£ and time to get a race licence?

[zebedee]

Has anyone got a licence recently and if so, how much did it cost (roughly) and what sort of time commitment was involved? Don't worry about cost of buying kit to go racing, I have that side of things sorted, it is more the medical, the course, the test. I know I could glean this from certain race school sites, but that is likely to be theoretical and I would rather see how much time and cost is actually involved in real life examples.

cheers

[dunc_sx]

Yeah just did it on Friday and have been keeping a note of this seasons cost.

ARDS starter pack - £59
ARDS test (teeside) - £250
Medical - £50 (teeside on day of test)
Nat B Race licence - £53 (send away your form completed by doctor and ARDS instructor)

So £412 in total, admittedly plus a large drive to the track for me.

Hope this helps,

Dunc.

[jagracer]

fk me that's gone up a bit in the ten years since I did mine.

[NTEL]

My GP does my medicals (because I'm an old fart) for £20. May be worth having a word with yours to see how much he will charge. OK its only a saving of £30.00 but hey its a gallon of oil

[zebedee]

dunc_sx said:

Yeah just did it on Friday and have been keeping a note of this seasons cost.

ARDS starter pack - £59
ARDS test (teeside) - £250
Medical - £50 (teeside on day of test)
Nat B Race licence - £53 (send away your form completed by doctor and ARDS instructor)

So £412 in total, admittedly plus a large drive to the track for me.

Hope this helps,

Dunc.

thanks Dunc, you are a star. How much time did it cost you? So you got the starter pack, then you have to learn all the flags etc don't you, before going for the test. How long would you need between ordering pack and test and how long does the test take - do you have to book long in advance? Also, how long between passing test and having a licence and being able to race? Reason I ask is I may have an opportunity to race in one race this season, but am starting from scratch, so would help if I could be realistic as to which round I might be on for!

cheers

[Mr Jenks]

I reckon you could get it done within around 6 weeks without too much trouble.
Mine was done in about that last year. Starter pack includes the DVD and application forms with the medical form. Once you have that you should be able to get a medical, if needed, within a week, your own GP or as I did a private practice, £85 was the same as my GP but more convenient. A couple of passport photos from the local supermarket are needed. I had already booked the ARDS with 3 weeks notice, £250 and completed in 1/2 day. The form can then be returned to the MSA, £70 or whatever and my licence was with me inside a week, and thats about it, ready to go.
The ARDS test is a matter of common sense, track etiquite, loads of flags and a few more flags. Everything you need know is in the DVD.

[dunc_sx]

Much the same as Mr Jenks.

I'd give it a week to get the starter pack, a couple of weeks to get your head round the DVD etc then half a day doing the test and a further week to receive the licence.

I got the medical, photo taken and test done all at the same time by teeside - £300 all in (£50 for medical, £250 for the rest). It saved the hassle of extra time/effort doing them elsewhere.

Hope this helps,

Dunc.

[Club MSV]

Hi guys,

This might be of help if you're considering getting a race licence: www.clubmsv.co.uk/goracing

If you have any questions please feel free to give us a call!

[no17]

NTEL said:

My GP does my medicals (because I'm an old fart) for £20. May be worth having a word with yours to see how much he will charge. OK its only a saving of £30.00 but hey its a gallon of oil

Blimey £20! I paid more than that 20 years ago, here in Barnsley my doctor wants £165 and won't budge, other practices in my area seem to be around the same rate.

[dunc_sx]

no17 said:

here in Barnsley my doctor wants £165 and won't budge, other practices in my area seem to be around the same rate.

Madness!

[Forbes82]

My Doctor charged me £15 and then a week later did my dads and charged him £80! I'm not sure any of them really know what to charge so try to catch them in a good mood!

[no17]

dunc_sx said:

Madness!

My local practice string out the medical with check/tests that aren't specified on the application, (maybe to justify their inflated rate). Every year I mention it is not necessary to do this as there is nowhere to write their findings, they always say "it's for our own records". I mean at sixty three am I going to grow another inch?

[Count Johnny]

no17 said:

My local practice string out the medical with check/tests that aren't specified on the application, (maybe to justify their inflated rate). Every year I mention it is not necessary to do this as there is nowhere to write their findings, they always say "it's for our own records". I mean at sixty three am I going to grow another inch?

No, but you may be an inch shorter.

