How to get into racing?

[ianwynneuk]

Hi all,
I am 26 years old and have loved cars since being very young. I now run a lovely 4Ltr TVR Chimaera, my first properly fast car (Hyundai Coupe 2Ltr before) and love it. I also do a lot of the work myself and love the mechanicals of cars such as full disc and pad changes, major servicing, pump changes, general servicing, brake upgrading etc.

I have always been ultra competitive and loved sand buggying and karting and would like to look at options of getting into competitive motorsport. What options are open to me, where is best to start? I am 6Ft 2" and weight about 94KG (used to be 105kg!).

I want to be comeptitive but don't want to spend fortunes.

How much time would it take? How many races per year take place for example and are they all in one go so over in about 4 months or spread through the year? Do you need money to win or can you do it without?

I know I sound very vague, I just don't have a clue!

Ian

[Wanstead]

First of all go along to a meeting and see what type of racing appeals. Sports cars, tin tops, Single seaters or sports racing cars, then go and have a chat with some drivers to get a feel of what’s involved.
Most racing takes place between March and October, the numbers of races in championships vary, some can be just 6 races, others 15 or more.
Once you have decided what series fits in your budget, start making plans for next season. You will need to contact the MSA to get your introduction to racing pack, which will explain how to pass your ARDS and get your licence.
Then all the hard work starts, preparing the car, even if you purchase a car already race prepared it will need a good check over before you get going.
Of course having money does help you to win, but time and dedication is better. It’s a great feeling turning up to a meeting with the car on a trailer and just a mate to help out and beating the drivers with full team support and posh motor homes.
Andy

[Zumbruk]

Why not have a go at the TVRCC Speed Championship while you're making up your mind?

http://www.tvrspeedchampionship.co.uk/

That's sprints and hillclimbs and is safe and non-car-damaging. We're at Prescott Hillclimb near Cheltenham on the 27th September - why not pop along for a chat? There were over 50 TVRs in the car park last year, plus there are 23 TVRs competing this year. TVR spectators also get a convoy run up the hill at lunch time...

Unfortunately, the racing season is coming to an end, so it's probably going to be next year before you can do anything. But that gives you the winter to talk to people, decide what you want to do, and probably most importantly, what your budget is.

Have a read of the "Cheap, cheap, cheap motorsport" thread - there are a number of suggestions in there.

[ArosaMike]

There's always the Caterham Academy! I'm signed up for 2010 and basically the price (£20,000 once you've added the options you need), includes the car and the race entry fees. You'll spend probably another £5-7k during the season, but you get to build the car yourself and it's by far the cheapest way of racing a reasonably quick car, and it's a completely novice series and will really ease you into racing. You keep the car after the year and can sell it if you want (for between £14-15K) or you can spend just under £1k and upgrade it to Roadsport B spec and do another season or more!

The brilliant thing is the cars are road legal, identical and relatively simple to fix. I plan to drive to around 50% of the races next year...although I will have support from friends/family with my tools!

Have a look at http://www.caterham.co.uk or give Caterham Midlands a ring. If you do, ask for Nick Potter...he's the Caterham motorsport guru and raced in the series himself about 5 years ago and anything he doesn"t know isn't worth knowing! There are actually another 12 or so places left in Group 2 next year if you can find the money!

[anonymous-user]

if you want to be competitive have a look at a single make series where you are bound to tight restrictions regarding car mods and ultimately the drivers abliity makes a difference rather than the size of his wallet...

as others have said, go to a few meetings see what appeals on track, then wander round the paddock and see how approachable drivers in that championship are, always a good indicator as to the fun you will have and the conduct of the drers on track i find!....

caterham academy is ideal but pricey, if you can get a tow car and a trailer, you can pick up race prepped things like MGFs or Porsche 924s for around £3k.

[Galileo]

If you don't want to spend a fortune on a car just to discover that you got it out your system after the first race, consider renting a car at first. Its actually cheaper.

[Coxyjunior]

Ian,

I see you are based in London. Check out the BARC SEC website.

http://www.barc.net/regional_centres/south_east/ca...

