Many road runs and rallies end up at race circuits, hillclimb or sprint tracks with an invitation to join a parade or have an untimed run up the hill.

Just a warning for steam car owners - doing this nullifies your vehicle and boiler insurance even though the run or parade is totally untimed and not competitive. Running the car in public with no boiler insurance is a BAD THING!

I have had several invitations to do such events (at the Vintage Sports Car Club's Donington meeting last weekend for example) and have looked into it very closely. The problem is that normal road insurance and boiler insurance does not cover going onto any competitive venue however parade-like your intentions may be. This applies to any car in this situation but is of no great consequence for a normal i.c. engined car.

For a Club affiliated to the MSA there is a provision for the insurance of vehicles being demonstrated or paraded on a circuit but this must be applied for by the organising club and will, the MSA states "normally be given for vehicles with conventional engines". They have declined to do this for steam cars. This insurance by the way is for liability to the public, to other competitors and to club officials, it is not comprehensive cover on the car.

So if you do get such an invitation you must ask your insurer and the event organiser before putting a wheel on any track.

Mike