We often hear this said; it’s a common misconception and quite understandable.  Motorsport coverage on TV, in the press and on social media generally follows the higher levels of the sport where this is true.

But for local motor clubs, running grassroots level events, the picture is very different.  AutoSOLO is a popular entry point for competitors, aided by the fact cars are roadgoing, taxed and tested and driven to the event.  Entry fees are modest, with some allowance to be made for tyre wear and fuel.  A day’s sport is often decided by just tenths of a second.

Haydn Marks is an experienced competitor who is competing in a Volvo V50 this year; certainly not an obvious choice of car!  He explains how this came about:

“The car was an impulse buy for £390 on Ebay.  My original intention was to break it for parts, but before doing so I trailered it to a Production Car Autotest, really ‘just for a laugh’.

I really enjoyed driving, despite the lack of power from the 1.8 petrol engine, because the excellent handling provided a massively fun experience.  So I decided to fix the couple of items required for an MOT and put it back on the road. A fresh set of brakes, a wheel bearing and a set of tyres saw 12 months ticket acquired. 

So far it’s completed 4 events with good results, the best being 2nd overall at Defford Aerodrome, so it’s certainly not outclassed and attracts attention and surprised looks as such an unusual choice of car.  I’ve kept the car completely standard, apart from a cone filter I had lying around in the garage. I see no reason to start modifying it as it works so well out the box. As with all my cars, it’ll get regular maintenance to make sure it stays safe and reliable, parts are cheap and plentiful and it’s easy to work on.  A large boot to carry all my tools and comfy electric, leather seats makes travelling to and from events rather comfortable and civilised.

To my great surprise I think it may possibly be the ultimate Autosolo vehicle 😁”

You can find out about how to get started yourself by looking at our newcomers guide and by contacting Peter Cox our Championship Coordinator – [email protected].

Article by : Andrew Bisping