[refoman2]

id love someone to actually question the legality of the MSA being able to demand everyone who wants to go racing has to have an ARDS or an ARKS test!

at the end of the day its just a 'want to go racing' tax. what happens on the day has no bearing on your ability to drive a race car at racing speed,in fact you could,if so inclined, go and do your ARDS in some crappy circuit focus,pass your ARDS and then the next day go and drive an old F1 car! so how exactly does the ARDS test prove your ability as a driver? i was told when i did mine 7 years ago that it was meant to be to see how well you took instruction and that the instructor would be happy to be on the same grid as you! well how does driving round in a rev limited road car using 2 gears give any idea of your ability on track in a race with 30 odd other drivers? precisely,it doesnt!

[Mr Jenks]

refoman2 said:

id love someone to actually question the legality of the MSA being able to demand everyone who wants to go racing has to have an ARDS or an ARKS test!

at the end of the day its just a 'want to go racing' tax. what happens on the day has no bearing on your ability to drive a race car at racing speed,in fact you could,if so inclined, go and do your ARDS in some crappy circuit focus,pass your ARDS and then the next day go and drive an old F1 car! so how exactly does the ARDS test prove your ability as a driver? i was told when i did mine 7 years ago that it was meant to be to see how well you took instruction and that the instructor would be happy to be on the same grid as you! well how does driving round in a rev limited road car using 2 gears give any idea of your ability on track in a race with 30 odd other drivers? precisely,it doesnt!

Someone upset you refo?
I see where you`re coming from with the driving ability thing, but thats only a part of it. Despite being a novice myself, I wouldn`t want to be on a circuit with 30 drivers who dont have a clue what the flags mean or have zero idea of lines and etiquette on track. I agree with the principle of the ARDS test but think it`s massively overpriced. Its bad enough on the road at times with some of the idiots who get a licence, or dont.

[NJH]

When I did my test it was a test day at Combe with all sorts of machinery mixing it in with us. Having one of them FF things take you on the brakes from about 100 foot + back, certainly focuses the mind. All of us got through though without any mishaps and in hindsight I wouldn't want to be on track with someone that can't drive safely on a test day mixed up with vastly faster (or slower) cars. The last thing anyone wants in a race is to be taken out by some idiot, hopefully the test should filter these ppl out.

[pie_boy69]

I can't help but feel that the MSA could make this cheaper, I could have bought my race suit and a new lid for what I have had to spend on getting my ARDS inc Travel.

The most gauling thing for me was paying for the go racing pack £59 for a form, as the video could be put on line and I have all the other documents from when I renewed my national B stage licence. To then find out that the price of your first licence is not included, unless you are under 16 is a bit annoying, I thought they aere supposed to be encouraging people to start racing, although I will no doubt find out that they use part of the money I pay to promote "Go Racing" or whatever the scheme is. How about issuing free licence to anyone with a car. then we can all go racing, any way got mine know, just have to save some more money for otther stuff before my first race.

[Graham]

Whilsts the expense of the ards, ards pack, medical and licence is a pita, if the cost is an issue, You'll not be racing for very long, its still less than the total cost of your first race. I suppose the bit that does grate the most is the cost of the ards pack, which as you say is for the blue book, ( which is on line and easier to use there) the video and the forms... but then the production of the video, did cost money to make.


I think there is a need for some sort of test to weed out the total muppets, and these days i doubt the msa would get insurance if they didnt do something like this..

[pie_boy69]

My Ards etc in total set me back £460, my race entries are £325 per round. I just think that £460 is too much for what it is, a test you can't fail (at least that is how it appeared on my day) and some laps round the track I think I did 6 laps in total, instructor was more than happy with my driving but that works out at nearly £40 a lap which is a money maker and a half in a road going Seat.
I think that the MSA should get involved and make it a one off fee, say £200 and you get your Ards (first one at least and your licence, I am sure that circuits would still run the course)

[refoman2]

pie_boy69 said:

My Ards etc in total set me back £460, my race entries are £325 per round. I just think that £460 is too much for what it is, a test you can't fail (at least that is how it appeared on my day) and some laps round the track I think I did 6 laps in total, instructor was more than happy with my driving but that works out at nearly £40 a lap which is a money maker and a half in a road going Seat.
I think that the MSA should get involved and make it a one off fee, say £200 and you get your Ards (first one at least and your licence, I am sure that circuits would still run the course)

the MSA are already involved with coming up with this TAX for a race licence anyway.mind you come to think of it when have the MSA ever actually done anything for grass roots competitors apart from rob them blind for a bit of plastic!