alan Gow on the Year of the Newcomer

KNOCKHILL CELEBRA SARY 40TH ANNIVER STRIKE THE RIGHT BALANCE WITH CORNER WEIGHTS WHERE TO FIND FOR THE BEST GEAR R YOUR RADIATO

18 Talking heads

Are there too many stage rallies in the UK?

TRACofK CK ON BA ing ground for some of age The one-time breed RALLYCROSS

titors comes Britain’s finest compe

25/02/2014 11:29

001 Cover mocks

v3.indd 1

In the early days rallycross was cheaper and much more my style Simon Arron on rallycross, p20 Cover image: Tom Banks Photography/ RallycrossRX

20 Cover story

Simon Arron traces the history of rallycross from its halcyon days to its recent resurgence

30 Onscreen performance

Dan Prosser gets hands-on in his assessment of simulator performance

34 Vital statistics

The ins and outs of Tom Bricknell’s title-winning Crosslé 80T sporting trials car

36 The kids are alright

James Foxall on how motor sport is having a positive impact on communities across Britain 40

40 Busting the myths of motor sport

30

Dismantling common misconceptions about competing

43 Role play

What it takes to work in rescue and recovery

45 Buyer’s guide

Keeping your radiator in check

49 Place notes

We profile Knockhill on its 40th anniversary

58 National Court

55 Technofile

A double-points final round could be a game changer in F1 championships

Cornerweight technology

66 Simon says

CONTRIBUTORS

New products on the market, p46

Dan Prosser Dan Prosser, rally correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, takes a ride in a simulator and tries to overcome his racing shortcomings

Ben Anderson Autosport journalist Ben Anderson is a keen motor sport competitor so was happy to help bust the myths of motor sport

James Foxall The Daily Telegraph weekly columnist James Foxhall finds out why motor sport is changing the attitude of children in Britain

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

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LOCAL RATE CALL

20/02/2014 09:28

letters

Forum

facebook.com/msauk twitter.com/msauk

YOUR THOUGHTS!

EDITOR’S LETTER

We want to know your opinion on which motor sport issues MSA magazine should cover.

Email us at msa@ thinkpublishing. co.uk

After Malcolm Wilson voiced his praise for

rallycross in last issue’s cover story, we decided it was about time we took a closer look at the sport. In recent years, rallycross has gained popularity, capturing the imagination of audiences around the world. Motor sport journalist and MSA columnist Simon Arron finds out the secret to its success on page 20.

We all know that there’s more to motor sport than driving fast. And what better way to explore its potential than taking a look at how local clubs are helping in their community? On page 36, James Foxall looks at the positive role of motor sport and how it’s helping keep the kids alright.

Also in this issue, Dan Prosser investigates the benefits of the simulator in motor sport during a visit to iZone, and sheds light on the relationship between data and performance. Meanwhile, on page 40, we offer the first in a series of features where we discredit the common misconceptions about motor sport.

Finally, check out this issue’s Place Notes feature for a historical insight into Knockhill Racing Circuit and how you can help them celebrate their 40th anniversary.

Andrew Cattanach, Editor

BEST RALLY STAGE I read with interest in the Winter issue of the MSA magazine the piece on ‘Britain’s best rally stages’, especially Alastair Fisher’s pick! It’s a lovely part of the country and I recommend anyone visit it – with or without a Ford Fiesta!

Jason Craig, via email

SAFE TRAINING GROUND As both a fan of motor sport and videogaming, I really appreciated the article on ‘Armchair enthusiasts’. Not only is it nice to hear some positive reactions to the gaming world (which is so often slammed for increasing laziness in children), but it’s difficult for hopeful racing drivers to gain the initial insight they need to get started in motor sport, and TORA offers what we might describe as a safe training ground.

I’d love to have a go!’

Alex Cooper, via email

EDITOR

Andrew Cattanach PUBLISHED ON BEHALF OF MSA BY: THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE MOTOR SPORTS ASSOCIATION (MSA)

Think The Pall Mall Deposit 124-128 Barlby Road London W10 6BL Tel: 020 8962 3020 www.thinkpublishing.co.uk

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT THE WINTER ISSUE OF MSA MAGAZINE ON TWITTER @JasonCraig120 Thoroughly enjoyed your piece in @MSAUK Magazine on Malcolm Wilson. I do support his idea of “shorter rallies” #nobrainer @SarahReader24 Thank you @MSAUK for the great article on hearing protection in your latest magazine @ACSCustomUK

ART DIRECTORS

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PUBLISHER

Phil Long, Mark Davies Tim Swietochowski SUB-EDITOR

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@jackdmotorsport Interesting piece in @ MSAUK magazine about consoles/sims driving a grass roots surge in Motorsport

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED

BY THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MSA. EQUALLY, THE INCLUSION OF ADVERTISEMENTS IN THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OF THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES CONCERNED

BY THE MSA.

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

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DATA BURST

WHAT: MSA Night of Champions WHEN: 18 January 2014 WHERE: Royal Automobile Club, London

DUNCAN

The Night of Champions is the MSA’s annual prize-giving ceremony for the MSA British Championship title winners. A series of special awards were also presented, including prizes for the club, volunteer, and young driver, journalist and photographer of the year.

The Guest of Honour was sportscar legend Allan McNish, who presented many of the evening’s trophies. Allan also received an award of his own – from MSA Chairman Alan Gow – in recognition of his outstanding career and his support of British motor sport.

6 www.msauk.org Spring 2014

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action replay

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

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31/10/2013 10:37 20/02/2014 18/11/2013 09:28 08:54

news

IN THIS

ISSUE:

Road safety drive; Chamonix workshop; Lynne Kendall Q&A

Briefing REGULATIONS

LATEST COUNCIL DECISIONS

SANG TAN

The MSA initiative supports the FIA Action for Road Safety – part of the UN’s Decade of Action project

ROAD SAFETY

HAMILTON AND SKY SPORTS F1 SUPPORT MSA ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVE Innovative new competition attracts high-profile support Mercedes AMG Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton and Sky Sports F1 are backing a new MSA initiative designed to highlight key road safety messages among young people.

The scheme is part-funded by the FIA as part of its Action for Road Safety campaign and centres on ‘10 Golden Rules for Safer Motoring’.

Hamilton will help judge a competition that invites students aged 16-24 to create a short film that brings to life one of the 10 rules. The finalists will be guests of the MSA at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, where winners from two age groups will be announced. Each will receive £2,000 for their educational establishment, while

the winning films will be broadcast by Sky Sports F1. The winners will also win a driving experience day at Silverstone and there are further cash prizes for the runners-up.

“This competition is a great demonstration of the power of motor sport to be a force for good within society,” said Ben Taylor, MSA director of development and communications. “We’re delighted that both Lewis and Sky Sports F1 recognise the benefits of this initiative and are helping us spread the road safety message.”

Details will be distributed to all relevant establishments during the current term. For further information email media@msauk.org

3,501

New MSA competition licence holders in 2013

The latest regulation changes approved by Motor Sports Council, which are detailed in full on this magazine’s carrier sheet, include changes to flag signals at race meetings.

As notified in the December 2013 MSA newsletter, from 1 January 2014 stationary and waved flag signals are replaced by waved and double-waved signals respectively. Also at race meetings, a grid place penalty of up to 10 places may now be applied; this follows a successful trial in 2013.

On the licensing front the MSA has amended some regulations to reflect the FIA’s introduction of the International D licence.

Historic stage rally rules have also been amended to ensure that all vehicles intended for Category 4 are acceptable.

Meanwhile a revised rule mandates that all vehicles must use pump fuel – as defined in section (B) of the MSA Yearbook – unless the MSA gives written authority for a championship or event to permit other fuel types. In such cases the other fuel types must comply with FIA regulations and therefore not exceed 102 Octane.

In karting there will no longer be a Kart Sporting Committee, although the Kart Technical Committee will continue to report to the overall Kart Committee.

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

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news NEWS IN BRIEF RACING

DONINGTON TO BE FORMULA E HQ Formula E, the new FIA championship for electric cars, will be headquartered in a brand new facility currently being constructed at Donington Park.

The circuit will be home to all ten teams, which will use it for testing and developing their Spark-Renault SRT_01E race cars. Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E, said: “We looked at a number of locations but the British motor sport industry is regarded as the best in the world so it was an easy decision for us to be based in the UK.”

MSA ACADEMY

CHAMONIX WORKSHOP BEGINS NEW CHAPTER FOR TEAM UK

EVENTS

BRIGHTON SPEED TRIALS SAVED The Brighton Speed Trials will go ahead this year after organisers Brighton and Hove Motor Club staved off a threat to axe the meeting.

The event has run since 1905 but the local council declined the 2014 application. The MSA helped the club mount a compelling case to reverse the decision, while more than 12,400 people signed a petition. The club’s Tony Watts said: “This is a major victory for the club, the heritage of Brighton, its residents, businesses, and the history of motor sport.”

MSA

NEW STARTER PACKS The MSA has revamped its starter packs, which now include a new book outlining the next steps and featuring wider information on British motor sport. The new racing and rallying packs cost £95 each, while the karting pack is £75. These prices include the cost of the first competition licence.

To purchase a pack, call 01753 765000 or visit shop.msauk.org

The UK’s national squad of the most promising race and rally drivers headed to Chamonix in the French Alps in January for a ground-breaking, high-performance workshop designed to equip them with career-enhancing knowledge and skills.

Team UK tackled physical and mental activities, designed to take the drivers on a journey of self-discovery and understanding.

This included helping them to identify their individual strengths and weaknesses, which were then addressed through use of the Insights Discovery profiling model.

“The Chamonix workshop was by far the most advanced and in-depth event that

Team UK has undertaken and it represents the start of an exciting new chapter for the national squad,” said Robert Reid, MSA Performance Director. “Team UK has evolved to become a programme that helps its members to become the best they can be, in all aspects of their lives.”

Eight drivers were present: Jake Dennis, Mark Donnelly, Jack Harvey, Jordan King, Chris Middlehurst, Seb Morris, Matt Parry and Nick Yelloly. They worked closely with MSA Performance Managers Andy Meyrick, Tom Onslow-Cole, Rupert Svendsen-Cook and James Wozencroft, plus Elite Sport Performance’s Brian Cameron and his team.

10 www.msauk.org Spring 2014

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news

MY MOTOR SPORT VOLUNTEERING

Q&A with Lynne Kendall, JLT MSA Volunteer of the Year 2013 How did you become a motor sport volunteer?

When I was a young lassie my brother used to volunteer for a breakdown unit to support Cadwell Park, our local circuit. My dad used to take him to the circuit most weekends and he started to think, “I’d like to have a go at this.” So he did, then I tagged along and the rest is history. I started off on the phones in race control and as soon as I was able I was out marshalling in the paddock and on the banks.

The course combines time both in the classroom and on the track

Who are the ‘Cadwell Totties’?

COACHING

COACHING IS COMING MSA introduces revolutionary new standard The creation of a new accredited coaching structure within UK motor sport took another major step forwards in December when ten individuals were qualified as Level 2 motor sport coaches.

A pilot group comprising Pat Blakeney, Phil Glew, Jonny Kane, Calum Lockie, Tim Mullen, John Pratt, Oliver Rowland, Duncan Tappy, Jamie Wall and Danny Watts completed the intensive four-day MSA Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Performance in Motor Sport, held at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey.

The award is part of a revolutionary new coaching infrastructure that has been developed by the MSA in association with accredited qualifications body 1st4Sport and is in line with the UK Coaching Certificate framework.

To put this new framework in place, the MSA has been working closely with Professor Dave Collins, former performance director of UK Athletics.

“Other sports certainly have more of a tradition in coaching but, in some ways, that gives us an advantage as we’re starting with a clean sheet of paper,” said Collins. “While working within the constraints of a qualifications body, this fresh start has allowed us to

be pretty innovative when creating these certificates. It’s all about helping people understand the science of how to coach rather than just passing on their personal experiences.”

Although all ten of the newly qualified Level 2 motor sport coaches had considerable previous coaching experience, they were unanimous in their praise for the course that combined time both in the classroom and on-track.

