19 replies to this topic

[z cars chris]

as many of you will be aware z cars has been selling versions of their bike and now honda v tec minis for several years
it was always the intention to try and get a race series going for the cars once there were enough of them to compete together in a class of their own
we are in the early stages of getting just that and the race organiser has asked what sort of likely numbers there would be for such a thing
we would attend each race with all three z cars demonstraters for a start and offer backup and technical help to anyone who was interested
the racing would be at oulton park,angelsey,cadwell,mallory and donnington
we can help with advice on passing an ards course and a qualified instructor for the novice racers will be on hand for pre season testing and tuition at a track day prior to racing
if you already have a z cars mini and would be intyerested or are thinking of doing one and looking to race would you contact chris on the z cars e mail at [email protected]
we will try and get a good championship going with the cars if we can just let me know what you all think
chris

[Flyby]

Sounds like a good idea Chris, although I dont own one of your cars and despite how often I dream about it Im probably never likely too, I would definatley come along to the races to watch them.

[Guess-Works.com]

Do you reckon he'll loan us a couple

[R1minimagic]

Hi Chris

I would be up for that, but a few questions

1. I think a lot of the cars will be too loud for these tracks, mine is 102-103dB at 7500rpm. That is with a standard R1 can and plastic airbox. What do you think?

2. Will there need to be any sort of scrutineering etc, minimum safety level checks?

3. What sort of costs would be involved?

4. You mention the ARDS course etc, are these pre requisites for racing?

Cheers for now


PS Will you be at Shakespeare this w/e? Your z cars email always gets returned to me after 3 days and a few other people have said the same.

[z cars chris]

Hi Chris

I would be up for that, but a few questions

1. I think a lot of the cars will be too loud for these tracks, mine is 102-103dB at 7500rpm. That is with a standard R1 can and plastic airbox. What do you think?

2. Will there need to be any sort of scrutineering etc, minimum safety level checks?

3. What sort of costs would be involved?

4. You mention the ARDS course etc, are these pre requisites for racing?

Cheers for now


PS Will you be at Shakespeare this w/e? Your z cars email always gets returned to me after 3 days and a few other people have said the same.

yes we will be at shakespere this weekend
the cars will have to go through normal race scrutineering and noise may well be a pain as it is with most race cars
you may have seen our demo car at tracks with an extra silencer fitted across the back this works very well and takes 30 seconds to fit and remove
an ards course is a 1 day course you attend where they teach you about flag signals safety and basic driving test then you can get a driving licence
you will need appropriate helmet and overalls/gloves
the series is guaranteed a 20 miniute race at each venue plus one lap
there isalso 10 miniute qualifying in the morning
some of the rounds are double headers so you get 2 days racing that weekend
entry fees for each round will be around £180
some of the fine detail will need ironing out and im just trying to guage numbers so we are in a good position to get the cars in and have some fun
british motorsport could do with ten or fifteen quick minis racing im sure loads of people would actually attend to watch them
you should see the attention the monte carlo is getting at the race meetings its phenomenal (did i spell that right)
theres already several other z cars owners keen to have a go
i would suggest that a week or two before each round we try to go to a track day at the relevant circuits where we will bring our qualified instructer along he can then give everyone some tuition if they want it and they can be ready for the racing and if they have never raced should benefit from the practice
you can take this as seriously as you want for my part it will be good to have a bunch of us all together racing similar cars and i shall be trying to have as much fun as i can
if we get it together and it works then we will try to make it bigger and better for the subsequant years splitting the cars into class by engine type and cc etc
probably the first year we will have to run as one or two classes but the main thing is to get out there and establish a presence
chris

[dean_chad]

sounds really good chris when was you thinking about starting the series. mine wont be ready for some time but would consider it maybe next year. I agree, im 1 of them who would really like to follow the series
would total novices be welcome at the meets? are there many people in the country with the monte carlos? ( lucky gits)!

lucking forward to seeing you all down at shakespeare raceway!

dean

[z cars chris]

sounds really good chris when was you thinking about starting the series. mine wont be ready for some time but would consider it maybe next year. I agree, im 1 of them who would really like to follow the series
would total novices be welcome at the meets? are there many people in the country with the monte carlos? ( lucky gits)!

lucking forward to seeing you all down at shakespeare raceway!

dean

this wont happen until next year and i expect we will have a good number of race novices
plus veterans and a mix of engine sizes etc etc
the novices will get as much help as we can give them the driver of our monte carlo is a qualified instructer and will be available for tuition at a reasonable fee at track days before the events
ive been round racin all my life and will help all i can
my advice would be to get tha car built drive it a bit to get used to it
then have a few track days in it if you can do one by yourself with no one else there pressuring you
keep out of trouble and if someone quicker passes you tag along behind and watch where he goes and brakes etc
when you start to race make sure you drive as quickly and safely as you can and if you are battling for last place it doesnt matter just keep it on the planet and finish
youve paid fo the track time so get all the laps you can
you will get quicker as your experiance grows and theres no feeling like it trust me
i dont expect to be the fastest driver out there as all my racings been done on loose surfaces watch out when it rains though thats more my kind of stuff
i cant wait i havent raced this year at all apart from drag races and thats not the same as blasting through craner curves at 100 mph
as you know we do set up the cars for four wheel alignment etc and will do all this sort of thing so the cars are all in the best shape to race
we will be at all the meetings with myself richard and one of the lads from the workshops each racing a car plus some of the other staff on hand to help
then if you have a problem we should be able to sort it
chris

[markrally]

Im well up for this next year!!!

