Best place to Autocross in the UK?

[dspwhite]

I saw a video of this again recently, and it wet my appetite, especially as you get timed and try to finish as far up the leaderboard as you can. Where's the best place in the UK to Autocross?

Hopefully I can take a friend and I think I just need a helmet? Do they supply those?

 

[Mr H]

You need all sorts of safety equipment, club membership and a racing licence

"As a minimum, competitors are required to wear a helmet and flame resistant overalls to approved standards"

Autocross - Motorsport UK - The beating heart of UK motorsport

Autocross is an ideal discipline for novices looking to get their first taste of competitive motor sport. Put simply, the aim is to tackle a temporary course, usually between 800 and 1200 metres long in a grass or stubble field, against the clock.

www.motorsportuk.org

 

[dspwhite]

You need all sorts of safety equipment, club membership and a racing licence

As a minimum, competitors are required to wear a helmet and flame resistant overalls to approved standards

That's a shame. Are the US as harsh as that? It seems pretty safe and low speed. It's not like a track day or anything where you are going at more scary speeds and where you only need a helmet AFAIK.

Do they supply the helmet or at least the overalls as part of the day?

 

[Alex987854]

I think you may be thinking of Autotesting. I think they call it autocross in the US. UK Autocross is not something you do in a shiny car.

 

[Alex987854]

Here is a link to motorsport clubs. Choose autotest in the search

 

[dspwhite]

You're probably right, had a quick look, and UK autocross seems a lot more muddy (and may damage the car?), though don't they have proper roads they do it on too?

I'm thinking of this:

Btw, I checked autotest and autotesting, and only found two - both in Northern Ireland, hundreds of miles from me.

Bizarre, you'd think it'd be more popular than that.

 

[NeilG40]

I don't think autotesting is what you're after either as it tends to involve doing handbrake turns around traffic cones on a tight course in a small hatchback.

 

[Adopado]

Check out sprint hill climbs. They are probably the cheapest motorsport events that you can enter with a standard car. I did a few seasons at Harewood hill near Leeds (not in a Tesla!) but there are a number of locations around the country. You still need the safety kit and racing license of course. To achieve best times in any kind of event you are going to be driving at 10/10ths … which is beyond even fast public road driving so you would have to be brave to risk your Tesla!

 

[Mr H]

Not to forget that your standard insurance policy won't cover for any damage

 

[Adopado]

When autocross was mentioned I immediately thought of this ... not Tesla territory!

 

[exlatccatsa]

When autocross was mentioned I immediately thought of this ... not Tesla territory!

You say that.. but given the brilliant performance in the snow of the AWD, I wouldn't be surprised to see one in future years.

 

[Adopado]

You say that.. but given the brilliant performance in the snow of the AWD, I wouldn't be surprised to see one in future years.

Was just thinking in terms of turning up with your standard Model 3 ! OP didn't appear to be looking to make major modifications ... in which case ..

 

[Adopado]

That's a shame. Are the US as harsh as that? It seems pretty safe and low speed. It's not like a track day or anything where you are going at more scary speeds and where you only need a helmet AFAIK.

Do they supply the helmet or at least the overalls as part of the day?

A track day would be safer IMHO. You are not racing and often (usually?) not officially timed to discourage people going beyond their abilities. On the motorcycle sessions I've been to they also split novice and experienced groups. Much less likely to cause damage than in anything that's specifically competitive.

 

[dspwhite]

I don't think autotesting is what you're after either as it tends to involve doing handbrake turns around traffic cones on a tight course in a small hatchback.

So what is it called in the UK? Or is it something which is rarely or never really done over here?

A track day would be safer IMHO. You are not racing and often (usually?) not officially timed to discourage people going beyond their abilities. On the motorcycle sessions I've been to they also split novice and experienced groups. Much less likely to cause damage than in anything that's specifically competitive.

A track isn't timed. I like the timing element as it allows me to beat my own time which for me, is a BIG PART of doing this. Also a track is also longer, and you go faster which can be more dangerous. I like the idea of a tighter, slower circuit with more bends.

 

[NeilG40]

So what is it called in the UK? Or is it something which is rarely or never really done over here?


A track isn't timed. I like the timing element as it allows me to beat my own time which for me, is a BIG PART of doing this. Also a track is also longer, and you go faster which can be more dangerous. I like the idea of a tighter, slower circuit with more bends.

I don't think to the best of my knowledge it's something that happens in the UK, of the videos I've seen from the US it looks like they take place in large empty car parks which we don't really have.

 

[Adopado]

So what is it called in the UK? Or is it something which is rarely or never really done over here?


A track isn't timed. I like the timing element as it allows me to beat my own time which for me, is a BIG PART of doing this. Also a track is also longer, and you go faster which can be more dangerous. I like the idea of a tighter, slower circuit with more bends.

Competing against yourself or others always increases the risks of car damage. You have to be ok with that possibility. If you are… and can afford the consequences, that’s great!

 

[dspwhite]

Competing against yourself or others always increases the risks of car damage. You have to be ok with that possibility. If you are… and can afford the consequences, that’s great!

If there are no other cars or obstacles on the road (car park) though, the only other chance of an accident is if the car overturns, which is highly unlikely in a Tesla due to its low centre of gravity.

 

[Adopado]

If there are no other cars or obstacles on the road (car park) though, the only other chance of an accident is if the car overturns, which is highly unlikely in a Tesla due to its low centre of gravity.

I just don't know what you are describing then! Do you have a link to a video of what kind of sport you are referring to?

 

[Olibol]

What you’re talking about is called Autosolo in the UK. Against the clock around a tight course made up of cones. It’s a lot of fun, but not ideally suited to a Tesla as it’s all about getting round obstacles quickly. Teslas are too big and heavy and don’t lend themselves to handbrake turns for obvious reasons. What you need is £5k of turbocharged MX-5.

 

[Adopado]

What you’re talking about is called Autosolo in the UK. Against the clock around a tight course made up of cones. It’s a lot of fun, but not ideally suited to a Tesla as it’s all about getting round obstacles quickly. Teslas are too big and heavy and don’t lend themselves to handbrake turns for obvious reasons. What you need is £5k of turbocharged MX-5.

Ah, right ... I've done a classic rally with the odd autotest "stage" that was similar. Looks a little more forgiving than proper autotests. I would suggest a responsive non-turbo might be preferable ... any turbo lag could be very frustrating having just looked at an Autosolo video. Something with a good steering angle too ... a slight Tesla deficiency there on tight manoevering perhaps. Fast response from an electric drive train would be great though! Could make up for the size/weight/steering challenges.