Pat Blakeney, Association of Racing Drivers Schools (ARDS) chairman and group operations manager at Thruxton Circuit, said that the learning curve was steep but worthwhile. “I’ve learnt things that I wish I learned 20 years ago as it would have made my career as a driver coach much, much easier,” he said. “There’s a big difference between coaches and instructors, but for anyone wanting to take coaching seriously this will be an essential tool for them to have in their toolbox.”

The Level 2 awards will be rolled out in early 2014. For further information on any aspect of the MSA coaching structure, email academy@msauk.org

That all began a few years ago! There’s a really good relationship between the men and the women at Cadwell Park – we give as good as we get with the banter, but we’re still serious about our roles. The ‘Cadwell Totties’ moniker was an off-hand phrase that stuck, and now we use it to encourage more women to get involved. We also started a female-only post at Cadwell for newcomers, and we do fundraising at the BMMC North East AGMs and training days, where we raise money for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance.

How have you improved volunteers’ training at Cadwell Park?

A few years ago I became concerned that training was just about sitting there, watching a Powerpoint and listening to the same old talk. So I started to change our training format to a modular approach; instead of spending an entire day on each discipline people could pick ‘n’ mix their modules based on their interests.

We also do extra sessions, for example we might get race drivers and their cars involved in scrutineers’ training. One of the simplest things I do is to use a ball of wool for a communication session. Everybody adopts the role of somebody at a race meeting – competitor, spectator, Clerk of the Course and so on – and one person starts off by unravelling the wool and passing it to somebody they’re likely to speak to at the meeting, and then it gets passed on again and again. You’re left with a tangible web of communication, and the amount of discussion that sparks is really positive.

How does it feel to be volunteer of the year?

It makes me feel very humble and proud, particularly with 2013 having been the MSA Year of the Volunteer. I got a call from Allan Dean-Lewis and I thought he was just chasing me up about something, so it was a complete surprise! I wouldn’t be able to do it without a great team around me though.

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

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news RALLYCROSS

WORLD RALLYCROSS COMES TO BRITAIN

Kent’s Lydden Hill Race Circuit, the one-mile ‘Home of Rallycross’, is gearing up to host round two of the inaugural FIA World Rallycross Championship on 25-26 May. The world’s top rallycross drivers will be in action, including Britain’s Liam Doran, reigning European champion Timur Timerzyanov, Global Rallycross Champion ‘Topi’ Heikkinen, Tanner Foust and the popular Petter Solberg.

“With Lydden Hill as the home of Rallycross, we are delighted to host the second round of the new FIA World Rallycross Championship,” said venue manager Willie Woods.

“Already we have begun an extensive programme of circuit upgrades, some of which will be ready for the event, but as part of a longer term commitment to the circuit which we have been working on for some time.”

The event has even enticed MSA British Touring Car Champion Andrew Jordan back to the discipline in which he cut his teeth. “Obviously I know Lydden well as it’s the home of British rallycross,” he said. “I did my second-ever race there in a Mini and I remember beating [Lydden Hill owner] Pat Doran in what was my final supercar race, so I have lots of good memories. The sport now, though, is very different with world championship status. I’m very, very excited about it!”

2014 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP 3-4 May 24-25 May 14-15 Jun 28-29 Jun 5-6 Jul 12-13 Jul 7-8 Aug 6-7 Sep 20-21 Sep 27-28 Sep 11-12 Oct 22-23 Nov

Montalegre, Portugal Lydden Hill, GB Hell-Lanke, Norway Kouvola, Finland Höljes, Sweden Mettet, Belgium Trois-Rivières, Canada Lohéac, France Buxtehude, Germany Franciacorta, Italy Istanbul Park, Turkey TBA, Argentina

Kent’s Lydden Hill Race Circuit - the home of British rallycross - is set to host round two of the FIA World Rallycross Championship

The Strength of Experience Tel: +44 (0) 1952 582825 Fax: +44 (0) 1952 582821

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15/02/2012 15:45

25/02/2014 11:38

news COMPETITION

WIN!

Here’s your chance to win these two newly published books on the fascinating history of the motorcar. The Life of the Automobile by Steven Parissien and The Auto Biography by Mark Wallington take a close look at the car over its rich 130-year history. Four runners-up will receive a copy of The Auto Biography by Mark Wallington.

To enter, please send your answer to the following question to msa@thinkpublishing.co.uk: In which year was the Ford Model T first introduced?

GO MOTORSPORT

SHOW-GOERS LIVE THE CLUB LIFE AT ASI Almost 1,300 people had their first taste of grassroots club motor sport with passenger rides in a Go Motorsport AutoSOLO during Autosport International at Birmingham’s NEC in January.

The event was organised

by Go Motorsport’s Jess Fack and Richard Egger, together with local motor clubs. A total of 55 drivers and 24 officials contributed to its success.

“This was our second Autosport International AutoSOLO, so we were able to learn from last year and make the event even more successful,” said Egger. “Our objective was to make the point that club motor sport is accessible and affordable, and the number of people who went away saying, ‘I could do this’ means we achieved that objective.”

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

012-013 News v2.indd 13

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20/02/2014 09:39

news CLUB

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FOCUS

DUNKESWELL KART CLUB Mansell’s club is Highly Commended

Over the last four decades Dunkeswell Kart Club has grown to become a beacon of MSA karting in the South West, providing a hub for the sport on the southern side of the Blackdown Hills. Its efforts throughout 2013, from recruiting new competitors to engaging with Go Motorsport, earned a Highly Commended designation from the JLT MSA Club of the Year Award judges.

Like many clubs, Dunkeswell KC is based on an old World War Two airfield.

Unlike many clubs, though, it is owned by a former Formula 1 world champion: Nigel Mansell, the 1992 title winner.

Paul Bromham has been a Dunkeswell KC member for over 20 years and trained as a National A scrutineer before being made chairman. “Nigel approached us in 2006, with a view to taking over, expanding and protecting the racing,” he says. “He’s made a big investment; extending the circuit, installing a noise fence and buying some of the surrounding

On the sporting front, the club has been a stalwart supporter of the MSA’s Let’s Go Karting initiative, which gave people the chance to try karting for just £5. The club also provides driver mentors for new recruits, and Bromham cites Connor Hall as a particular success story. “Connor started off here at Dunkeswell with Let’s Go Karting and he’s just won the Super One Mini Max title,” he says. “He still comes down and does a bit of driver tuition when he can, so he’s now putting something back into the club as well.”

Dunkeswell KC is also committed to the highest standards of officials’ training: all of its marshals are MSA-registered and one of its volunteers, Jim Bee, Above: is a licensed MSA training Dunkeswell Kart Club provides a instructor. Furthermore the club hub for the sport also supports the Devon Air in the South Ambulance Trust, makes good West Below: Nigel use of social media, and strives Mansell proved to promote, support and develop he was as quick as ever in a karting in the South West.

land so that nobody could build next to us. He also funded our fight against the noise abatement order, which we won.”

Bromham is referring to a noise Senior Rotax 177 abatement order served by the district council’s environmental health team following complaints from neighbours. The district judge quashed the order in November 2008 but the council challenged the ruling. The MSA supported Dunkeswell with a detailed witness statement, and finally in late 2010 the council decided to draw the two-and-ahalf-year legal battle to a close.

“It was decided that the circuit was part of the area of outstanding natural beauty that we’re in, had been there for a long time and used best practice to minimise noise,” says Bromham. “We’ve come to Established: 1967 a nice working arrangement with the Membership: 150 local authorities now, and we keep them Website: www.dunkeswellkartclub.co.uk advised of what we’re doing and when.”

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opinion

2014: YEAR OF THE NEWCOMER The future of the sport depends on us all doing everything we can to welcome and encourage newcomers, says Alan Gow, MSA Chairman Following the great success of 2013’s Year of the Volunteer, we

have looked to British motor sport’s other great pillar of strength for our 2014 designation: the Year of the Newcomer.

First of all, and in the spirit of our feature on page 40, let’s bust a myth. There is a commonly held misconception that there is no new blood coming into the sport but this is not true, particularly in terms of competitors. In 2013 there were 3,501 first-time licence holders, while there were 3,620 in 2012 and 3,777 in 2011. Therefore in each of the last three years more than 10 per cent of our licensed competitors have been newcomers.

Already in 2014 we have taken steps to encourage this new 10 per cent by redesigning the starter packs that every new competitor purchases before they can go racing, rallying or karting. The new version is a quality item, welcoming new recruits to the sport, explaining the next steps to take and what to expect on the ARDS, BARS or ARKS courses, and also providing further information on other areas of motor sport such as clubs and volunteering. Importantly, the pack now includes the cost of their first licence, making it much better value for money and reducing, if not removing altogether, one particular barrier to entry.

Of course the MSA – and motor sport as a whole – must never become complacent. We must find new ways to showcase our great sport, to entice people in, to make them feel welcome and to encourage them to stay. And importantly, this philosophy should extend well beyond our ranks of licensed competitors and into the grass roots of club motor sport.

Our most vigorous efforts in this regard are made through Go Motorsport, which we launched six years ago as a campaign to raise awareness of the sport and to encourage more people to become involved at all levels.

Almost since the beginning Go Motorsport has been bolstered by 10 Regional Development Officers (RDOs) and one of

People can enjoy contesting their first event - such as AutoSOLO shown here - with nothing but their road car and a club card

their main tasks has been to head into schools and colleges to teach youngsters about motor sport and how they can take part. The RDOs have so far delivered hundreds of school visits to thousands of young people who may otherwise have had little or no knowledge of the sport.

While continuing with school visits, Go Motorsport has now evolved from being a PR campaign to a club-focused initiative that helps develop grass-roots motor sport through the RDOs and their resources. This evolution reflects our knowledge that clubs are the backbone of UK motor sport and offer the best route into the sport for newcomers; people can enjoy contesting their first motor sport event, such as an AutoSOLO or navigational rally, with nothing but their road car and a club card.

There is a commonly held misconception that there is no new blood coming into the sport, but this is not true, particularly in terms of competitors

Yet it can be even simpler than that for newcomers. To help clubs get more people behind the wheel for the first time, the Motor Sports Council approved a new regulation in 2012 allowing clubs to run “taster events” for members of the public. The MSA has issued almost 50 taster event permits last year but this is a figure that we want to see rise sharply in 2014; there are around 750 MSA-registered motor clubs and I urge as many as possible to run a taster event this year to recruit new members and swell the ranks of grass-roots competitors. Further information can be found on the MSA website or by contacting the Competitions and Clubs Department at Motor Sports House.

We will announce further new initiatives to support newcomers throughout the year, including a PR campaign to reinforce the message. We are also inviting newcomers to share their experiences with us for a chance to win Wales Rally GB tickets – email your story to newcomer@GoMotorsport.net by the end of September to be in the running.

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

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talking heads

ARE THERE TOO MANY STAGE RALLIES IN THE UK? Gareth White and Mike Dickson taking part in the Yorkshire Rally in September 2013 in their Citroen C2R2 Max

YES

EBREY / LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Mark Higgins Three-time British Rally Champion

There are definitely too many events and they are putting a strain on the marshals and paramedics: these poor guys are the same people out all the time. If the clubs joined forces and maybe ran half the number of events, but made them really good-quality rallies, we would reduce the burden on marshals and improve events.

Instead of having 15 cars here or 20 cars there, the rallies would have solid entries and we could make more of a spectacle

of the whole thing. Every year, entry for the Wyedean Rally is good as it’s the first big event after Christmas, but after that there are so many to choose from, everything gets diluted.

Rather than lots of events, it would be great to have everybody working together on Mike Broad some special events, bringing Former co-driver in lots of competitors and fans and generating a good atmosphere. This I always think helps when you are we should WHAT DO bringing a sponsor see motor sport as YOU THINK? to watch rallies. being in a Are there too many stage rallies in the UK or should there You don’t get the customer-led be more, offering licence same buzz when environment – it’s holders a wider variety of rallies are a business and events? Let us know what struggling business finds its you think at msa@ thinkpublishing. for support. own levels. I co.uk We also have to absolutely don’t think think about the spectators we have too many events and the media – with so many at all right now. events, there aren’t enough fans In the last 10 years, we have to go around and it’s hard for reduced the number of rallies in the press to cover them all. the UK by around 20 per cent,

NO

which is really restricting the supply of rallies for competitors to tackle.

A decade ago there were 45 to 48 events each season registered with the Forestry Commission. This season that number has dropped to around 36 or 37 events which are approved to run in the forests.

