12 days of StreetCar: How to Cross Country… 

Welcome to our 12 days of StreetCar! Join us as we celebrate the festive season and share stories from our grassroots motorsport community – with a few tips thrown in for good measure. 

We kicked off 2024 by celebrating getting into Cross Country, so grab your wellies and get ready to get down and dirty… 

“If you can drive the car, you can drive the course,” says Andy Tong, the Club Secretary at Buchan Off Road Drivers Club in Scotland, when asked what it takes to try out a Tyro. These entry-point events are open to almost anyone, and with slow speeds and courses designed to be non-damaging, they are the perfect way to get a taste of Cross Country motorsport.  

“The most challenging thing for beginners is understanding the steepness, the angles and the capabilities of the vehicles,” says Tong. “For those driving a manual clutch control is another difficult one, because often people who are used to driving a road car think that when you put your foot on the clutch, the car stops. Whereas if you’re pointing down a steep hill, it continues to move and starts going faster, as you have no engine braking. My partner did that once in my Land Rover when she was a beginner, and it scared the life out of us!” 

That is why most people start Cross Country with a Tyro – to learn those mistakes before the course gets more difficult. “When people are first timers, we see them improving so much throughout the day on a Tyro,” adds Tong.  

“Some people want to figure it out themselves, others want their hand held, so after their first run we usually have a chat and give some guidance. In competitions, you’re not allowed to sit with somebody else, but on a Tyro, we encourage people to do that so they can learn, or we can even just walk alongside and guide them, because it’s run at a slow pace.”  

The fact that pretty much anyone can compete if they have a road-going 4×4 makes it a perfect fit for StreetCar, and Motorsport UK’s Benny Smith explains: “With no special equipment or training needed, a Tyro is ideal for off-road lovers who want to try an entry level form of grassroots motorsport and there are a number of Cross Country Clubs across the UK that provide the perfect starting point for people to get involved in one.  

“Aylesbury Land Rover Fanatics, for example, are a new StreetCar Club who displayed just how exciting offroad motorsport can be when they attended the recent StreetCar Festival. Their ethos revolves around a family friendly community and hosting exciting off-road events to encourage newcomers to experience the sport they love.”  

Tong says Tyros often appeal to people who have just bought a four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle and want to do something that stretches it a bit more. They also draw in people who want to switch over from other motorsport disciplines; teenagers want to try out some motorsport; and, of course, children who have grown up in the sport with their parents.  

To give it a go for yourself, find your nearest StreetCar club here.