Is there a budget way to get into motorsports? Do you race?

Is there a budget way to get into motorsports? Do you race?

Author
Discussion

Jamaica

Original Poster:

490 posts

53 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
I'd love to start getting involved in motorsports, is anyone else involved if so whatvdo you compete in and is there a way to indulge on a budget

Matt Cup

3,143 posts

103 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Become a steward at a racetrack. Pretty sure it’s free as you are volunteering your time to help out.

ajprice

27,315 posts

195 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
If it's the racing you want to do, there will be cheap car races like this £200 car endurance race thread or for a bit more money, something like the city car series that Bad Obsession Motorsport entered last year https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGSOZAHg1yQE3Pp...

Edited by ajprice on Monday 22 March 13:52

Jamaica

Original Poster:

490 posts

53 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Matt Cup said:
Become a steward at a racetrack. Pretty sure it’s free as you are volunteering your time to help out.
confused

Much rather be behind the wheel

ol

2,380 posts

207 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
I race, and it can be much cheaper than people think. I am part of the 750MC MA7DA championship - similar to Caterhams - Locost chassis with MX5 engine. They are quick, cheap, good fun, and most importantly (for me) the regulations are very tight, so everybody has the same equipment, which keeps costs down. A set of tyres will last a full season etc.

If you want any further info feel free to PM me, or have a look here for more info -https://www.750mc.co.uk/formulae/ma7da.htm


Jamaica

Original Poster:

490 posts

53 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
ajprice said:
If it's the racing you want to do, there will be cheap car races like this £200 car endurance race thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing//topic.asp?h=0...
This looks hilarious.

thepawbroon

1,146 posts

183 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Here's somewhere to start looking:

https://www.motorsportuk.org/get-started/types-of-...

Very simply, the cheapest forms of motorsport are those where you don't need a crash helmet / fireproof racesuit, and you don't compete against other cars on the track at the same time.

For example, I have a Suzuki Ignis which cost me £400. I have used it on Targa Rallies and 12 Car Navigational Rallies (both of these come under "Road Rallying"), it is also useable on Autotests and Autosolos (which are against the clock) and Trials. For these, the entry fee / insurance is really cheap. I think I can also use it for Sprints and Hillclimbs, with a helmet/suit but very few other safety modifications.


Best to join a motor club (or just get in touch with them, via social media) and ask around.










Jamaica

Original Poster:

490 posts

53 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
ol said:
I race, and it can be much cheaper than people think. I am part of the 750MC MA7DA championship - similar to Caterhams - Locost chassis with MX5 engine. They are quick, cheap, good fun, and most importantly (for me) the regulations are very tight, so everybody has the same equipment, which keeps costs down. A set of tyres will last a full season etc.

If you want any further info feel free to PM me, or have a look here for more info -https://www.750mc.co.uk/formulae/ma7da.htm

I would have nowhere to keep that vehicle, looks great though. What are rough costs

ol

2,380 posts

207 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Jamaica said:
ol said:
I race, and it can be much cheaper than people think. I am part of the 750MC MA7DA championship - similar to Caterhams - Locost chassis with MX5 engine. They are quick, cheap, good fun, and most importantly (for me) the regulations are very tight, so everybody has the same equipment, which keeps costs down. A set of tyres will last a full season etc.

If you want any further info feel free to PM me, or have a look here for more info -https://www.750mc.co.uk/formulae/ma7da.htm

I would have nowhere to keep that vehicle, looks great though. What are rough costs
You can do arrive and drive, where you just pay to use a car for the weekend, and get team support, driver coaching, data analysis etc. You can spend as much or as little as you want really - if you are on a real budget then something like sprinting would be a good option. Get an old MX5 / RX8 etc, strip it out and join Javelin Sprint Series - you don't need a race licence either.

What would you want to spend on an event / season? That will dictate what is available to you

ReverendCounter

6,087 posts

175 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Matt Cup said:
Become a steward at a racetrack. Pretty sure it’s free as you are volunteering your time to help out.
"So you want to play football? Become a linesman"

Nookey

14 posts

78 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
You could try Hillclimb & Sprints, cheaper than racing but not a lot of track time. Can become very addictive though.

brillomaster

1,242 posts

169 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
have a look here and what you can do, depending on your budget.

https://www.motorsportuk.org/get-started/costs/

id say you're looking at anything from marshalling, helping out with race teams, trackdays, autosolo, sprints, hillclimbs, road rallies, karting, rallycross, then finally and probably most expensive - circuit racing.

