Racing

[billy83]

I'm about to take place in the Race intensive course at Silverstone from the 4th to the 8th of july so if any of you are taking part i look forward to seeing you.

Was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice on how to get your National B full license after doing my ARDS test.

On the course we have the possibility of gaining 3 signatures after doing the test and i know that you need 10 to get your full license. Can anyone tell me what the deal is with when the signatures drop off the license (ie how long you have to get all 10) and how people go about getting these 10 signatures, (ie which racing series are the cheapest/most fun) as i'd love to get my racing license as soon as possible.

Any advice would be very helpful.

[falcemob]

You only need six signatures for a Nat A licence and one of them can be gained by a day marshaling. You get a Nat B on pssing your ARDS and you have 2 or 3 years to get all the sigs.

>> Edited by falcemob on Thursday 1st June 19:06

[GarrettMacD]

billy83 said:

I'm about to take place in the Race intensive course at Silverstone from the 4th to the 8th of july so if any of you are taking part i look forward to seeing you. Was just wondering if anyone could give me some advice on how to get your National B full license after doing my ARDS test. On the course we have the possibility of gaining 3 signatures after doing the test and i know that you need 10 to get your full license. Can anyone tell me what the deal is with when the signatures drop off the license (ie how long you have to get all 10) and how people go about getting these 10 signatures, (ie which racing series are the cheapest/most fun) as i'd love to get my racing license as soon as possible. Any advice would be very helpful.

I thought that you got your licence as part of the Silverstone course? And a few signatures aswell??? Silverstone are able to run their own races (on the Stowe circuit) which are independent of any other club.

You don't need 10 signatures - you only need 6 to upgrade to National A, but note that you can race pretty much anything with a National B. OK, so you can't do the Porsche Carrera Cup, but if you were a novice you really wouldn't want to be doing your first race in that series anyway!

If you pass your ARDS test you automatically get your National B. And lest face it, if you do the full Silverstone course and DON'T get it then you're just plain dangerous!

If you can get three signatures after your course, I would take that option. They will probably be the three cheapest races you'll ever do, and you'll be half-way to the National A. Is there a reason why you want to upgrade so quickly, i.e. do you have a specific race that you need to compete in with a higher grade licence???

[wee_skids]

All the 6 signitures do is get shut of the yellow and black cross on the back of the car to say you are a novice. Once you pass the ARDS you have a Nat B licence as alerady said. The sig's are simply to: A) get shut of the cross and B) alow you to upgrade the licecne to national A and beyond - IE: you might want an international C so you can race in Europe.

[billy83]

Thanks guys!!!
Seems like my sources weren't all too reliable!! Have to say it seems a tad easier than i was expecting (although the course sounds pretty hard work)
So just to reiterate:
A) I'll have my national B license for life after doing the silverstone course
B) I've got 3 years to get my national A license which needs just 3 more signatures after the course
C You can get 1 signature being a marshall.

Dont think i'm going to be doing any very hardcore racing anytime too soon but its nice to have the option!

And you guys would recommend doing the independent races at silverstone to get those 2 signatures left that are needed??

[GarrettMacD]

billy83 said:

Thanks guys!!! Seems like my sources weren't all too reliable!! Have to say it seems a tad easier than i was expecting (although the course sounds pretty hard work) So just to reiterate: A) I'll have my national B license for life after doing the silverstone course B) I've got 3 years to get my national A license which needs just 3 more signatures after the course C You can get 1 signature being a marshall. Dont think i'm going to be doing any very hardcore racing anytime too soon but its nice to have the option! And you guys would recommend doing the independent races at silverstone to get those 2 signatures left that are needed??

Some of those bits are correct, but just to clarify...

If you get a National B licence and stay at that level and then take a few years off (3 or more I think) then you have to renew your National B - which means an ARDS test again, and medical. If however, you upgrade to National A and then take a few years break you can re-start at National B level without having to take the ARDS test. You'll still need a medical though. And you must be able to prove that you did in fact hold a National A licence, so you would just send the old licence to the MSA when applying.

Regarding the signatures, I'm sure that you could get as many as you wanted from Silverstone, but you would be up against other novices on a very basic track. As soon as you get to a 'proper' circuit and are up against seasoned racers it will be a big shock. So, if it's just to get a licence upgrade then you can indeed do so at Silverstone, but if you want real race experience then you'll need to pit yourself against other racers.