They run various championships that are based mainly in the SE thus keeping costs down. I compete in the Tin Tops with a budget of less than £3k for the season and would highly recommend it.

If you have the money or the mechanical ability you can compete in stupidly fast cossies and skylines as well.

Race entries are cheap and driving standards are well enforced. You have the added bonus of getting to race on both the Brands and Silverstone GP circuits this year.

Our next meeting is as Silverstone (GP Circuit supporting the 6 hour Britcar race) 3/4 October. If you are interested in popping along then PM me.

Mike

[Wanstead]

Coxyjunior said:

Our next meeting is as Silverstone (GP Circuit supporting the 6 hour Britcar race) 3/4 October.

I'll be there as well, competing in the Sports 2000 championship, so you will be able to get an insight into two completely different races.

[ArosaMike]

pablo said:

caterham academy is ideal but pricey, if you can get a tow car and a trailer, you can pick up race prepped things like MGFs or Porsche 924s for around £3k.

True, but how competitive will it actually be for that? Add to that the cost of race entry, and tyres which you're bound to get through at a rate of knots, and I bet it'll cost more once added up than a year in the Academy. I obviously don't mean the initial outlay, but the cost when you consider what you can sell the car for in both situations at the end of the season. Caterham racing is also gets much better media coverage than a lot of small series (even the Academy was on Motors TV this year).

Obviously I'm going to be biased, but I don't think there's much in it for cost when you actually consider the what's involved to put yourself into a winning car in a club series like stock hatch even. You also get one of the best handling cars ever!

[BobM]

The 750 Motor Club offers loads of options for budget racing - from Locosts through Stock Hatch, MR2s, Kitcars and RGB (bike engined kits) etc. Great atmosphere in the paddock, all the good circuits - this season we've got Snetterton in just over a week then Mallory followed by the Birkett 6 hour relay at the end of October. The guys in the paddock are always happy to talk about the racing with anyone interested.

[anonymous-user]

ArosaMike said:

pablo said:

caterham academy is ideal but pricey, if you can get a tow car and a trailer, you can pick up race prepped things like MGFs or Porsche 924s for around £3k.

True, but how competitive will it actually be for that?

given the regs are so tight concerning the two championships mentioned, very competitive...

ArosaMike said:

Add to that the cost of race entry, and tyres which you're bound to get through at a rate of knots,

doubtful, i bet most people use a set per year and entry fees will be the average, approx £200

ArosaMike said:

and I bet it'll cost more once added up than a year in the Academy.

£200 x 10 and a set of tyres?!??!

ArosaMike said:

I obviously don't mean the initial outlay, but the cost when you consider what you can sell the car for in both situations at the end of the season.

i will bet you that if you bought a race prepped 924 in january for £3k, raced it all season you could sell it for £3k the following january

ArosaMike said:

Caterham racing is also gets much better media coverage than a lot of small series (even the Academy was on Motors TV this year).

tv coverage, lol, its certainly not worth entering a championship on the basis that motors tv will film it. i saw the european late model series and it was farcical, ten minutes of interviewing bored looking drivers, then a bit of time actually showing some god awful roudy-roundy racing.... their coverage is piss poor for all but the major events, regarding the countless interviews with joe bloggs, and no offence intended, but who cares what some amateur clubbie has to say about anything.... i havent tuned in to hear you Schumacher-esque interpretation of the circuit or how you car will cope if it rains.... just STFU and race dammit...

ArosaMike said:

Obviously I'm going to be biased, but I don't think there's much in it for cost when you actually consider the what's involved to put yourself into a winning car in a club series like stock hatch even. You also get one of the best handling cars ever!

as i said, given the regs are so tight, the winning car will be the one with the best driver, much like the academy, there is no hiding....sure you can only race against the people in the championship regardless of the championship and if you win so be it.i know the academy is strict on regs too but its still expensive.

i will be surprised if there are not a good few people who race in something like the 924 championship do it for less than £5k all in,tyres wil llast all season and entry fees will be average, approx £200 per event, trailering the car to events on the day, making sacrifices like that and not staying at the circuit are what club motorsport is all about....

the academy is a marketing dream for caterham, they spoonfeed the drivers all the way, sure some might need the help and assistance but i personally dont like it. for me thats not what club motorsport is about. its about trailering a car at 5am to get to the circuit, race, then come home at midnight....from what i have seen of the academy, there are two or three people who run away with it at the front, a few more fast ones and the others make up the numbers, it may have changed in recent years but thats the way i saw it, you had some fast track day regulars make the step up to racing, some naturally talented ones, then lots of others who wanted to be a racing driver for a year...... plus, very few people drove to the events, it was motorhome city in their paddock...

