Got my National B - Now what?

[Prizam]

I'm lost! Don't know what to do!

I got my National B on the back of the C1 championship that has been talked about here. Really liked the idea of it, but it too late for this season and have no time left to build a car.

What are my options to do some racing this year? I have been tempted by the 750MC Club Enduro Series and the BMW Compact Cup, but agian... i guess building a car will take up too much time?

Whare is the best place to find a "Rent a drive"? Do folk rent to a novis?

I'm not sure i understand the new MSA rules around BHP limitations to National B lisence holders?

Is it really as simple as pay up, turn up and race? I feel i will need some one to hold my hand the first time i do this.

[andye30m3]

If your interested in PBMW drop me a PM as I maybe able to put you in contact with a couple of other people who have been looking to rent out cars.

As a novice I'd definitely also look at doing the Friday test day / 1/2 day before any meeting.

[Prizam]

Quite interested in PBMW at Silverstone 1st / 2nd July. I assume it's all booked up now?

When you rent a car does it come with everything you need?

[BertBert]

I'll second this as a great idea. And definitely do some testing pre-race.

Altrezia said:

Talk to Gary Feakins Racing - he'll put you in a Production BMW for not much cash and look after you. The series welcomes newcomers and is very competitive.

http://www.garyfeakinsracing.co.uk - http://www.pbmwc.co.uk

[HustleRussell]

Prizam said:

When you rent a car does it come with everything you need?

I don't know the Production BWM series well but I'd be surprised if it was now too late to enter. You aren't giving yourself a lot of time to make it happen though, considering you need to;
-Ascertain whether testing is available or booked up
-Rent a car for the weekend, ensure that you have the support you need
-Buy all of your safety gear (unless you can borrow all / some of it from a fellow competitor)

To clarify, if you do an arrive and drive it is quite common that you get the car on a 'bend it mend it' basis (you can choose to organise insurance if you wish), technical support including tyres and fuel as required, transport of the car to and from the circuit and that's about it. They will be expecting you to sort your own safety gear.

I am not trying to put you off, I say do it- you have a lot to do though. Don't underestimate the cost of all the safety gear if you do have to buy it. It's a grand really unless you're going to go second hand.

[Prizam]

Thanks for the reply Russell, Perhaps I should try and book up a session later on in the year.

I do need to get all my safety gear, and 1k is around the mark I have been expecting to spend. Is there a 1 stop shot that I can get it all at? (Time is my most precious commodity at the moment)

I will also do a test day, my aim is not to win but to finish without incident. And the only track I have been on in the last 10 years is Thruxton, so need the practice.

[HustleRussell]

Prizam said:

Thanks for the reply Russell, Perhaps I should try and book up a session later on in the year.

I do need to get all my safety gear, and 1k is around the mark I have been expecting to spend. Is there a 1 stop shot that I can get it all at? (Time is my most precious commodity at the moment)

I will also do a test day, my aim is not to win but to finish without incident. And the only track I have been on in the last 10 years is Thruxton, so need the practice.

You won't have much trouble getting all your gear, you can visit GPR or Demon Tweeks who are the big ones, both of whom will be able to hook you up. MSAR are in the city somewhere. Merlin Motorsport have a small but pretty well stocked shop at Castle Combe. Sizing for all the gear is pretty predictable so buying online is fine but you're best off going to a shop and trying helmets on.

Read the championship regs to see if there are any series-specific 'gotchas', for example we Caterham racers must have wrist restraints. Pretty much all series now require HANS.

Testing is key to getting used to the car obviously but you mustn't underestimate it's importance in preparing you for competition too. Without overtaking rules, and with only racing drivers on the track, it is very different from a trackday. It is much more like a qualifying session. It is an opportunity to see what the cars are capable of and to get a feel for handling the car in closer quarters than you are used to. Having a test day at the circuit on the Friday before the race weekend is very useful preparation- think of it as sparring before a boxing match.

[Fishy Dave]

Prizam said:

And the only track I have been on in the last 10 years is Thruxton, so need the practice.

Well worth getting along to trackdays this year. Whilst I do know of people who have jumped into racing with little or even no tracktime I think you'll enjoy yourself more and be safer if you can get some miles in with an instructor.
PBMW at Silverstone is full with reserves, but that reserve list is short so you stand a good chance of getting a place if you do want a race.