Still got the helmet race suit and gloves from the rallying so just need the ARDs test and a plumbed in fire exingusher.
Prehaps we could control the tyres to using Yoko A539's for the steel body and Avon ACB10's for the monte versions.
Probably run R1 and the busa's together to start off with and a minimum weight of about 550 kgs to give everone a fair chance???
Dale- you best put some weight on!!!!


Just a thought...........
Is it possible to split the projects section to anyone who has changed The A-series motor for something different or just a bike engine conversion as there must be nearley a dozen bike engine projects on the mini forum alone not including the honda/ vauxhall and suzuki etc????

cheers

Edited by markrally73, 12 July 2006 - 04:46 PM.

[z cars chris]

Im well up for this next year!!!

Still got the helmet race suit and gloves from the rallying so just need the ARDs test and a plumbed in fire exingusher.
Prehaps we could control the tyres to using Yoko A539's for the steel body and Avon ACB10's for the monte versions.
Probably run R1 and the busa's together to start off with and a minimum weight of about 550 kgs to give everone a fair chance???
Dale- you best put some weight on!!!!


Just a thought...........
Is it possible to split the projects section to anyone who has changed The A-series motor for something different or just a bike engine conversion as there must be nearley a dozen bike engine projects on the mini forum alone not including the honda/ vauxhall and suzuki etc????

cheers

in principle i would agree with minimum weight and control tyres
the series we would be racing in has no control tyres for their general race cars but if we all are of the same opinion then theres nothing to stop us controlling the tyres we put on or the weight
the series rules specify that the cars have to look like a known car and have minimum weight of 500 kilos so we are well in with that anyway
perhaps during winter when we know exactly what the scrutineers want we can have all the cars in and weigh them then check that they will be ok for racing then we will know before we start roughly what a reasonable car weighs
if dale has to add weight it will break his heasr but he can put it low down with lead so maybe it wont be too bad
chris

[markrally]

Which race series is the monte currently running in at the moment so we can have a look at this years championship?

Cheers

Ps Chris have you fixed your e-mail system yet?

Edited by markrally73, 12 July 2006 - 08:09 PM.

[Alburglar]

I'd like to have a go if i Can get my act together. will it be r1s and busa's in the same races?

PS chris, I do need a grease nipple for my rear diff, I'll give you a ring
Alastair.

[R1minimagic]

I would be gutted if i had to add some weight back, I think all the bike engined boys should club together and have a fund for me to help me through it...

[z cars chris]

I would be gutted if i had to add some weight back, I think all the bike engined boys should club together and have a fund for me to help me through it...

a good scource for lead is a tyre dealers they will sell you some used wheel weights just melt em down and pour into a steel cake tin or similar
the race series that the monte is in is the ace couriers sports and saloons championshipm basically if your car looks like a recognised car then anything goes they split them currently by cc etc but the scrutineer etc seem really good to deal with and keen to see minis so there shouldnt be any problems
ive sent for an rac licence and will do my ards course asap so that i can hopefully do the last half of the season as a bit of a test for next year
hopefully then i will have a good relationship with scrutineers etc so that we get a smooth transition next year
plus im tearing my hair out here not racing for the last two years i seriously need a day or two thrashing the cars round
chris

I would be gutted if i had to add some weight back, I think all the bike engined boys should club together and have a fund for me to help me through it...

a good scource for lead is a tyre dealers they will sell you some used wheel weights just melt em down and pour into a steel cake tin or similar
the race series that the monte is in is the ace couriers sports and saloons championshipm basically if your car looks like a recognised car then anything goes they split them currently by cc etc but the scrutineer etc seem really good to deal with and keen to see minis so there shouldnt be any problems
ive sent for an rac licence and will do my ards course asap so that i can hopefully do the last half of the season as a bit of a test for next year
hopefully then i will have a good relationship with scrutineers etc so that we get a smooth transition next year
plus im tearing my hair out here not racing for the last two years i seriously need a day or two thrashing the cars round
chris

oh and by the way i wont need to buy ballast as my slender frame is surprisingly heavy!!!!!!!!!

[marksmini]

donnington, thats just down the road from me... i will be there. just tell me when and the cost.
cant wait for this to take off.

[minidan]

well as i am going to build a zcar R1 in the near future i would LOVE to race but i will need to win the lottery in order to build 2 zcars minis so i dont have to destroy my road car lol.....

dan.