Want to Race at SPA

[TheSpiderMan]

I race in the BARC NW championship. On my "bucket list" is to compete in a race as Spa. I've been there before with other racers to help them, but not yet raced there. Having discussed this with some fellow competitors there are now a few of us who would like to compete there.

SO, my question is, does anyone know of a series that races at Spa, either UK or European based, that would welcome half a dozen of us with modified production saloons/sports cars or even very modified silhouette race cars?

We'd love to go and compete in a race as a one off.

[GORDON STREETER]

I don't know about "series" but Barry SS organises a few at Spa apart from the 1hr in September

[MGDavid]

see if any of your cars fit into CSCC classes....

[Al Weyman]

But you have to do a few of their UK rounds to be accepted

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

But you have to do a few of their UK rounds to be accepted

not entirely accurate Al; to be sure, CSCC want to see how you drive before accepting entries for the overseas opportunities. One or two home events is usually sufficient to confirm that new mwmbers understand the ethos of the club. And it makes sense for the new member to want to get to know the peeps he's going to race against too, surely?

[andrewc]

Spa Summer Classic is the ideal event, June 2014. Various classes for CSCC compatible cars, and if single seaters are your bag, Monoposto classes.

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

not entirely accurate Al; to be sure, CSCC want to see how you drive before accepting entries for the overseas opportunities. One or two home events is usually sufficient to confirm that new mwmbers understand the ethos of the club. And it makes sense for the new member to want to get to know the peeps he's going to race against too, surely?

I am only quoting what it says on their website.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

I am only quoting what it says on their website.

..which I guess means you haven't had the pleasure of having raced with them, or discussed it with the people that run the show. There's the letter of the law, and there's the spirit of the law.... don't get hung up on rules, this is club racing not F1
Anyway where's the OP gone?

[Al Weyman]

I can only read what they write on their site if thats not the case dont write it how on earth is anyone to know whether its to be taken literally or not. I have actually raced at several of their events for the record.

[Mike Sheraton]

well me and my dad would like to do spa one day in our bmw

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Mike Sheraton

well me and my dad would like to do spa one day in our bmw

your '88 Beemer fits right in to CSCC Future Classics and I'm sure you'd be made to feel very welcome.
My son and I did a 40 minute race each at this year's Spa meeting, a great weekend and not expensive.

[Al Weyman]

CTCRC have done Spa in the past I also believe CSCC asked them a couple of years back to share a grid but the offer was declined which I feel was a mistake so campaign for the meeting Mike. You can go with Future Classics if you dont mind being blown into the weeds by the sports cars!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

CTCRC have done Spa in the past I also believe CSCC asked them a couple of years back to share a grid but the offer was declined which I feel was a mistake so campaign for the meeting Mike. You can go with Future Classics if you dont mind being blown into the weeds by the sports cars!

Just to be clear, the CTCRC members have run as part of the Barry Sidery-Smith British Sports and Saloon Car Challenge (me included); correct me if I'm wrong but the club hasn't actually organised an event there on its own behalf. The CSCC has and does organize races there.

The OP appears to be running a modified/supersaloon which may fit nicely with the CSCC Super Saloon series.

[Al Weyman]

T'was before my time Peter so I am sure you are correct, I knew they had been there at one time.

[Fletchyboy]

I made contact with Barry Sidery- Smith to see if I could get on the grid of his support race to the Spa 6 hr race in September. He told me I would have to sign up for his race at Spa in June as well which is on the same weekend as the CSCC. Twice in one summer was too much for me. So next season I intend racing with CSCC swinging sixties at Spa maybe in my new mini rather than the droopsnoot. I would love to go with CTCRC given the choice....what an adventure and on my bucket list too

[Alan Cherry]

