This Is Guernsey

By Rob Batiste

Flash and dash at Vazon. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 0789452)

PLANS for an open-to-all sprint on the Vazon quarter-mile are advancing.

Bill Cohu, president of the Guernsey Motor Cycle and Car club is eager that motorsport has an equivalent to the successful track days which are staged at major circuits in the UK.

And while Guernsey does not have a major race circuit as such, the Vazon sprint course will fit the bill nicely he said.

The Castel douzaine has already been approached about the idea and Cohu is hopeful that the necessary permissions will be received to allow an event in 2010.

Under Cohu’s plan the event, which would also  require permission from the police, would be open to ‘Joe Public’, the ‘Kevs’ in their customised cars, indeed anyone wanting to test the speed of their car without facing the long arm of the law.

Timekeeping is, though, a non-starter, as it would render staging such an event impractical.

‘It’s all subject to a lot of things,’ said Cohu, but he is confident it would prove popular.

‘I just want it to be that people can just go down there, enjoy their motorcar and run it at top speed and not get nicked.’

Equally importantly he sees it as an avenue into racing for youngsters who can satisfy their urge to go fast without breaking the law, and perhaps join one of the two racing clubs with a view to competing in a safe environment on the hill climb and either the road or beach at Vazon.

‘It would be a case of road closed, no timing gear and have-a-go.’

The GMC & CC are already working with a lawyer with reference a disclaimer for potential racers.

‘We would have marshals, an ambulance and it would be in a controlled environment just like an ordinary meeting,’ he said.

As things stand, the club stages three sprints each summer and the fastest  competitors reach speeds of up to 140mph.

Article posted on 21st November, 2009 - 2.30pm