Auto Solo

Richard and other interested parties
i wish i'd known this last year, up here in scconland we were trying to find out if the btrda were doing just this.

a solo is a low level sprint rather than an autotest. it takes place on a 200 square meter plot. cars must be fully road legal and driven to the event. compeitors are often required to marshal. the object of the exercise is to define a route without needing to remember it. for defining the route cone gates seem to be favourite, i've heard of using colours to define direction but one does have to remember those who are colourblind, i prefer a combination of arrows and cones. multiple runs with the best x of y counting are allowed (i prefered a single run to favour those who drive on their eyes)

i'm not sure on tyres. but road legal is the name of the game (hankook do a full slick with 2 grooves that is e-marked)

i split mine into modified and standard, tyres being counted as modified if not on list 1a in the blue book.

watton has a suitable large area as does sculthorpe and west raynham. the area i used at sculthorpe is obviously useable but may be a bit grubby for the purists and you have to be very careful to keep within the size limit.

like anything if a few people do 3 or 4 then it can stand alone, if not fit it in to an existing championship.

all sorts of cars can do well, Mark Banham won mine in his sccoby, Tony Michaels was doing very well in his civic but fell foul of a fault in the mk1 eyeball to brain link, Jim was up there as was Richard Milbank. i also had some complete beginners out, 2 women in the black suzuki were doing their first ever events as drivers.

the point is they should be a good event for any car and driver.

Richard, can you get me some more info as sccon have a suitable venue but have been unable to get any championship details.

Currently Autosolo's fall under the autotest championship, since the autosolo blur book rules are part of the autotest rules.

As for the events they are great fun, and even under-powered Uno's can do quite well (just waiting to find out how Rover do )

Would be good to see more of this type of event, i think there are a few run 'up north, so the people may be able to get more help from them as well.

Matt your supposed to be incommunicado!!

BTRDA have been including autosolos in Allrounders in 06 and there has been an ongoing rumour mill of them having own BTRDA championship which I believe is now to happen

As to Hankook grooved e marked slicks has anyone bought any i emailed hankook and no reply, no dealers I have spoken to know about em, I propose to bash their ears at Autosport!!

Thanks for the replies.

Peter I will speak with David Everett again & mention that SCCON have a potential venue. It also seems that FBF25T has a handle on the situation too.

Re the 'competing vehicle has to be driven to the event' I'd be interested to understand how strictly that is to be applied. I appreciate the motive behind the rule, but in practical terms not ideal for many. With a potential BTRDA championship to be scattered across the length and breadth of the country, primarily 'up north', many events would be 150 - 200 plus away from us. If the does break, would be left a tad stranded.

Any thoughts / comments?

with the driven to the event thing; it is a written in stone msa rule and the events i have seen all make a point of mentioning it (it was even in the regs of the event i ran!!). i too think it's daft and if we do more of these events suzi 2 will be trailered to the event and if they get too retentive we'll drive out the gate and in again.
reason for it i suspect is to ensure the cars competing are not super lightweight racing cars as appeared when single venue stages first started (or the autocross cars with polythene floors etc). i'll find out how strict Dolphin were.

most of the events i have seen advertised are in the south west, Dolphin (Berkshire) and Bristol spring to mind.

and i'm waiting on Hankook for an answer as well, i suspect a telephone call will be needed

Hmmm! I guess rulz is rulz, but not sure that they have been thought through, again! To keep to the desired intent of the discipline, requiring presentation of MOT, TAX & Road Insurance certificate would be equally appropriate I would have thought. I idea of going back out of the gate and in again works, when you have two drivers available!
Peter, with the SCCoN event, whenwever that is, you'll need to tip me the wink on application of the rules. I guess difficult to ignore for any organiser, if a championship event.

whilst working hard i came accross this

http://www.knutsfordmotorclub.co.uk/off-road.html

first round of the btrda championship

Just opened my BTRDA news and it would appear they are aiming the Autosolo at newcomers, i.e. under 21 or not held comp licence for 10yrs, but they will count to allrounders.

I spoke to acouple of peolple last year and it would seem as long as you ''drive through the gates'' they accept it at present. i jhave no intention of driving miles in a competition car if I can help it. [although I did drive the seven to all BTRDA rounds many years ago!!]

Hi, not having had a comp. licence for many years, I don't get any news letters these days. Does the newsletter give any dates and locations? If there a contact to request a copy perhaps?
Re 'drive through the gates' - yep that helps. Lets hope that they keep to it.

If you're down on a club night, 3rd Thursday, would be good for an intro. As a committee member & the club treasurer, I've been nominated to wear a name badge, so I'll be easily identifiable.

the first round is Knutford.

the first solo is Farndon or Faringdon and district mc, just off the A3 near Longmore, unfortunetely all the links are on my pc in England, where of course i'm not.

no idea on sccon yet and i can't get to the meeting this week since i'm in Germany.

i'll sort some stuff out next week

Thanks, Peter. Farnborough & District MC

BTRDA seem to be setting this up a little late and there isn't a date list yet. MSA will no doubt have dates in the Blur book but I only sent for licence yesterday. May be on MSA website though.

Not likely to be at Clubnight as in Chatham. Came on your Forum via Matt's posts on 7oaks forum. Real name Steve Stringer - getting on a bit and done most disciplines except Rallycross and racing, have autotest Lotus 7 [being rebuilt at moment] and rally Sunbeam Lotus, plus all sorts of odds including Fergi tractor, Husky 610 enduro bike.

Thanks for the reply Steve. Just assumed that you were an 'Essex lad'! I'll trawl the MSA site again, but don't find it the best site to navigate. Hope to do the Kent Drivers autotest event at Sittingbourne later in the year, which is nearer your neck of the woods.

Sittingbourne is good event, but you need to walk 4 long tests and do them consecutively, hope to have 7 back by then - if not may have another sunbeam together!!

Mmmm, that's tough! I knew that the MSA & BTRDA events were a much higher level than I am used to, and happy to accept that I'd be slow, just hope that I don't get too lost!

It is the worst of the year for having to learn tests although Dave Cook's teats do flow well and have plenty of manouvres. The other local one [CSMA] was always a bit similar with three tests in a tight venue, but I think they have lost the Library car park they have used for years, so that may change. Loughborough are usually good open tests and not too far. Most other venues are a bit easier. Hagley at Curborough [near Lichfield] is good event - 4th March.

''although Dave Cook's teats do flow well''

Well thats nice to know!!

His wife is a farmers daughter!!

Thanks for the info Steve. If I do decide to go for the Kent event, sounds like a baptism of fire maybe! March 4th - a bit too early for me this year - not ready with a trailer as yet.