Contents include:
Thruxton Entries Open Tomorrow (Friday 25th)
Test Day Full (but only just)
Snetterton: waiting list for some races
Extinguishers (again)
Donington Track Days report
Trees
Vehicle Passports - more information
Printed 'Blue Book'
2022 Dinner Dance date
Thruxton
We will open entries to our 23rd/24th April Thruxton race meeting, tomorrow (Friday 25th February) at 15:00. All eleven CSCC series are in action here, with stand-alone races for all. Perhaps the friendliest circuit we visit on the calendar, and a truly thrilling test for all drivers. The surface has excellent grip in the wet, should we be unlucky with the weather.
Please note that if you are one of the few who have registered but have yet to have an email confirmation back, you are best to enter via a pdf, rather than wait and risk losing a place on the grid.
Snetterton Test Day
Our Snetterton test day on Wednesday 23rd March is now full (but only just), fear not, we always have withdrawals nearer the time, so put your name down as one of the first few reserves. Book now and worry about getting the car finished later, you can always withdraw for a refund before Sunday 13th March.
The garages are all sold, with a large reserve list. The vast majority of you have entered the intermediate group, so we will need to do some carefully considered reshuffling nearer the time and send out an entry list for you to check.
Snetterton Race Event
Entries to our first round, at Snetterton on 2nd/3rd April have surpassed 320 entries and are likely to pass 350 as we get nearer. Some creative timetabling is in order, to accommodate as many of you as possible. Whilst all races are ‘stand-alone’, as per our SR’s we always planned to combine two series on Saturday (our modern day), for qualifying only. We are thrilled that so many of you want to race with us in ever greater numbers, but we are at the point where we will need to start a waiting list, as regrettably local planning prevents the taking of reserves on the 300 circuit.
Our Speedpanel A2 Modern Classics Series have (pleasantly) caught us by surprise, with an all-time high of 41 entries at this time.
If we contact you to let you know you are on a waiting list, please don’t panic, we usually have around 50 withdrawals by the time we get to the event.
Extinguisher Regulations (again)
At our Donington track days you kept the Advantage Motorsport team busy across both days, servicing extinguishers. What has become apparent, is that not all of you are aware of the regulation changes that are in force this year, bringing obsolete un-homologated 2.25 litre bottles to be re-filled.
We printed this information in our December Classic Lines:
All cars racing in the UK now require an in-date, serviced, FIA plumbed-in extinguisher. The old, un-homologated 2.25AFFF systems are no longer valid. They may make a handy emergency spare in the garage/when refuelling/in your tow car, though. The regulations are as detailed in the current yearbook (Blue Book) in section K 3.1 – 3.3.3. Please ensure you use a system from either FIA list 16 (foam), or 52 (gas), please ignore the final column on the right-hand side of the list, entitled “homologation end”. This refers to the end of homologation date, which is for the manufacturers who cannot continue manufacturing that particular system, it does not mean that the system should not be used after that date. Make sure that you install the supplied hose(s) in the new kit, method of activation (pulls/trigger) and all nozzles as supplied and in the locations that the instructions for your system describes. Just because your mate’s system has X number of nozzles doesn’t mean the system you have should be fitted with the same number. A fire extinguisher system will no longer be considered homologated, if the system is not fitted as per the manufacturer's installation instructions. For those of you who already have an FIA extinguisher, ensure the bottle has been serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions (most manufacturers now require their authorised agent to service the bottle, not a local fire company) and that the relevant correct sticker on the bottle is easily viewed by a scrutineer. Generally, foam-filled bottles are lifed for 10 years from the date the system was produced, the system requiring a service every two years from the system production date. The date information is detailed on the label on the fire extinguisher body.
CSCC sponsor Advantage Motorsport offers members a genuine discount on new systems, including Lifeline, FEV and SPA. Please contact them now: https://www.advantage-motorsport.co.uk/car-prep/fire-extinguishers.html
Donington Track Days, a look back
Our first ever track days proved to be well received by you last week. Thank you for the universally positive feedback you've given us. Aside from a couple of drivers getting their lefts and rights mixed up during a first session and an oil spill that cost us some track time on the Wednesday, we had no issues, with exemplary driving standards, thank you. The weather could have been kinder, especially on the Tuesday morning, but it also could have been worse.
Trees: new opportunity
For the last two seasons CSCC members have kindly donated voluntarily to a Tree fund, at the same time as entering a race. We are pleased to say that these small increments of £10 have added up to just over £800. A modest sum, but this is 100% funded by you our members, who have chosen to give extra to this cause.
