What's stopping you giving motorsport a go?
Discussion
Dan Friel said:
Sprinting and hillclimbing costs next to nothing. Any car will do and only the most basic of safety gear is required. It's a great way to start without having to fork out.
True - probably best to give that a go - but if you want to go racing you will likely want to get something more full that you can put the odd ding in.I think you have pencil in a smack (yours or someone else fault every 2 - 3 years).
Don't forget its relatively simple & inexpensive to come at play at sideways 
If you've not been to see a full on competition round I'd suggest to go & have a look. Its probably the most accessable motorpsort from a budget/driving time/fun factor. You can do basic practice days in your road car & there are plenty of them. Move on to competitions & the safety gear moves up a step, though nothing beyond the basics.
Obviously I've moved on up to the top level stuff, we get to drive some great circuits, from Donnington/Silvertone/Brands/Knockhill plus loads of smaller tracks too. Its great fun & it can be very competitive but budget is not the deciding factor - driver skill is 90% of it.
If you've not been to see a full on competition round I'd suggest to go & have a look. Its probably the most accessable motorpsort from a budget/driving time/fun factor. You can do basic practice days in your road car & there are plenty of them. Move on to competitions & the safety gear moves up a step, though nothing beyond the basics.
Obviously I've moved on up to the top level stuff, we get to drive some great circuits, from Donnington/Silvertone/Brands/Knockhill plus loads of smaller tracks too. Its great fun & it can be very competitive but budget is not the deciding factor - driver skill is 90% of it.
cptsideways said:
Don't forget its relatively simple & inexpensive to come at play at sideways
Is that you in the video on the site? If so then hell, you can drive.Why do you (or whoever it is) go so close to the wall? Just to show off?
Anyway would love to buy an '80s BMW, tinker with it and take it wherever... but living in a victorian terrace house, total lack of off-street parking or tinkering space is a bit of an obstacle for me.
Couple of responses rolled into one...
Firstly - the fella with the 3 year old alongside the garage...make it a game to 'retrieve the bolt/washer/nut that daddy just spent 20 minutes working into position and has now dropped and watched roll right under the car' - they quickly learn that the more swearing involved, the faster they need to find it...kids can reach under a car so much easier!!!
Secondly - there are race series that don't require too much time/money/effort to get racing in series that aren't won by those with the fullest pockets. They are harder to find and will have their ups & downs but if you want something well regulated (i.e. no one runs £5k engines) but still fiercely competitive (for a wide range of abilities) then www.fiatracing.com is a prime example of how to go racing on a budget...and if anyone doesn't think that a 1300cc uno or a 1242 Punto can be exciting then just compare their times against a range of other series' with much larger engines and more power - they may not be much more than 100bhp but when they barely back off for anything...it's well used power!
Pre-built and Race-ready car - cost £3k max (one-off)
Complete Annual maintenance & race entry budget < £5k (tyres/fuel/entry/scrape-provisions)
Time required - 7 or 8 weekends for racing, cleaning and checking + few hours for general maintenance and nut/bolt checks between races (or do it after each race before you load up & go home).
And if you're any good then it will give other opportunities - the 2006 champions all moved on to run in the Mini Cooper challenge (Dunlop G&B) , the Clio Cup (BTCC Support) and the Ginetta Challenge (F3/GT Support). But equally, people have remained in the series for 7 or 8 years because it's a blast with a good bunch of blokes (and women...).
Firstly - the fella with the 3 year old alongside the garage...make it a game to 'retrieve the bolt/washer/nut that daddy just spent 20 minutes working into position and has now dropped and watched roll right under the car' - they quickly learn that the more swearing involved, the faster they need to find it...kids can reach under a car so much easier!!!
