Rallycross novice- car advice

[Craig222]

Hi
I have been looking at motorsports for a while and was just about to purchase a freelander for the bccc freelander challenge when I came across rallycross.

I have a couple of questions I hope someone can help with.
What category would an impreza go into? Would a standard impreza be able to keep up in this class?

Do I need to remove the lights or can they just be covered?

I notice there are only a few rallycross stages each year, what else could it be entered into?

Thanks

[maranello48]

I wouldnt recomend an imprezza - the 4wd would mean it would have to fit in the supercar class, and the competitive cars have upwards of 500bhp and sequential gearboxes etc, so a standard imprezza wouldnt stand a chance. There is a clubmans supercar class - but im not sure on the regs, although i highly doubt they'll be even close to standard.

If you really wanted to stay with the imprezza you could take all the front diffs and driveshafts out - that way you'd fit into supernational/supermodified. Although then its not really an imprezza!

The best way to go as a beginner on a budget is likely to be a saxo vts/106 gti. Sounds boring but you get some great racing in the hot hatch/production class and they're a great way to learn.

As for events - this year there is 5 british championship rounds and 6 clubmans championship rounds. Which tends to be enough for most people, although a rallycross car would be compliant with rules for sprinting, hill climbing and autocross without modification. I do know one person at least who uses his bmw for stage rallys as well as rallycross events, although that does require a little work between events.

[Craig222]

Thanks for that. It was the clubmans that I was looking at, just didn't fancy a saxo, wanted something with some power

[maranello48]

To be honest, almost anything works. I drive a BMW Mini Cooper S and i race against everything from a renault megane to a lotus elise to a corsa with an s2000 engine and gearbox dropped in.

It all depends on your budget and what you like the idea of racing!

[Craig222]

What class is that in? Is it clubman rally cross?

[AlamakiRX]

If you want information on the clubmans rx championship take a look at
Www.btrda.com and www.clubmansrallycross.weebly.com
They both include getting started info and all regs and dates for events

Also e mail; clubmansrallycross@yahoo.co.uk for info

Next events are June 7th and 8th at Pembrey

[chunder]

My advice?

Save up and race in France or Belgium/Holland!

Our championships is dead.

BTRDA is fine though and would suit a lower budget.

[maranello48]

I race my car in British Supernationals and the occasional clubmans rounds in the supermodified class

Re what chunder says:- Having raced at belgian and dutch tracks i would agree that the racing over there is better, and they certainly have larger entries and the tracks are a much more challenging. I wouldnt go so far as to say our championship is 'dead' though. It's still worth entering and racing. And if you enter, maybe more people would be interested in entering too because of increased numbers, thus picking our entry up even more. I dont understand why people need to be so negative about it - it just makes things worse.

[chunder]

My point was if you are racing in the UK, race in BTRDA, entries will be cheaper, if you are sing an IMpreza, you might not be able to rcae at some tracks though, there are regulations (genius) preventing you from running at Blyton I think.

So if you want to run that car, you would have to run at BRDA level, meaning Lydden, Pembrey, Mallroy maybe and some rounds in Belgium and Holland.

But you would also be against guys like Godfrey who spend gazillions on development as he the tuner for just about every top rallycross guy at some time or other

[BertMk2]

You could still get an impreza and mod it for rwd only - that'd be good fun on a standard engine I'd have thought. I'm sure there are a few about in rallying so it's not entirely new ground being broken. Of course there are rwd Evos about as well so that's an option: decent power + rwd = fun

[Rallycross!]

Originally Posted by chunder

My point was if you are racing in the UK, race in BTRDA, entries will be cheaper

So why not say that instead of slipping this snipe in...

Originally Posted by chunder

My advice?

Our championships is dead.

With hardcore Rallycross supporters like yourself welcoming newcomers to the sport with your attitude and unfactual posts is there any wonder that they may be confused that British Rallycross is struggling.

You'd do a lot better encouraging people to get involved to help the clubmans and BRxC along a little, but oh yeh I forgot, that would help the sport grow and then you would have nothing to be negative about

[Distracted]

I'm a new fan and I've found Chunder to be very helpful.

[chunder]

The struggle for British rallycross has very little to do with me my Swedish sniper.

You were not here during the Stott/BRDA era when an already struggling sport was crippled by greed, split into two and now been deserted, leaving a disastrous national championships with poor entries, high entry fees and most rounds abroad!

BTRDA is taking up the baton and doing very well at an entry level, but they should be together, quite clearly. They are hamstruck by where they can run because of these pathetic old rivalries and posturing by immature little cretins who only look for themselves.

We are not Sweden, we don't have the standing in the UK rallycross does in Scandinavia, we don't have folkrace, we don't have Supernational with stable rules and a huge supply of cars and engines to use.

What we have is too many classes, no clear idea of where to go and no-one really pushing for either!

Hence most top drivers head to Europe where in the past they either couldn't afford it or did both.

I support 3 or 4 meetings a year, but I can't afford to go to Knockhill or Pembrey or Holland or Belgium. Go figure?

[pugspeed]

Omg how negative can some one be .... Chunder do you actually have anything "Good" or "Positive" to say about British Rallycross ?
Why are all your posts so negative ?
I was around in the Scott/ BRDA days and even before that Rallycross has always had its ups and downs we need the BTRDA for the clubman drivers and many in years gone by have then progressed to the BRxC and I know this year that some are doing both which is fab ... At the end of the day "Most" of us don't really worry about who's doing which championship as its still "Rallycross" .. What do you race and which rounds do you do, as I know the BRcX are at Lydden, Holland, Knockhill, Pembrey, Croft .... So only one Europe round and a calendar to cover all the UK ..
Please tell us more about this statement you made " They are hamstruck by where they can run because of these pathetic old rivalries and posturing by immature little cretins who only look for themselves."

I'm sure the organisers of the BRxC would like to know more about this so do tell seen as you have a lot of knowledge on the subject.

I hope any new comers to Rallycross actually contact which ever club is running either of the championship for advice rather than seeing this negativity it's enough to make people look at other forms of Motorsport.

[chunder]

Sorry fella, but I ahve been a fan for 30 years and never known the main allycross series in such a bad state

If you think differently then off you go.

The guy who paosted was clearly a BTRDA level driver and that is seemingly what he intended doing.

Forgive the negativity, it is dressed in frustration, can you not see how damaging the last few years have been?

It alright trying to put a rose tint on things, but the clarity of it all is simple, you are sometimes getting 30 entries for an MSA backed British championship.

If you ahve anything postive to say about that, then all well and good.

But I want to hear solutions, not dancing round the maypole thanks.

I have come up with a few.

Amalgamate both series, BTRDA and MSA.

Allow a strictly controlled basic 4wd class.

Try in some way to get a folkrace type series running, allowing cars to be strengthened in some way that doesnt encourage banger type driving.

Setup a working group to explore possible new venues, not necessarily based at race circuits. karting venues, motocross venues, old airfields, rally areas.

try and encourage cross series running, with rallying, maybe off roading, autograss, not sure how.

Just a few ideas, some good, some bad.

It cant stay as it is, thats clear.