That’s a lot of rallies to lose, for whatever reason.

We have thousands of licence holders in the UK, and we have to market and sell the sport and those rallies to those customers. I don’t think there are enough rallies around to give them the choice of which event they do.

We have to look at these events as though they are items in a shop, and we have to give more choice and look to license more rallies – certainly we don’t need to be losing any more of the events we’ve got.

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ON THE RIGHT T

Fast, fun to watch and affordable for competitors, it’s little wonder rallycross is proving popular around the world. Simon Arron delves into the history of the sport to find out what makes it so appealing

LAT

Probe your mind and the images will be lurking somewhere,

probably not too far from the surface. There go the de Rooy brothers, Jan and Harry, in their stubby, wheel-waving Daf 55 Coupés.

Here come the Clarks, Roger and Stan, with their pioneering, four-wheel-drive Ford Capris. And then there’s a phalanx of Ford Escorts. Is that John Taylor to the fore, or Rod Chapman? It’s hard to pick out the livery beneath lashings of mud.

And besides, there’s a Mini partially obscuring the view…

We lived in a black-and-white world back then and Saturdays had an obvious purpose:

a trip to the local record shop in the morning, to see whether they had any Deep Purple or Wishbone Ash in the bargain bins, then play or watch football… unless the TV schedules had alerted you to a spot of rallycross, as quite often happened during the winter months.

Television and motor sport hadn’t quite fathomed each other out 40-odd years ago.

Formula 1 rarely featured and, when it did, the cameras would cut away after a few laps to focus on horses walking around the parade ring at Haydock Park. They never showed F1 drivers getting ready in the paddock, so why did we need to see this? But I digress.

Rallycross, though, was different. Races lasted only a handful of laps, the dirt-andasphalt circuits caused cars to jump and slide around, driving standards were high and the whole thing perfectly suited the TV directors’ apparent desire for short, sharp action that could be slotted between vital footage of horses having their heads patted.

Rallycross developed from its inception in February 1967 – with what was supposed to be a one-off television special at Lydden Hill (won, incidentally, by versatile Vic Elford, 1968 Monte Carlo Rally victor, sports car star and future F1 racer) – to become a TV staple during the early 1970s. Coverage

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rallycross

T TRACK Timmy Hansen and Tanner Foust go head to head at Lydden Hill last year

dwindled after ITV pulled out in the Tiff Needell came fourth in middle of the decade, but the BBC the B Final at retained the sport as an occasional Brands Hatch in December 1988 feature and the British Rallycross Grand Prix, run at Brands Hatch from 1982-1994, became an annual televisual highlight, on the first weekend in December (although the GP title was also applied to a European rallycross fixture at the same venue the following June). That 1994 meeting, however, proved to be the sport’s swansong in terms of mainstream UK TV coverage, although it wasn’t forgotten by a satellite movement that was fast gaining impetus. And Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 21

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Father of Jenson Button, John Button – who died earlier this year – seen here competing in the British Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill, 1978

rallycross also remained popular in mainland Europe.

In three decades, the winning cars had evolved from silhouettes an everyday motorist might recognise to bewinged, flame-spitting monsters of improbable potency – by the early 1980s, the quickest Escorts had more than 400bhp – and on, eventually, to the Group B behemoths barred from the World Rally Championship because they had been considered, quite simply, too fast.

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rallycross In three decades, the winning cars had evolved from silhouettes an everyday motorist might recognise to flamespitting monsters of improbable potency

John Welch celebrating his win at the 1985 Rallycross Grand Prix

BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE

BY SIMON ARRON

Throughout that period, John Welch was one of Britain’s foremost racers – he won the 1985 Rallycross GP, among other things.

“I’d tried rallying,” he says, “but found I drove at 100 per cent for the first few miles and then drifted off to perform at about 70 per cent. I didn’t want to be doing anything unless I was competing properly – and besides, it all seemed very expensive. In the early days rallycross was cheaper and much more my style – pure 100 per cent commitment from start to finish. You could

also keep tuning your car as you grew into the sport. That appealed, too.

“By the time we reached the 1990s, though, things had changed. Most of the leading guys were running things such as MG Metro 6R4s on nitrous oxide, or Ford RS200s, so a novice had no chance of getting started and being even vaguely competitive. The big cars were killing the sport and we needed to get rid of them.”

Fast-forward to Easter 2013 and Welch was back on his old stomping ground, at

My motor sport career was brief, dependably unspectacular and diverse.

I raced everything from Ford P100 pickup trucks to TVR Tuscans via Formula Vee. Much as I enjoyed every second of every lap, one discipline stood out for its fun factor: the Vauxhall Nova Rallycross Challenge, in which I competed twice.

The cars had a modest 160bhp, but that was plenty given that they didn’t weigh a great deal. And, yes, they were front-wheel drive, but it didn’t always feel that way given the manner in which the rear end bucked around on a loose surface. Contact was an occupational hazard – tolerated, but never encouraged.

The Vauxhall guest car must have been particularly well prepared, because first time out I was suspiciously closer to the front than usual, but in the circumstances it didn’t much matter whether I was fighting for third place or 103rd.

Simply taking part was a privilege.

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rallycross We set out with a European series and aimed to make it global within a couple of years, but we’ve ended up managing it in one – and quite comfortably so

Lydden Hill, the sport’s spiritual home, for the opening round of the European Rallycross Championship. “It was absolutely staggering,” he says. “I was very impressed.

It was all very well organised: somebody had taken a good product, the one we’d known for years, and given it a proper structure…”

Last season was the first in which well-known sports promoter IMG had taken rallycross’ reins, under the guidance of Martin Anayi. Norwegian Petter Solberg, 2003 world rally champion, signed up to compete, and Sébastien Loeb – serial winner

of almost anything he enters – agreed to take part in his home event, at Lohéac, France.

Northern Irishman Kris Meeke – a member of Citroën’s 2014 world rally team – was another celebrity guest. It was rallycross, but with much of its former bite restored.

“I think the first season exceeded everybody’s expectations,” Anayi says.

“We set out with a European series and aimed to make it global within a couple of years, but we’ve ended up managing it in one – and quite comfortably so. People were very quickly interested in what we were doing.

Turkey wanted an event – so this year we’ll be using a section of the former Grand Prix circuit at Istanbul Park – and there were enquiries from the Middle East, North America and elsewhere – including Argentina, where Petter Solberg remains a big draw.”

As a consequence, rallycross now features on the schedule at Canada’s celebrated Grand Prix de Trois Rivières, one of the venues at which national icon Gilles Villeneuve cut his teeth as a budding racer. His son Jacques, the 1997 F1 champion, is set to compete there in 2014, having become the latest star name to commit to the world championship.

THE LONG, COLD SATURDAY 1 January 1977. What better way to toast a new year than a spot of properly competitive motor sport?

My mate Phil and I were about a year short of provisional licences, so annexed a couple of parental taxis for morning and evening jaunts from the south Manchester suburbs to the Ribble Valley, where the Longton & District Motor Club was organising a rallycross meeting at the quirky but popular Longridge. The regular circuit measured just 0.4 miles, but the rallycross version was a little longer. Freshly fallen snow added to the spectacle, but then a blizzard kicked in and the meeting was abandoned. Mobile phones being more than a decade from invention, that meant several hours on the Lancashire moors with precious little shelter.

It was still a great venue, though, and six weeks later we were back for more of the same. I’d return again tomorrow, if some twit hadn’t turned Longridge into a caravan park.

LAT

Above: Vic Elford, winner of the first ever Rallycross event at Lydden Hill, 1967.

Below: Schanche competing at Lydden Hill, 1985

24 www.msauk.org Spring 2014

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20/02/2014 09:40

“Is the sport ready for a bigger stage? Yes, 100 per cent,” Anayi says. “Last year [DTM and rallying star] Matthias Ekström competed in the Swedish event and told us that for the first time in his life he felt proud to be a rallycross driver. For some reason, people previously had a tendency to look down on the The rise of sport, but in 2013 we managed to high-spec MG double the previous season’s gate Metro 6R4s and Ford RS200s at five of the nine events and This year, the European initiative began to kill off Lohéac drew 70,000 people will continue, with selected events the competitive nature of the across the weekend.” counting towards a separate sport in the 1990s It isn’t just the main attraction championship within the body of that appeals, either, as music, the global series, and from 2015 the drifting and trial bikes have been added to format is likely to be similar, albeit with a the programme, to keep the crowd stand-alone European finale. “We’re not just entertained during breaks between races. focusing on the world championship,” Anayi says, “but want to make sure Europe grows at the same rate.” In the medium-to-longer term, it is hoped that events will be added to the schedule in Japan and the Middle East, as well as another one in South or Central America. Ultimately, the objective is to have a number of regional series all over the world, each feeding into the European and world championships.

“The biggest challenge so far,” Anayi says, “has been event operation, because not all

Last year DTM and rallying star Matthias Ekstrőm competed in the Swedish event and told us that for the first time in his life he felt proud to be a rallycross driver

tracks have state-of-the-art facilities.

Everyone seems willing to invest, though, and we need to pick the best tracks in order to showcase the series and help it improve.

I think, though, that the rules are fundamentally right and we now have a Technical Working Group in place to tighten up the regulations, if necessary.”

And the cost of competing? “It should be possible to run a full, 12-event programme for less than £500,000,” Anayi says, “and I don’t think you could claim the same for any other global championship. For the moment we’re in a very fortunate situation, because there is a degree of manufacturer support but the teams are all extremely professional privateers. It’s the best of both worlds, because as soon as full works teams appear you know people will start to get carried away. That’s why we place limits on the number of personnel teams can bring,

LAT

rallycross

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rallycross

Changing times: from Button in a VW Beetle in 1976 (below left); Nittymaki at Brands Hatch in 1987 to the present day

LAT

or how many trucks they can use. We wanted to nip any spending race in the bud before it began.”

Music, then, to the ears of Welch, who quit the sport at the end of 1994.

“They have begun to do what’s needed,” he says, “to give everybody a chance to get in and have a chance of success. With a world

We place limits on the number of personnel teams can bring, or how many trucks they can use.

We wanted to nip any spending race in the bud

championship and widespread TV coverage [40 broadcasters signed up in 2013, and all remain on board], I think everybody is going to love it. When I walked into the paddock at Lydden Hill last year, I was bowled over by how smart it all looked. Of course it’s still a muddy sport, but the level of presentation is fantastic. They just need to make sure they stick to proper tracks, where overtaking is possible – as it always has been at Lydden, for instance.

“I think people forget how technically accomplished things used to be, when we exploited the rules as much as we could to build 500bhp, rear-wheel-drive Ford Escorts. The chassis were incredibly advanced, although I’m not sure such things were always appreciated. And

remember, I had only a small team, with lots of mates that were willing to help.

There was lots of innovation and, looking back, they were fantastic times. Watching today, though, and seeing Petter Solberg sliding on to the gravel in a Citroën DS3 with more than 600lb ft of torque… I have to say it’s hugely impressive.”

British fans will be able to see the cars in action at Lydden on 24-25 May, the second instalment of the sport’s latest adventure following an opening event in Portugal.

“The thing is,” Anayi says, “that we’ve so far done little more than scratch the surface.”

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20/02/2014 09:40

Simulator-based training has its many advantages, including affordability and safety, but what happens if striving for better stats means neglecting one’s intuition?

Dan Prosser finds out My thumbs feel as though they’re going to drop off. The

stress and panic of trying to keep the power on through the fast left-hander before slowing the car and keeping it tidy through turn five is almost too much to bear. I just can’t coordinate my mind, hands and feet quickly enough to keep up with the rate at which the circuit is passing beneath me. It’s all utterly overwhelming. I climb out of the simulator in a daze having shunted into the tyre barrier several times.

The move to simulator-based training in motor racing has been one of the biggest developments for the sport in recent years.

Although today’s professionals swear by the technology, for those of us on the outside it’s difficult to understand the value of it. It’s just a big computer game, isn’t it?

Having driven a few laps of the Brands Hatch Indy circuit in a GP2 car, I’m a convert.

The very best simulators, such as this one at Silverstone-based iZone or Darren Turner’s Base Performance in Banbury, certainly have more in common with real-world racing than console-based gaming.

