Racing Query...

[Lauren87]

Hey Guys,

Was wondering if you could help me, i recently bout a Radical SR3 1300cc, i would love to get into racing, but most of the information on the radical website suggests i'd need a 1500cc to enter into the majority of the classes. Is there any classes i could race the 1300cc in? if so what is that class called?
Would it be better if i upgraded the engine to a 1500cc?

Thank you!

Lauren

[nick997]

If Bikesports (750MC) runs next year you can race in that, BESCR too. SEMSEC down at Lydden will also be an option and MSVR do some irregular rounds that you would be fine in. Not sure about the official Radical series but I'm sure someone will be able to answer that for you.

Good luck with the car, have you driven it yet?

[Lauren87]

Thank you!! Will look into those classes. Yeah driven it a couple of times, want to get some more track days in before the weather turns rubbish!

[nick997]

Some of the Radical Owners Club guys are up at Rockingham track day (BaT) on Sunday 1st November, I bet Splitpin or Will be along in a matter of minutes to invite you along to the day and the club. Should be a good place to chat race series if you can get along there with or without your car.

Edited by nick997 on Tuesday 13th October 20:45

[SportsLibre]

Can't do do track days, no reverse, no mirrors, no talent....

As the speed season is over I hope to drive down and visit though.

Angus

[RobC]

Combe GT's as well. Plenty of choice out there to be honest these days.

[Willbee]

Lauren87 said:

Thank you!! Will look into those classes. Yeah driven it a couple of times, want to get some more track days in before the weather turns rubbish!

Hi Lauren87,

Great to hear you've bought yourself a Radical! As Nick has kindly pointed out, the Radical Owners Club will be at Rockingham on the 1st November for a Trackday outing. It is an ideal chance to come and get some tracktime in the car, run with other Radicals and to answer some of your racing questions. Drop me an email on [e-mail] and I'd be happy to give you more details about Rockingham and get you signed up to the Radical Owners Club (FOC).

Will
Club Founder
Radical Owners Club

[splitpin]

SportsLibre said:

Can't do do track days, no reverse, no mirrors, no talent....

As the speed season is over I hope to drive down and visit though.

Angus

No reverse is not an issue.

No talent is a complete fib ............. as proven by a very very close second to LCM as Class 4A Champ in the MSC.

Buy some mirrors

No more excuses (but if all else fails hope you do manage just to pop along - it'll be great to see you)

[barryv12]

Hi having hadan sr3 with a 1300 i am afraid it is to heavy for racing. you definately need a 1500 engine and i just happen tohave a brand new one for sale

[SportsLibre]

OK, still have the old mirrors in a box, too scared to drive in traffic on Track day.

In Speed events you don't get involved in someone else's accident...

Anyway my tyres would be ruined after a couple of laps

Edited by SportsLibre on Tuesday 13th October 23:32

Edited by SportsLibre on Tuesday 13th October 23:35

[nick997]

barryv12 said:

Hi having hadan sr3 with a 1300 i am afraid it is to heavy for racing. you definately need a 1500 engine and i just happen tohave a brand new one for sale

Lauren, IMHO it depends on what you want from your racing and what level you are at now. If you want to go out and race in the Radical official series and beat everybody then Barry is right, if you just want to race your Radical against similar cars and get a battle somewhere up or down the grid then the 1300 will let you do that. Bikesports is actually limited to 1300 max capacity.

But don't let me stop you buying Barry's motor

[splitpin]

Likewise, don't want to frustrate Barry selling his 1500 ( ), but I'm 100% with Nick on this.

As a newbie, the 1300 SR3 will be more than sufficient for you to develop your skills to a high level and can then form a good basis for evolution should you wish and as and when you can use it.

Let's be clear on this; there ain't no such thing as a slow Radical - back in Jan 07 (meaning not long ago), an apparently lowly 1300 SR3 was the quickest around Bedford in an Evo Group Test ("Fastest Ever Track Test"), comfortably quicker and "making mincemeat" out of kit like Cat 500 Evo, Supercharged Atom, Macca F1, Enzo etc.

DSL (IMHO The Man to watch in next year's RCC) put it rather well in an email to me the other day (hope you don't mind Darren), to the effect that trophies are nice, but what really matters is that you have to be happy with your own efforts, to do it for your own satisfaction. More 100% Advice.

