Motorkhana
Encyclopedia
Motorkhana is a low-cost form of motorsport
, unique to Australia
and New Zealand
but similar to autotesting
in the UK and Ireland and somewhat similar to autocross
in the US. It involves manoeuvring a car through tight tests as quickly as possible - one car at a time - on either dirt or bitumen surfaces. This usually requires sliding and spinning the car accurately while maintaining speed through the test course. Some reversing is usually included. The majority of competing cars are small, front wheel drive, hatchbacks as they can handbrake slide round the cone or flag and the front wheels can still drive the car.
Each test takes from 15 to 60 seconds to complete and is defined by flags. Hitting flags or going the wrong way incur time penalties which are added to the total time. A day’s competition - an event - usually includes 8 to 12 tests. Vehicle speed rarely exceeds 60 km/h (37 mph) but the tightness of the tests ensures the driver is kept very busy.
Most competitors use normal road cars but some use specially built vehicles (motorkhana specials) which are much lighter and have specialised braking systems to facilitate the spin turns. Some motorkhana specials use modified automatic transmissions to facilitate rapid gearchanges between first and reverse gears. They usually use racing slick tyres for bitumen and concrete surfaces.
Awards are made to the driver with the lowest total time in each class. Classes separate production cars from specials and large production cars from small production cars. There are often classes for female drivers, and for junior drivers as young as 12.
Most Australian motorkhanas are run to the National Motorkhana Code rules. Australian championship and state championship events use tests from the Motorkhana Test booklet which specifies test dimensions, required direction of travel and flag colours. Most championship motorkhanas are run on bitumen or concrete while club events are usually on dirt, grass or mud.
Competition licences and entry fees are cheap and vehicle maintenance is low so motorkhana is probably the most affordable motor sport for cars in Australia
. More information is available for motorkhanas in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. For National and general information, try Motorkhana1
To see some sample tests, here are some video clips.
Details of how to do the common manoeuvres like handbrake turns, front throws (reverse throws) and rear throws (forward throws) are at Hints and Getting Better.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
, unique to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
but similar to autotesting
Autotesting
Autotesting involves a series of tests, generally around traffic cones, to measure precision driving skill. The tests often include stopping with the front and rear wheels straddling a line, and always end stopping in a garage . Sections of each test are usually completed in reverse...
in the UK and Ireland and somewhat similar to autocross
Autocross
Autocross is a form of motorsports that emphasizes safe competition and active participation. An autocross is a timed competition where drivers navigate one at a time through a defined course on either sealed or unsealed surfaces...
in the US. It involves manoeuvring a car through tight tests as quickly as possible - one car at a time - on either dirt or bitumen surfaces. This usually requires sliding and spinning the car accurately while maintaining speed through the test course. Some reversing is usually included. The majority of competing cars are small, front wheel drive, hatchbacks as they can handbrake slide round the cone or flag and the front wheels can still drive the car.
Each test takes from 15 to 60 seconds to complete and is defined by flags. Hitting flags or going the wrong way incur time penalties which are added to the total time. A day’s competition - an event - usually includes 8 to 12 tests. Vehicle speed rarely exceeds 60 km/h (37 mph) but the tightness of the tests ensures the driver is kept very busy.
Most competitors use normal road cars but some use specially built vehicles (motorkhana specials) which are much lighter and have specialised braking systems to facilitate the spin turns. Some motorkhana specials use modified automatic transmissions to facilitate rapid gearchanges between first and reverse gears. They usually use racing slick tyres for bitumen and concrete surfaces.
Awards are made to the driver with the lowest total time in each class. Classes separate production cars from specials and large production cars from small production cars. There are often classes for female drivers, and for junior drivers as young as 12.
Most Australian motorkhanas are run to the National Motorkhana Code rules. Australian championship and state championship events use tests from the Motorkhana Test booklet which specifies test dimensions, required direction of travel and flag colours. Most championship motorkhanas are run on bitumen or concrete while club events are usually on dirt, grass or mud.
Competition licences and entry fees are cheap and vehicle maintenance is low so motorkhana is probably the most affordable motor sport for cars in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. More information is available for motorkhanas in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. For National and general information, try Motorkhana1
To see some sample tests, here are some video clips.
Details of how to do the common manoeuvres like handbrake turns, front throws (reverse throws) and rear throws (forward throws) are at Hints and Getting Better.
External links
- Motorkhana at TePuke New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, YouTube 6.57min, Motorsport Bay Of Plenty 2008