The environment feels authentic. You sit low and sharply reclined in the carbon-fibre cell, feet way out ahead of you. The steering wheel is littered with buttons, dials and digital graphics. The nosecone reaches into the wraparound screen, which gives a full field of vision to lift you from a dark room on an industrial estate to the undulating asphalt of Brands Hatch itself.

Within just a few laps I feel dialled in to the simulator’s responses. The steering replicates feedback authentically to give a genuine impression of the grip levels, and the inflating airbags that The best simulators, such as press against your body provide a iZone’s and Base real sense of cornering force.

Performance’s, feel like the real thing and enable drivers to push the limits

Once I’m dialled into the braking performance – the pedal action is more like kicking than pressing – it all seems to come together.

So realistic is the overall experience that the period of adaptation is no more than a couple of minutes and by my third or fourth lap I find myself exploring the limits of lateral grip and getting on the power ever earlier. I am calling upon my limited circuit driving experience more than my much greater computer gaming know-how.

That first session in the simulator goes reasonably well. The second session is a different matter…

In an effort to understand the value of simulators I talk to multiple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx at iZone. “I come here for two days before each race weekend to practise the circuit,” he says. “I use a GP2 car. It’s faster than my race car, which allows me to slow everything down in my mind in real life.”

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virtual racing

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The nosecone reaches into the wraparound screen, which gives a full field of vision to lift you from a dark room on an industrial estate to the undulating asphalt of Brands Hatch Beyond practising unfamiliar circuits, the simulator is also a much better environment in which to train less experienced drivers such as myself; a coach can watch over the shoulder and comment in real time, or use a laser pointer to show the pupil where he or she should be looking.

I find myself intrigued by the series of graphs and waveforms on the bank of computer screens behind the simulator. Just like a real racing car, the simulator gathers data from a number of different channels to plot speed, steering inputs, braking and more onto a graph to allow detailed assessment of a driver’s performance. The data can be overlaid against that of another driver for direct comparison, so I eagerly persuade Andy to set a benchmark Driving relies on lap. Reluctantly, he agrees to reacting quickly humour me. and drivers can speed up reflexes Andy drives the simulator and coordination beautifully and with such control. using this machine at iZone Quickly, too, as he immediately Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

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virtual racing Sparks fly when multiple World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx races at Brands Hatch

I use a GP2 car. It’s faster than my race car, which allows me to slow everything down in my mind in real life trims 2.6 seconds from my best lap time. “Let’s pick out your two biggest losses, because that will knock a huge chunk of lap time off,” says Andy as we overlay our data traces. “This is Paddock Hill Bend. You’re braking a lot earlier and with a lot more pressure. You’re over-killing the car. You need to brake later and less. I’m flat through the fast left at Surtees and into Clark, too, whereas you’ve lifted all the way through there.”

Knowing exactly what I’ve got to do to go faster I clamber back into the simulator. I force myself to carry more speed through Paddock Hill Bend. I urge myself to keep the throttle pinned through Surtees. For a lap or two it works, but as I try to brake later and later into Paddock, and carry more speed into Surtees, it all begins to fall apart. I grip the steering wheel ever tighter and my thumbs

begin to throb. I feel myself tense up every time I approach that fast left-hander and I concentrate so hard on keeping the throttle flat beyond the apex, it becomes stressful and I feel panicky. On consecutive laps I lose the car at turn five and spin into the tyres.

Andy calls an end to the session.

“You first arrived on the simulator and you were relying on your instinct,” he explains.

“Your brain was getting information and you were reacting to it without any conscious thought. Then you got out of the car and looked at the data and became purely conscious when you got back in. You started driving digitally and that doesn’t work.

You’re not a robot. You lost your instinct and your performance suffered.

“Also, you solved one problem and it created a problem somewhere else; you

were a lot faster into turn four, but suddenly your preparation wasn’t good for turn five.

I let you go digital and rely on the data.

You saw for yourself how many problems were created.”

Andy and the coaches at iZone would never take such a simplistic, comparative approach to driver training. Their methods are much more nuanced than that and data shouldn’t be used in such a flatly objective way. This isn’t an exercise in learning how to drive quickly, though; it is an insight into the value of simulators. In just two short sessions I have learned an important lesson – the danger of relying too heavily on data. As I leave iZone, I can’t help but wonder at the monetary cost of learning that same lesson in a real-world situation, and of the level of risk I’d have exposed myself to.

The simulator gathers data and plots it onto a graph to allow the team to assess a driver’s performance

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THOMAS BRICKNELL’S

CROSSLÉ 80T

The lowdown on a championship-winning Sporting Trials car MSA British Champion two years running, Thomas Bricknell, pictured here with passenger Beth Carroll,

bought his Crosslé 80T in 2007. It has a lightweight, all-aluminium Honda engine from a 1980s Triumph Acclaim, which runs on LPG. Bricknell, who follows in the footsteps of his one-time champion grandfather, says that choosing the Crosslé was an easy decision. “It was so comfortable, with the leg-length to the pedals, where the fiddle brakes were, the steering position and visibility all just right,” he says.

“If you had to say what makes the Crosslé stand out from the others, I would say it has a unique design feature where the car is asymmetrical and the passenger side is shaved away a bit more so you have better visibility of the front-left wheel.”

TYRES

Vredestein T-Trac. Minimum event pressures chosen by the clerk of the course according to conditions – varies between 2psi and 10psi

REAR BRAKES

Hydraulic disc “fiddle brakes” controlled by vertical levers in driver’s right hand allow wheels to be braked individually to aid traction

REAR SUSPENSION DAISYROOT.COM

Independent using lower parallel link, upper rocking levers incorporating rod ends with central adjustable horizontal single damper and spring unit

TRANSMISSION

Rear-mounted Volkswagen gearbox incorporating Hewland bearing carrier and Hewland Mk9 gears.

Reduction box attached to front of main gearbox

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vital stats DATA BURST

PASSENGER

Wheels: 15” custom built with 16 tyre retaining security bolts Tyres: 165R80x15

An essential member of the team, acting as movable ballast to improve traction

Suspension spring weight: 600lb 4-speed gear box ratios: 1st approx 24:1; up to 4th – 14:1 Rear brakes: AP racing LD19 aluminium 2-pot calipers Weight: 320kg

ENGINE

Lightweight aluminium Honda engine from a 1980s Triumph Acclaim, 1340cc 8-valve, bored and stroked by Mervyn McKinney to 1500cc

FRONT SUSPENSION

Tubular beam axle located by A-frame and two lower leading links, fabricated hub carriers, replaceable wheel spindles, coil spring damper units, adjustable spring platforms

STEERING CHASSIS

Central backbone fabricated from mild steel. A tubular steel and aluminium frame supports the seat, controls, roll bar, spare wheel, tool box, engine cover and upper front damper mounting points. Left- and right-hand replaceable tree fender bars are fitted

Longitudinally mounted steering rack and pinion between driver’s legs operating via bell crank on the front axle

FRONT BRAKES

Hydraulic drum, foot operated

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STAGESTRUCK

Lewis Hamilton at the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge World Championship

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community

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT James Foxall finds out how motor sport is doing its bit in the community and helping youngsters learn important lessons Imagine a group of teenagers getting together to drive cars

round a supermarket car park. You’re probably thinking of tortured tyres, smoky burn-outs, plenty of dangerous showingoff and the sort of illegal racing that The Fast and the Furious films made famous.

But the MSA has shown it doesn’t have to be like that.

The proof is an event that took place in the car park of the Tesco in Lockerbie, Scotland.

The MSA’s regional development officer (RDO) for Scotland Alison Clark reveals: “There was a real problem with young lads using the town as a race track. We spoke to the Tesco’s manager and invited the South of Scotland Car Club (SoSCC) down to conduct an Autosolo which is all about precision driving in a confined space through cones.

“The news spread among the local kids on social media and before we knew it we had a few hundred spectators. It showed the youngsters that being a good driver isn’t all about going quickly; the SoSCC signed up some new members; and it gave Tesco a way of giving something back to the locals. It was a win-win-win.”

More than that it’s an example of the powerful role motor sport can play in the community. “In some quarters motor sport has a reputation for being elitist and insular.

But scratch beneath the surface and there’s some really good stuff going on,” adds Ben Taylor, the MSA’s director of development.

The glamour of speed and racy-looking cars is an obvious way to get young people’s attention, as the Lockerbie experiment proved. But thereafter motor sport can appeal on multiple levels. Take The Grid. Recently launched by the MSA it’s aimed at Key Stage Three children (ages 11 to 14) and has been

designed to teach risk management in the class room.

By linking risk with exciting motor sport scenarios, it turns an otherwise rather dry subject into something that can grab a classroom’s attention. With a combination of dynamic videos and interactive tasks, the importance of recognising, assessing and managing risk in everyday life can be taught in an impactful way.

Risk on the road is another area where motor sport can play a positive role. Figures from road safety charity Brake reveal that while 17- to 24-year-old men make up 12 per cent of road users, they are involved in 25 per cent of the deaths and serious injuries. One in five of that age group crashes within six months of passing their test. Motor sport, however, has many assets that can be used.

Ben Taylor says: “High profile drivers are credible with the target demographic and can be employed as role models for responsible driving. Equally, demonstrating the safety features of competition cars, the regulations governing events and the absence of other road users in motor sport helps drill home the message that the

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community

Top: Motor sport can can play a positive role in society.

Below: The Grid, an initiative designed to teach risk management

public highway isn’t the right place for fast driving.”

But motor sport’s role isn’t just about highlighting danger. F1 in Schools is a good example. This not-for-profit company was established to use Formula 1 as a means of educating young people in the importance of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Teams of nine- to 19-year-olds deploy CAD/CAM software to design, analyse, manufacture, test and then race mini compressed air-powered balsa wood F1 cars.

They even have to prepare a business plan, work out a budget and raise sponsorship.

Developed around a regional, national and international framework, it’s the ultimate way of highlighting motor sport’s multiple disciplines, not to mention its

potential career paths. “We worked on the project after school and were in school every day during half term,” says 16-year-old Joe Dudgeon who was part of a Scottish-based team that ended up competing at the 2013 World Finals in Texas, timed to coincide with the US Grand Prix.

For youngsters who want to try their hand at driving in a controlled environment, the British Schools Karting Championship is an arrive-and-drive series that allows school children aged between 11 and 16 to race for just £50 each. But more importantly it’s another way of bringing the STEM subjects to life and can be built into the school curriculum in order to develop organisation, team work and management skills in students.

For older competitors Formula Student gives them hands-on experience of being part of an innovative racing team. It’s been so successful it’s now viewed as the standard engineering graduates have to meet if they want a job in motor sport. Ross Brawn, multiple F1 championship winning technical director, is the patron. He explains: “Having worked my way up I appreciate that to develop a good grounding in engineering, practical experience is essential. Formula Student combines hands-on practical applications with students’ academic studies, but also gives experience in vital skills such as budgeting, project management and team work.”

Motor sport doesn’t just work for students who are already on the right path. It’s also effective at transforming the lives of those who

are in danger of taking a wrong turn. The MSA’s regional development officer for the South West, Kevin Moore reveals: “Youngsters want to drive fast and copy what Ken Block does. We have to realise we’ll never stop them doing that by making more rules. What we can do is educate them about what you can do off the streets in a safe and legal way.”

Kevin is another of the MSA’s RDOs who has discovered that Autosolos can be a powerful tool. “Car club meetings tend not to be too popular with younger drivers because they view them as being a bit dull. But get them along to an Autosolo or perhaps marshalling at a hill climb and suddenly they realise that spending time in motor sport is more exciting than driving fast round the local estate.”

With Devon and Cornwall Police taking an interest in how motor sport can help in their work, Kevin is hoping to start accompanying them to the cruises they visit. “Along with the local council, they’re beginning to realise that rather than encouraging anti-social activities, motor sport can actually play a positive role in changing their behaviour,” he says.

Youngsters want to drive fast – we’ll never stop them doing that.

We have to educate them about what you can do off the streets in a safe and legal way Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 39

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HOW IMPORTANT IS WINNING IN JUNIOR MOTOR SPORT? Motor sport can be a complicated world at the best

of times, and it’s often difficult for drivers (and those funding their careers/hobbies) to know exactly the right way to progress.

Which championship should I do? What team should I go with? How much should we spend? How fit do I need to be? Do I need a coach? Who should I pick?

