Toe in the water - first steps in cars for a young driver?
Discussion
SS7 Jnr is about to to turn 18 and wants to get a bit of experience in cars. He's had the occasional drive in hire karts and done ok, and has had some experience in a pro simulator where after an hour or two he was as 'quick' as the regulars. He's under no illusions about being the next LH (he's a lean 6ft tall already in any case), or even being a pro driver, but has a little money* coming to him would like to get some track experience and decent coaching under his belt. BTW he's had a driving licence nearly a year.
Most of the circuits nowadays just seem to run supercar experiences; he did something like that in the summer and wasn't very impressed. ISTR a 3 day course used to be run at Silverstone in FFords but I can't see any sign of it now. I did think we might find a Caterham team running arrive and drive track days + tuition, but I've not been able to do that either.
Any suggestions welcome
SS7
*No-where near enough to fund a season and no rich dad either!
Most of the circuits nowadays just seem to run supercar experiences; he did something like that in the summer and wasn't very impressed. ISTR a 3 day course used to be run at Silverstone in FFords but I can't see any sign of it now. I did think we might find a Caterham team running arrive and drive track days + tuition, but I've not been able to do that either.
Any suggestions welcome
SS7
*No-where near enough to fund a season and no rich dad either!
It you are looking to do a few track days to start with have a look at BookaTrack with their Caterhams, you can book the car for the day and at this time of year they are pretty good prices.
Good place to start and then if you want to progress Caterhams are a great cost effective way in to circuit racing. I say that having raced at all levels and now run a Caterham race team.
Good place to start and then if you want to progress Caterhams are a great cost effective way in to circuit racing. I say that having raced at all levels and now run a Caterham race team.
Edited by PeterY27 on Tuesday 24th November 10:13
shoestring7 said:
I did think we might find a Caterham team running arrive and drive track days + tuition, but I've not been able to do that either.
Bookatrack will rent you a caterham on a trackday, and also arrange instruction.These guys also offer the same:
http://www.boss-racing.co.uk/
Or failing that, just go an have a go at some grass roots motor sport.
Start with something simply like AutoTests or AutoSolo's. Targa Rallys and hill climbs. Lots of chance to go and have a go if you are interested.
Tuition is fine, but maybe finding your own feet first and your limitations are a good place to start too. Then look at tuition once you know where you faults are and in what sort of discipline you want to compete.
Start with something simply like AutoTests or AutoSolo's. Targa Rallys and hill climbs. Lots of chance to go and have a go if you are interested.
Tuition is fine, but maybe finding your own feet first and your limitations are a good place to start too. Then look at tuition once you know where you faults are and in what sort of discipline you want to compete.
300bhp/ton said:
Or failing that, just go an have a go at some grass roots motor sport.
Start with something simply like AutoTests or AutoSolo's. Targa Rallys and hill climbs. Lots of chance to go and have a go if you are interested.
Tuition is fine, but maybe finding your own feet first and your limitations are a good place to start too. Then look at tuition once you know where you faults are and in what sort of discipline you want to compete.
Two problems with that; firstly you need a suitable car, something that's problematic for most 17 years olds, and secondly you get to learn from your mistakes - not always the best approach in a dangerous sport.Start with something simply like AutoTests or AutoSolo's. Targa Rallys and hill climbs. Lots of chance to go and have a go if you are interested.
Tuition is fine, but maybe finding your own feet first and your limitations are a good place to start too. Then look at tuition once you know where you faults are and in what sort of discipline you want to compete.
SS7
shoestring7 said:
Two problems with that; firstly you need a suitable car, something that's problematic for most 17 years olds, and secondly you get to learn from your mistakes - not always the best approach in a dangerous sport.
SS7
You said he has some money. You can autotest pretty much anything, what do they currently drive? But a £300-500 banger would be good enough to have a go tbh.SS7
And I just don't agree with your second point sorry.
joe_90 said:
Palmer motor sport day?
Possibly. However after spending a day with a pro driving coach and a simulator analysing traces and using them to improve times he might feel that's just a bit of a joy-ride, not a way to improve skills.So far an arrive&drive Caterham track day (with instructor) looks like his best option.
SS7
Why don't you an Junior go halves on a MX5 or a hot hatch with a cage in it and go track daying together? Quality time with your son; learn the circuits/car control etc; some car maintenance; and a free/cheap app like Harry's or RaceChrono means the two of you can compare times against each other?
I echo the ideas suggested of hill climbing, sprint racing and the like. There are classes for 'standard' road cars with minimum modifications (you don't even need to install a roll cage). I'm not sure how widely spread that class is but I know they run it at prescott at every meeting throughout the year. That would be one of the cheapest ways to go racing in some form. You can both enter the same event in the same car as its individual runs, and only a basic knowledge of car maintenance is required. There are a huge range of other classes as well, for more 'race prepped' cars, though I have never found an arrive and drive basis deal on offer for hillclimb and sprinting, it mostly being independents competing.