[ArosaMike]

I appreciate that everyone quite understandably wants to build up a bit of interest in their own series, but no need to flame everything else out there! The Academy is just as valid as any other club motorsport. OK, so it's a manufacturer race series, but so what? Why does that so instantly mean it's not 'real' club racing to you? I completely agree it's not for everyone, but the cross section of people in the Academy is no different to what you'll find in your race series. You clearly have some pre-conceptions, which I have to say, are largely incorrect. Of course there will be people who are amazingly talented and people who have no idea what they're doing. Watch any Max5 race and it's the same story! We're not talking British GT here. Anything that's affordable to the average person is going to attract people who just want to have a go. Precisely the point of club racing!

• There are plenty of teams with motorhomes at the event yes, much like there will be at your event too since there will be other race series that you are supporting. If you'd look a little more carefully, you'd have seen that these teams are there to support the odd Roadsport B and A car, but mainly the R300 and R400s. These are race cars at the very top end of club racing that cost a lot of money to race for a season. It is specifically stated in the Academy rules that you must deliver the car to the track yourself, either by driving it there, or by driving the vehicle towing it. So no...there is no fancy motorhomes in the Academy. You're not allowed anything more than help from friends and family, so whilst the guys in the other more serious cars sit under the sun lounger, the Academy people are in the field behind trying to find their tyre pressure gauge.

• 90% of the guys on the grid do exactly what you do. They turn up first thing on a Friday, do a test day, camp by the car, get up ludicrously early, share a bit of banter with their competitors and then race! The others may stay in a hotel, but I bet you there are just as many in other club championships that do the same!

• Of course there are 2 or 3 people who run away with it, but is that not always the case? The important thing is that everyone is having a great time! So what if you don't win?! The cars are all so close there will be someone who you can race against.

• TV Coverage is not there to pretend to be Lewis Hamilton on. It's there as a marketing tool. Please don't tell me that it wouldn't help your sponsorship prospects if you could get your car on the TV for a few seconds with all the sponsors down the side?

I can promise you that I did plenty of research into racing before I decided to go the Academy route. I've spent 6 years in fact building up my research into costs. The way I see it is this:

Caterham

• Academy car - £18,000
• MSA Medical - £0
• ARDS test - £0
• Race entry - 7 x £0
• Tyres - £0
• Fuel - £1000
• Road Tax - £190
• Car value at end of year £15,000

TOTAL outlay - £4,190

Stock Hatch

• Competitive car - £6,000
• Getting the car up to scratch - £500 approx
• MSA Medical - £60
• ARDS test - £300
• Race entry - 7 x £200
• Tyres - £300
• Fuel - £1000
• Adding Cat D to my road car license to tow - £200 minimum
• Trailer - £1200
• Car value at end of year £6,000

TOTAL outlay - £4,960

For me, considering as well that if I stacked the car into the barriers head on, it'd be a re-shell when a Caterham can have a new front end welded back on, it was a no brainer. Furthermore, I can upgrade the car at the end of next year to something that'll lap 5s a lap quicker round Anglesey for under £1k and get another seasons racing. I also get to build the thing myself and don't have to spend a fortune on constant race prep to be in with a chance of winning!

[anonymous-user]

nike, no disrespect intended, i guess my point, put accross rather badly, is that the academy requires a massive outlay for a novice driver (£20K?) which for many starting out in the sport is just not possible to obtain whereas there are other cheaper ways to go racing which require less initial outlay.

sure you get the car at the end of the academy season but you still need the cash to buy it upfront whereas something like an race prepped MX5 can be bought for a 1/4 of that cost and be sold for the same after the season due to demand thus the racing has cost you the consumables you use during the season.

at the event i was marshalling at, the only caterhams there were academy cars and believe me, there were motorhomes in their paddock, they towed the car with the motorhome so thats in the rules as you describe it...

stock hatch is completely different to the sort of championships i ws referring to and an unfair comparison. people routinely spend £3k on an engine rebuild in stock hatch...