Choosing the correct path can be an overwhelming process, and with so many vested interests to navigate – not all of whom necessarily have the best interests of the sport or the young driver as their number one concern – the naive and unassuming can quickly find their cash swallowed up and their dreams shattered.

Through the work it has done with its young driver Academy, the MSA believes it can offer some help in this regard, by being one of the few independent and objective voices in the sport.

“The sport has developed a whole series of ideas about the way things should happen in motor sport that are simply not backed up by any sound impartial evidence,” says Ben Taylor, MSA development director.

“Through the work of the MSA Academy we can draw on the lessons of other sports to demonstrate the way that talent development works, the way people learn and acquire skills, and the way future champions are created. We have a chance to challenge the accepted customs and show the sport that there is another way.”

Supported by a series of articles in this magazine, the governing body is providing guidance on how best to navigate the potential pitfalls of motor sport – busting a series of myths it has identified as being prevalent in the sport today.

“People getting bad advice and making bad decisions can lead to bad experiences, or perhaps a rapid loss of finance; either way that will take them out of the sport quicker than necessary,” warns Taylor. “We should be looking to start everyone on a journey that leads to a fulfilling life of motor sport enjoyment, whether or not they make it to the very highest levels. Meanwhile, we must guide those with genuine talent to make the right decisions to make the most of their abilities.”

First up in the MSA’s myth-busting crosshairs is a perception that junior drivers must spend ever-increasing sums to ensure that they continually win championships in order to demonstrate their potential.

It is natural that drivers should want to come out on top of whichever category they compete in each season; it is a competitive sport after all and often this goal is deemed essential in retaining sponsorship for the following year.

But the MSA points to an alarming link between short-term success and long-term failure; and that those who chase titles at all costs at a junior level could actually be harming their chances of repeating that success at the higher strands of the sport, according to MSA performance director Robert Reid.

“A lot of research has been done in other sports that shows that if your focus is entirely on winning at all costs at junior levels that can potentially be at the expense of acquiring the skills that will be beneficial to you in the future,” says Reid, who co-drove Richard Burns to the 2001 World Rally Championship.

“In motor sport, we focus on the next race or the coming season, and assume that

winning is everything. The fundamental lack of understanding here is that this type of short-term approach is entirely incompatible with long-term development.”

Reid acknowledges that this has huge ramifications for the sport and how people approach it.

“I spoke to [Red Bull boss] Christian Horner a few years ago. He said that instead of spending hundreds of thousands of pounds each year because they felt they had to win the various titles, karters would be better off spending much less, coming in the top five or ten, learning their racecraft, developing their skills and having fun. They would also save a bundleof money that would cover their first seasons of car racing, which is when teams start to take notice.

This advice is entirely consistent with what we see in elite talent programmes elsewhere.

“If you always have the best machinery, drive for the best teams, and have the most track time, all in pursuit of winning this year’s championship, you will never deal with times when things are tough. As you get nearer the top of the sport, where more of your fellow competitors are good, if you haven’t learned the psychological and technical skills to deal with them being faster than you, you’re going to be in trouble.”

Potential seems to be a word that motor sport struggles with. Does a title winner have more potential than the person that came fifth? Or have they had an advantage, been doing it longer, developed quicker or practised more?

CREDIT

In the first of a new series which seeks to explode some of the myths prevalent in motor sport today, Ben Anderson looks at why winning in the early years is not as vital as many claim

40 www.msauk.org Spring 2014

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CREDIT

myth busting

“We are not negating the obvious benefits of winning regularly,” continues Reid. “But if we keep mistaking success for potential, we end up cutting those that might have gone on to be world-beaters, in favour of those who looked better in the results at that point in time. It’s a challenge that other sports have understood, but here we are, still judging young drivers effectively by the size of their parents’ wallet.”

But there is the fly in the theoretical ointment: cost.

“We have to be realistic,” admits Taylor.

“We cannot ignore the sizeable financial demands of the sport, and the MSA is not going to be able to fund young drivers itself.

But we do have a moral obligation to show people that they don’t have to spend everything they have, just because people tell them they should, or because they are led to believe it will yield dividends.”

The vast sums of money required for professional motor sport categories places

We are learning the way sport development works, the way people acquire skills. Now is the time to bring this knowledge to the table for the greater good of motor sport participants real pressure on drivers to deliver results immediately, or face the end of the road with their backers. Convincing a sponsor their money should pay for your personal development rather than immediate success is no easy task.

BTCC ace Tom Onslow-Cole, who is also a performance manager for the MSA, knows this pressure all too well. “It’s really difficult to do,” he concedes. “Ideally you want a sponsor that’s buying into your career for the

long term, as an investor. You need to set realistic goals and get them to buy into your development. If you go in saying you’re going to win everything and you don’t, that’s going to be an issue.

“But many young people are financed by their family, so we need to get the parents to understand the difference between development and results. That way we can also reduce the pressure on the youngsters to deliver in the short term, which will have a direct benefit in the long term.”

“This is a really exciting opportunity,” concludes Reid. “If we can change the mindset, not only does everyone start to enjoy a better experience throughout the sport, but we also stand more chance of un-earthing the hidden gem that could go on to become world champion.”

To get in touch with the MSA Academy for advice and support, please email: academy@msauk.org or call Greg Symes, MSA academy manager on 01753 765000.

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03/02/2014 10:40 20/02/2014 09:41

role play

Stuart Westbrook, a retired nurse, runs his own rescue unit and regularly gives up his time to train others

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

It takes real team spirit to volunteer for rescue and recovery units, being the first on the scene When it comes down to it, the guys in the rescue and

recovery units are some of the most important individuals at any motor sport event. They’re the ones that help when things go awry which – in the case of Warren Ballinger, who volunteers as part of an MSA Motor Sport Recovery Unit – could entail something as simple as winching a competitor’s car out of a ditch.

For Stuart Westbrook, rescue unit founder and manager, things can, very occasionally, get quite involved, and he has the equipment and expertise to cut competitors from wrecks – if need be.

Both Ballinger and Westbrook give every impression that they work as part of a team,

which forms part of the larger volunteering community. As well as winching cars out of ditches and removing vehicles blocking stages, Ballinger’s recovery unit will often help the on-duty rescue units.

“If a rescue unit went in to cut people out of a car, we go in with them and offer them assistance,” says Ballinger. “We help with radio control, fire cover and help stabilise the vehicle. We basically give them a hand.”

It was 26 years ago that Ballinger first bought a Land Rover and got involved in volunteering in the recovery service, attending show grounds and rallies.

“Nothing as professional as it is now,” he says. “It was a man and a winch and a bit of experience.”

Stuart Westbrook is a recently retired nurse who first set up his own rescue unit in 1980, covering the Lakeland stages of what was then the Lombard RAC rally.

He now travels far and wide with his unit, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, offering medical, rescue and critical intervention.

“From a personal view, it’s taken me far and wide, and I’ve met some great people and seen some fabulous scenery,” he says.

“I’ve also made some very good friends.”

He’s also a trainer assessor for the MSA, and at the time of the interview is preparing for a big training weekend in January that will have over 90 people attending.

But, despite good training numbers, he still struggles to recruit and retain new crew. As with Ballinger’s recovery unit, Westbrook says that commitment is needed when volunteering for a rescue unit. The days can often be long, and those wanting to get involved must be able to work well with others.

Both roles come highly recommended by Ballinger and Westbrook, who suggest those who are interested in finding out more take a look at the Blue Book for further details about equipment and training – and, of course, join their local motor club.

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Toolkit

Toolkit

IN THIS

ISSUE: Buyer’s guide p46 Place notes: Knockhill p49 TechnoFile: balancing tyres p55 Judicial decisions p58

News, products and advice for club competitors

EXHIBITION

FRAZER NASH EXHIBITION A new exhibition celebrating the career of British sports car manufacturer and engineer Frazer Nash has opened at River & Rowing Museum, Henley on Thames.

Through an extensive collection of archive photographs, the exhibition charts Frazer Nash’s life as a 21-year-old ex-engineering

apprentice becoming successful as a motor car designer.

On display will be two historic Frazer Nash cars, including the 1951 Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica, Sir Stirling Moss’ British Empire Trophy winning car, which is over 60 years old.

ACCESSORIES

EDEC APPAREL SUPPORTS MSA ACADEMY The MSA has teamed up with EDEC Apparel to supply its new RaceCases to all Team UK drivers and make them available to MSA Academy members with a 10 per cent discount.

EDEC Apparel is a new motor sport brand that is “dedicated to delivering stylish, innovative products”. Its first product, the RaceCase, is a secure, shock-absorbent, hard shell bag that holds specialist racing kit. The RaceCase retails at £199.99 from EDECapparel.com, Grand Prix Racewear, Demon Tweeks, Corbeau, Nicky Grist and iZone.

Tech Spec Colour: Air White Material: Polycarbonate ABS Plastic Volume: 70L Weight: 4.1kg Maximum Load: 25kg Dimensions: 75cm x 34.5cm x 35cm

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 45

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BUYER’S

GUIDE

Keep it cool

Maintaining a low temperature is difficult in the heat of the competition, so here’s our guide to some of the products available to help chill out Evans Waterless Coolant

What do they offer? Evans’ range of non-toxic waterless engine coolants overcome common problems associated with conventional water-based coolants, with a boiling point of 180°C and cold protection below -40°C. No water also means no oxygen in the system, which in turn means no corrosion.

Why should I choose them? Evans promises that this product will prevent overheating, corrosion and freezing.

Where can I find out more? Visit www.evanscoolants.co.uk

Tripac fans

What do they offer? Tripac are cooling fan specialists. Offering the latest technology, their line of reverse skewed ring blade fan assemblies offer the most advanced engineering in air movement today.

Why should I choose them? The polarity of the motor can be reversed, allowing the fan to run as either a blower or sucker.

Where can I find out more? Visit Tripac’s website at www. tripacfans.com. Or to purchase, visit www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk

Davies Craig Electric Water Pumps

What do they offer? Davies Craig offer a wide range of universal fit electric water pumps all designed to increase the efficiency over the standard belt driven pumps. Benefits include increased engine power, better control of engine temperature, increased engine life and also the capability of circulating coolant after engine shutdown to help prevent hot spots and gasket damage with the use of the digital fan controller.

Why should I choose them? Davies Craig offers a wide range of electric water pumps to fit most makes of vehicles on the road today.

Where can I find out more?

Check out www.daviescraig.com.au.

To purchase call 01978 664466 or go to www.demon-tweeks.co.uk

46 www.msauk.org Spring 2014

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21/02/2014 15:49

buyer’s guide POLE POSITION

Security

Some ideas to help keep your car safe

Steering lock

Zircoflex Ceramic Heat Shield

What do they offer? Zircotec have developed a ceramic coating to help protect components from the effects of fire, heat, wear, abrasion and corrosion.

Why should I choose them? Zircoflex reduces underbonnet temperature by up to 50°C, as well as increasing engine performance and extending the life of components.

Where can I find out more? Visit www.zircotec.com or purchase at www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk

Auto Meter gauges

What do they offer? Manufacturing expertise from 1976 and relatively new to the UK, Auto Meter offer a full range of gauges from tachometers to boost gauges. Prices from only £38.00 + VAT. Why should I choose them? These gauges are designed for pro racers.

Where can I find out more? You can find these products at www.demontweeks.co.uk or call 01978 664466

www.disklokuk.co.uk It’s never a good idea to overlook security, especially when you’ve invested so much time, money and effort getting your car just right. So where better to start than making sure that your car is theft proof? Disklok is one such product that has been dominating the market place. Made from hardened steel, it is anti-pick and anti-drill, including a unique feature that allows it to spin on the wheel when under attack, making it impossible to gain any leverage to force the vehicle’s own steering lock.

For more details visit www.disklokuk.co.uk

Tracking device

www.kwiktrak.co.uk Kwiktrak offer a rechargeable battery-powered tracking device that will track your vehicle when stolen, sending you free text message updates. It can also be swapped from competition vehicle to trailer when at the event. Once this tracker senses movement, it tells you it’s location every 30 seconds. To find out more go to www.kwiktrak.co.uk

Garage defender

www.pjbsecurity.co.uk If you’re looking for extra protection to prevent burglars getting to your property, consider PJB’s Garage Defender.