Best regards, David

[Prizam]

I find track days tedious. It's a precession of cars with rather bad observation skills and a generally low standard of driving. Whilst I definitely do need sharpening up I think a regular track day would just be annoying for me. plus, the only track worthy car I have is a TVR Chimaera that won't pass the noise test.

[Altrezia]

I only did 3 trackdays over a few years before I started racing. Just go and have fun (just don't be a hero and cause a pile-up by trying to win your first event from the back).
Enjoy!

[BertBert]

Theoretically if you have passed ARDS you should be fit to race. If it were me, I'd do a non-race test day, then a race weekend friday test and get out and give it a go. I think that GF and PBMW is a good bet. There's still BH, Donington and Snett even if Silverstone is full.

Bert

Fishy Dave said:

Prizam said:

And the only track I have been on in the last 10 years is Thruxton, so need the practice.

Well worth getting along to trackdays this year. Whilst I do know of people who have jumped into racing with little or even no tracktime I think you'll enjoy yourself more and be safer if you can get some miles in with an instructor.
PBMW at Silverstone is full with reserves, but that reserve list is short so you stand a good chance of getting a place if you do want a race.

Best regards, David

[andye30m3]

Prizam said:

Quite interested in PBMW at Silverstone 1st / 2nd July. I assume it's all booked up now?

When you rent a car does it come with everything you need?

It was booked up with 1 reserve but that may well have all changed over the last few days, like things tend to.

[roddo]

Speak to
https://max5racing.co.uk/
They have rental cars at attractive money

[Steve H]

Prizam said:

I find track days tedious. It's a precession of cars with rather bad observation skills and a generally low standard of driving. Whilst I definitely do need sharpening up I think a regular track day would just be annoying for me.

Considering you have only been on track at Thruxton in the last ten years I'm not sure how you are judging that.

My experience has been that driving standards on race days can be every bit as low as on trackdays. Getting seat time can make a huge difference to your pace and safety, trackdays are a good way to build up that experience. I take your point about needing an appropriate car but there's plenty of cheap trackable kit out there - much of which could be converted over to race spec for sensible money.

[grumpy52]

Don't confuse track days with test/practice days .
Test/practice days are normally only open to comp licence holders .
Arrive and drives are what it says on the tin . If you bend it you mend it so get it insured .
If you go down the arrive and drive route they will hold your hand through the meeting ,just get your stuff sorted and don't forget anything . Not much fun realising you've left your comp licence on the table at home when you go to sign on and it's 200miles away.

[Keithyboy]

My two penn'th . . . instruction, instruction and lastly - instruction! It really is invaluable and money well spent - you'll be shown how to race properly & safely from the off. Good luck.

[Thurbs]

Some things here worth mentioning.

- All track time is precious and should not be dismissed.
- Testing days are usually 4 x 30m sessions, track days are usually open
- Track days are great to run in engines / brakes / learn the track / change setup / try a new technique
- Test days are great for getting dialled in / check fuel burn rates / find the extra tenth
- On a track day in a race car, no one will overtake you (other than other race cars), sit an inch from someone’s bumper and they soon get out of the way.
- There is more time 'in the track' than 'in the car'.
- The most time is in 'the driver', you must get instruction and I don’t mean 20 minutes using a circuit instructor. I used one of them once and it was clear they had not instructed anyone other than numpties for a while. Get a ARDS qualified and ideally currently racing driver. I can recommend guys from £150 upwards per day so it is not expensive and much better value than a new tyre. Oh, listen to them! I also know people who spend the money and then slip right back in to their old ways wondering why they are slow.
- Don't turn up to a circuit to race you have never driven. You will be ridiculously slow or crash or both. Ask me how I know? (exhibit A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke-Bd73W_lY I am the car in front, 3rd ever lap in the car and circuit) (exhibit B: first time at the circuit, not tested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs-8Mw0Up5A)
- Don't underestimate how hard it is. It is really hard to go fast. It is unbelievably frustrating when you are going the very fastest you think it is possible to go and someone is 1.5 seconds faster. It is also tear jerkingly joyous when you get it all right.

PM me if you want to talk anything through. I am in my third year racing now and have made nearly all the mistakes one can make!

[cookracing]

Hi Prizam what did you go with in the end? Feakins racing is no more sadly, but graves motorsport have plenty of arrive and drive cars https://www.facebook.com/GravesMotorsport

[BertBert]

Sadly? Good riddance, that's what I say.

cookracing said:

Feakins racing is no more sadly