Getting Started in Motorkhana

Getting started in motorkhana is easy. You need to:

* join a car club

* get a CAMS Level 2NS or higher licence

* get your car ready

* enter an event and have a go

Taking these one at a time:

Join a car club

Most car clubs are affiliated or associated with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS). Join one of these that suits you. For example, Mini owners in Victoria often join the Victorian Mini Club; someone living in Bendigo might join the Bendigo Car Club or you might have a friend in a car club and join his/her club. You can select from the list at www.cams.com.au

Get a CAMS licence

To motorkhana, you need a Level 2NS licence. You can download an application form from www.cams.com.au Fill it in and mail it to CAMS with payment, currently $50 a year ($12 for juniors), and you should have your licence in a week or two.

Alternatively, call CAMS Member Services Centre on 1300 653 529.

With your licence, CAMS will send you a “Manual of Motor Sport” which will tell you some of the rules you need to know. Most of the regulations have been moved to the online manual at http://www.camsmanual.com.au/

If you want to compete in other types of events as well motorkhanas, you will probably need a different licence - details at www.cams.com.au or call CAMS Member Services Centre.

Get Your Car Ready

If your car is roadworthy, it’s probably ready for a motorkhana. There are no special requirements for normal road cars. If you want to use something else, tell me what it is at motorkhana1@gmail.com and I’ll let you know if it’s OK or refer you to an expert.

Your car doesn’t need to be registered but it helps to get it to events without a trailer and towcar. There is a Club permit system available for cars over 25 years old - talk to your club about “CH plates” if limited road use (i.e. driving only to and from events) will suit you.

Once you have done a couple of motorkhanas, you will probably want to do handbrake turns. This won’t work unless the handbrake works well. See Getting Better for how to do handbrake turns.

If you run tubeless tyres, as most people do, don’t be tempted to drop them below the recommended pressures for your car. In fact, a bit higher than the recommended pressures may be safer.

Enter an Event

Most car clubs run at least a couple of club motorkhanas each year for their members. To enter, you usually fill in an entry form and pay a small entry fee, usually $10 - $20, at the venue on the morning of the event.

In Victoria, there are about 7 Group 5 motorkhanas and 9 state championship motorkhanas each year that anyone with a 2NS licence or higher can enter. To find out more about these events, subscribe to the free magazine Victorian Motorkhana News by emailing me at motorkhana1@gmail.com

Don’t be put off entering the Group 5 and State events - no-one is going to criticize you for slow driving. We all had to start some time. Plenty of non-experts enter them for the enjoyment of driving in competition in a well run event in a friendly atmosphere. There are often separate classes for various sizes of road cars, specials, juniors (12 to 17), ladies, masters (oldies) and novices, so it’s not hard to win a trophy.

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If you want to have a look at a motorkhana, you can spectate free at a club event or one of the events in the Motorkhana Calendar. Most events are on Sundays. Competition starts about 10 am and can finish as early as 1.30 pm (especially if there’s live motor racing on TV that day) or as late as 5 pm.