Simply fitted to the ground in front of your garage door using two expandable rawl bolts, the Garage Defender locks on to a solid steel base with a padlock to help block the tilt action of the door. Made in Britain, this heavy-duty lock is easy to fit and is recommended for anyone looking for that little extra to help secure their property. For details about the Grarage Defender, check out www.pjbsecurity.co.uk

Revotec Electronic fan controllers

What do they offer? The Revotec EFC is an innovative and accurate thermostatic controller that can be linked to any existing or aftermarket cooling fan. With a variety of fittings, it allows temperatures to be kept between 70°C and 102°C Why should I choose them? Revotec are automotive cooling specialists and offer neat and efficient solutions for lowering the temperature of your car.

Where can I find out more? Visit www.revotec.com. If you would like to purchase, go to www.demon-tweeks.co.uk

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 47

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Guy Smith, ALMS & GT3 driver

20/02/2014 09:41

place notes

The tight, twisty track at Knockhill celebrates its 40th anniversary this year

DATA BURST

LENGTH: 1.3 miles DATE OPENED: 1974 LAP RECORD: 47.14 seconds LOCATION: Dunfermline, Fife KY12 9TF WEBSITE: www.knockhill.com CONTACT: 01383 723337

TAYLORS DUFFUS DIP

START

McINTYRE

LESLIE’S

HISLOP’S BUTCHERS BRABHAMS

ARNOLD CLARK CHICANE

CLARK

KNOCKHILL

Some of motor sport’s finest competitors cut their teeth on Scotland’s intricate circuit, says Jon Doran

LAT

Ask any touring car driver for his favourite circuit and it is a pretty

fair bet that Knockhill will be near the top.

The tight, twisty track – which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2014 – is an annual pilgrimage that puts a smile on the face… even when it is raining. And it rains less than popular legend would have it – although it can be a bit on the Baltic side at times.

The track may only be 1.3 miles long, but it guarantees to be a test for both man and machine – and it is a testament to the foresight of the Butcher family.

Edinburgh-born ex-bike racer Derek Butcher bought the circuit from sheep farmer Tom Kinnaird in 1983 for a six-figure sum. It has been transformed into Scotland’s National Motorsport Centre, attracting 500,000 visitors a year and hosting top events like the British Touring Cars and Superbikes.

“I’d sold my alarm business and I heard the tenants who ran the track were planning to close the place down,” says Derek. “But I

quickly struck a deal with Tom Kinnaird. We sat in his house in front of his fire with a glass of whisky and from then on Knockhill has been my life. The place looked like Colditz. I torched the lot and started from scratch.”

Tom Kinnaird was the man who started things off at Knockhill. Another motorbike racing fan, he had gone to tracks all over the country but decided to develop his farmland into a custom-built circuit by designing a demanding road-style track with plenty of twists, turns and dips.

It took him two years but, in the autumn of 1974, the first motorcycle race meeting was held – and it caused such a stir that there was traffic chaos on the rural roads.

Kinnaird offered testing for cars and bikes, but it was clear that extra finance was needed if the circuit was to grow.

Denis Dobbie – who was already known for his DART F3 team – took on a year’s lease with an option to buy, but his ambitious plans to build a facility capable of hosting a

Scottish F1 grand prix hit problems and ran up debts of £250,000.

Kinnaird stepped back in and ran the circuit on a year-by-year basis for the next seven years until the Butcher dynasty began.

They are now inextricably linked with racing and Knockhill. Daughter Jillian raced single-seaters and saloons and is now the business director. Her husband Gordon Shedden is last year’s BTCC champion and business development chief at the circuit.

Her brother Rory – a former Scottish Formula Ford champion – came third in the Porsche Carerra Cup and is an instructor.

“We are very much one big family here at Knockhill – all the staff are treated like that,” Derek says. “But my own family are flat-out racing and running the business. Jillian Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 49

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place notes

The track may only be 1.3 miles long, but it guarantees to be a test for both man and machine

Many racing greats have made an appearance at Knockhill, including Chris Amon and Sir Jackie Stewart

started here when she was 10. Now she’s managing director. Jill is married to Gordon, who started here on the race experiences when he was 17. Now he races in the BTCC.” But, for Butcher, the real high point has been making people sit up and take notice of Scottish motor racing.

“We have terrific crowds every year and the biggest moment in 25 years was getting the British Touring Cars and Superbikes to come to Knockhill annually,” he explains.

Knockhill is home to thriving national car and bike racing scenes, as well as having a competitive rally stage. It also has a licence

for reverse lap racing – creating two completely different tracks out of the same piece of Tarmac.

It meant a large financial outlay improving run-off areas and protecting the kerbs, but Jillian reckons the future is bright. She says: “The big thing for us is to improve the facilities constantly for the customers who come here.

“It is not just the motor sport community, the whole country has had a rough couple of years, but it looks like we are nearing the end of that. We did batten down the hatches and restrict the spending because we didn’t know what would be coming in.

“We have made changes that have improved the look, but there was no major spend. The biggest thing has been the reverse lap. We were getting feedback that said they loved Knockhill but they wanted to try something else.

“We did look at extending the track or changing some of the corners, but the best – and cheapest – option was the reverse lap. It meant a lot of safety changes, but it resulted with us giving competitors in Scotland a second track.

“Now, we can look to the future and I would like to see improved comfort for Spring 2014 www.msauk.org

049-053 Knockhill.indd 51

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20/02/2014 09:42

place notes

Derek Butcher with his family who work at Knockhill (below); son-in-law Gordon Shedden, BTCC champion (above)

racers and spectators. I want to make Knockhill a visitor attraction that people want to come to and where, if the weather is cold, you can still enjoy it because you will be indoors and can enjoy a good view of the racing.”

It is a far cry from Derek’s first meeting in 1983. “It was a complete disaster,” he says. “It was cancelled through snow and I ended up losing £100,000.”

The change has been quick and dramatic.

Virtually every Scottish racing legend has since cut his teeth on the Fife track – World Endurance Champion Allan McNish, four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti, F1 stars David Coulthard and Paul di Resta,

IT’S A DATE

American Le Mans Series winner Marino Franchitti, Le Mans 24-hour winner Ryan Dalziel, GT champs Glynn Geddie, Andrew Kirkaldy and Peter Dumbreck and many, many more learned their trade at Knockhill.

Many arrived under the guiding hand of David Leslie and David Leslie Jnr. Most sought out the wisdom of circuit manager Ian Forrest, a proven race winner over many decades who has always been prepared to show racers the secrets of a fast lap at the Fife circuit. A new generation has also been quick to pick his brains, ensuring the conveyor belt of top Scottish drivers is working well and that every one of them knows all about the thrill on the Hill.

2014 marks the 40th anniversary for the track – meaning a festival of motor sport celebrations.

It kicked off just after the New Year with the first round of the Scottish Tarmac Rally Championship, but there are two mega highlights – the MCE British Super Bikes on 27-29 June and Dunlop British Touring Car Championship on 23-24 August.

Both have been selected as part of the historic Homecoming Scotland 2014 campaign.

On top of that, the Knockhill touring cars will mark the 50th anniversary of Jim Clark’s victory in the BTCC. Event director Stuart Gray said: “It’s a natural fit in many ways as Jim was born in Fife and we hope to have some 15,000 racing fans at our 2014 event, as the circuit is also celebrating its 40th anniversary.

“We are delighted also that Homecoming Scotland has recognised these special landmarks and are backing the event with funding that will allow us to celebrate four decades of motor sport at Knockhill, and the unique achievements of Jim Clark.”

Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 53

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technofile TECHNO

FILE

How weight is distributed impacts how well a car performs - getting the balance right is crucial

e c n a l a b a g St rik i n

e working together, e ar s re ty ur fo l al l el w lies on how nds out mor Your car’s handling reect weight distribution. Ben Anderson fi rr which requires the co

MICHAEL L. LEVITT/LAT

Everybody who competes in motor sport obsesses about

weight. Putting it on; taking it off; making sure their vehicle is as close to the prescribed limit as possible.

As well as being a hindrance to speed if a car carries too much of it, weight – and the way it is distributed – has a crucial impact on how well that car will behave when it is driven. Even the smallest adjustments to suspension settings can throw a car’s weight distribution awry, leading to one tyre bearing a disproportionate brunt of the load and thus causing uneven

wear and handling imbalances that subsequently may unbalance the driver too…

That’s why it’s so important to cornerweight your car before taking to the track or hitting the stages. US firm Intercomp has manufactured scales and measuring equipment for 35 years and has a global network of dealerships in motor sport.

“Weight has a large impact on the handling of a car, most importantly how that weight is distributed and how it transfers during acceleration, deceleration and cornering,” says Intercomp’s racing market

specialist Scott Elmgren. “Weight management should be a critical part of every racer’s track preparation program, and the only way to find out how the weight is being distributed across the tyres of your car is by corner-weighing.

“Before you get your car on the scales, you should have a good idea of your overall target weight and weight percentages. ‘Percentages’ refers to a ratio of weight to help analyse the weight distribution across the car.

“When working with static weight distribution, the two percentages Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 55

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21/02/2014 15:53

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technofile

NORTHAMPTON MOTORSPORT

Specialist scales are used to calculate percentage of weight ratios; scales have evolved to become multi-functional (below)

frequently used are left-weight percentage and rear-weight percentage. To find the left-weight percentage you add the left-front weight to the left-rear weight and divide that number by the total weight of the car. Once you know that number, you can determine the right-weight percentage by subtracting the left-weight percentage from 100. The rear-weight percentage is determined in the same way but by using the weight of each rear wheel. You can see why having scales that do these calculations for you is convenient.

“Different types of racing look at different percentages: drag racers like to analyse their front-to-rear percentages to determine how much weight they need to shift around to get the desired traction at the driven wheels; road racers will look at trying to achieve an even balance from left to right to improve handling in the corners.

“To get an accurate reading, it’s critical to make sure the scale pads are sitting on a level plane; small angles can throw off your readings significantly. Levelling the scales can be achieved in a number of ways, including with shims or with the use of scale pad levelers.”

Rival US firm Longacre is the other big player in this field, but focuses solely on motor sport (Intercomp also works in other fields such as agriculture, aviation and the military).

Founder Jack Jaynes started the company in the 1970s and has been at the forefront of developing portable corner-weighting technology over subsequent decades.

“Over the years we’ve evolved our scales to include automatic calculation of partial weight percentages, a display of multiple partial percents at the same time, and a memory function to compare to a baseline or previous set-ups,” explains Jaynes. “Our company is solely devoted to motor sport, so these changes were based on feedback from teams using them in NASCAR, short track (oval racing), IndyCar, sportscar road racing – and even drag racing.”

Like most technology companies, Longacre is now working on converging its products so they are multi-functional. The latest systems work on tablets that also function as tyre-temperature gauges, stopwatches, and camber and castor gauges.

Like Intercomp, Longacre continues to work on the accuracy of the scales themselves – developing more complex pads that compensate for discrepancies in accuracy when the car is adjusted or moved during weighing.

“Modern scales are so well designed that there are few areas for mistakes,” adds Jaynes. “Careful levelling of the scales is obviously important. Less obvious is the need to settle the chassis once it is on the scales. This is done by moving each corner up and down slightly by hand, and will settle out any damper/suspension friction to give you the correct weight distribution.

“Why do virtually all successful teams use scales to get accurate set-ups?

Consistency and getting all four tyres to work as equally as possible. This is what will give you the best handling car and the fastest lap times.”

Drag racers like to analyse how much weight they need to shift around; road racers will look at trying to achieve an even balance to improve handling corners Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 57

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21/02/2014 15:53

national court

MOTOR SPORTS COUNCIL NATIONAL COURT SITTING TUESDAY 1 OCTOBER 2013 Guy Spollon (Chairman) Mike Garton Bob Ketttleboro CASE No J2013/27 Inquiry into the Manchester & Buxton Kart Club Meeting at Three Sisters Circuit on 23 June 2013

This matter has been referred by the MSA to the National Court for an Investigatory Hearing in accordance with C9 of the General Regulations.

There are concerns that there may have been: 1. A breach of the General Regulations and/or 2. An incorrect or improper declaration of results and/or 3. A defect, default, irregularity or inconsistency in respect of a kart race meeting held at Three Sisters on 23 June 2013.

