Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2006 | Page 78

MOTORING

A great way for the
Island’s young drivers
to let off steam!

Every year there are countless road deaths
involving young drivers, which can be the result
of inexperience, recklessness or plain ignorance.
Maybe stock car racing could be the answer to
releasing their frustrations...

Stock car racing is one sure way to
satisfy any young driver’s urge to go
mad behind the wheel of a car.
The sport is comparatively safe,
and it doesn’t cost a fortune to take
part. Juniors have their own group
and can start as young as 10 years
old.
In order to get into the sport the
first requirement is obviously a car.
This must not be more than 1000cc
(Fiesta, Metro etc are good), which
can be bought for as little as £50
from the local small ads. Once you
have the car, you’ll need to strip it
of all glass and trim, and remove
the petrol tank and replace it with a
small fire extinguisher that holds no
more than 2 gallons of petrol. You’ll
also need to relocate the battery to
the inside of the car.
For safety reasons, you will need to
fit a full roll cage. For anyone handy
with a welding torch, this will cost
only about £50, or if not, you can
budget around £100 for your cage.
These can be moved to another car
if required, so will probably last you
for years.
Transport to the site can be done
on a trailer towed behind a normal
car, or the club can provide a service
that costs around £30 for the round
trip.
You will need to buy an annual
licence costing £20, and
then pay a £6 entry fee for
each event, which covers
you for the various services
provided on the day.
Additional
insurance
can be taken out from
a specialised company,
of which details can be
obtained from the club
chairman.
This is a great sport
for kids aged from 10-16

78

years old, but bear in mind that
youngsters aged between 10-12
will have to be accompanied by a
competent adult. This is where dad
usually has a great excuse to get
involved!
Stock car racing is a sport that’s
enjoyed by a huge cross section of
people from all over the Island, and
is a great way to introduce boys and
girls to driving and give them an
idea of safety and vehicle control
from an early age.
The racing is totally non-contact,
(unlike banger racing) which means
the chances of an accident are slim.
The club have around 10 meetings
a year from mid April to mid
October. To find out more, contact
either Kevin or Jo on 01983 825463
or in the evening on 01983 532283.

Island Life - www.islandlifemagazine.net