Secondly - there are race series that don't require too much time/money/effort to get racing in series that aren't won by those with the fullest pockets. They are harder to find and will have their ups & downs but if you want something well regulated (i.e. no one runs £5k engines) but still fiercely competitive (for a wide range of abilities) then www.fiatracing.com is a prime example of how to go racing on a budget...and if anyone doesn't think that a 1300cc uno or a 1242 Punto can be exciting then just compare their times against a range of other series' with much larger engines and more power - they may not be much more than 100bhp but when they barely back off for anything...it's well used power!
Pre-built and Race-ready car - cost £3k max (one-off)
Complete Annual maintenance & race entry budget < £5k (tyres/fuel/entry/scrape-provisions)
Time required - 7 or 8 weekends for racing, cleaning and checking + few hours for general maintenance and nut/bolt checks between races (or do it after each race before you load up & go home).
And if you're any good then it will give other opportunities - the 2006 champions all moved on to run in the Mini Cooper challenge (Dunlop G&B) , the Clio Cup (BTCC Support) and the Ginetta Challenge (F3/GT Support). But equally, people have remained in the series for 7 or 8 years because it's a blast with a good bunch of blokes (and women...).
cptsideways said:
Don't forget its relatively simple & inexpensive to come at play at sideways
How much to spend a day drifting? It looks as if it's quite hard on tyres and transmission and not something to do in your pride and joy. Don't get me wrong it looks like great fun and I'd really like to have a go, just a bit too squeamish to do that to my P&J.
For comparison, a day sprinting will cost a tank of petrol and about £100 entry fee, plus about £300 in one-off costs to buy the race suit, crash helmet, license etc.
nothing, try karts if you don't fancy cars karts range from simple prokarts to monster gearbox that will beat all cars and most racecars! Karts cant be beat for racing fun and cost, do you want to really race or drive up a hill fast or along a strip?
Edited by SuperKartRacer on Saturday 10th November 23:12
mjracing said:
Secondly - there are race series that don't require too much time/money/effort to get racing in series that aren't won by those with the fullest pockets. They are harder to find and will have their ups & downs but if you want something well regulated (i.e. no one runs £5k engines) but still fiercely competitive (for a wide range of abilities) then www.fiatracing.com is a prime example of how to go racing on a budget...and if anyone doesn't think that a 1300cc uno or a 1242 Punto can be exciting then just compare their times against a range of other series' with much larger engines and more power - they may not be much more than 100bhp but when they barely back off for anything...it's well used power!
Pre-built and Race-ready car - cost £3k max (one-off)
Complete Annual maintenance & race entry budget < £5k (tyres/fuel/entry/scrape-provisions)
I've seen them racing at oulton park and if that was anything to go by then I doubt they spend <£5k on bodywork, nevermind everything else.Pre-built and Race-ready car - cost £3k max (one-off)
Complete Annual maintenance & race entry budget < £5k (tyres/fuel/entry/scrape-provisions)
SuperKartRacer said:
nothing, try karts if you don't fancy cars karts range from simple prokarts to monster gearbox that will beat all cars and most racecars! Karts cant be beat for racing fun and cost, do you want to really race or drive up a hill fast or along a strip?
Kart and then keep the TVR nice for the road - till you really get the bug and buy a race one - problem solved - maybe the odd Sprint just for a laugh.Edited by SuperKartRacer on Saturday 10th November 23:12
As with most things if you really want to do it you'll find away. Grass roots motorsports is within the reach of many in reality albeit that you need a slightly modified approach. We've got guys racing competitively in the Grads on modest incomes.Sleep in a tent or the car at the circuit rather than hotels etc etc.I can't believe people don't have the time!Its just a question of priorities.
Some have already mentioned cheap entry into motorsport via road rally, autotest, etc.
But what is the cheapest entry into an actual race series, where you race WITH other cars on track? Say a cheap hatch or something.
A mega cheap version of the touring cars...
I've always modered about having a go at this as a hobby.
But what is the cheapest entry into an actual race series, where you race WITH other cars on track? Say a cheap hatch or something.
A mega cheap version of the touring cars...
I've always modered about having a go at this as a hobby.
jellison said:
V8S - don't bother with Drag racing - you can nail it from the lights on the road - pointless.
Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
horses for courses really tho isnt it. Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
hillclimbing/sprints - you looking at spending £70-80 to enter, for which you get maybe 5 runs - 2 practice and 3 timed. spread over the day, but each run lasts about 1min, but can run anything so long as its road legal, or a modifed, or specialist race car
racing - you need a specialist car plus expensives suit, gloves, helmet, boots it costs what? £200-300 for a single race or £400-500 for a double header. for which you get a practice session of 10-20mins and a race or 2 of 15-20mins...
lord summerisle said:
jellison said:
V8S - don't bother with Drag racing - you can nail it from the lights on the road - pointless.
Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
horses for courses really tho isnt it. Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
hillclimbing/sprints - you looking at spending £70-80 to enter, for which you get maybe 5 runs - 2 practice and 3 timed. spread over the day, but each run lasts about 1min, but can run anything so long as its road legal, or a modifed, or specialist race car
racing - you need a specialist car plus expensives suit, gloves, helmet, boots it costs what? £200-300 for a single race or £400-500 for a double header. for which you get a practice session of 10-20mins and a race or 2 of 15-20mins...
The 30min to 1hours race are the when you are looking at the £400+ entries.
Not many race in UK at club level at 500 quid mark - the SPA 1 hour classic race is only 450 FFS and that is an hour of the best track in the world and silmialr prartice.
Typical 10 race Sprint championship like I do would be 10x £190 quid - that is alot of REAL racing miles.
Karting make alot of sense if you actually want to learn to over take. Going fast on an empty track is fine but you aren't racing.
But the chap with the V8S should have a pop a sprinting - at least get a feel for going quick and all the scrutineering, signing on, having a suit helmet etc type stuff - if you like it, you can then reassess what to do next.
When I took my first tentative steps into the world of motorsport I chose a car that was competitive in almost every field of motorsport, and cheap too.
Don’t forget that when you start, even the most standard car will be more competitive than the driver. If you buy last years championship winning car, you will just end up having a big accident rather than a harmess spin. So start with something fairly standard and then modify it as you skills (driving and mechanical) improve.
I chose one car to do it all:
Autotests – these skills will be useful in a few years time when you find yourself coming out of Paddock Hill bend backwards in a Formula Ford.
Sprints and hill climbs – to practice getting on the pace as soon as the red lights go out.
Rallying – more useful experience for Formula Ford, after all if you don’t end up on the grass a few times your not trying.
Production car trials – never got round to doing them, but it is a competitive car
Racing – has its own one make championship for modified and road cars plus its eligible for many other series.
So what is this ‘ultimate sports car’ that can be capable of winning in all this – I give you the MG Midget.
Autotest
Rally
PCT
Sprint
Racing
Don’t forget that when you start, even the most standard car will be more competitive than the driver. If you buy last years championship winning car, you will just end up having a big accident rather than a harmess spin. So start with something fairly standard and then modify it as you skills (driving and mechanical) improve.
I chose one car to do it all:
Autotests – these skills will be useful in a few years time when you find yourself coming out of Paddock Hill bend backwards in a Formula Ford.
Sprints and hill climbs – to practice getting on the pace as soon as the red lights go out.
Rallying – more useful experience for Formula Ford, after all if you don’t end up on the grass a few times your not trying.
Production car trials – never got round to doing them, but it is a competitive car
Racing – has its own one make championship for modified and road cars plus its eligible for many other series.
So what is this ‘ultimate sports car’ that can be capable of winning in all this – I give you the MG Midget.
Autotest
Rally
PCT
Sprint
Racing
Edited by Wanstead on Sunday 11th November 16:56
jellison said:
lord summerisle said:
jellison said:
V8S - don't bother with Drag racing - you can nail it from the lights on the road - pointless.
Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
horses for courses really tho isnt it. Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
hillclimbing/sprints - you looking at spending £70-80 to enter, for which you get maybe 5 runs - 2 practice and 3 timed. spread over the day, but each run lasts about 1min, but can run anything so long as its road legal, or a modifed, or specialist race car
racing - you need a specialist car plus expensives suit, gloves, helmet, boots it costs what? £200-300 for a single race or £400-500 for a double header. for which you get a practice session of 10-20mins and a race or 2 of 15-20mins...
The 30min to 1hours race are the when you are looking at the £400+ entries.
Not many race in UK at club level at 500 quid mark - the SPA 1 hour classic race is only 450 FFS and that is an hour of the best track in the world and silmialr prartice.
Typical 10 race Sprint championship like I do would be 10x £190 quid - that is alot of REAL racing miles.
Karting make alot of sense if you actually want to learn to over take. Going fast on an empty track is fine but you aren't racing.
But the chap with the V8S should have a pop a sprinting - at least get a feel for going quick and all the scrutineering, signing on, having a suit helmet etc type stuff - if you like it, you can then reassess what to do next.
For me motorsport is about racing, as in racing driver. I could not say I was a racing driver if I did sprint and hill events drag strip or whatever, to class yourselve as a racer you have to race other people in my mind, I guess timed events are fun but it does not compare to going into corners wheel to wheel with a bunch of nutters intent on pushing you out the way, nothing comes close. For sheer racing/driving nothing beats karts, even Senna said that so muct be true LOL.
It's easy, if you have 10k/20k spare a year to buy car/enter events race cars, if you have 2k and a spare £200/£300 a month race karts.
I have a Single seater for sale if anyone is interested! Near F3 speed for 5k 170mph etc.
SuperKartRacer said:
jellison said:
lord summerisle said:
jellison said:
V8S - don't bother with Drag racing - you can nail it from the lights on the road - pointless.
Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
horses for courses really tho isnt it. Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
hillclimbing/sprints - you looking at spending £70-80 to enter, for which you get maybe 5 runs - 2 practice and 3 timed. spread over the day, but each run lasts about 1min, but can run anything so long as its road legal, or a modifed, or specialist race car
racing - you need a specialist car plus expensives suit, gloves, helmet, boots it costs what? £200-300 for a single race or £400-500 for a double header. for which you get a practice session of 10-20mins and a race or 2 of 15-20mins...
The 30min to 1hours race are the when you are looking at the £400+ entries.
Not many race in UK at club level at 500 quid mark - the SPA 1 hour classic race is only 450 FFS and that is an hour of the best track in the world and silmialr prartice.
Typical 10 race Sprint championship like I do would be 10x £190 quid - that is alot of REAL racing miles.
Karting make alot of sense if you actually want to learn to over take. Going fast on an empty track is fine but you aren't racing.
But the chap with the V8S should have a pop a sprinting - at least get a feel for going quick and all the scrutineering, signing on, having a suit helmet etc type stuff - if you like it, you can then reassess what to do next.
For me motorsport is about racing, as in racing driver. I could not say I was a racing driver if I did sprint and hill events drag strip or whatever, to class yourselve as a racer you have to race other people in my mind, I guess timed events are fun but it does not compare to going into corners wheel to wheel with a bunch of nutters intent on pushing you out the way, nothing comes close.
jellison said:
SuperKartRacer said:
jellison said:
lord summerisle said:
jellison said:
V8S - don't bother with Drag racing - you can nail it from the lights on the road - pointless.
Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
horses for courses really tho isnt it. Sprinting is Ok but you are not actually racing and alot of cost per mile driven and alot of standing about.
If you can (but maybe not practical in a road car your don't really want to scrathc or possible have smashed to bits), but track racing is the only real racing out of the above lot (all on the same track at once and fighting for the same peice of track).
I await to get flamed!!
hillclimbing/sprints - you looking at spending £70-80 to enter, for which you get maybe 5 runs - 2 practice and 3 timed. spread over the day, but each run lasts about 1min, but can run anything so long as its road legal, or a modifed, or specialist race car
racing - you need a specialist car plus expensives suit, gloves, helmet, boots it costs what? £200-300 for a single race or £400-500 for a double header. for which you get a practice session of 10-20mins and a race or 2 of 15-20mins...
