Modified Live Snetterton – a trip out East …

A father and son trip out east in more ways than one to Modified Live at Snetterton in Norfolk with many cars from Japan competing in East Anglia.

Father, David, mid-sixties, grew up on with 60s and 70s F1, Lotus Cortinas, BMW CSLs, Porsche 917s and an analogue world, hopeless online racer. Son, Andrew, mid-thirties, grew up on Gran Turismo, Play Station, Skylines and Evos, experienced online racer. Both enjoy capturing live motorsport action of all eras; both getting their first experience of Modified Live.

Modified Live Snetterton Track Action

David: whilst the Racing Hondas championship is nothing new. I have never been to anything like the Track Action portion of Modified Live. I’ve been to a sprint – largely traditional looking cars competing one at a time on a defined section of a race track. I’ve been to hillclimbing – again, largely traditional looking cars competing one at a time up something resembling a country lane.

Modified Live Snetterton Time Attack

This is different though – all the cars in the class have a time slot to set a time on track. Headlights on = on a hot lap; headlights off / rear red light flashing = on a cool down lap. Multiple cars on track at same time runs the risk of collision as drivers mis-understand other’s intentions. 

Andrew: being of the ‘Gran Turismo’ generation, there’s a certain appeal to the Skyline, Supra, Lancer Evo, Impreza, RX7 and their contemporaries. Run in collaboration with Modified Live Time Attack was a first for me. Also featuring Racing Hondas UK, the event saw a very good attendance from the tuner/modified car community.

Time Attack was run in three groups, with a mixture of cars and classes in each. The top classes had fully tuned GTRs and Lancer Evos, where the commitment to obtaining maximum speed varies between super powerful engines and crazy aerodynamic setups (i.e. massive wings and splitters).

It makes for a different viewing experience with cars running fast and cooldown laps to manage their brake and engine temperatures, apart from the Caterham 620R which was out and running non-stop through each session. It’s similar to hill climbing where you have the short bursts of action, except there’s normally someone on a fast lap somewhere on the circuit.

The lower classes featured the expected Civics and Clios as easily accessible track machines, with the odd Micra or Corsa with wings taller and wider than the actual cars themselves! Regardless of if it’s to your taste in vehicles, the time and dedication to maximising performance is there across all the classes.

Modified Live Snetterton Racing Hondas

The Racing Hondas were also good entertainment, with qualifying looking like a race with how close they were running. They’re one to keep an eye on at future events. It was interesting to see a number of novice drivers  in this championship.

David: with a very decent crowd, dwarfing the average clubbie at Snetterton, the display area and trade stalls were popular. For many, it is clearly a chance to hang out with your tribe. ‘Old school’ me isn’t desperately impressed with Touring Car style wings stuck on the back of standard looking Civics and the “how loud can I rev my engine” contest isn’t one for this purist, I’m afraid. There were a few classic cars on display though – an MGC, Escort and Clio stood out for me …

There was also a Drift Pro demonstration on the 100 Circuit. Perhaps naively, we expected this to include the long Agostini corner, but the drifting action was confined to the south end of the 100 circuit … so here’s a static shot from the paddock.

Modified Live Snetterton

Andrew: It was a different experience overall compared to the classic/historic/endurance racing I normally attend, but worth making the visit. The interest and passion for cars with combustion engines is very much alive at this grassroots level.

David: As Andrew says it is good to see that interest in the old tech internal combustion engine is alive and well. My personal preference for Q-car looks doesn’t sit well with the more exotic and extravagant vehicles on show, but each to their own!

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