The essential facts are that: 1. On 23 June 2013 the Manchester and Buxton Kart Club held a series of National ‘B’ Kart Races at Three Sisters, Wigan.

2. During the Mini Max final on the last corner before the finish there was an incident between Kart 16 driven by Competitor A and Kart 98 driven by Competitor B. Competitor B finished in 6th place and Competitor A in 3rd place.

3. The MSA Steward at the meeting was Mr Ray Smith, the Clerk of the Course was Mr Bernard Wade. Also involved in the running of the event was Mr Nigel Pritchard, Chairman of Manchester and Buxton Kart Club, and his

wife who was Competition Secretary for the meeting with experience in excess of two years with kart race meetings.

4. The National Court had the advantage of: a) Hearing evidence from Mr Nigel Pritchard and Mr Ray Smith. b) Reading the statements and documentation provided from the above witnesses as well as those provided by Mr Bernard Wade, Competitor B’s father, Competitor A and his father.

5. Following the race both kart drivers were asked to attend the office of the Clerk of the Course. According to Mr Wade: a) He undertook a hearing which revealed that: i. The kart driven by Competitor A (no 16) had not deliberately contacted kart no 98. ii. The coming together had prejudiced Competitor B (no 98). b) He decided that nothing would be gained by giving Kart no 16 a five-place penalty as this would not help the aggrieved Kart no 98 so he decided to reverse the positions, giving third finishing place to Kart no 98 and 6th place to Kart no 16. c) All parties agreed to the reversed positions.

6. The Clerk’s Decision Notification form is dated 23 September 2013 and timed at 17.30 and bears the signature of Mr Wade and also a signature “Competitor A” (Kart no 16).

7. According to Competitor A: a) The Clerk of the Course had already

commenced his discussions with Competitor B when he and his father entered the office of the Clerk of the Course. b) Mr Wade did not seem interested or bothered about his version of events and c) Mr Wade insisted that Competitor A had to choose between exclusion or swapping final positions. d) Mr Wade did not advise him about any complaints’ procedures and said there was insufficient time for any statement to be obtained from any marshal(s) who may have observed the incident. e) He did not at the time see any paperwork and certainly did not sign the Clerk’s Decision Notification form (which he says he saw for the first time when a copy was forwarded to him by the National Court).

8. Neither Mr Pritchard, his wife or Mr Smith (the MSA Steward) it seems saw any paperwork relating to the Clerk’s decision to “swap places” at the time and further a) No verdicts or decisions were ever displayed on the official noticeboard. b) Mr Wade, having made his decision, instructed the Timekeeper to make the changes so the only results issued were those following the swap.

9. A Clerk of the Course, whilst having extensive power, does not have the power to promote a competitor in the results and/or to swap places.

The National Court finds that: 1. There were serious irregularities and breaches at the Three Sisters Meeting on 23 June 2013. In particular, the Clerk of the Course: a) Improperly swapped the positions of karts no 16 and no 98 in the Mini Max final. b) Failed to conduct the post race hearing in a fair and reasonable fashion. c) Failed to ensure that his actions were reported to the Stewards of the Meeting, included in the Judicial Summary and displayed on the official Noticeboard.

2. The results of the Mini Max final race should be as the karts passed the finishing line.

3. There must be serious concerns about the competence of the Clerk of the Course who displayed ignorance of both basic rules and procedures. As a consequence, he should be suspended forthwith as a Clerk of the Course for a period of six months to permit a further enquiry to be convened as expeditiously as possible to enquire particularly as to the circumstances surrounding the alleged signature of “Competitor A” on the Clerk’s Decision Notification document.

4. The costs in relation to this enquiry should be reserved.

The Court also heard from Mr Ray Smith, the MSA Steward on 23 June 2013 and considered the written evidence of: 1. Mr Nigel Pritchard 2. The father of Competitor B 3. Competitor A 4. The father of Competitor A In summary, Competitor A denied that he had signed the questioned document. Mr Wade said that Competitor A had signed it and that he had done so in his presence after a judicial hearing

on 23 June 2013.

Mr Wade claimed that he had then delivered the signed document to Mrs Pritchard, the Competition Secretary, at Race Control. Mr Ray Smith was adamant that he had not seen the document until after 23 June 2013. It had not been placed in his filing tray.

Upon hearing evidence from both Mr Wade and Mr Smith and upon considering unchallenged examples of Competitor A’s signature on three Competition Licence Applications and a

GUY SPOLLON CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2013 David Munro (Chairman) Mike Garton David Scott CASE No J2013/35 Bernard Wade Inquiry Inquiry into Manchester and Buxton Kart Club meeting at Three Sisters on 23rd June 2013.

This matter has been referred to the National Court for an Investigatory Hearing in accordance with General Regulation C9 by an

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earlier Inquiry held by the Court on 1 October 2013. There were concerns regarding the circumstances surrounding the apparent signature of “Competitor A” on a Clerk’s Decision Notification document dated 23 June 2013 and timed at 17.30.

The senior Clerk of the Course at that meeting was Mr Bernard Wade, who did not appear before the earlier Inquiry on 1 October 2013 but attended before the National Court in connection with the present matter.

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national court Signing On sheet from an event on 22 September 2013, the Court concludes that the signature on the Decision Sheet submitted by Mr Wade to the MSA on 23 July 2013 is not consistent with the usual signature of Competitor A which further appears on his letter to the Court dated 26 September 2013.

The Court is not satisfied by Mr Wade’s explanation as to how the questioned signature came to be on the Decision Notification. Further

the Court takes note of the fact that the Inquiry on 1 October 2013 found that Mr Wade had failed to ensure that his actions were reported to the Stewards of the Meeting and that they were not included in the Judicial Summary or displayed on the official noticeboard.

The Court, having rejected the evidence of Mr Wade with regard to the circumstances of the purported signature of the Decision Notification has grave concerns about the

circumstances of the actual completion of the document itself.

The Court concludes that document was not signed by Competitor A. Consequently the Court finds that the creation of the document in question constitutes a fraudulent act in connection with an event contrary to General Regulation C1.1.3.

Accordingly pursuant to General Regulation C2.1.1 (e) the Court suspends Mr Bernard Wade

from acting as a Clerk of the Course or from acting in any capacity in the organisation or management of motor sport for a period of three years.

The Court order Mr Wade should pay £750 in costs.

This decision is set down at 13.37 on Tuesday 5 November 2013.

require self-adhesive type weights.

It was considered that his submissions in support of this appeal disclosed no proper basis for challenging the decision of the Scrutineer and in the course of his submissions he accepted using “hammer-on” weights.

Accordingly this Appeal is dismissed and it

is ordered that the Appeal fee be forfeited and that the Appellant should contribute towards costs in the sum of £500.

This decision is set down at 16.00 on Tuesday 5 November 2013.

parties the opportunity to be heard, will exclude the vehicle from the relevant results unless there are exceptional reasons why this should not be done.

After race 10 had finished a number of cars were inspected under Parc Ferme conditions.

Amongst others, cars 19 and 71 were found to have non-standard parts in the top coolant hose. As a result of this finding, the Eligibility Scrutineer, Mr Ian Millar, issued Non Compliance forms in respect of each car.

The National Court heard evidence from Mr Derrick Rowe, a director of DPR Motor Sport LLP, who was the entrant of Jamie Orton, and from Aaron Head, the driver of car no 19.

Evidence was also received from Mr Ian Millar and from the Clerk of the Course, Mr Bernard Cottrell and his deputy Mr Peter Daly.

After considering the relevant evidence the Court finds: 1. That in the case of each competitor there was an opportunity to be heard before the Clerk of the Course, following which the vehicles were excluded from the relevant results.

2. That this took place in the Race Control building at Brands Hatch.

3. That in the case of both Aaron Head and Jamie Orton the requirements of General Regulation C 3.1.1 were satisfied.

4. That after their exclusion both competitors considered their rights of Appeal regarding the eligibility of the Caterham cars in question.

The Court notes that Mr Rowe entered an appeal on behalf of Mr Orton but that he then chose to abandon this course of action. Mr Head admitted that he had considered an Eligibility Appeal but decided not to pursue it because of the cost.

In these circumstances the National Court, dealing with an Inquiry under General Regulation C.9, is not constituted as an Eligibility Appeal Panel and will not consider issues as to eligibility.

These findings are set down at 17.34.

The Court has considered written submissions from Mr Salkeld and also from Mr Peter Bruce (the chief scrutineer) and from Mr Andy Kobasa (the Clerk of the Course). It has further considered the Notes of The Stewards Meeting held on 20 October 2013 and has viewed the in-car video footage from Mr Cole’s vehicle.

The Court concludes that it is unclear whether any instruction to stop was actually

given and accordingly finds that Mr Cole cannot be said to have failed to follow the instructions of an official.

Accordingly the two-minute time penalty is quashed and the results of the event must be revised to reflect this fact.

The Appeal Fee is to be refunded.

No orders are made as to costs.

specifically to the wish of a competitor, Keiran Wragg, to appeal the Clerk of the Course’s decision to exclude him for a perceived technical irregularity.

The facts are as follows.

At the conclusion of the Mini Max final

several clutch drums were inspected by the Scrutineering team at the event and one, that of Keiran Wragg, was considered to have “too much grease or lubricant on it”. A NonCompliance form was duly completed, the component was placed into an MSA

DAVID MUNRO, CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2013 David Munro (Chairman) Mike Garton

David Scott CASE No J2013/34 David Allen Eligibility Appeal

The National Court has considered the Eligibility Appeal of David Allen.

He was the driver of a Legend car No 28 at Knockhill on 6 October 2013. He was excluded from the event under General Regulation C3.5.1(a) and (b) as his car was found to be ineligible as it was fitted with wheel weights that did not comply with Scottish Legends Championship regulation 6.75 which explicitly

DAVID MUNRO CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2013 David Munro (Chairman) Mike Garton Rick Smith CASE No J2013/36 C.9 Inquiry re Caterham R300 Superlight Championship Brands Hatch 10 and 11 August 2013

This matter comes before the National Court by way of a Notice of Inquiry dated 23 October 2013 and following an earlier Eligibility Appeal Panel hearing which took place on 1 October 2013. (See MSA magazine, Winter 2013.)

It had appeared to the MSA from the decision given by the Eligibility Appeal Panel on 1 October 2013 and also from correspondence received that there may have been a breach of the General Regulations and/or an incorrect or an improper declaration of results, and/or a defect, default, omission, irregularity or inconsistency in respect of an MSVR/BRSCC race meeting held at Brands Hatch on 10/11 August 2013, permit number 78196 in that: 1. In race 10, a round of the Caterham R300 Superlight Championship Competitor no 19,

Aaron Head, was subject to a procedure not in accordance with General Regulation C3.1.1 and 2. Further, Competitor no 19 is now entitled to rely upon the decision of the Eligibility Appeal Panel (which related to the reinstatement of Competitor no 24, Ollie Taylor following a finding that in his case General Regulation C3.1.1 had not been complied with).

3. A further Competitor, namely Jamie Orton no 71, may have been affected by the earlier decision.

Accordingly, the National Court, being mindful of the terms of reference contained in the Notice has considered whether, in race 10, Aaron Head was subject to a procedure which was not in accordance with General Regulation C 3.1.1 and whether Competitor no 71, Jamie Orton was subject to a similar procedure which failed to accord with General Regulation C 3.1.1.

General Regulation C 3.1.1 provides that if the eligibility judges of fact agree that the vehicle or component is ineligible, this will be reported to the Clerk of the Course who, after giving the

DAVID MUNRO CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER 2013 David Munro (Chairman) Mike Harris Ron McCabe CASE No J2013/38 Cheviot Stage Rally Inquiry

This matter comes before the National Court by way of a Notice dated 8 November 2013 and is referred to the National Court for an Investigatory Hearing in accordance with General Regulation C.9.

The Court is concerned with an irregularity or inconsistency which arose during the UTS Cheviot Keith Knox Rally on 20 October 2013 permit number 74047 in that Mr Damian Cole was subjected to a two-second time penalty for an alleged failure to obey the instruction of an official, namely an instruction to stop for the purposes of a turbocharger restrictor check.

The alleged instruction was said to have been given by the Eligibility Scrutineer, Mr Colin Sakeld.

