Something to do in Winter

[Vincent Fox]

Why doesn't the club try and organise a race over the winter months. This could be somewhere warm (South Africa, South America, Asia) and held in February or March.

It would not be that hard to organise the shipping of cars and its not that expensive. Chairman Nick will tell you that freight for a race car from Asia is only about £500 and if the club bundled the freight together it would be much cheaper than that.

I was talking to those nice old boys from historic racing the other day and they often do winter jollys. Perhaps a quick 'telex' or 'cable' to those oldies could establish if they have anything on for this winter.

Why spend all those months between October and April staring at your Vauxhal Lotus, Dallara, or Ford when you could be pounding around some foreign race circuit wondering why a race at Kylami costs £50 to enter and Mallory Park £300.

[samier]

If you can pay for the logistics, Im sure many would be happy to race in hot climates.

Brazil
Abu Dhabi
Kyalami
Mexico
Marrakesh

Sound like a good bunch of winter races

[Vincent Fox]

Classic sports car club have run races as far away as Daytona USA. These are the sort of people the club could be talking to about alternatives to the ever popular Mallory

[phuston]

Despite advancing years and failing memory I can still recall writing an editorial for Startline on this topic (2006 No3).

The FIA does not seem to approve of this sort of initiative, judging by the restrictive licences they cause national authorities to issue to club competitors. Yes, there are ways round the regulations, we use national A licences at Spa, or CSCC have visited the good old US of A where they barely recognise the FIA, or we could all get historic licences, but in the current situation (unchanged since the year dot), we would need a race organiser (and their national authority) that would frame the regulations of their meeting in such a way that would accommodate UK national licences, at what is essentially a foreign national level race meeting.

Know any?

[Vincent Fox]

Every year Europeans turn up in NZ and Australia to race winter series in F5000, Atlantic's etc. I'm sure the local bodies are either happy to issue race licences to foreigners or they accept Int C race licence.

As you say, the USA (rightfully) do not care what a self styled International car club say. The US do there own thing without the guidance of a club that has in the very recent past been run by someone interested in S&M bondage performed by professional women dressed in military clothing.

With the high cost of diesel these days I could probably freight a car to the USA and back for what it would cost to send an artic to Croft. Cars could be crated and send by container ship with hopefully some sponsorship by the freight company. Has anyone thought of asking someone like Crown removals or Mearsk Shipping if they would do a deal based on series naming rights in exchange for discounted freight for a winter series abroad?

[andrewcliffe]

Mono Tasman series?

[jimblockley]

New Zealand and we can all stay at Phil,s place in Auckland

[Vincent Fox]

The club could rent the 3.8km international circuit at Hampton Downs for the weekend (includes friday) for £9000. Work that out on pounds per min vrs Mallory.

http://www.hamptondowns.com/pages/72/Circuit%20Hire

[samier]

This would be a good track to go to..

[AndyY]

How about Taupo - now that A1 GP is no more, Pete Bragg would be the biggest draw the circuit gets.

Return flights to Auckland from about £480 in late October early November.

[Vincent Fox]

How about Alabama, the Stroud and Norfolk people will fit in better