by wisp » Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:35 am
[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Is it the authorities?
Is it the trackday organisers?
Or is it the tracks?
If it's the first, then on private land, surely you can do what you like.
If it's the last, then you're scuppered.
If it's the TDO's then why not organise your own trackday and have whatever rules you like?
Alternatively, start a pressure group as there must be other marques that aren't allowed who would band together with you. Or find out who is allowed without roll bars and lobby. Lobby the sports authority, or better yet, lobby the government about restrictive practices.
[/quote]
Bruce,
In answer to your questions:
It is the authorities, namely MotorSport New Zealand (MSNZ), who insist on roll bars and cages.
MSNZ is the sole authority appointed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to regulate motor sport in New Zealand.
They require a roll bar as mandatory equipment on any open road registered vehicles for ClubSport Events. This includes Autocross, Standing Sprints (single car) and Motorkhanas.
A roll cage is mandatory in all vehicles when carrying a passenger in Speed Events.
Further more Roll Protection homologation (approval) by MSNZ is mandatory. All vehicles fitted with roll protection shall have a MotorSport NZ approval certificate contained within the vehicleâ??s logbook. The standard Atom roll bar is not MSNZ homologated as far as I am aware.
Clubs and track owners do not have to run MSNZ sanctioned events but it limits them to what they can actually do and therefore the participants they will attract. MSNZ states one of their aims to be "To provide simple and effective rules to govern the sport respecting as and where appropriate the FIA Sporting Code and NZ Legislation." Any TDO or club still has to comply to the later.
Having drivers sign a waiver does still not protect the club officials or TDO from being prosecuted by the Occupational Health Safety (OSH), a government department responsible for safety.
IMO one of the best events to test yourself without having to back off for slower cornering traffic or risk a pile up due to someone else spinning is the Standing Sprint (single car) event. I think an AAOC NZ TDO would probably require a MSNZ permit. I have yet to gather all the info on the options available.
edit: Targa note.
It was mentioned in an earlier post that events like the NZ Dunlop Targa require a full MSNZ approved roll cage.
For the record, Atoms are not able to enter the Dunlop Targa as they do not comply to Rule 4.11 of Section 2.
This rule states that vehicles can not have a power to weight ratio where the weight of the car is less than 4.5kg per kilowatt of engine power.
A 220HP Atom is 164 kW with a dry weight of 456 kg. This equates to 2.7kg/kW.
[quote="Bruce Fielding"]
Is it the authorities?
Is it the trackday organisers?
Or is it the tracks?
If it's the first, then on private land, surely you can do what you like.
If it's the last, then you're scuppered.
If it's the TDO's then why not organise your own trackday and have whatever rules you like?
Alternatively, start a pressure group as there must be other marques that aren't allowed who would band together with you. Or find out who is allowed without roll bars and lobby. Lobby the sports authority, or better yet, lobby the government about restrictive practices.
[/quote]
Bruce,
In answer to your questions:
It is the authorities, namely MotorSport New Zealand (MSNZ), who insist on roll bars and cages.
MSNZ is the sole authority appointed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to regulate motor sport in New Zealand.
They require a roll bar as mandatory equipment on any open road registered vehicles for ClubSport Events. This includes Autocross, Standing Sprints (single car) and Motorkhanas.
A roll cage is mandatory in all vehicles when carrying a passenger in Speed Events.
Further more Roll Protection homologation (approval) by MSNZ is mandatory. All vehicles fitted with roll protection shall have a MotorSport NZ approval certificate contained within the vehicleâ??s logbook. The standard Atom roll bar is not MSNZ homologated as far as I am aware.
Clubs and track owners do not have to run MSNZ sanctioned events but it limits them to what they can actually do and therefore the participants they will attract. MSNZ states one of their aims to be "To provide simple and effective rules to govern the sport respecting as and where appropriate the FIA Sporting Code and NZ Legislation." Any TDO or club still has to comply to the later.
Having drivers sign a waiver does still not protect the club officials or TDO from being prosecuted by the Occupational Health Safety (OSH), a government department responsible for safety.
IMO one of the best events to test yourself without having to back off for slower cornering traffic or risk a pile up due to someone else spinning is the Standing Sprint (single car) event. I think an AAOC NZ TDO would probably require a MSNZ permit. I have yet to gather all the info on the options available.
edit: Targa note.
It was mentioned in an earlier post that events like the NZ Dunlop Targa require a full MSNZ approved roll cage.
For the record, Atoms are not able to enter the Dunlop Targa as they do not comply to Rule 4.11 of Section 2.
This rule states that vehicles can not have a power to weight ratio where the weight of the car is less than 4.5kg per kilowatt of engine power.
A 220HP Atom is 164 kW with a dry weight of 456 kg. This equates to 2.7kg/kW.