top of page
THORNLEIGH CAR CLUB INC.
Since 1954
Various forms of motorsport exist and Thornleigh Car Club participates in 5 different disciplines.
Select a discipline below to learn more about them including competitor & vehicle requirements and minimum age (12 year olds can learn to drive!!!)
Motorkhana
-
No vehicle modification necessary.
-
Can enter as a driver from 12 years old.
-
Excellent save environment to learn to drive or hone driving skills.
-
A test of driver and vehicle maneuverability around flags, in a specific pattern, on either tarmac or dirt.
-
Motorsport Australia Licence - Non-Speed
Khanacross
-
No vehicle modification necessary though a helmet is required.
-
Can enter as a driver from 14 years old
-
Dirt rally style tracks up to 2km in length.
-
Motorsport Australia Licence - Non-Speed
Speed
-
Bring you standard road car or highly modified race car. A helmet is required.
-
Can enter as a driver from 16 years old.
-
Types of events include: Supersprint, Hill Climb, Track Days at a race circuit or closed road.
-
Motorsport Australia Licence - Speed
Navigational Assembly
-
No vehicle modification required, working trip meter necessary.
-
Two person team, Driver & Navigator.
-
Conducted on public roads obeying all road rules, teams decipher a series of instructions and clues to navigate a specific route.
-
Three navigation levels, Master, Apprentice, Tour (social).
-
Motorsport Australia Licence - Non-Speed
-
Drivers licence required.
Forest Rally
-
Highly modified vehicle required, (roll cage, race harness, helmets etc).
-
Driver and Navigator use notes to drive high speeds along closed forest roads.
-
Free spectating is encouraged from different vantage points.
-
Motorsport Australia Licence - Rally
-
Drivers licence required.
Officiating
-
The unsung heroes of motorsport.
-
Director & Secretary organise events before they start.
-
Scrutineer, Time Keepers & General Officials help the events run on the day.
-
No prior experience required, all training provided.
-
Gain gratitude of competitors and it's FREE!!!
-
Motorsport Australia Licence - Officials
Motorkhana
Motorkhanas are designed to test the acceleration, braking and general maneuverability of a car along with the skill and judgement of the driver through a course marked out by coloured flags. These events are true grassroots motorsport, cheap, cater to all levels of ability and can be entered in a standard road car or purpose built machines. Juniors as young as 12 can learn to drive and compete in these events (passengers as instructors welcomed). With multiple drivers able to enter per car, it makes a great day out to learning how your car handles and how far it can be pushed in a safe and controlled environment. Passengers are welcomed at most events and being a passenger or spectator is free.
These events require a L2NS (Level 2 Non-Speed) licence at a minimum from Motorsport Australia. Adult licence is $97 per 12 months, Junior licence is $35 per 12 months. Entry fees per event vary from $50-80 for adults and $25-40 for juniors.
With multiple entries allowed per vehicle and passengers welcomed, Motorkhana's are a fantastic way for a family to enjoy learning about motorsport. Motorkhanas are a great way for young drivers to learn the basics of car control in a safe environment before heading out onto the road with other vehicles as there is only one car on each course at a time. Vehicles don't require any modification nor do drivers need a helmet and the surfaces are such they leave minimal wear and tear on your car.
Competitors are divided up into different classes to keep competition even. These classes are based on either the vehicles wheel base or, if it is a purpose built 'Motorkhana Special' (like a home made go kart), if it is front wheel drive/rear wheel drive.
There are over 100 possible courses the organisers can choose from, each one having a different name and pattern. Some courses have the same flag layout just a different pattern to maneuver around them in.
There are usually between 8-12 different tests run in an event sometimes allowing for double runs (where the best time counts).
Events can be conducted on either dirt or tarmac (wet or dry).
Each course is timed and the winners are determined by the lowest accumulation of all test times across the day.
Competitors can incur penalties for things such as knocking down a flag on the course, not coming to a complete stop at the finish and going in the wrong direction at any point of the course. These penalties incur different values and are added onto the drivers time.