The intention was to donate this to the Woodland Trust, to plant new trees and have an area dedicated to the Classic Sports Car Club, something that would potentially out-live us all. Sadly, over the last two years both the Woodland Trust and the National Forest have suspended new planting and dedications, beyond individual trees, although both organisations have been very helpful to our cause and have said they are accepting donations for maintaining existing woodland. This topic was discussed at the CSCC AGM.
On hearing this, former CSCC Committee member, Chris Blewett and his wife Jane have reached out and offered to plant trees on behalf of the club on an area of their farmland. After seeking professional advice they have drawn draft plans, along with the type of species that would suit the area. At this point we need to ask those members who have already donated monies to the Tree Fund to date, if they have any objections to us pursuing this further.
As a Committee, we have discussed carbon offsetting or buying carbon credits, but this isn't something we are planning to participate in, instead we continue to use club members monies on our primary purpose: racing. The solar panels we now have fitted at the office are functioning well and are making a positive difference to our energy costs already, which all goes to help us sustain membership and entry fees.
Vehicle Passport
In the last newsletter we promoted that members consider attaining a Motorsport UK vehicle passport, particularly if they are considering taking the car to Spa.
A number of you have now had their cars passported, including CSCC Chairman, John Hammersley, who writes as follows:
Let’s sort out fact from fiction and dispel some of the myths!
What is a passport, a.k.a. logbook? It's a document that lists individual components of a complete car, primarily it's safety features, specification and history.
Passports for Race Cars Are Compulsory.
No, they aren’t! They have been for rally, rallycross, some sprint & hillclimb and junior formula saloon cars, for a while now, and whilst MSUK have discussed making them compulsory for race cars, at this moment they are not compulsory. However, we feel it is only a matter of time before this happens, therefore we're getting ahead of the rush.
It’s a complicated procedure.
Far from it. Any National A or above scrutineer can complete the logbook application.
I can’t find a scrutineer to check my car.
Look on the MSUK website, members area, log in, click on officials, then scrutineers. A list of different grades of scrutineer will then appear. If you’re struggling to find a scrutineer who will carry out the checks, we are assured that if you call MSUK they have a list of scrutineers prepared to carry out these checks.
It’s a costly exercise.
The MSUK charge is just £45 plus any travelling expenses for the scrutineer. Choose a local scrutineer or ask if you can take the car to them. The Scrutineer receives some of this fee, with a portion going to MSUK. In return you will receive a printed, covered document that you can take to each event. It is something that also adds to the provenance of the car when you come to sell it.
It’s Time Consuming.
No, it’s not, it usually takes around a half, to three-quarters of an hour, depending on your car.
I can’t get my car checked because its not road registered.
Yes, you can. If it has no registration or chassis number the scrutineer will fix ID seals to it as a form of identification.
My car has FIA HTP papers, is this the same thing? No, FIA papers show compliance to a set of technical regulations, but don't record up to date safety equipment or accident damage.
My roll cage isn’t a proprietary item.
As long as the roll cage meets MSUK “blue book” current regulations, then there is no problem. Several scrutineers have a little gadget that even measures wall thickness of the cage (non-intrusive).
For Information – Forms can be downloaded from the MSUK resource centre web-page. Pre-populating the form with whatever relevant information you have (name, address etc.) and completing the necessary photographs, will be a big help to the scrutineer.
So, in conclusion, whilst this may seem like an unnecessary task, at this moment our recommendation is to think about getting it done sooner rather than later. If (more likely 'when') it becomes compulsory there may well be delays in getting it done as there will be a rush. A passport will help enormously at scrutineering and may also be a big benefit if you are considering competing abroad, as it's another official looking document that gives the impression you are travelling to compete in your own car, not trying to make a sale.
'Blue Book' Printed Copy
Some years ago Motorsport UK stopped the default issuing of printed Year Books 'Blue Books' to competitors, with every member having access to an online/downloadable version instead: https://www.motorsportuk.org/resource-centre/ (then tick yearbook)
If you would prefer a printed copy, you can request one as a licence holder at no charge, just call 01753 765000 and press the option for membership. Please have your race licence number to hand.
Dinner Dance It seems appropriate to finish our newsletter on the subject of the Dinner Dance, our traditional end to the racing season. This year it is on Saturday 26th November, at this stage do nothing but add this date to your diary. We will give you more information, including when to book a room, much later in the year.