Edited by designndrive62 on Wednesday 25th November 10:19
Edited by designndrive62 on Wednesday 25th November 10:19
There are usually 4 classes is road going class in sprinting & hillclimbing A1,A2,A3,A5 based on engine size with a turbo or supercharger adding 1.4xCC. The only things you need to do are wrap the negative battery cable in yellow tape and put a on of sticker indicating ignition. The rest of the car must be standard (uprated is ok) but can run tyres from the MSA 1b list if you want. On top MSA approved helmet, suit and gloves. All this for around £70 a day giving between 4 to 8 timed runs.
The skills in the sports come from keeping everything smooth and dont make mistakes on gears etc as you are chasing tenths! Loads of events all over the UK on most weekends. Llandow, Castle Coombe, Culburgh,Loton,Shelsey, Prescot,Wiscombe,Newquay etc etc
The skills in the sports come from keeping everything smooth and dont make mistakes on gears etc as you are chasing tenths! Loads of events all over the UK on most weekends. Llandow, Castle Coombe, Culburgh,Loton,Shelsey, Prescot,Wiscombe,Newquay etc etc
brushwood69 said:
There are usually 4 classes is road going class in sprinting & hillclimbing A1,A2,A3,A5 based on engine size with a turbo or supercharger adding 1.4xCC. The only things you need to do are wrap the negative battery cable in yellow tape and put a on of sticker indicating ignition. The rest of the car must be standard (uprated is ok) but can run tyres from the MSA 1b list if you want. On top MSA approved helmet, suit and gloves. All this for around £70 a day giving between 4 to 8 timed runs.
The skills in the sports come from keeping everything smooth and dont make mistakes on gears etc as you are chasing tenths! Loads of events all over the UK on most weekends. Llandow, Castle Coombe, Culburgh,Loton,Shelsey, Prescot,Wiscombe,Newquay etc etc
Good support in the paddock as well. Very accessible for the public. I like going to hillclimbs, quite a fun day out and a bargain as a spectator. The skills in the sports come from keeping everything smooth and dont make mistakes on gears etc as you are chasing tenths! Loads of events all over the UK on most weekends. Llandow, Castle Coombe, Culburgh,Loton,Shelsey, Prescot,Wiscombe,Newquay etc etc
The cheapest car options to actually compete have already been mentioned, you wont get any cheaper suggestions for cars. Amateur clubman type circuit racing and anything in the low-level msa/fia rules compliant bracket sounds some way out of your budget. Your son might be better off karting for now until more money becomes available, 4 stroke classes are actually really cheap and the costs are far less vs two stroke
He is about to turn 18 and will want car and some motorsport experience, buy his first motor, Micra/Corsa/Saxo or what ever else he can afford to insure, take it Autosolo or some such event, its cheap and he'll learn loads and lower speed events means zero gear needed, and in general nothing more serious than a cone mark when it goes wrong, for the price of sprinting/hillclimb safety gear he can have his first car.
When he is older and has more skill move up to something quicker.
When he is older and has more skill move up to something quicker.
Edited by sandys on Wednesday 25th November 11:22
My thoughts:
Get some experience with the Bookatrack guys with some tuition. See if that whets the appetite for track competition (as opposed to trackdays or hillclimb/sprint competition).
If it does, and a Caterham is your passion, I can wholeheartedly recommend http://www.graduates.org.uk/
Fantastic racing, a comparatively cheap entry point for the level of performance and great circuits on the calendar.
There are teams to look after you if you need support and there are usually cars available for hire.
Cheers
Steve
Get some experience with the Bookatrack guys with some tuition. See if that whets the appetite for track competition (as opposed to trackdays or hillclimb/sprint competition).
If it does, and a Caterham is your passion, I can wholeheartedly recommend http://www.graduates.org.uk/
Fantastic racing, a comparatively cheap entry point for the level of performance and great circuits on the calendar.
There are teams to look after you if you need support and there are usually cars available for hire.
Cheers
Steve
Club 100. Yes, it is karting, rather than cars, but they are proper 2 strokes and there is no better place to perfect your racecraft, on a limited budget.
Damon Hill used to race in Club100 with his son, before he graduated to Ginettas. If it's good enough for an ex F1 champ.......
And a mate of mine used to race Clios, but said that the racing in Club 100 was much better and more fun.
Oh yeah, and Callum Lockie used to do it too, in between sporstcar races!
Damon Hill used to race in Club100 with his son, before he graduated to Ginettas. If it's good enough for an ex F1 champ.......
And a mate of mine used to race Clios, but said that the racing in Club 100 was much better and more fun.
Oh yeah, and Callum Lockie used to do it too, in between sporstcar races!
Edited by NelsonP on Wednesday 25th November 12:27
Edited by NelsonP on Wednesday 25th November 12:29
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