Car Clubs In Act

[mrgilly]

Hi all,

I've been down in the ACT now for a while and haven't got around to heading to a track day - it's starting to burn at me after having quite a few cracks at QR!

Can anyone involved with CAMS-affiliated car clubs give me some idea about what is on offer? At this rate I'm most strongly considering the NSCC (http://www.nissansportscarclub.org) however I haven't found anyone who has personal experience with a local club.

I'd be interested in anyone's opinion!

Cheers

Edited October 13, 2008 by mrgilly

[StinkyPoo]

Local clubs - MG Car Club, Southern Districts Motorsport Association and the MX5 Car Club are the only ones that seem to hold regular track days, motorkhanas and hill climbs (I think they are CAMS affiliated too).

Wakefield do Speed of the Street days, they are untimed.

If it's Drifting, then I go to Sydney with IDA.

Edited October 13, 2008 by StinkyPoo

[mrgilly]

Thanks. I had looked at the SDMA but the Nissan club seem to offer much cheaper rates on their track days at Wakefield, while also having events at other venues... speed off the street looked alright but being untimed, I'm not interested in that as a regular thing (plus from what I've heard they don't allow passenger rides).

[Frink]

SAU run very good events, but they are few and far between. another club is http://www.circuitclub.com.au/. they hold events usually once a month at various tracks around the area...

[mrgilly]

Do SAU actually run speed events at wakefield?

Circuitclub looks like it might be worth a look, just checking out the forum now...

Edited October 13, 2008 by mrgilly

[Shell]

SAU have 1 (maybe 2) days a year at Wakefield... the last one allowed passengers, but therefore no timing as it was a "driver training day" however plenty of people use their own timing equipment or friends with stop watches

[a20089]

It's simple really, most car club can only afford to run a track day once a year. Anymore and people lose interest. NSCC only hold one Wakefield day a year to my knowledge. SAU NSW do the same thing.

Remember Wakefield have their own licencing system, not CAMS. You can get a licence from them and go to as many days as you like. Yopu also generally get the track with different types of cars and if during the week, few other cars.

[mrgilly]

I'd heard that NSCC do 'regular' track days at Wakefield, but it does appear they only have one this year on their calendar.

I guess what I'm wishing for is something similar to TimeAttack at QR, which runs at least half a dozen times a year. I was quite happy to marshal for half the day in return for driving the rest of the day, AASA licencing as per at Wakefield, timing gear and passenger rides. Not to mention catching up with track'ers on a regular basis.

*sigh*

I guess the hunt continues!

[datto260Z]

Autosports do pretty regular track days, very good crew, timed oh and there are some very wealthy people there with a lot of money spent on nice cars. One guy even flew in in his own helicopter... But it seemed like a great club. They didn't seem stuck up at all either.

There is as previously stated, the SDMA hill climb which is generally once a month, cheap and always a good day.

[Michele]

Unfortunately, there's no single club that does a lot of track days, it seems you have to be involved in many clubs to get the full benefits of whats going on in the area. I'll sometimes look at the Wakie calendar and contact clubs holding different events there and see how they are going for numbers, quite often they will happily let you join in on their events which can be a lot of fun.

SDMA hold a hillclimb almost every month and have been instrumental in getting me involved in motorsports thanks to their support

AutoSports hold a wakie day 2-3 times a year and don't require club membership

Thornleigh Car Club hold a supersprint at Wakie each year and invite SDMA so you don't have to be a member - another great day to be had

MG Car Club hold motorkhanas etc and also invite SDMA

SAU hold some fab events, entry is cheaper if you are a member and makes it well worth your while joining

If you're really serious about your racing, look at www.irace.net, they are putting on a series of approx 5+ full on grid start circuit races next year using quite a few different tracks through Vic, NSW and Qld which are televised and a lot of fun.

I was a member of NSCC for a year, but didn't get to do anything with them, so can't comment on their events.

[StinkyPoo]

Yeh, i heard about AutoSports track days. I think i've met a few of the members at some other track days.

Seems like not enough people in ACT are involved in track stuff to keep regular events going.

[a20089]

Auto sports looks like they run the day very similar to the Ferrari club.

Now thats a club the has a lot of expensive machinary. 1.08's if you expect to be up the pointy end. Still considering I know some of them spent more money on their tyres and brakes then I did on the entire car, I wasn't that disappointed with my times.

[mrgilly]

Thanks for the responses so far, I've taken it on board and will have a closer look at SDMA and Autosports.

Have also just fixed the radiator issue in the missus' 34 so hopefully she'll be able to have a go round Wakefield in the near future too.

Cheers

[Michele]

Auto sports looks like they run the day very similar to the Ferrari club.

Now thats a club the has a lot of expensive machinary. 1.08's if you expect to be up the pointy end. Still considering I know some of them spent more money on their tyres and brakes then I did on the entire car, I wasn't that disappointed with my times.

I did a 1.04 there and I'm not welcome back... new rules, no open wheelers, no slicks blah blah blah... IMHO I don't think they like being beaten by a lady (and I don't play that card as a rule).

[a20089]

I did a 1.04 there and I'm not welcome back... new rules, no open wheelers, no slicks blah blah blah... IMHO I don't think they like being beaten by a lady (and I don't play that card as a rule).

Was this Autosport or Ferrari? I can understand the no open wheeler as under the insurance it can not race with non-open wheelers. Not sure about slick rules though.

[Frink]

Have also just fixed the radiator issue in the missus' 34 so hopefully she'll be able to have a go round Wakefield in the near future too.

i think a bunch of people are planning on going to wakefield in late november for a "speed off the streets" day. wont be timed or anything comp based, but its great fun. i know its 5 weeks away, but should be one to keep an ear out for....

[TiTAN]

if you have a phone that runs symbian S60 and a bluetooth gps. You can get "race chrono" and it will do lap timing with a good gps it is good to 0.1-0.2 of a second. Any Wakefield day is then a timed event

Edited October 16, 2008 by TiTAN

[Michele]

i think a bunch of people are planning on going to wakefield in late november for a "speed off the streets" day. wont be timed or anything comp based, but its great fun. i know its 5 weeks away, but should be one to keep an ear out for....

Looking at the Speed off the street dates on their website...

If its the 6th I'll be at the Aust Hillclimb Championships @ Mt Panorama (http://www.hillclimbnsw.com/calendar.html)

If its the 17th, I'll be on my way back from Morgan Park (www.irace.net.au)

If its the 27th, count me in

Oran Park are having some practice days too, anyone interested, if so I'll paste up some dates when they let me know.

[TURISMO]

the 17th or the 27th I think it will be on. All depends on work :thumbsdown:

[ZCR]

lets find out soon so i can try and get the day off work