Summary

NORC is an off road racing club, based around the North, although we do have members from all around the country. We meet about once a month from March through to October for off road racing. Anyone can race but it's probably best to do a bit of Marshalling and Co-driving first.

The racing consists of arriving at a site, normally a farmers field, off road site or a quarry. The course would have been laid out the Friday night or Saturday morning, depending on whether the event is a single day or a two day event. Help is always appreciated to set up and pack away.

Prior to the event starting, all vehicles taking part in the event have to be checked (scrutineered) to ensure they meet the safety criteria of the MSA blue book (see below). The scrutineer will also give the vehicle a Class (see below). Vehicles can be bought for as little as £2000 when just starting out, and can go right up to £120k, but whatever vehicle you have, there's just as much fun to be had, in fact, more so in the cheaper ones sometimes as there's not as much pressure on keeping the vehicle pristine.

On successful completion of scrutineering, registering for the event will be required. This is where you pay your entry fees and register your racing number. Championship numbers are allocate in the order of last years results.

After the drivers briefing there is normally a drive round to familiarise yourself with the course.

The day usually consists of around 6 to 10 runs of a 2 to 6 mile track over the the roughest terrain available. The vehicle with the shortest times overall in the day wins the event.

See the bottom of this page for a beginners guide.

Membership

Membership for 2011 costs £20 for all members. Refer to the Documents tab/page for membership form.

Membership Secretary for 2011 is Michelle Hall. michelle.hall@bramracing.co.uk (Address on application form)

Please take note of where competition numbers have to be placed. You MUST have one of the small numbers in the top passenger side corner of the windscreen. If you don't have a screen make something to put the number on so it is clearly visible. This is to aid the timekeepers. As of 2002 if you place the small numbers on your front wing you will FAIL SCRUTINEERING. Side numbers need to be placed as high as possible on your vehicle so they have a chance of being kept clean at the end of a run. All numbers must be cleaned between runs.

Championship

There is no charge for entering the NORC championship in 2011, you just need to be a member of NORC and send in a championship registration form (prior to you starting your first event) with your membership to the membership secretary, or speak to the competition secretary. This form will allocate you your championship number for the season. Each race event will have a separate cost.

The registration fee for the interclub championship 2011 will be £5, and again each event will have a separate cost.

The Competition Secretary for 2011 is Pete Widdop. offroadpete@hotmail.co.uk

A Beginners Guide to Cross Country Racing (Comp Safari)

So you’d like to have a go at Cross Country racing? Well, the best way to start would be to come along to an event and see what happens, talk to the teams (we all love to talk about racing), that way you will get to see, and hear the cars, what the courses are like, and how a days racing works, and maybe even get yourself a ride for the afternoon. All you need to do is become a club member for the year for just £20!

Even better, come along and help as a marshal or time keeper for the weekend, then have a wander round the pits in the evening, and I’m sure that you’ll find an answer to all your questions. Just give one of us a bell (numbers on the contacts page) so that you’ve got a person to look for at the event, and we’ll try to keep you right.

Once you've got yourself and your racer ready for your first event you need to apply for a cometition licence from the MSA. To race at a NORC event you require a 'non-race clubman' licence.

So that’s the basics covered, you just need to get you and the car to the event, it has been known for people to drive the car to the event, but if you bend it, will the AA take you home? So you’ll be looking to buy / borrow / hire a trailer, just make sure that you tie the car down right! All the NORC events this year will run over 2 or 3 day’s so you’ll need somewhere to sleep, either a tent or a caravan is the norm, and the catering van can keep you fed and watered.

Hopefully, you’ve put it all together, and got to the venue nice and early so you’ve got plenty of time to get everything sorted. Find your self a spot to camp and service etc. Once you’re set up you’ve got 3 main things to do before the start, walk the course, scrutineering (ask people around you where and when it is), and then get signed on once you’ve passed. While you’re signing on in the club lorry, find out what time the drivers briefing is, and make sure that you go, as that’s where you’ll find out what time everything is happening.

There is normally a “parade lap” where (for a donation of £3 to the marshal’s fund) you can have a slow drive round the course. If you’re new to the sport it’s good to do this as you’ve got a better feel for where the course goes, and what it’s like.