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 9th September 08:46

[ArosaMike]

It's easy to be misconstrued on an Internet Forum so no hard feelings! I'm sure I've written my fair share of unintentionally augmentative posts in my time!

You're very right that Stock Hatch and 944 racing are very different. I only used it as an example as it had been another alternative for me. I think you'll agree though, that if you do have the cash available for the initial outlay, The Academy is a pretty fun and well organised way of getting into racing, and there's a very evident ladder into the faster stuff which isn't always that obvious, so for anyone that wants to dabble in some more serious stuff, it's a great way into that side of racing.

Regarding transporters. They keep having to clarify the rules on this as they really don't want people turning up in massive motorhomes with loads of help prepping the car. The 2009 regs say this:

Competitors are responsible for the transport of their Academy race cars to and from events. The use of team support and team transporters is prohibited. Caterham Midlands provides centralised technical support at all Academy events. Team support of any other kind is specifically prohibited at competitive events. A team is defined as an organisation professionally involved in the build, preparation, set-up or transport of track day and/or competition cars. Support is defined as providing assistance, transport, timing or any other activity associated with the running of a car at a competitive event. Competitors are permitted to help each other and enlist the support of family and friends on a strictly amateur basis. It is permitted to share transport for a maximum of two cars using a suitable trailer or recovery vehicle, but the use of HGV class transporters is strictly prohibited.

I think the last bit has been added recently....and let's face it...you always get a few people who have all the gear and no idea in any race series! For every person wanting to fly their helicopter to the race, there's another person like me, or a fellow ex karter I know who's also on the grid next year, who is begging and borrowing to race. It's not for everyone, but it's certainly not some over the top posing competition for people with too much money! Bernie probably has the rights to that anyway!

Edited by ArosaMike on Wednesday 9th September 19:32

[Al Weyman]

pablo said:

tv coverage, lol, its certainly not worth entering a championship on the basis that motors tv will film it. i saw the european late model series and it was farcical, ten minutes of interviewing bored looking drivers, then a bit of time actually showing some god awful roudy-roundy racing.... their coverage is piss poor for all but the major events, regarding the countless interviews with joe bloggs, and no offence intended, but who cares what some amateur clubbie has to say about anything.... i havent tuned in to hear you Schumacher-esque interpretation of the circuit or how you car will cope if it rains.... just STFU and race dammit...

Ohh that cuts to the quick Pablo, hope you dont say that about my startline interview to be shown on Motors TV Friday night thats if they dont cut it out as I aint no TV personality thats for sure! Seriously though the thread starter could do worse than watch the program (9:15pm)as it shows most of what the Classic Touring Car Racing Club has to offer and there is some good action. Good racing for a reasonable budget is what we are about.

Edited by Al Weyman on Wednesday 9th September 22:25

[RobbieL]

Wanstead said:

Coxyjunior said:

Our next meeting is as Silverstone (GP Circuit supporting the 6 hour Britcar race) 3/4 October.

I'll be there as well, competing in the Sports 2000 championship, so you will be able to get an insight into two completely different races.

As will I. Competing in the Sports 2000 series so feel free to pop down - I'm in my first season so will give you a good idea of what to expect and how you imagine things to go. Definately worth it though - we get to visit cracking tracks! Brands Hatch GP Circuit, Silverstone GP Circuit, Snetteton, Thruxton, Donnington, Oulton Park full track inc. Shell Oils. There's even a European race at the likes of Spa/Zandvoort (although this year was cancelled for unforseen circumstances). A lot of bang for your buck and you'll be very surprised at just how quickly these cars can get round a track! Quicker lap times than the likes of the GT Porkers, Ferrari's etc. Car no. 66

Edited by RobbieL on Friday 11th September 15:21