Competitors start in the green 'start garage' and must come to a complete stop in the red 'finish garage'.
Below are some examples of the tests. Drivers begin in the start garage (green), drive the course following the black lines/arrows and must come to a complete stop in the finish garage (red). The flags are colour coded to make it easier to navigate or remember what the pattern is.
For further information or to speak to someone about upcoming events, send us an email on the "Contact Us" page or drop in to one of our meetings.
Khanacross
Khanacross is a low speed event that tests the driving skills similar to a motorkhana, but takes it to the next level. These events often resemble short rally stages, conducted on mostly gravel but sometimes tarmac roads on private property. They are a great opportunity to learn car control at slightly higher speeds than a motorkhana, and children as young as 12 can compete with multiple entries per car.
These events require a L2NS (Level 2 Non-Speed) licence as a minimum from Motorsport Australia. Adult licence is $97 per 12 months, Junior licence is $35 per 12 months.
Entry fees per event vary from $50-80 for adults and $25-$40 for juniors.
A Khanacross track can be up to 2km in length and marked with arrows. They are one direction with one car at a time competing, starting and finishing from the same area. Drivers are given a reconnaissance run to familiarise themselves with the track before they drive it competitively. No passengers/navigators can be taken in these events.
Vehicles do not need to be registered to compete and no vehicle modification is required from a standard road car for these events, though drivers must wear a helmet, long nonflammable clothing, have a 1kg fire extinguisher within reach of the driver and a blue triangle on the outside bodywork indicating where the battery is located in the vehicle. Rally tyres are usually run by competitors as this helps increase the acceleration, braking and general grip level of the vehicles.
Standard road cars picked up gumtree or ebay (provided they are safe) up to heavily modified rally cars may compete in these events. All cars must undergo a scrutineering check at the start of each event to ensure they are in safe operating manner. This includes ensuring there are no loose items in the vehicle, battery is secure, seat belts function properly, no play in steering wheel, firm effective brake pedal and seat mounted properly to name a few items.
Vehicles are divided up into classes based on engine capacity or if they are four/all wheel drive.
There will usually be 8-12 different courses in an event. Courses may vary greatly, be reversed or simply move the start/finish location slightly.
For further information or to speak to someone about upcoming events, send us an email on the "Contact Us" page or drop in to one of our meetings.
Speed
Speed events are a category which encompass a variety of event styles including Supersprint, Hill Climb, Autocross, Drifting and Regularity events and Track days. Vehicles are split up into classes based on engine capacity and number of modifications. These classes vary from event to event and vehicles do not need to be modified to enter though drivers must wear a helmet, long nonflammable clothing, have a 1kg fire extinguisher within reach of the driver and a blue triangle on the outside bodywork indicating where the battery is located in the vehicle. Registered vehicles do not require a roll cage, however unregistered vehicles do.
These events require a L2S (Level 2 Speed) licence from Motorsport Australia. Adult licence is $143 per 12 months, Junior licence is $35 per 12 months.
Entry fees per event can vary greatly for speed events depending on the type of event and location. Events will cost around $180-$250 for adults and $140-$200 for juniors.
Supersprints are conducted at race tracks and consist of several pairs of cars on the track, where individuals are racing against the clock to beat their own times. Supersprints are not actual races as such, with the results being decided by your fastest lap of the day. These events give participants a great feel for what it is like to drive at high speed around a race track and provide a fabulous test for car and driver alike. Cars range from standard road cars to highly modified race cars, with competitors sent out onto the track with other compatible vehicles that lap the track at similar speeds. Children as young as 14 can participate in supersprints, allowing a greater awareness of car control before they are legally allowed to learn to drive on the road.
Hillclimbs are a great way to learn to drive quickly on a short tarmac course running against the clock. The tracks used can be dedicated hillclimb venues, sections of established race tracks or short sections of closed public road. You do not need a modified car for this discipline and juniors as young as 14 can compete in these events. One vehicle competes on the course at a time and winners are based on the fastest single lap of the day, so you can get better as the day goes on.
