Motorsport For Everyone!

Have you ever watched motorsport on television and thought "I wish I could do that...."

While most people will not compete at a state, national or international level there is still a great community of motorsport enthuasists who activley practise grass roots motorsport. This is where greats such as Peter Brock, Possum Bourne and Craig Lowndes began their careers in club level motorsport.

Club level motorsport is great place to enjoy you interest in cars, motorsport and is a safe environment to "let you hair down" with others having similar interests.

So what can I possibly be involved in I hear you say?

The entry level event is called a Motorkhana.

What is a Motorkhana?

Motorkhana events developed in the 1960's as a fun event for car enthusiasts to safely enjoy their cars, and practice up on their rallying skills, since then, motorkhana has grown into a passion for thousands of Australians, and people all over the world. Each state in Australia has a motorkhana championship, and there is an Australian championship held every year with very serious competitors, driving very serious vehicles.

Motorkhanas are about getting your car around a set course ("test") in the quickest possible time, the tests usually take about 30 seconds, and are mostly done in first gear, with speeds rarely getting over 40kph. Don't let that make you think it's slow, it's possibly the most adreniline pumping 30 seconds you can have in a car - from when you put your car into the start garage, to when you stop at the finish it's a full-on blast!

Competitors are timed as they individually manoeuvre their cars from start to finish around the test set out with pegs or witches hats in a paddock. Time penalties are incurred if these pegs are hit, and the course must be completed correctly. Motorkhanas are run on both sealed and unsealed surfaces, with each type of surface requiring it's own driving style and ways to go faster.

What type of car do I need?

Motorkhanas are open to just about any type of car provided it is in a safe working order. Club officials conduct safety inspections on all vehicles before they can compete. Unregistered vehicles are eligible to compete but must not be driven on public roads to get to and from the event.

One of the most popular types of vehicles used is your everyday road car. As motorkhanas are low speed and conducted on flat open areas the risk of damage to vehicles is minimal.

The club may be able to provide a club car to beginning drivers for a small cost.

Who can compete?

To compete in a motorkhana you must be over 12 years of age and hold a Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) or an Australian Auto Sport Alliance competition licence. These range in cost from $11.00 for juniors (under 18) and $50.00 for adults. Licenses can be purchased on the day and are valid for 12 months from purchase.

You don’t need to be an expert driver to compete. In fact motorkhanas can be an ideal place for children to learn to drive as a parent can ride in the car at all times and give tuition and assistance. This means that they are able to control the car before they get on the road, so they can concentrate on traffic and road rules, making them much safer on the road.

Who runs the event?

The motorkhana will be conducted by the officials of the Albury Wodonga and Districts Car Club. It is run with full coverage insurance and has all the relevant legal approvals.

A Motorkhana is a great way to get started in a club and have plenty of fun.

To see what it's like, here are videos of some of our members competing in a test named "Babylon"

Ben Quick - Babylon

Keith Tidy

Simon Kerr

article credit: Michael Meyer, Wagga District Car Club