Starting club racing - car and series advice please

[tms996]

After years of watching all sorts of motorsport around the UK, driving the Nurburgring and a few track days at my local circuit, Oulton Park in my Golf GTI, I've decided to go and get my licence and have a go at racing next year. At 43 I need to have a go and get this out of my system, although I'm sure I'll be last!

I've driven a lot of high performance FWD stuff over the years, so I was thinking of sticking with what I know and buying something like an old XR2 or similar, although it's not set in stone. I've seen them really cheap on PH classifieds and it seems to be a cheap way into racing. My budget is as low as possible, I'd like to buy a car for no more than 2-3K really. (A bit more if the wife's not looking!)

I've read a lot of the advice on here and a lot of it is useful. What I need is suggestions for which Car Club and Race Series to sign up for. I'm in Macclesfield in Cheshire, so Oulton is quite close. I'd like to stick to a short race series for the first time if that's possible. I've had a look at the CSCC and 750MC sites and it seems to be what I'm after. Do I need to join a local club as well? What sort of total budget are you looking at for a seasons racing? I'm open to any suggestions. Many thanks!

[tms996]

I'll certainly go an have a look but I was going to stay away from pay to drive as I'd like to have the car to practice when I can. Also I think it's all part of the fun,getting there, setting up and fixing it afterwards. I did have a chat to MSV about their package and the arrive and drive deals are sold on the ease of having someone sort everything else out. The MX5 series look very serious and competitive too!

[tms996]

Had been looking at something like the XR Challenge as northwest based and cheap to get into. Quite fancy a look at the MX5 s but technically, I know nothing about them. There also seem to be a lot of series for them, so are they more expensive to start up with?

[tms996]

What do you do if you want some extra practice time with the car outside of race weekend!

[tms996]

Thanks for all the advice so far. Been reading the BRSCC site which gives some guides on annual cost, reckon around 8k a year to operate a small car, excluding purchase cost. It's about what I'd worked out. Some of the bigger costs like transport and maintenance are what could be offset by a pay to drive deal.

I do like the idea of getting my own car set up and fiddling with it. Was originally thinking about something like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151326127233?_trksid=p20... or an XR 2 for www.xrchallenge.com.

I'll find out in a couple of days if I'm going to be off when the MX5 guys are at Oulton and if I am, will take you up on the ticket offer. Do you know where they are based?

Does anyone have any thoughts on the size of the field for these series? Reading the BRSCC and 750 sites, they talk about 60 cars in a race! That seems a lot and a bit intimidating for a first time, I would have though. Wouldn't it be better to find a series with fewer?

[tms996]

BTW this made me smile..".The Demon Tweeks/Sparco XR Challenge is considered to be one of the best and most cost effective ways for any budding or experienced driver to go out and enjoy hard but fair racing. The friendship within the paddock is very real and warm."

Hard but fair?!

[tms996]

Roddo I think I'd prefer fewer cars on the grid to start with. Less for me to hit!

So what happens on a pay and drive if someone bends one of your cars?

[tms996]

ginettajoe said:

I sponsored this championship for three years in the late eighties, and it is as successful now, as it was then!! The problem being now, that to have any chance of being anywhere other than the back of the field, you would need a bigger initial budget than what the OP is prepared to spend!! The XR's had seven cars on the grid this weekend at Cadwell, .. not a good sign I'm afraid! I have raced in, and coached several drivers in Mighty Minis, and is still a well run strong championship, but Minis do have reliability problems! I have raced Porsche 924's which are OK, but the future looks suspect, and I now own a Honda Civic Cup car (EG6), and have raced in that series and the CSCC Tin Tops with the same car!
I also own and race an MG ZS 180 V6 in the northern based MGCC Cockshoot Cup, which is generally good grids, good racing, cheap by comparison to some series, and the cars, ZR's, ZS's, TF's etc are affordable! When buying a car, always think of something that has numerous series that it is eligible for, ..... there is no point in buying something that has nowhere to race!

OP, I live in Cheadle Hulme, and I will PM you with my mobile number, and feel free to call me, and I will advise you with regards to everything you require, because I also arrange medicals, and carry out ARDS courses at Anglesey!!

Joe, thanks very much, I'll certainly get in touch.
I've had a look at the MG series as well, having previously restored one and I remember how good the support is. The TF's and ZR's certainly seem affordable- there are a couple on Ebay now within budget for example. Interesting to hear about the XR grid. Looking at what is available through the CSCC and MGCC could give me the widest choice. One of my colleagues races a classic MG and insists they are the best for residual value if you have to sell them on as well.