For those who want to avoid congested roads and over-regulated traffic but still want to give their (old) car a spin, there are the so-called "Track Days".
The Friday Classic has been offering precisely this opportunity for many, many years. The private Anneau du Rhin circuit in Alsace, a good 50 km north of Basel, is used as the race track. The approximately four-kilometer track offers everything you could wish for in a classic/youngtimer: tight and open bends, long straights and serpentine twists and turns.
The Friday Classic divides the participating vehicles into categories so that a manageable number of similarly fast cars are on the track at the same time. This prevents large differences in speed from occurring on the track. For example, MG B and Triumph TR4 will drive together, but formula cars will also have their own group. There are now also performance graded classes for young classic cars for low-risk participation. Forward-looking planning is also the reason why there has never been a serious accident to date.
A lot of driving for little money
Each driver gets around 100 minutes to drive. If that doesn't seem like much, you've probably never been to a racetrack. Inexperienced trackday visitors often take their first long break after just a few laps, that's how exhausting driving on the circuit is. Of course, nobody drives for 100 minutes at a time, but these are actually divided into five times 20 minutes (per category) throughout the day, so that both the driver and the car can cool down in between. In the evening, there will be an additional 20 minutes for all those who haven't had enough.
In total, participation in the event on May 29, 2022 (without meals or overnight stay) costs CHF 380 (an additional driver in the same vehicle will be charged CHF 100).
Familiar
For the organizers of the Friday Classic, it is important that they do not organize a racing event, but rather an entertaining day with friends and like-minded people. The all-round feel-good program is organized with corresponding care. For example, participants can arrive the evening before and a Friday Classic Dinner is organized. Catering will also be provided on race day.
Neither a driver's license nor an FIA-HTP is necessary, but a helmet is always on the head and the cars must comply with the usual regulations (including noise).
The Friday Classic of 2022 will take place on May 29, 2022. You can still register(on the Friday Classic website) until May 21, 2022. Because the website was (unsuccessfully) attacked by hackers, registrations had to be suspended for a certain period of time. However, the entire infrastructure is now available again!
Further information can be found on the website.
