Cheapest way in to track racing?
Discussion
Hi Everyone,
I know it has been asked before but having had a search, the question asked and budget always varies.
I am looking for:
- cheapest on track racing
- non-modified cars
- cheap cars
- drive to/from track in the car
- friendly series for beginners
- not loads of smashing in to each other
- mainly in/near South East
[EDIT - now looking at speed events - Sprints, Hill Climbs, AutoSolos]
So with that in mind, what do you guys recommend?
Thanks very much
R
I know it has been asked before but having had a search, the question asked and budget always varies.
I am looking for:
- cheapest on track racing
- non-modified cars
- cheap cars
- drive to/from track in the car
- friendly series for beginners
- not loads of smashing in to each other
- mainly in/near South East
[EDIT - now looking at speed events - Sprints, Hill Climbs, AutoSolos]
So with that in mind, what do you guys recommend?
Thanks very much
R
Edited by rossyl on Friday 22 July 11:03
You're looking for the impossible sadly, your best bet is 750MC stock hatch or kumho production BMW's at a guess where cars are available from around £3k but they are unlikely to be road legal, the problem is although it's technically possible to keep a car road legal and race it, it will be bloody uncomfortable, there's nowhere for spares and your kit, your mates can't come and there is the risk of a mechanical failure or you throw it at the tyres which makes getting out home tricky... save up and buy a tow car and a trailer or....
go sprinting with a local motor club
which keeps it local and means you won't get hit by another car, can run in a road legal class and keep the car standard, you could be competing in a good car like a Clio 172 for less than £1k...
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 16th July 22:22
As Alex said could do a lot worse than production bmw www.pbmwc.co.uk
I've been doing it for 5 years and love it.
I've been doing it for 5 years and love it.
rossyl,
No good just going for "the cheapest", they are all expensive, but if you don't like the series/cars/people you won't enjoy it.
Choose something you do like/know about and then pick out some series that include those cars.
Go along to the meetings, talk to the guys, see if they suit you.
Good luck!
John
No good just going for "the cheapest", they are all expensive, but if you don't like the series/cars/people you won't enjoy it.
Choose something you do like/know about and then pick out some series that include those cars.
Go along to the meetings, talk to the guys, see if they suit you.
Good luck!
John
rossyl said:
The more I look in to this, I do think, Auto Tests and Sprints might be a worthwhile introduction before getting in to Track Racing.
If anyone has any suggestions/thoughts on the above - that would be great.
I can't seem to find any active Clubs near North London.
Personally I find sprints and autotests dull as watching paint dry. Racing is fun because it's racing - not just about setting fast times.If anyone has any suggestions/thoughts on the above - that would be great.
I can't seem to find any active Clubs near North London.
Go and watch some club racing, and mingle in the paddock.
BARC SE Tintops, especially if your SE based. I have raced with them myself for a few years and generally good value for club racing and paddock is friendly. Even a production class with limited modifications allowed. http://www.barcsoutheast.co.uk/about.php
rossyl said:
The more I look in to this, I do think, Auto Tests and Sprints might be a worthwhile introduction before getting in to Track Racing.
If anyone has any suggestions/thoughts on the above - that would be great.
Thought about this quite a bit myself as someone potentially going the other way from circuit racing and taking a step back. Thing is after talking to some race mates they are right, I can't help it but there is something really special about barreling into corners only a few inches from each other. One of my mates reminded me about race starts with big grids and yes the first time I did one going 3 abreast into the first corner, it makes the hairs on the back your neck stand up. All my best memories in circuit racing were like that, I got bored driving around on my own those times I got stuck between groups. Just ask yourself one simple question, when you go karting do you get a buzz from having a great battle with others or by setting good lap times? If anyone has any suggestions/thoughts on the above - that would be great.
I did 3 years of sprinting before going circuit racing
Should be a fair bit cheaper, I always sprinted in the road going classes in what ever car I was using as a daily driver.
If your looking around the south east have a look at borough 19 motor club, Sevenoaks motor club and tunbridge wells motor club between the they run loads of events and get invited to many more.
Should be a fair bit cheaper, I always sprinted in the road going classes in what ever car I was using as a daily driver.
If your looking around the south east have a look at borough 19 motor club, Sevenoaks motor club and tunbridge wells motor club between the they run loads of events and get invited to many more.
Sprinting may be cheaper but it isn't better value.
I went to spectate at a local sprint event recently and talking to the competitors it cost £85 to enter which gave two practice and two timed runs. That's about £20 a minute
Makes £300 for a 45 minute race + 30 minute practice look like a bargain!
I went to spectate at a local sprint event recently and talking to the competitors it cost £85 to enter which gave two practice and two timed runs. That's about £20 a minute
Makes £300 for a 45 minute race + 30 minute practice look like a bargain!
Steve H said:
Sprinting may be cheaper but it isn't better value.
I went to spectate at a local sprint event recently and talking to the competitors it cost £85 to enter which gave two practice and two timed runs. That's about £20 a minute
Makes £300 for a 45 minute race + 30 minute practice look like a bargain!
Track time at a speed event is poor value for money but as my friends who still compete will often say, no one is going to miss their braking point and wallop them from behind into the tyres.... Put it this way, its entirely up to the driver how close to the limit they get and £85 may well be the full cost of their days sprinting bar some minor consumables. I went to spectate at a local sprint event recently and talking to the competitors it cost £85 to enter which gave two practice and two timed runs. That's about £20 a minute
Makes £300 for a 45 minute race + 30 minute practice look like a bargain!
How much damage can you incur in a 45 minute race from accidents that are entirely not your fault?
I would have thought that anything involving arrive and drive cannot by definition be the cheap motorsport that the OP is looking for.
I'm with the sprinting idea for the OP. It doesn't matter that per minute it's more than racing, it's about lowest net cost to do some motorsport. Also as the actual track time is low, the maintenance needed will also be minimised. Although it's probably not zero, especally if the car is a bargain basement cost (aka potentially knackered).
I'm utterly crap at sprinting (and only marginally better at racing), so wouldn't choose to do it, but it might suit the OP. Clearly lots of people enjoy it!
I'm with the sprinting idea for the OP. It doesn't matter that per minute it's more than racing, it's about lowest net cost to do some motorsport. Also as the actual track time is low, the maintenance needed will also be minimised. Although it's probably not zero, especally if the car is a bargain basement cost (aka potentially knackered).
I'm utterly crap at sprinting (and only marginally better at racing), so wouldn't choose to do it, but it might suit the OP. Clearly lots of people enjoy it!
DaveGoddard said:
Hyundai Coupe Cup. They do arrive and drive packages, not sure on prices but cheaper than anything else I've encountered this season.
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