Hi, I raced at Spa a couple of years ago in the RCN ( Rundstrecken Challenge Nurburgring) It's a series based at the Nurburgring, but they have an 'awayday meeting each year - don't know if it's still Spa.
Also doing some of the series (couldn't afford to do it all) I raced on the Nurburgring Nordeschleife and Nurburgring GP Circuits. They do a combined gp/Nordeschleife round at the 24 hr meeting, but you need a sat nav for that (over 17 miles each lap!) Nurburgring rounds are 15 laps, and you can change driver halfway- about a 200 mile race, and you refuel at mid point too. Spa is about the same distance, but was split into 2 shorter races.
You'll need a National A uk race licence with a letter from the MSA allowing you to race in europe. If I remember correctly,If you register for the series, and put the sponsors stickers on your car, entry was about 300 euro for a 2 hour race with 2 drivers (about 150 euro each). Spa is the greatest circuit that I will ever race on, and I'd love to go back one day.
Alan
p.s the RCN is germanys oldest car competition, and has one or two peculiar rules - you are allowed to take a navigator with you, so if you know an enthusiast with some cash to spare, you can stuff them in an approved seat, and cut your costs - I ran with two drivers, but only one person in the car at a time. You'll need fia underwear, an fia fuel tank, or oddly a bog standard tank that came with the car - they like the word 'originale'. If you,ve still got glass windows, you'll need film on the windows other than the screen - safety film from mothercare about £30. Circuit is fantastic. I've never been able to find decent cheap accomodation at Spa, and the food is shite!

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

your '88 Beemer fits right in to CSCC Future Classics and I'm sure you'd be made to feel very welcome.

unless of course the rules that they've written on their web site can be ignored if your face fits. Don't get too het up on the rules After all this is club racing, not F1

[andy97]

To answer the OP with respect to the CSCC's outing at Spa - we usually have separate races at the Spa Summer Classic for "Swinging Sixties", "Magnificent 7s" and an "Inter Series" race that sweeps up the Tin Tops, Future Classics and Modern Classics racers. This year we had 2 x 30 mins races for each grid, rather than previous years 1 hour races. 2 drivers can share a car and can do one race each.

To enter, you have to be a member of the club, to have registered for the appropriate series and competed in two races with us prior to that (not necessarily in that same year). Cars clearly have to be eligible within the respective series but I'm not aware that anyone has ever asked to race a "Special Saloon or Modsports" car at Spa with us. Hope that helps.

[Al Weyman]

Thats as I read it Andy thanks for confirming.

[MMC Andy]

Hear what you are saying Andy, but in practice that isn't always the case - we had a couple of Scottish boys out in TR7's this year who had never raced with CSCC before - and I don't think have been seen since.
Understand the thought behind the eligibility for Spa, but there have been cases of the club 'bending' the rules.

The more, the merrier I say! Are we confirmed for Spa in 2014 by the way??

[Al Weyman]

I dont know and am only guessing but I would say that if the grid wasnt full CSCC probably let them run as that seems a sensible approach but if it had been full I would imagine they would let the regulars in first or those that had done the two races which seems fair to me.

[Stacy]

Re: the OP;

The cars would fit into CSCC Special Saloons (I expect), but last year the Special Saloons weren't one of the series the CSCC took there.

At the start of the year I did ask if there was a race I could enter all the same and Hugo, to his enormous credit, and in line with him being as absurdly helpful as I've found the wider CSCC to be, found me a modified European series I could race with at the same weekend.

In the end though I had a frustrating time with the car at a previous meeting, discovered I hadn't fixed things I thought I had, got the hump and buggered off sailing instead.

Alternatively the CTCRC have announced their 2014 calendar (broadly) and that contains a Spa round at the end of the year. Presumably they'll take Thunder which would fit those non spaceframe cars anyway.

One way or another there's an opening to get that box ticked - and you should, you really can't appreciate how vertical Eu Rouge is until you've been there, nor how alarmingly fast the back section really is.

[Al Weyman]

Looks like I might just get to go to Spa then before I hang up my helmet for good. The entire CTCRC calendar next year their 40th anniversary looks very good and could turn around the clubs fortunes at a stroke such is the fickle nature of club racers.

[Fletchyboy]

Great news that CTCRC are going to Spa...count me in

[Tim Falce]

On the subject of Spa, does anyone know the dates for the 6 hour next year?