Owen Motoring Club Auto test

[MichaelH]

Went out to the Owen Motoring club Autotest which was run a Curborough sprint course: The format was a course set out with cones. There were two in the morning and two in the afternoon and each driver had three goes at each. Thats 12 runs with the best two to count in each run. An average run for me lasted about a minute and a half. The majority of cars are small front wheel driver Peugeots 205 and the like, good round a tight course and good handbrakes for handbrake turns. Cost to enter £29 if you are in one of the invited clubs (Coalville Car club in my case). A passenger over the age of twelve is needed, so no MSA licence, no helmet no race suit. A little bit of scrutineering and evidence of an MOT.

About 30 cars were entered mostly in small FWD class and the rest, including a 4.5 litre Rover a small RWD BMW and a blue TR4 - I think there were five in our class.

The rain on the way there cleared and the clouds parted to give a warm if not completely sunny day- it is October 20th. We set off that is me driving and Clive Gimson (races a GT6 with PI) sitting in as passenger and guide rather than navigator.

The runs in the morning went well and we were leading the class at lunchtime, In the afternoon I made a complete horrlicks of the first test and was defeated by the handbreak turn on drying tarmac in the second test so I doubt we did so well in the afternoon.

Great TR motorsport event - could have done it in a standard road TR and enjoyed it with out worrying about possible damage all for less than £30 plus petrol.

Local motor clubs run these sort of cheap events all over the country- any one with an interest in motorsport should try it, TRs are amazingly tough, they can't compete with the modern FWD stuff but a lot of cheap fun is available.

Of all the TRs that go to the IWE and don't compete in the autotest, I bet there are a few owner drivers who have a go with a little encouragement.

Regards

Michael