Academy vs Graduates

[MagicalTrevor]

I've had a search for this but couldn't find much, the Graduates website is a little lacking, as is the forum unfortunately.

I'm pretty sure that I'll be doing the Academy in 2015 but I keep read people saying that others should consider the Graduates championship, I just can't find the same breadth of information on the subject..

Please can somebody help me by explaining why I might consider Graduates instead of Academy?

Thanks

[Grubbster]

I could spend a long time on this topic as I went through a similar thought process (I did the Academy last year). Grads is cheaper, much more racing and you can buy a car to compete in whichever category you like. Academy is more expensive (new car), only 2 sprints and 5 races but it is 'official' if that's worth anything to you plus in theory at least you will be up against only novices (but some novices are very experienced). I found the Academy to be great fun and very frustrating in roughly equal measure. Many of the other racers become great friends and the on track action is superb, but I had a lot of frustrations with some aspects of the season and therefore didn't stick with it into Roadsports. If I decide to go back to racing 7's then I'll join Grads (probably in an old K series car!). For what I did last year it was very expensive (when you take into account the additional costs of trackdays, test days, travel and accommodation etc).

This probably hasn't helped a lot, hopefully the first of many opinions that you'll here.

[MagicalTrevor]

Thanks for that, I'm happy to be persuaded to do Graduates, the lack of information makes it confusing.

What sort of car should I buy? I'd probably prefer a more modern Sigma car rather than the K series. Caterham have a nice looking Academy car (2013 championship) at just over £18k, it would have easily cost £26k new. I'd still have to pay for the race entry and extra bits on top

[BritishRacinGrin]

You can get a used Sigma Graduate which is an Academy car only with better tyres, rear anti roll bar and no windscreen for around £13k. I'm biased because I just jumped straight into grads (Classics). I've no regrets. My Dad did the Academy in 2001 and enjoyed it but preferred the racing so he subsequently went racing in the Grads.

[Grubbster]

Spend a bit of time talking to people from each series, get a mix of opinions. I think there is quite a bit of info on grads here http://www.graduates.org.uk/ at least as much as you'd find on the Academy. The reason I picked the Academy was to go 'on the journey' with a bunch of others doing the same, and for this it did well. The economics work out much better if you continue into Roadsports (because you'll have already spent a lot on the car and kit - and the Roadsports do many more races so you get the value from what you've already spent). Grads cars come up quite cheaply on their forum from time to time.

[MagicalTrevor]

Thanks guys, I guess I have time yet and the decision isn't final so I'll do more research into what people think of each championship

[BritishRacinGrin]

Go to some events.

[MagicalTrevor]

BritishRacinGrin said:

Go to some events.

I fully intend to