If you want information on what type of series to go into then you might try contacting Simon Mason, who is one of the most senior instructors at Silverstone. He posts here (ID: Simon Mason) or via his website at www.simonmason.com

HTH

[rude-boy]

billy83 said:

You can get 1 signature being a marshall.

And do it! Some marshals are a rare bread but you'll find a day or two 'on post' a great experience and you might well get the chance to see how much they actually do. There is no motor sport without them being there.

Another plus is that you get to watch the lines the different drivers take around the comers in the real world, not the verge of disaster Playstation line.

[m raks]

out of interest, which course are you doing?

the full on intensive (£2k+), or the day course (£500)?

i'm thinking of enrolling on the day course, but have only done one day's worth of track-days. would i be ok?

[wee_skids]

GarrettMacD said:

Regarding the signatures, I'm sure that you could get as many as you wanted from Silverstone, but you would be up against other novices on a very basic track. As soon as you get to a 'proper' circuit and are up against seasoned racers it will be a big shock. So, if it's just to get a licence upgrade then you can indeed do so at Silverstone, but if you want real race experience then you'll need to pit yourself against other racers.

Billy, you ned to take real notice of this quote, you'd be much better off spending your time and money getting into a race series than doing these 'races' for the sole purpose of upgrading your licence. There is a huge step up from novice drivers to people who have raced hard and fast for many years. I can still remember my shock after doing sprinting and trackdays when I experienced a bunch of guys all familar with racing swarming around. There is a big mental step up in terms of commitment, accuracy, etc.

You will be far better off getting out there with experienced racers and learning the essentials of accuracy, self control, car control, observation, spatial awareness.

Edited by wee_skids on Monday 5th June 17:02

[stockhatcher]

wee_skids said:

GarrettMacD said: Regarding the signatures, I'm sure that you could get as many as you wanted from Silverstone, but you would be up against other novices on a very basic track. As soon as you get to a 'proper' circuit and are up against seasoned racers it will be a big shock. So, if it's just to get a licence upgrade then you can indeed do so at Silverstone, but if you want real race experience then you'll need to pit yourself against other racers. Billy, you ned to take real notice of this quote, you'd be much better off spending your time and money getting into a race series than doing these 'races' for the sole purpose of upgrading your licence. There is a huge step up from novice drivers to people who have raced hard and fast for many years. I can still remember my shock after doing sprinting and trackdays when I experienced a bunch of guys all familar with racing swarming around. There is a big mental step up in terms of commitment, accuracy, etc. You will be far better off getting out there with experienced racers and learning the essentials of accuracy, self control, car control, observation, spatial awareness. Edited by wee_skids on Monday 5th June 17:02

i'd tend to disagree with wee_skids on that point. The gulf between the front of a club race and a the front of a school race is not that big. also at your school races your are being tutored, so you are laying down the foundation for a correct driving technique, whereas the only time your rivals look at your driving is if they are going to pass you!

also racing at one circuit has its advantages, as the track doesn't change, the car doesn't change so if you go faster, then its down to you. when your out in clubland you can be close to the pace at one circuit eg brands by miles away at another, eg cadwellso how do you know if you've improved or not.

i also started at the silverstone race school ( in the last year it was the jim russell school) stuff i learned during that time i still use now, and i won the saloon car championship in 1999, and in my first year of proper club racing qualified 6th overall for my first fiat challenge race.

ok if your planning to do frenault then maybe its not so good, but for club racing i think it'll be fine and what you'll learn will stand you in good stead

imho

[thunderbelmont]

I agree with Stockhatcher, but as a former Silverstone instructor, I'd say that.

However, I started in 1990, wet behind the ears, and straight in at the deep end.

I won my class in my third race, and went on to win 6 out of the next 7 races in 1990, followed by a 10 out of 11 in 1991.

I am still learning now, anyone who says that know it all is talking crap.

But, I wish to this day that I'd started by doing a race course like the Silverstone Intensive, or back in those days, the JRRDS course.
Knowing the skills that are taught to the pupils, it sets them up so much better for their first proper race, and can make them winners from day one.

[wee_skids]

Maybe I just like making things hard for myself then