The spice of island life

Closed-road motor sport is almost the law in offshore UK. Here’s how to enjoy it best

CLOSED ROAD MOTOR SPORT is still a new phenomenon for the UK mainland – but it’s been happening offshore for more than a century. The Isle of Man hosted its first motor sport event in 1904 in the shape of the Gordon Bennett Trials, and Jersey and Guernsey both run regular hillclimbs, sprints and rally stages on public roads. These islands, part of the British Isles but not part of the United Kingdom, are self-governing, and road closures are enshrined in their statutes.

The big events are the Manx Classic every April (23-25 this year), and the Jersey International Motoring Festival in June (4-7), and each runs to the same format of an opening sprint that runs into the evening, followed by two hillclimbs taking advantage of the islands’ natural topography. On the Manx, the Governor’s Sprint starts on Thursday a ernoon in the famous TT grandstand pitlane, then runs against TT direction up the finishing straight to finish near the Governor’s house, followed by two days of hillclimbs on parts of the TT course: Creg Willey’s and the Lhergy Frissell, which finishes just above another TT landmark, the Gooseneck.

In Jersey, the Festival competition kicks off with a moonlight sprint along the Victoria Avenue sea promenade, once used as part of the pre-war Jersey GP course, then progresses to two twisty hillclimbs out of the capital, St Helier: Westmount and Mount Bingham. The Classic & Vintage Motor Racing Club of Jersey also runs its own smaller festival every August using the same format, at the fast and challenging Grève de Lecq hillclimb (used for motor sport only once a year). Regular climbs at Bouley Bay are part of the British Hillclimb Championship.

All the competitions run to normal sprint and hillclimb rules, with a multitude of classes – you can even have a go in your standard road car. JIMF has a cut-off date of 1978 and includes classic bikes, while the Manx Classic accommodates all comers, with the emphasis on pre-1942 and pre-1969, with another cut-off date of 1981. A post-’68 FTD award is given, but there’s no overall winner. Single-seaters are welcome in both events (pre-’68 only on the Manx) – so, uniquely, you can witness unlicenced open-wheelers running on public roads.

In each case, you’ll need a minimum MSA National B speed licence (£43, no medical required), plus approved fireproofs and helmet; fireproof gloves and boots are now mandatory. Fire extinguishers are mandatory and you must mark the battery earth lead with at least 2in of yellow – tape is the easiest way to do it – and mark the ignition switch ‘off’ position and direction with a sticker, just in case there is a mishap. Don’t forget your racing numbers! Organisers sometimes have some spare but o en supplies are limited.

You’ll also need a timing strut attached to the front of the car. Find the exact dimensions in the MSA Yearbook (or ‘Blue Book’), which comes with your licence but, broadly, it’s a foot long, 2in wide and the bottom must be 180-200mm from the ground. This is to break cleanly the timing beams that start and stop the clocks at each end of the run, and give an accurate time.

Entry fees are broadly in line with the costs of a regular speed event. The Manx events cost £160 each, or £420, a saving of £60 if you enter all three. Jersey costs £80 for the sprint, £100 for a hillclimb but only £250 if you enter all three events.

Each involves two practice runs followed by two timed runs, and sometimes a third if there’s time to run the whole field through again before the organisers have to ‘give the road back’. Any help competitors can give to help break down the course a er competition ends is always appreciated, as is a wave to the marshals – without whom there would be no motor sport – on your last transit run back down the hill. Of course, you’ll need to get there: in both cases there are deals for competitors on ferries and hotels. Check organisers’ websites for details.

There’s no need to take a trailer; many competitors drive to and from these events carrying their spares and tools, enjoying an old-style racing experience on some of the nation’s best and most challenging roads. Just a few hours later, the course reverts to a public road with traffic proceeding normally as if nothing had happened, while you arrive back home wondering if this surreal magic actually took place. Oh, and did I mention the great atmosphere and stunning scener y?