RE: PH Sporting Tour North | Open for booking!

RE: PH Sporting Tour North | Open for booking!

Wednesday 29th May 2019

PH Sporting Tour North | Open for booking!

Fancy 170 miles of glorious road driving followed by auto tests at Oulton Park?



We're excited to announce that the PistonHeads Sporting Tour North is now open for booking. The event will take place across Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire on July 6th with timed tests at Oulton Park.

The one-day tour will take in 170 miles of beautiful country roads, with lunch and two timed tests at our chosen MSV circuit. Each competitor will have a start time, but as most of the driving takes place on public roads, there will be no other timing involved other than the tests. You'll make your way to check points, where marshals will stamp your route book before setting off on the next stage of the rally.

Your co-driver will need to brush up on their map reading skills, as you'll navigate the route in true rally team style using a Tulip Road Book with no sat nav in sight. The book plots out the distances, directions and junctions you need to navigate throughout the route, making for a refreshing change from staring at a screen. Seasoned motorsport competitors are welcome but this event is perfect for novices who want to take their first step onto the motorsport ladder.


Following feedback on our previous events, the road sections are longer with less minor highways, and we are laying on bigger auto tests at MSV circuits. The cost is £180 per car and we recommend a minimum of two people per team.

Our base for the start and finish will be the Ibis Chesterfield North with the auto tests using the tarmac rally stage at Oulton Park. The event is authorised and permitted by Motorsport UK.

Entries for PistonHeads Sporting Tour North are now open and are available on a first come first served basis here.

Once you've signed up, add yourself to the entrants Wiki here.

Then grab your Sporting Tour merchandise here. See you there!











Author
Discussion

Haltamer

Original Poster:

2,554 posts

87 months

Wednesday 29th May 2019
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Beaten to the punch, managed to register for it a couple of days ago. Looks like I'm car 2 again :P

theholygrail

261 posts

175 months

Wednesday 29th May 2019
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The more I look at the picture of the red 911 the more I'm convinced it's one of those toy cars for rich kids. It looks so tiny compared to the (modern) parked cars!

foxsasha

1,426 posts

142 months

Wednesday 29th May 2019
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Tour and hotel booked. Entry number 5

Just £46 B&B for the hotel Fri night!

Can I take my missus and two young kids or is there an age/passenger min/max?

Do people find their insurance normally covers these events or is it the norm to have to take out the extra JELF cover?

BenLowden

6,529 posts

184 months

PH Marketing Bloke

Thursday 30th May 2019
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foxsasha said:
Tour and hotel booked. Entry number 5

Just £46 B&B for the hotel Fri night!

Can I take my missus and two young kids or is there an age/passenger min/max?

Do people find their insurance normally covers these events or is it the norm to have to take out the extra JELF cover?
Excellent! And yes, there's no limit on passengers or age. Essentially the road section is just navigating a set of directions, it isn't timed or competitive so you should be absolutely fine on your insurance. Worth pointing out the JELF cover is just for road.

It's highly unlikely your insurance will cover you for the timed tests but it's up to you how hard you drive. If you want cover for the tests, you could again speak to JELF or REIS as an alternative.

foxsasha

1,426 posts

142 months

Thursday 30th May 2019
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Thankyou. Not bothered about being covered for the tests.

gary71

1,981 posts

186 months

Friday 31st May 2019
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Hi, I’m considering this for my Son and I to enter.
From experience of previous years what form do the autotests take? Is this literally just a timed run at the tarmac tally stage or handbrake turns around the cones and reversing into cone garages?

BenLowden

6,529 posts

184 months

PH Marketing Bloke

Friday 31st May 2019
quotequote all
gary71 said:
Hi, I’m considering this for my Son and I to enter.
From experience of previous years what form do the autotests take? Is this literally just a timed run at the tarmac tally stage or handbrake turns around the cones and reversing into cone garages?
Superb! I have to say, it's been great to see so many members bringing their children along and the smiles all round. The sort of thing you'll never forget as a kid.

Brands Hatch had a simple slalom course through cones for the first test, followed by a full timed run on the rally stage for the second. So nothing overly technical thumbup

Riley Blue

21,634 posts

233 months

Friday 31st May 2019
quotequote all
I'd love to take part especially as it's based in Chesterfield but my '63 Riley isn't up to the auto tests. Is there a reduced cost option for those who may wish to do just the road sections?

jeremyc

24,558 posts

291 months

Friday 31st May 2019
quotequote all
Riley Blue said:
I'd love to take part especially as it's based in Chesterfield but my '63 Riley isn't up to the auto tests. Is there a reduced cost option for those who may wish to do just the road sections?
The 1935 Aston Martin Mark II Long Chassis Sports Tourer had no problems with the autotests at Brands Hatch in the Sporting Tour South, so I'm sure your Riley will be fine. smile

As Ben has mentioned they are not autotests/autosolos as you might know them, but rather a very straighforward (and non taxing) slalom and a drive around a single lane tarmac course. You can choose to take them as fast or as slow as you like. driving

This is the "rally course" at Brands Hatch:


And said gorgeous Aston Martin:


Edited by jeremyc on Friday 31st May 10:33

Tony-vv5ge

7 posts

108 months

Friday 31st May 2019
quotequote all
jeremyc said:
Riley Blue said:
I'd love to take part especially as it's based in Chesterfield but my '63 Riley isn't up to the auto tests. Is there a reduced cost option for those who may wish to do just the road sections?
The 1935 Aston Martin Mark II Long Chassis Sports Tourer had no problems with the autotests at Brands Hatch in the Sporting Tour South, so I'm sure your Riley will be fine. smile

As Ben has mentioned they are not autotests/autosolos as you might know them, but rather a very straighforward (and non taxing) slalom and a drive around a single lane tarmac course. You can choose to take them as fast or as slow as you like. driving

This is the "rally course" at Brands Hatch:


And said gorgeous Aston Martin:


Edited by jeremyc on Friday 31st May 10:33
As Jeremyc says, the tests are not taxing and should be fine in your Riley. Unfortunately there is not a reduced entry fee option.
Tony
Clerk of the Course

gary71

1,981 posts

186 months

Friday 31st May 2019
quotequote all
BenLowden said:
gary71 said:
Hi, I’m considering this for my Son and I to enter.
From experience of previous years what form do the autotests take? Is this literally just a timed run at the tarmac tally stage or handbrake turns around the cones and reversing into cone garages?
Superb! I have to say, it's been great to see so many members bringing their children along and the smiles all round. The sort of thing you'll never forget as a kid.

Brands Hatch had a simple slalom course through cones for the first test, followed by a full timed run on the rally stage for the second. So nothing overly technical thumbup
Excellent. He passed his driving test yesterday and I use do 12 car rallies as a student so this should break him in nicely!

Riley Blue

21,634 posts

233 months

Friday 31st May 2019
quotequote all
Tony-vv5ge said:
jeremyc said:
Riley Blue said:
I'd love to take part especially as it's based in Chesterfield but my '63 Riley isn't up to the auto tests. Is there a reduced cost option for those who may wish to do just the road sections?
The 1935 Aston Martin Mark II Long Chassis Sports Tourer had no problems with the autotests at Brands Hatch in the Sporting Tour South, so I'm sure your Riley will be fine. smile

As Ben has mentioned they are not autotests/autosolos as you might know them, but rather a very straighforward (and non taxing) slalom and a drive around a single lane tarmac course. You can choose to take them as fast or as slow as you like. driving

This is the "rally course" at Brands Hatch:


And said gorgeous Aston Martin:


Edited by jeremyc on Friday 31st May 10:33
As Jeremyc says, the tests are not taxing and should be fine in your Riley. Unfortunately there is not a reduced entry fee option.
Tony
Clerk of the Course
Ordinarily it wouldn't be a problem but I've just returned from driving LeJoG via B-roads. The car's suspension took a hammering and needs an overhaul which may not be completed by the time entries close, parts and workshop time availability being what they are. Pity, but maybe next time.

gary71

1,981 posts

186 months

Friday 31st May 2019
quotequote all
Just booked. Our Mini may look a little lost amongst the current entry list but we will give it our best!

minigubs

8 posts

93 months

Friday 7th June 2019
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Is the route released prior to the event ?

Woz66

14 posts

65 months

Friday 7th June 2019
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Had a blue Exige Sprint exactly like that a few years ago absolutely loved it...had to sell due to back problems...fast as f—k as standard 👍

thunter

5 posts

69 months

Friday 7th June 2019
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Having been at the last two tours, G911 TOD won't be able to make this one as I am out of the UK that weekend, I'll catch the next one though.

theholygrail said:
The more I look at the picture of the red 911 the more I'm convinced it's one of those toy cars for rich kids. It looks so tiny compared to the (modern) parked cars!
Toy Car she ain't, that's why I still have her, you can keep your modern 911's, but hey, what do I know, a GT4 won the prettiest car at the last two events.

jeremyc

24,558 posts

291 months

Saturday 8th June 2019
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minigubs said:
Is the route released prior to the event ?
No. You pick up the route book on the morning of the event. smile

That's the whole idea - it's a test of navigational skills primarily.

Norbury90

6,898 posts

213 months

Tuesday 18th June 2019
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Can anyone who has signed up let me know how many people are signed up so far? We are hoping to get a later start time so haven't signed up yet... and the fact that the car we are planning on using is falling to pieces more as every day goes by. We might end up walking the route!

BenLowden

6,529 posts

184 months

PH Marketing Bloke

PH TEAM

Tuesday 18th June 2019
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IMPORTANT EVENT UPDATE - SPORTING TOUR NORTH POSTPONED

With much regret, we've had to take the decision to postpone Sporting Tour North due to lack of bookings. We're currently looking at alternative dates to move the event to later in the year but this will also have an impact on the running of Sporting Tour Midlands.

GT Motorsports Club will contact everyone who has already booked on and that has paid to see if they would like a refund or to defer their booking. Sincere apologies to any inconvenience caused by this, but it's simply not viable to run the event at this stage.

We'll provide another update on re-scheduling as soon as possible.

Gewy

118 posts

164 months

Wednesday 3rd July 2019
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Well the hotel is still booked and weather forecast looks OK, so we'll be doing a Billy No Mates Sporting Tour this Saturday!