Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

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Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby jeffw » Sat Jan 15, 2011 2:11 pm

As Lee keeps asking me questions and Mark asked for a "How to" guide I thought I would just lay out what you need to go sprinting.

1. A car (pretty obvious):- Lots of different classes but I'll assume for the sake of this that we are talking about a road-legal kit car. The class of this is specialist sports cars and normally has all the Lotus Exige/Elises & the kits in. Typically split at 1700cc and therefore I run in the Over 1700cc class whereas a 1000cc BEC would be in the under 1700cc Class. I have ended up competing with a 7.3l Ultima! As the car is road legal you will need to prove Tax, MoT (if required & insurance when you sign on. The car most be road legal in all respects and you can use MSA List 1b tyres (R888, A048R etc etc) and you can also use the standard road tyres listed in 1a but you will not do very well unless it rains. Update: BEC now appear to be running in over 1700cc class.

1a. Car Scrutineering :- They will check the car is safe which included FIA in-date harness if you are using harness it must be good condition (doesn't need to be in-date or FIA/MSA approved for road going but I would recommend it), they look under the bonnet (you need to have a yellow earth lead to the battery for easy identification). Although not required in a road class if you have fitted a roll cage it must meet the MSA requirements, same with master electrical switch & manually activated extinguisher. You must also identify how to turn the car off on the dashboard.

2. Clothing/Helmet. You will need a Snell SA2005 or better helmet (open cars required a full face lid), a MSA approved and in-date suit and approved gloves. You don't need boots or underwear but it would be wise to wear them anyway. First time you compete you will need to pay £1 to the scrutineer for "MSA approved" sticker on your helmet.

3. License. To compete in a road-going kit car at Sprints or Hill Climbs you need a MSA Non-Race National B license. The cost is £38 or so and you can apply online at http://www.msauk.org

4. Club membership. You need to belong to a MSA approved club. There are loads of these around but I belong to Sevenoaks & District Motor Club ( http://www.sevenoaksmotorclub.com/ ) & also Tunbridge Well Motor Club ( http://www.twmc.org.uk/ ). Cost is about £20 and it allows you to enter their series.

5. Sprint Entry. Normally the Regs are published a few months before the event and you simple fill in the form and send off your dosh. Small airfield sprints are around £100 and ones on proper circuits can be upto £200. The bigger events get booked up very early so be quick.


Your first sprint :)

Preparation
Check your car over, make sure everything is connected/tight/bolted down. You will need a timing strut (made and fixed as per the MSA Blue Book, to be fitted on site), some numbers (or black tape) to match your entry numbers (remember to do this once you arrive at the venue not before), your clothing/helmet, a few tools and chair/drink etc.

Turning Up
Be as early as possible as this gives you the time to sort things out. All the instructions will be on the entry information sent through to you. Typically the following happens
a. Turn up and park in the designated area
b. Sign on.....remember all you bits of paper (Insurance, V5, MoT, MSA License, Club Membership card)
c. Fit numbers and timing strut
d. Take car/self/kit to be scrutineered.
e. Walk course (watch flash gits with push bikes do it in a few minutes while you walk round)
f. Drivers Brief

Competition

Normally sprints consisting of 2 practise runs and 3 timed runs. This is typically done in number order do make sure you are ready to queue up, in all your kit, when your class is running. After each run all the times are printed up on a board somewhere so you can see how much in the lead you are ;)

Prize Giving

After the event is finished you will need to hang about to pick up your Fastest Time of the Day trophy (!) or applaud the winners. Normally a pot of 1st & 2nd in each class.

Once it is all done you need to take your timing strut and numbers off the car before going on the public road. This is the point you start planning the next time :)

It is great fun and I would recommend anyone who fancies it to have a go. Anyone who can drive a car on a trackday can sprint it....


Feel free to ask any questions and I will attempt to answer them with my limited experience.
Last edited by jeffw on Sat Oct 12, 2019 9:53 am, edited 2 times in total.

James

Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby James » Sat Jan 15, 2011 2:36 pm

Good read, i am getting more and more interested in sprinting esp after the AutoSport show as their seemed to be soooo many sprint videos playing!!

it's something i may well have a go at this year :)

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Rob E
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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby Rob E » Sat Jan 15, 2011 3:04 pm

Nice bit of info Jeff , would be interested in doing a few of these it's just the cost of getting started,I would think I would be very close to the £1000 mark, but saying that it would be fun against a clock , how many do you do a year and would I need to do all of them or can you just enter a few ?
Absofu?@inglutely

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jeffw
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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby jeffw » Sat Jan 15, 2011 3:15 pm

Enter as many or as few as you want.

Costs.

Helmet £150 +
Suit £150 +
Gloves £40 +

MSA License £38
Club Membership £20

Entry fees per event £100 +
Harness £100 +

All in all not too expensive (obviously you can spend £'000s if you want to)

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Rob E
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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby Rob E » Sat Jan 15, 2011 3:44 pm

I would need the FIA harness as well , where would you get the suits from for that price ? Everywhere I look there £200 plus , harnesses aren't cheap eighties they seem to be £150 upwards ?
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Tony B
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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby Tony B » Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:09 pm

must admit Id love to have a go at this but the set up costs have always put me off,would have to do some rewiring on the car for the electrical requirements too.

Ive always thought track days are more 'dangerous' than sprints by the very nature of other cars on the track at the same time, strange how you dont need those requirements for tracks.

That said I think 'll start looking around for some bits !

jeffw
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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby jeffw » Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:15 pm

Have a look at ebay for suits etc. As long as they fit and are FIA 8856-2000 they are good enough.

This Headtec helmet is £152 and is to the required standard http://www.racewear.co.uk/viewproduct.asp?productID=107

They have other in-expensive kit there as well. Merlin are having a sale as well....if you look around the items you need can be had cheaply.

As a example

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SPARCO-X-LIGHT-RA ... 19c24c50c3

Find out your size here (this is a brand new Sparco for £270)

http://www.gprdirect.com/racewear/race- ... it-54.html
Basically do your research size wise and then look around on the web.

Schroth Harnesses from £120
http://www.gprdirect.com/hardware/harne ... rness.html

jeffw
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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby jeffw » Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:43 pm

And this is a typical sprint

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLTmCpASx5I

And from the start line (look out for me :))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WoJnw2Tb74

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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby Furyblade_Lee » Sat Jan 15, 2011 6:06 pm

Cheers Jeff, good write up!

As you know I fancy doing this, but I am looking at about £750+ to get kitted up wich is a pain. Just hope none of you ring me to change your boilers.... :lol:

I need to change my harnesses which is a bugger, that will be nearly £400 as the dates are out on mine. bum. So is my helmet, suit, gloves......

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Re: Sprinting - a quick "how to" guide

Postby jeffw » Sat Jan 15, 2011 6:57 pm

Just remember it is only the drivers that 'needs' to be in date.


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