For further information or to speak to someone about upcoming events, send us an email on the "Contact Us" page or drop in to one of our meetings.
Club Road Rallies / Navigational Assemblies (Touring Assemblies)
Club Road Rallies and Navigational Assemblies (often broadly referred to as Touring Rallies) are touring navigational events run predominantly on sealed roads open to the public. They often cater for owners of classic cars wishing to enjoy their cars on less-travelled, scenic rural roads and in these instances may have event names including the word "Classic" (eg. the "Alpine Classic").
Crews comprise a minimum of driver and navigator but may include additional passengers up to the seating capacity of the car. Different competitive categories cater for the experience and skill level of the crew, particularly the navigator. "Masters" level is for the very experienced and uses mapped navigation with few clues given to determine the correct route. "Apprentice" level is still challenging and will generally use the same instructions and maps as for Masters but with some additional clues. "Tour" level may use some simple mapped navigation but predominantly uses "route chart" navigation where the entire route is described by which way to turn at given distances. Tour will often use a slightly different route (usually with less unsealed roads) to that used by Masters and Apprentices.
Unlike special stage rallies which require driving closed road stages in the minimum amount of time, Club Road Rallies and Navigational Assemblies take place on open public roads within legal speed limits and compliance with all road rules. Scoring is based on crews following the correct route which is determined by them visiting manned "passage controls", recording the information on VRC (visual route check) boards at unmanned passage controls, and recording observations (answers to questions) along the route. Crews record information on a road card issued at the major control at the start of each division and collected at the major control at the end of each division. Navigational Assemblies allow a reasonably generous window of time to complete each division. Club Road Rallies add competitive timing whereby crews must check into each control at exactly the correct allowed time (timed to the minute). Early or late arrival results in penalties. Club Road Rallies may also use average speed sections where penalties will be applied for deviating from an allowed time over a section of the route (timed to the second).
Being competitive motoring events, both driver and navigator are required to hold a L2NS (Level 2 Non-Speed) licence as a minimum and the driver must hold a civil driver's licence. Some events add a fourth "Social Tour" category which is completely non-competitive (not scored) and requires nothing more than the driver holding a civil driver's licence. Social Tour generally follows the same route as Tour, using the same route instructions but may differ slightly to avoid the use of maps and any unsealed roads.
Any reliable and roadworthy car which is either fully road-registered or on conditional (historic) registration is suitable for use in touring rallies. A tripmeter is required assist the crew with their navigation and can be the vehicle's original inbuilt odometer as a minimum, although an additional accurate tripmeter with a resolution of 0.01km is of considerable benefit. These can be a dedicated mechanical rally tripmeter (eg. Halda) or electronic rally computer (eg. Terratrip) however, recently crews have been making use of smart phone apps to avoid the need for the purchase and fitting of a dedicated rally tripmeter. GPS devices which store or display maps (including smart phone apps) are not in the spirit of these events and not allowed.
Touring rallies typically cover 300 to 350km for a single-day event or around 800km for a two-day event. Two-day events allow travel further from Sydney to less populated areas with more interesting roads and require an overnight stay, usually with a large evening dinner function. They are very social weekends shared with like-minded motoring enthusiasts. Single-day event entry fees are around $120 and will usually include lunch (and sometimes breakfast). Two-day event entry fees range from around $250 which will include lunches (and maybe breakfasts) through to around $450 to $500 for an all-inclusive (accommodation and all meals) weekend. Entry fees are for a crew of 2 and extra passengers attract an additional fee to cover meals and accommodation (where applicable).
For further information or to speak to someone about upcoming events, send us an email on the "Contact Us" page or drop in to one of our meetings.
Forest Rally
Rallying is a great way to get out of the city and amongst nature, whilst also enjoying the thrill of Motorsport. Rallying is predominantly conducted on closed forestry and shire gravel roads, but may include some tarmac sections.