Kraken

1,710 posts

199 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Really need to provide a bit more information about what your budget is. One persons budget is the next persons unobtainable dream.

S2r

660 posts

77 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Define 'motorsports'.

Run-what-you-brung drag racing is pretty cheap, the one local to me charges (I think) £35 for as many runs as you / your car can do in the day.

Chainsaw Rebuild

1,997 posts

101 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
What about hill climbing in your existing car? that's one of the cheapest ways.

Also marshalling would be fun and give you some experience of motorsport in general.

bucksmanuk

2,311 posts

169 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
Matt Cup said:
Become a steward at a racetrack. Pretty sure it’s free as you are volunteering your time to help out.
Takes a lot of experience "on both sides" to become a steward - contrary to popular opinion.

LukeBrown66

4,479 posts

45 months

Monday 22nd March 2021
quotequote all
If you want to compete, you are best looking at very entry level like sprints, you can do those in road cars relatively cheaply.

To compete and stand a chance of doing OK maybe look away from MSA type stuff at short ovals, autograss, club level stock cars and the like, yes its less interesting driving wise, but you will certainly find your place, the people are friendly and the racing is far more fierce and far more cheap to enter.

Wingo

298 posts

170 months

Tuesday 23rd March 2021
quotequote all
There are so many varieties of Motorsport for those who want to compete.
You need to think about what you want to do. Race wheel to wheel with others, race the clock in sprints, hillclimbs, autotest, targas, autosolos, drag racing or stage rallying or compete for points from judges in drifting.

There are entry levels for pretty much every variety of Motorsport that make it very difficult to give a half decent answer.

Delve into you tube, see what floats your boat, see if something you want to find out more about happens locally to you, then when things open up go take a look or ask on here about a variety of Motorsport you are interested in finding out more about.
Over the years I've stage rallied, circuit raced, autotested, sprinted, drag raced, rallycrossed, road rallied, and targa rallied.
Sometimes only a one off or small number of events for fun or to decide if that's so something I want to do more of or not.











Edited by Wingo on Tuesday 23 March 10:40

fat80b

2,242 posts

220 months

Wednesday 24th March 2021
quotequote all
As above, low low cost means autosolos and targas as you can compete in your road car and you don't need suit and boots etc. Best bang for buck.

Once you need a race / rally car and to keep it and yourself current then that's where the costs add up.

E.g. Suit, helmet, seats, belts, fire extinguishers, you etc are all dated for rally and racing. - Just basic models of each of these will set you back ~£2K upfront and last ~5 years.

Then there's licenses, ards or bars tests and entry fees etc just to get to the start line. I think if you want to 'go racing' then you need 3K to get you and the kit sorted before you even think about the cost of the car.

The cost of the car could be an 'arrive and drive' or anywhere from a few K up to mega bucks; You then need to add in the event costs, tyres, fuel, entry, damage, repairs and upgrades.

Me - I auto soloed and targa rallyed a series of MX5s to start out, they cost nothing to buy, a reasonable amount to run (tyres, spare wheels, a second car, new engines, copious amounts of filler etc) but it was essentially 'low cost' with a chance of winning.

Getting started cost the car and the first entry fee - £35. can't get much more low cost than that... I then probably spent £8K all in over 3-4 years of competing in East Anglia and maybe did 40 events in that time which I think was pretty good value.

Compare this with going stage rallying which I do at the very budget end of the paddock and it costs me >£1K each event plus car and kit described above..



CanoeSniffer

926 posts

86 months

Wednesday 24th March 2021
quotequote all
If you’re referring to traditional circuit racing, it’s unfortunately in a different league to the likes of sprinting and hillclimbing in terms of budget, and simply can’t be done in any fashion that a sane person would see as being ‘cheap’.

But, if like me, it’s the only thing that will hit the spot for you, the cheapest method of entry is the likes of the 206 championship / citycar cup / Hyundai coupe cup. MGZRs will find themselves at home in a variety of series but boast spectacular racing with the MGOC, some of the best value for money racing out there. Pumas are also cheap, but don’t boast a strong one-make championship and are left well behind amongst a hot hatch / tin top grid. MR2s are a great VFM proposition when they pop up for sale, the 750mc series is awesome.

All that said, I’ve never raced anyone with a cheaper race car than me- £3000 practically turn-key, and we’ve got another car for our series available at £3000 as well as a quick one for £4500- so obviously my series is best smile