Go Forward, Make Steady Progress and Enjoy The Journey

Edited by splitpin on Wednesday 14th October 23:43

[double d racing]

I support Splitpin......fat old bloke with bigger engine ( me ) still has lots of trouble with really old bloke, with smaller engine ( Hamlet )...
Lauren if you or anybody wants to go racing just PLEASE do it....only when you have some races under your belt can you then make decisions as to whether you want to race.......are getting the most out of yourself...need a faster car/bigger engine etc. Look on it as a longer term plan where you and the car can develop over time...
Talking about it, watching it, doing it on X box ( or whatever contraptions are used these days ) is absolutely no comparison to actually doing it...
David
91

[Willbee]

double d racing said:

I support Splitpin......fat old bloke with bigger engine ( me ) still has lots of trouble with really old bloke, with smaller engine ( Hamlet )...
Lauren if you or anybody wants to go racing just PLEASE do it....only when you have some races under your belt can you then make decisions as to whether you want to race.......are getting the most out of yourself...need a faster car/bigger engine etc. Look on it as a longer term plan where you and the car can develop over time...
Talking about it, watching it, doing it on X box ( or whatever contraptions are used these days ) is absolutely no comparison to actually doing it...
David
91

Less of the old fat bloke David, you still managed to fit in the passenger seat of an SR4 with me!

I'd agree with the comments expressed by others to say that your 1300 SR3 is still a very capable car built for purpose with lots of performance to explore. It's all relative! OK you are not going to out run an SR8 in the hands of Derek J, Rob W, Roger B etc or a PR6 in the hands of any number of Radical Championship front runners but you will undoubtedly still be able to push yourself ever closer to the cars capabilities in time.

I'm on the brink of making the plunge into racing to mix it with the 'big boys' (and I'm not calling anyone fat). I would be happy in any car as long as it has the word Radical on the side.

[Lauren87]

Thanks for all your feedback guys i really do appreciate it.....you've all given me ALOT to think about!! Just gonna go ponder at whats the best thing to do now!....wish i'd known all this before i bought the 1300 haha oh well! I've emailed radical a couple of times and never heard anything back, so thank you guys for your responses...v helpful!!

Will unfortunately i can't do that day, but i'd love to come along to any other days that you guys are doing Haven't seen any other radicals on any of the track days i've been on yet!!!

What radicals do you guys have? Are any of you racing?

[splitpin]

Lauren

1) Join ROC: Contact Will via [e-mail]
2) Don't ponder (what you've bought is just fine), get in some track time asap with other Radicals (Will can direct - where the heck are you doing trackdays, if there's no Radicals around?)
3) ROC has all kinds of Members (racers, sprinters, hillclimbers, trackdayers) including most of the Top Drivers in their respective disciplines.

Hope to see you soon; sorry you can't make Rockingham on 1 Nov 09, but at least a couple of us will be at Bedford on Monday 9 Nov 09 if that's any good. Come play soon!

[Simon T]

IMHO.Get racing as soon as you can

You can race anything but as racing is about trying to be quicker than those you are racing with (otherwise why bother - do track days instead)

This will probably start a riot but I think you need to go in to it with your eyes open

A 1300 SR3 will have a much lower power to weight ratio than a 1300 Prosport, PR6 or SR4 so be prepared to want a 1500 after a few races when you work how to pedal it and keep getting passed by other cars in your class.

You should build the upgrade in to your budget, it's a straight swap and 1500s come up pretty frequently (and no I'm not recommending this because Barry has one for sale)

Drop me a mail if you want anymore info, help or advice


Simon

www.tillingmotorsport.com

[barryv12]

well said simon speed is relative. though a radical is a bloody quick car if everyone around you is 2mph quicker you might as well stay in bed.

[splitpin]

Agree with Simon that if budget allows, then allow for upgrading to a 1475; if it doesn't (and it probably won't? - converting to a stroker is a big amount of money - which is why Barry is looking for £9.5K for his?), then don't worry about it: take what you've got, get some pounding lap after lap track time, get some tuition, go race in something like a few of the tumbleweed 750MC etc grids, then take it from there.

The reality is that not everyone will be two seconds a lap quicker, not if you've developed some talent. As in any mixed engine size one make series, this year's RCC Results are well peppered with evidence of people who should be slower going quicker than those in the same car with a bigger engine.

Set off in that 1300 SR3 and in a couple of years or so time, if you've got what it takes, you could be RCC Champ, don't doubt it for a minute.

[Lauren87]

Haha i love how there hasn't been any women driver jokes Good that there are some classes i can race in with the 1300cc, ideally i would like to upgrade to the 1500cc but after shelling out the money for the radical, the funds are lacking!