These events require a Clubman Rally licence from Motorsport Australia as a minimum. This licence is $198 per year (this licence covers speed and non speed events also).
Cars are dedicated rally cars and have been strengthened in their suspension, bodywork and safety features including roll-cage, seats ,harnesses, trip meter and intercom to compete in these events. The combination of good car preparation, driver and co-driver working together, and a great service crew all combine to achieve a good result. Rallying is one of the most social disciplines with a great atmosphere and sense of community where competitors help each other out both on and off the stage and although may have a fierce rivalry, will socialise together after the events.
There are two types of events, Blind Rally and Pacenote Rally. In blind rallies, competitors are given a road book with all instructions, distances, directions and information which has been prepared by the organisers. The drivers have not driven the roads before and follow all instructions on the road book. Pace note rallies allow drivers to drive the stages in the days before the event and write their own notes and directions on the stages. Pacenote rallies are usually a state or national level event.
Forest rallies are broken up into stages and service sections, where competitors may do a couple of competitive stages, come back to service where the service crew can check over/repair the car. Driver and navigator will then do a couple more competitive stages and finish, or in some longer events have a second service and then a third set of stages.
Drivers are placed in an order dependent on their 'seeding position' which is determined by their competitive times in a particular vehicle in past events. This ensures that cars do not catch each other during a stage. Cars are started 2 minutes apart on a stage and there will be multiple cars on a stage at any particular time. If a vehicle comes off in the stage the next car is flagged down (if needed) and assistance is given and a messaged relayed back to rally HQ. Each stage has start officials, finish officials and officials manning road closures (where needed). Spectators spots are also allocated at various areas in the stages to allow for safe viewing of the cars as they come past.
Events are held in locations such as Bulahdelah, Johns River, Coffs Harbour, Jenolan, Oberon, Cooma, Bathurst, Narooma, Batemans Bay and Tumut to name a few. Competition is usually on one day and crews can arrive and leave or stay overnight depending on the event.
For further information or to speak to someone about upcoming events, send us an email on the "Contact Us" page, drop in to one of our meetings or visit www.rallynsw.com.au or www.amsag.com.au
Officiating
For any motor sport event to run, it relies on officials and volunteers in varying capacities. For those who may not be interested in competing but still want to be involved in Motorsport and close to the action, then officiating is for you. Officiating allows you to get right up to the track, or gain experience in other areas.
Motorsport Australia offers various officiating licences depending on the level you wish to be involved. Officiating is free because volunteering your time is priceless and at some events offer spectating tickets for family members. Competitors and teams are forever grateful of officials, as without officials the events wouldn't go ahead.
No experience is necessary to get started and practical instruction/demonstrations are given by our friendly officiating volunteers at each event. If you want to learn something new you can, there is no requirement to move up the levels if you don't want to. You can give as much or as little as you are able to.
Officiating can take many forms which include, flag marshal at a racetrack, a control official at rally events, time keeper or even major roles such as scruntineer (vehicle checker), secretary or event director/clerk of course. All events will have these officials though they will act in varying capacities depending if the event is a club, state, national or international event. Officiating is a great way to learn other skills, make new friends and a fantastic way to give back to a sport that gives so much enjoyment as well as possibly meet your heroes and teams up close.
For further information or to speak to someone about upcoming events or how to get involved, send us an email on the "Contact Us" page or drop in to one of our meetings.
Social Events
Thornleigh Car Club runs many social events each year for members and families to spend time together whilst enjoying a day out. Our social events in the past have included progressive dinners, go-kart days, social drives, museum visits, historic drives and dyno days.
These days are member driven, so if there is something you want to do then please let us know.
Keep an eye out on the calendar to see any upcoming social events, with more added through out the year.
Thornleigh Car Club also holds a monthly meeting (every second Thursday of the month except January) which is a great way to meet other members, hear stories about recent events and learn about upcoming events. A light supper is provided at these meetings allowing further social time with friends.
For further information or to speak to someone about upcoming events, send us an email on the "Contact Us" page or drop in to one of our meetings.
bottom of page