current class one numbers

[Steveh7]

Hi All

I have recently entered my 1st sprints and hill climbs and am enjoying the events however would love to be in a group I could genuinely compete in!

Car is a totally standard K series Grad car (sealed engine) and I have just bought x 4 wheels with a539 tyres so I could run in class 1. I can't make the remaining dates in the 7 club championship, however I'll aim to make a decent effort re 2018 :)

Be great if you could give me honest thoughts on:

1. general entry number re class 1, is this healthy and likely to remain this way

2. Are most running a slippy diff in this class?

3. Does one class dominate in terms of participating numbers?

4. Re point 3 people running in other clubs as well (HSA, BARC) is there a spec that would fit best in terms of the 7 club and these to provide the best choice of events?

Thanks for all your help in advance, I'm asking now as if I move to a class with healthy numbers I would be better off buying another car. I have no chance of top placings but it would be great to have some fellow competitors in like for like machinery.

Steve

[Shaun_E]

Hi Steve,

I'll try and answer some of your questions.

1. Class 1 has been pretty well supported over the past few years and sometimes has been the biggest entry. This year some have jumped ship to class 2 and in the early rounds Class 1 has been a bit lonely at a couple of events. As one of those was Goodwood and the other Gurston both of which are a bit far south for a number of our competitors and Goodwood is also not particularly suited to low powered cars, I think this is not representative. There are a decent number of registered competitors.
2. I think a number of the front runners have an LSD but it's by no means essential
3. Classes 2 and 3 are the leaders in numbers right now but it's early days and there's normally a decent spread. Class 5 is more or less empty now and 4 has only a handful of registered competitors - most of our competitors preferred to stay with list 1C tyres. For big power road-going, class 6 is the place to be.
4. To be competitive in the HSA classes I suspect you'll need 200+bhp for B1 (our class 4 or 5) a lot more for class B2 (our class 5) and either a Busa or big Duratec on slicks for class D (our class 7). Our class 6 runs to mod-prod rules but restricts tyres to list 1C. British Hillclimb class B = our class 5 and class D = our class 7.

I would recommend trying class 1 if your main focus would be the 7 Club championship but if you are mostly going to compete in other championships then I think you will find your car is a bit underpowered for the specialist production classes.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I'm sure others will post soon but a fair few are involved in the planning of the 60th Celebration so aren't looking here as often as normal.

Shaun

[Steveh7]

Thanks Shaun

[Richard Price]

Steve,

a super per grad car is almost the ideal spec for l7club class 1.

Whilst the leading class 1 competitors are running an LSD, it's only likely to make a couple of tenths on a typical sprint or hillclimb run. I'd say, if you're regularly in the leading bunch, and another couple of tenths would have made the difference between fourth or first in class, then, that's the time to invest in an LSD.

A standard super grad would fit in has class b1 , and, on the day , may be competitive, but there are a couple of very powerful 1700cc westies out there that will massively outclass a super grad, but I don't think the class is particularly well supported.

I learned in my fist couple of seasons that there was far more that comes from preparation, experience, knowledge, and confidence, than from minor changes to the car. If you've got a super grad car, come and have a go, and see how it goes.

[CheshireCat]

Hi Steve

I started competing as a novice in 2014 and this is my fourth year in L7C Class 1. I have also competed in a handful of local events in Class 2A, which is for road going kit cars up to 1700cc. As i only have 125 bhp and Class 1a tyres it has been for fun only as Class 2A allows significantly more powerful cars with sticky tyres.

I personally prefer L7C events as both bhp and tyres are regulated in the L7C championship so cars are very close in performance which makes for close competition making you focus on your driving. 

Clive