Slalums in the polder. You don't have to wait for that Alp to be built in the Flevopolder for that. We were a guest at the Circuit of Lelystad. With Team WIMEDO. And we had the day of our lives!
Most of our partners will have said it before or will agree: there is a tension between being a Man and becoming an adult. Playing with cars, for example, is in our genes for life. And when we are almost certain that nobody is looking at us, we dream away about heroic deeds on the circuit. But after that you fall back into reality. After all, motor sport has become a priceless phenomenon in which the local butcher has long since dismissed as a sponsor. Motorsport? That will cost you tons! So no. Slalom riding is the purest form of motor sport. What do you need for it? A car, some free time and a couple of snaps to get through the day.
Then you arrive at an area with a cozy relaxed atmosphere. Something in between pleasant camping and a neighborhood party. A place where entire families apparently enjoy themselves very well and where a large part of the participants came to the circuit on their own wheels. A very satisfied man explains to a genuinely interested fellow-bird that his race car was broken and that he therefore participates in the car of his wife, a crazy Korean. But we come for the participants who show almost Olympic heights of relaxation. The slalom knights in their classic cars. The link was made by the Dirkslandse family Hesseling, garage owners, Citroën enthusiasts and Opel fans. Their car for the better slalom work? That was a super fast BX, but is now a home-made classic, a kind of Supersized Caterham or Lotus 7 with a three-liter Opel block in it. A brutal anabolic Flintstone Donkervoort, the injection of which has been replaced by carburetors and the engine management now consists of a set of contact points
The actual name of the party is 'agility routine driving'. If you now think that the term 'agility competition' stands for reverse parking and honking when you drive off, then you are wrong.
The speed is driven, for the fastest time in a certain class, the fastest time of the day, and for the honor to fellow competitors. At a competition a trail is set out with pylons that must be completed as quickly as possible.
The car you need for that must meet a few requirements. It must be in good condition and you must remove loose items from the interior, tap your battery posts, the driver's seat must be stuck and the driver's belt must do it. And you need a tarpaulin for under the car (the famous environmental mat). The cars are tested for the races. Then you put on your helmet and you can go on fire.
A track has been set out on the circuit with pylons that looks like the signature of a drunken worm. You get the start signal and go loose. The short job prevents enormous speeds, but as a pilot you are constantly accelerating, braking and steering. It is simply top-class sport in which a four-point belt is actually the best sportswear. And the G-forces can cause serious bruising.
Per lap you get the officially measured time and a scribble on your 'ten-ride card'. If you want, you can then connect directly at the back and wait for your turn for the next round. There are people who do their three laps and then fill the day chattering, cleaning, wrenching and picnicking. The hardcore riders just erase a set of tires through it and are just as focused on the track as they are relaxed outside the track.
The chariots can therefore be anything. From the aforementioned doddled Korea and a whole bunch of Donkervoort / Caterham / Lotus7s and clones thereof. There are a few very special self-built cars such as the Dinkytoy large but super-fast cars from Henk Wagenaar Hummelink and the Mega 7 from the Hesseling family. The birth of that monster was based on coincidence. Father and son Hesseling found the shell of the tubular frame hidden behind the bushes lazing against the wall of an old shed.
The man who with his VW buggy after three seasons of experimenting with the suspension of his pride could finally sweep the corners tightly, had a good conversation with the team that had chosen a Volvo 240 as a racing car. A Ford Escort RS was apparently not tired of running.
At the end of the day, the times are run through and the winners announced. You can drive around twice a month during the season. At the end of the season, an impressive set of winners in an impressive set of classes follows. It is said just too much that everyone is their own champion, but still.
In short; Slalom riding is top sport and pure fun. Moreover, as a slalommer, you get ultimate vehicle control, which means you become a better, safer driver on public roads.
Our advice? Take a look. Join in! Lots of fun!
Slaleways; How much does that cost?
You can determine how much you spend on a slalom day. Consider the following investments for one of the naughtiest things you can do without being embarrassed. Members of Team Wimedo: registration and 3 first starts (minimum) € 14. Each following start € 3. Non-members pay € 3 for registration and 20 first starts and € 3 for each subsequent start.
Info Team Wimedo: Mob.06-54352644, email info@wimedo.nl
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