The 30min to 1hours race are the when you are looking at the £400+ entries.
Not many race in UK at club level at 500 quid mark - the SPA 1 hour classic race is only 450 FFS and that is an hour of the best track in the world and silmialr prartice.
Typical 10 race Sprint championship like I do would be 10x £190 quid - that is alot of REAL racing miles.
Karting make alot of sense if you actually want to learn to over take. Going fast on an empty track is fine but you aren't racing.
But the chap with the V8S should have a pop a sprinting - at least get a feel for going quick and all the scrutineering, signing on, having a suit helmet etc type stuff - if you like it, you can then reassess what to do next.
For me motorsport is about racing, as in racing driver. I could not say I was a racing driver if I did sprint and hill events drag strip or whatever, to class yourselve as a racer you have to race other people in my mind, I guess timed events are fun but it does not compare to going into corners wheel to wheel with a bunch of nutters intent on pushing you out the way, nothing comes close.
Plus, it's not till you're amongst 25 or 30 other guys in the same car that you really dig deep and get forced to improve every little aspect of your game.Regarding entry fees, the Caterham racing that I do is £450 per race entry fees. Sadly, this means I'll only ever be able to afford two or three races a year. I used to do £180-£200 a race Metro racing with the MGCC, and spent ages looking for the right championship to move up to, and Caterhams is it. I don't know where else you can get a classless grid of 30 identical cars. Sadly, you pay for it though!
V8S said:
What's stopping you giving motorsport a go?
Money. Opportunity. Determination. Dedication. Personal Sacrifice.etc.
Failing that (and mostly money!) I have no doubts [at all] I could've been a pro racing driver, maybe nothing that special but good enough to make a living out of it...
I soooo need to speak to Anthony Hamilton about sorting out a free talent-spotting Karting series building off Lewis' name. Anyone know how he could be contacted?!
Edited by mattikake on Monday 12th November 08:52
Edited by mattikake on Monday 12th November 08:52
Lets not class hillclimbing and drag racing in same catagory - Not a fan of straight line drag or drifting for that matter, but I can see the skill. I didn't go shelsley Walsh but my brother did for the top 12 run off this year.
Watch this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl_EUjzbrDU
The time above was 22.83 for the hill, set by Martin Groves, which beat the previous record by nearly a second! I think he reached 158 just after the camera (after the kink left) before the sharp turn left. Unreal.
Having said that, I do know what you guys mean. The waiting around at strints and hillclimbs can be a bit boring if the cars aren't that interesting. I'm a fan of vintage and historic. I would like to do some racing but unfortunately with historic and vintage, the cars most are mostly too expensive to buy and run for me really. I am only 26. Hopefully, I might be able to get a vintage soon and am looking at doing trials, hillclimbs, spints and racing
Watch this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl_EUjzbrDU
The time above was 22.83 for the hill, set by Martin Groves, which beat the previous record by nearly a second! I think he reached 158 just after the camera (after the kink left) before the sharp turn left. Unreal.
Having said that, I do know what you guys mean. The waiting around at strints and hillclimbs can be a bit boring if the cars aren't that interesting. I'm a fan of vintage and historic. I would like to do some racing but unfortunately with historic and vintage, the cars most are mostly too expensive to buy and run for me really. I am only 26. Hopefully, I might be able to get a vintage soon and am looking at doing trials, hillclimbs, spints and racing
mattikake said:
V8S said:
What's stopping you giving motorsport a go?
Money. Opportunity. Determination. Dedication. Personal Sacrifice.etc.
Failing that I have no doubts [at all] I could've been a pro racing driver, maybe nothing that special but good enough to make a living out of it...
I soooo need to speak to Anthony Hamilton about sorting out a free talent-spotting Karting series building off Lewis' name. Anyone know how he could be contacted?!
Edited by mattikake on Monday 12th November 08:52
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