I've been trying to find Gymkhana events in the US but gymkhana only turns up ken block and horses, and the phrase motorkhana only turns up events overseas, I was wondering if anyone here knew of any. Specifically gymkhana, not autoX.
I've been trying to find Gymkhana events in the US but gymkhana only turns up ken block and horses, and the phrase motorkhana only turns up events overseas, I was wondering if anyone here knew of any. Specifically gymkhana, not autoX.
In reply to kadee :
I wasn't able to find any specific gymkhana events when I search MotorsportReg, but maybe it'll help you get closer to what you are looking for.
It seems like Gymkhana isn't quite as popular for some reason in this part of the world.
Gymkhana was a name used in the 1950s for events that today are called autocross. Sometimes they had reversing and/or parking manouvers as well, such as the events the English call "autotest" , but essentially the term "gymkhana" was superseeded by the term "autocross" in the latter part of the 1960s. The English sometimes use the term to describe what we Americans call "Rallycross". Funny language this "English"
What is the difference between gymkhana and autocross?
hybridmomentspass said:What is the difference between gymkhana and autocross?
Before the word got used by the Ken Block crowd (nothing wrong with that), I saw gymkhana events are much tighter, more technical autocrosses.
Kinda like this:
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Dangit, Now I want to shorten the wheelbase of my mini and install pizza cutters on the rear.
Woody (Forum Supportum) said:I love watching Irish Autotesting videos.
Yes, those cut-down, open-top specials. That's exactly it.
Also, no helmets.
Also regarding that Irish autotesting video: only three (3) classes.
And this:
Seems safe:
Who comes up with this? And when can we run one?
Don't worry, the piece of orange tape will protect you.
FAST, the no longer active autocross club from the Tampa area used to hold an event with some aspects like that. I never made it to any of them, but I think it included things like picking up a ball from the top of a cone, then reversing to place it on another one.
Gymkhana is alive and well in Japan, and isn't so much different from autocross, as it is often like a tight autocross with a few pivot cones, and maybe a small and precise stop box. I think a lot of the reason behind this is that they don't have great access to large uninterrupted parking lots. Venues are often small, and frequently have islands/parking strips/barriers. Differences in risk tolerance and concepts of personal liability mean they make the most of available parking lots, skidpans, and gymkhana laid on top of a tiny road course/go kart track.
Years ago I ran autocross with a club that did some events laid out on a small paved oval, using the track surface plus pitlane. To provide variety and make the most of what we had, the resulting events usually featured a direction change within the width of the track that was a 180 around a cone in a box (essentially a gymkhana pivot cone) that was so tight anything that wasn't small with a short wheelbase required you either slide the rear, do a 3-point turn, or take out a cone, and we had a lot of fun (with an active, well-manned work station nearby with extra cones in reserve.) These events also featured some very fast sections/slaloms along the back straight, resulting in the biggest autocross speed disparity I've ever experienced, but moving on...
I bet with contemporary safety standards, such things wouldn't fly at that venue (concrete walls at track edge and all) but could potentially work if the layout ideas were applied to a larger obstacle-free lot.
I think the best way to make this happen Stateside involves doing it within the existing autocross community and it will likely be a long game. If you aren't already, become involved with a local autocross club, preferably a more inclusive/experimental/open-minded one if there is a choice available. Volunteer to help out, and ingratiate yourself to the organizer level, then offer to do some course design. After designing a few traditional autocross course layouts, do a special event promoted in advance as tight-n-twisty, American gymkhana, agility-intense, or similar and see how it goes over.
Japan also has Gymkhana for motorcycles. Leave your liter bike at home:
My favorite example, especially the maneuver at the 47 second mark:
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