DAVID MUNRO, CHAIRMAN

SITTING TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER 2013 Tony Scott Andrews (Chairman) Mike Garton Ian Watson

CASE No J2013/41 Whilton Mill, 24 November 2013

Keiran Wragg

This Inquiry is brought to the National Court by the Motor Sports Association in accordance with the provisions of MSA General Regulation C.9. The Inquiry relates to the Mini Max final held at Whilton Mill on 24 November this year,

60 www.msauk.org Spring 2014

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national court sealing bag and both the form and the clutch drum were taken to the Clerk of the Course.

Before the Clerk, Mr Richard Wragg, father and entrant of Keiran, was insistent that there had been no deliberate attempt to cheat or to enhance the kart’s performance and when told of the decision to exclude his son he made it clear that he wished to appeal that decision. The evidence of Mr Wragg is that no consideration was given as to whether there could be exceptional reasons not to exclude, but this is not specifically covered in the written statement of the Clerk who undoubtedly did give Mr Wragg an opportunity to explain his position.

During this process the Clerk had made enquiries of his colleagues “to confirm (his) understanding of the process by scrutineering of obtaining an estimate of cost for examining said part and Mr Wragg’s agreement to pay the fee.” The Clerk also advised Mr Wragg that he had thirty minutes in which to lodge an appeal.

Mr Wragg’s evidence is that he was asked by the Clerk to accompany him to the scrutineering bay where the Clerk confirms he returned the component to the Scrutineers, advised them that Mr Wragg wished to appeal and asked that “the appeal process be started”.

Whilst Mr Wragg waited, numerous telephone calls were then made to try and establish a cost for the examination of the clutch. It was ultimately explained to Mr Wragg that they had not been able to contact the Technical Commissioner to whom the clutch would be

sent and could not therefore advise him of the cost. Mr Wragg was, however, advised that the cost of stripping and rebuilding could be several hundred pounds, possibly £700 for each procedure, to which must be added an inspection fee.

It was agreed that enquiries would be made as to how much Mr Wragg would need to pay and he would be notified on the Monday following the event.

Mr Wragg, anxious to pursue his appeal and prepared to pay an appropriate fee in support of the appeal, was then advised that he was out of time to lodge his appeal against the Clerk’s decision.

It was seemingly then considered that any further procedure Mr Wragg wished to make relating to the clutch drum (which had now been removed from its original bag, had been physically handled and inspected by Mr Wragg and which had then been sealed in, possibly, a different bag) would relate to a quite separate appeal which would lie not against the decision of the Clerk but against the findings of the Scrutineer, the fee for which would be notified on the Monday.

In the event Mr Wragg insisted on handing the Clerk written notice that he wished to appeal. Although he had been told he was out of time to appeal the Clerk’s decision he considered that fact was attributable solely to the time taken by the officials in trying to find out what fee they wished him to agree to pay.

The said telephone call was never received on the Monday and Mr Wragg’s subsequent enquiries of the club and of the MSA elicited responses that his appeal had not been progressed as they had no knowledge of it.

The appeal notice written by Mr Wragg is not available to this Court, nor is the component. It is assumed the latter must remain with the Scrutineers as it was sent neither to the Technical Commissioner (to whom it was wrongly thought it should be sent for examination) nor to the MSA, presumably because of doubt on the part of the Scrutineers as to whether there actually was an extant appeal.

It is the view of this Court that there is an obligation on the part of competitors to ensure that they are aware of the rules and regulations of the sport in which they participate such that it is their own responsibility to know how to lodge an appeal. It is also the view of this Court that a competitor should not be able to avoid his responsibility for properly lodging an appeal by saying simply that he relied on comments made by officials.

In this case, however, the Court finds that: 1. There was such a significant degree of misunderstanding as to procedure by the officials (in particular an obvious confusion as to the procedures for making a Protest and lodging an Appeal on technical grounds together with the resultant inability in good time to determine what payment they would

ask Mr Wragg to agree to pay) that Mr Wragg was not merely relying on comments made by officials as a reason for not lodging his appeal in the proper way (which, as stated above would normally be unacceptable) but that he was complying with their requirements as a result of which he was seriously misled and effectively deprived of the opportunity to appeal in the normal way.

2. As a result of the circumstances leading up to the clutch drum eventually being placed in its sealed bag, the absence of any specific indication to this Court as to its present whereabouts and the resultant concerns which inevitably arise as to the existence of an acceptable evidential chain of custody, it is now inappropriate to continue with the intended appeal process.

3. The decision made by the Clerk of the Course in this matter dated 24 November and timed at 15.35 is accordingly to be set aside.

4. Keiran Wragg is to be re-instated in the results of the Mini Max final, such amended results be published and any Championship points be recalculated accordingly.

5. No steps having been taken since the event to return the clutch drum to Mr Wragg, the organisers of the event are to take such steps as are necessary to locate it and to ensure that it is returned to him forthwith.

into the alleged overtaking incidents 3. The explanation given to the Clerk by the team “that someone had forgotten to put the card in the camera before the race” was patently incorrect.

The explanation given to the Court by Niall Murray is that on this occasion he was using a new type of camera which utilised a micro SD card and which differed in design from the earlier type of camera which would have been familiar to the Clerk and to the team member who took the camera to him.

It is said that after the podium ceremony and the formalities which ensued, Niall Murray, now very much aware of the complaints of Wayne Boyd and Oliver White, returned to his team, was advised that the Clerk had wanted to see the recording made from his camera and that it had not been possible as there was no card within the camera, had ascertained that there was in fact a card (located in the side not the back of the camera) and duly played and viewed the recording.

Niall Murray contends that the card was with the camera when it was produced to the Clerk. The Clerk is equally adamant that the camera was empty such that the card must have been removed.

The Court considers that whether or not there was a card in the camera at the time it was produced to the Clerk, there remained a duty for the team to produce the camera together with the SD card to the Clerk as soon as it became known to them that there was indeed a recording of the incidents which the Clerk had wished to investigate.

Although it is said the hour was late, no attempt whatever was made to try and locate and inform either the Clerk at the event or to inform the Clerk or the MSA subsequent to the event that the information given to the Clerk was incorrect and to produce the evidence requested.

In view of the above the Court finds Niall Murray, who is responsible for the conduct of his team, guilty of an offence under MSA General Regulation C.1.1.3, that is to say a dishonest act in connection with an event.

Some credit is, however, to be given to Niall Murray for showing the recording to Wayne Boyd in the hope, it is said, of persuading him to the view that he had not been overtaken in the yellow flag zone.

For that reason the period during which this Court would wish Niall Murray’s licence to be suspended is reduced to but six months.

Niall Murray is also ordered to pay the sum of £1,000 as a contribution to toward the costs of this Inquiry.

As to the allegation that Niall Murray overtook Wayne Boyd and Oliver White whilst yellow flags were displayed, the Court having heard oral evidence from all three drivers and also having viewed recordings of the race taken

by Mondello TV and by two on-board cameras are satisfied that no driving offence as alleged was committed such that the results of the race are to remain unchanged.

TONY SCOTT ANDREWS CHAIRMAN

SITTING MONDAY 16 DECEMBER 2013 Tony Scott Andrews (Chairman) Dennis Carter Bob Kettleboro CASE No J2013/39 Niall Murray

This Inquiry is brought to the National Court by the Motor Sports Association in accordance with the provisions of MSA General Regulation C.9. The Inquiry relates to the Final race of the Formula Ford 1600 Festival held at Brands Hatch on the 27 October this year.

It was brought to the attention of the MSA by two competitors in that race, Wayne Boyd and Oliver White who drive for Medina Sport and who finished the race in second and third positions respectively. They each alleged that they had been overtaken by Niall Murray (who finished in first place) whilst yellow flags were displayed.

The evidence before the Court is that the matter was referred to the Clerk of the Course immediately after the race. He directed the Scrutineers to provide him with the camera which had been fitted to Niall Murray’s car.

The camera was removed from the car and brought to the Clerk not by a member of the Scrutineering team but by a member of Niall Murray’s race team.

The Clerk considered the camera to have been handed to him without an SD card and was advised by the team member who had brought the camera to him that the mechanic must have forgotten to insert it before the race.

In the absence of either an Observer’s report or any relevant recording from the circuit cameras no further action was taken.

It is noted that there is no requirement within the regulations for cars to be fitted with a camera.

Later that afternoon, however, Niall Murray and members of his team were able to view an in-car recording of the race taken from Niall Murray’s own car. Niall Murray later showed the recording to Wayne Boyd and to John Loebell, the owner and Team Principal of Medina Sport for whom Boyd drove.

Wayne Boyd states that when he saw the footage from Niall Murray’s on-board camera and said to Niall Murray, “So you did have the footage then?”, the response was, “Yes, but we wanted to look at it first. You would have done the same.” The latter part of that statement is denied by Niall Murray.

John Loebell, in his statement, says that when he suggested to a member of the team, believed to have been the person who took the camera to the Clerk, that removing the card from the camera was “out of order” the response was in terms that “Anyone would have done the same.” That also is denied.

After having shown the recording to Wayne Boyd, Niall Murray and his team continued packing up and subsequently left the circuit.

Wayne Boyd made the Clerk of the Course aware of what had happened later that evening at the Awards Ceremony.

This Court is satisfied that ;1. The camera contained a card during the race for the recording has this day been shown to the Court 2. The Clerk of the Course asked to see the card in order to assist him with an investigation

TONY SCOTT ANDREWS CHAIRMAN Spring 2014 www.msauk.org 63

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opinion

Simon says..

With or without a double-points final round, Formula 1 world championships keep things hanging in the balance, says Simon Arron

The notion of a single, double-points race is close in principle to the “joker” round in It’s a Knockout

LAT

Having covered every Formula 1 world championship grand prix between 2001 and 2012, Simon Arron has returned to the real world and now works as features editor for Motor Sport magazine

lose out to Lewis Hamilton as a result of a positional switch about 10 seconds before the finish. But there have also been years when Michael Schumacher had the whole thing wrapped up by about April.

The notion of a single, double-points race is close in principle to the “joker” round in It’s a Knockout, the once popular TV show (19681982) in which people dressed as ironing boards would wade around paddling pools trying to catch inflatable hamsters being lobbed across the water by a rival team from Barnstaple. That’s how I remember it, anyway, and it doesn’t seem a million miles removed from contemporary F1 philosophy.

If the authorities want to keep title contests tight, perhaps it’s time to return to an older model. In 1964, for example, there were 10 F1 Japanese Grand Prix, races that counted towards the world 1976. Niki Lauda championship and another eight that didn’t withdraws from the race due to torrential (one of them at Snetterton), although by rain, thus losing the then the number of non-scoring races was championship by one point fast diminishing.

Perhaps they should implement something Jelly tyres have been tried, similar, with a smallish number of world derided and discarded. Drag championship races supplemented by non-scoring F1 reduction systems were implemented to facilitate events in which cash-rich nations (probably not overtaking, but in some situations made it not so much Snetterton, then) pay the teams a handsome starting fee possible as inevitable, thereby stripping the practice of all and are permitted to incorporate all the gimmicks they artistry. And now it has been decreed that the final round want if they think it will put bums on seats, or armchairs. of the Formula 1 world championship will henceforth be For everybody else, there’s the cosy purity of club worth a double helping of points, in a bid to extend the motor sport. title fight – a sop, one assumes, to media partners that haven’t fully grasped the sport they paid to cover.

In terms of 2014 – assuming this actually happens – it means victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will have twice the merit of any other. Yes, football employs an “away goals count double” rule in some two-legged competitions, but it applies to every team in every round.

Sporting reality dictates that the final kick will decide some football seasons, while others will be done and dusted with several matches remaining. It’s the same in cricket: the County Championship might hang in the balance until the final over of the campaign’s closing day, but usually doesn’t.

Formula 1 has traditionally done quite well in this respect, with several titles still open at the concluding race. There have been many improbably dramatic finales, too: Niki Lauda retiring after a couple of laps at a rain-sodden Fuji (1976); Nigel Mansell seeing his title hopes disappear amid exploding tyre (Australia 1986); the balance of power shifting from Jim Clark to Graham Hill and, finally, John Surtees during the final two laps of the season (Mexico 1964); or Felipe Massa thinking he might have clinched the title at Interlagos in 2008, only to

66 www.msauk.org Spring 2014

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