Motorsport? Racers get in here!

[Mr Burns]

So I've been doing trackdays on and off for about 10 years or so now, I'm not counting. As much as enjoy it I've come to a point where I'm just bored and need something new to do, a new challenge. At first I thought of quitting cars altogether but as much as I deny it I love cars, so I'm now thinking of competing at something so I've got something to focus on. The main issue as with most people is costs... I've got savings but I don't want to waste them when I should probably be doing something sensible like buying a house, but I really can't be arsed at the moment! This is what I've been considering...

Curbrough Sprint Championship
Good = Nice and local, already know everyone there, already a member and cheap to compete.
Bad = Nothing new, very expensive compared to just being a member and my MX-5 isn't competitive.

British Hillclimb Championship
Good = Don't need a massively modified car, get to travel to new venues, not massively expensive.
Bad = Very short amount of track time, expensive for what it is and maybe not exciting enough?

Single Venue Rallying
Good = Looks like great fun, I get to drive in a completely different way, I love rally cars.
Bad = Unknown costs, hard on the car, mechanical knowledge a must?

750 Motor Club Racing
Good = Proper racing, maximum excitement, lots of tracktime and adrenaline.
Bad = Need a trailer and tow car, possible money pit, mechanical knowledge essential?

Whatever I do there's a very good chance I'll be doing it on my tod, and I hate fixing cars! I have lots of mates who would help me but I don't want to depend on friends, especially as I can't expect them to show up and help at every venue! The rallying is the one that I'm most interested in but the one I know the least about!

 

[shiftspark]

If it was up to me I would do single venue rallies to keep event and on event costs down. You would need a trailer or could risk it without but risky and would hold you back incase of damage.
You would also have a codriver to help out so pick a good mechanical type and would share costs.
British hillclimbs iirc have top 12 runoffs which unless your in a big single seater get extra runs which used to piss me off no end !
Racing, lots of risk of someone punting you off on your 1st event or crash damage puts me off.
Why is Curbrough champ expensive ?

 

[antnee]

If you don't like being on the spanners, forget trying to do it cheaply. Pay for a seat in a team.

Civic Cup - £1600 for a weekend http://areamotorsport.co.uk/racecarhire/

 

[Mr Burns]

If it was up to me I would do single venue rallies to keep event and on event costs down. You would need a trailer or could risk it without but risky and would hold you back incase of damage.
You would also have a codriver to help out so pick a good mechanical type and would share costs.
British hillclimbs iirc have top 12 runoffs which unless your in a big single seater get extra runs which used to piss me off no end !
Racing, lots of risk of someone punting you off on your 1st event or crash damage puts me off.
Why is Curbrough champ expensive ?

Great reply, thanks!
Curborough isn't expensive, just expensive to compete compared to just being a member... Members get to use the circuit for £27 a year which is stupidly cheap. Obviously you know the costs of sprinting/hillclimbs.

 

[Mr Burns]

If you don't like being on the spanners, forget trying to do it cheaply. Pay for a seat in a team.

Civic Cup - £1600 for a weekend http://areamotorsport.co.uk/racecarhire/

This is something else I've considered, but £1600 for one weekend isn't cheap! I'd have to work out what the actual costs are and compare them... One of the downsides of arrive and drive is they usually charge extra if you break anything, and if you crash hard you're up sh*t creek lol.

 

[antnee]

Rough prices, entry £300, tyres £600, brakes, £100, fuel £80, man spannering £100, transporting car to track £100, trailer hire £150, etc

 

[Advikaz]

Motorsport isn't cheap

 

[jonno_c]

Get an enduro bike and start doing some hare and hounds events. That should keep you fit!

 

[Mr Burns]

Get an enduro bike and start doing some hare and hounds events. That should keep you fit!

I can't ride a motorbike, but I can backflip on a BMX. I've no desire to attach an engine at this point in my life.

 

[jonno_c]

I can't ride a motorbike, but I can backflip on a BMX. I've no desire to attach an engine at rig point in my life.

Cheaper than car racing mate! Try it, you might like it ; )

 

[realnumber 1]

I can't ride a motorbike, but I can backflip on a BMX. I've no desire to attach an engine at this point in my life.

What about getting into mountain biking? You've a decent place on your doorstep then head to Wales when you can and/or do 1 or 2 road trips to the Alps in the summer. Works as a great road trip and epic downhill riding at a fraction of the cost of motorsport...

 

[Mr Burns]

What about getting into mountain biking? You've a decent place on your doorstep then head to Wales when you can and/or do 1 or 2 road trips to the Alps in the summer. Works as a great road trip and epic downhill riding at a fraction of the cost of motorsport...

I do occasionally go mountain biking but I'd rather ride my BMX... Stick to what you know etc etc lol.

 

[Adam G]

Having done both circuit and hillclimbs, I'm concentrating on the hills next year. Competing in Roadgoing, I drive to the events and am setup and ready within 15 minutes of arriving. There are plenty of others there who would be happy to help if you had an issue. My skills stop at general servicing but that doesn't stop me. Yes it's expensive for seat time compared to others but not that bad over a season. I look at it, that the cost to contend the whole championship, is about the same as 3 circuit races. Also you can spectate a lot better inbetween your runs and watching the top twelve runoff, is a big part of the weekend, doesn't bother me that they get another run. Super friendly and cheap to start out.

 

[SnappyChariot]

Having done both circuit and hillclimbs, I'm concentrating on the hills next year. Competing in Roadgoing, I drive to the events and am setup and ready within 15 minutes of arriving. There are plenty of others there who would be happy to help if you had an issue. My skills stop at general servicing but that doesn't stop me. Yes it's expensive for seat time compared to others but not that bad over a season. I look at it, that the cost to contend the whole championship, is about the same as 3 circuit races. Also you can spectate a lot better inbetween your runs and watching the top twelve runoff, is a big part of the weekend, doesn't bother me that they get another run. Super friendly and cheap to start out.

This is what I've been doing for the last couple of years, never going to win the class but have settled into a 'best of the rest' group where our times are always close and we have great banter as a result. First season was expensive due to having to buy car, helmet, overalls, etc. But now no more expensive than many other 'hobbies' (have you seen the cost of bicycles these days )

 

[Adam G]

^ Yes and can compete against yourself to improve your times.

 

[McGherkin]

The problem with hillclimbs and to a lesser extent sprints, is the pitiful value vs. Seat time. In fact, when we were running the Westie, it worked out that we were spending more per minute of track time than the average F1 team. No joke.


I'd thoroughly recommend autosolos. They are somewhere between an autotest and a sprint, similar to what americans call Autocross. It's a coned out course but the aim is for it to be flowing, with no handbrake turns, reversing or stopping. Entry costs are very cheap too, there's no need for a license or PPE, and you get a lot more seat time than a sprint.

 

[Mr Burns]

Curborough do Autosolos, they look like epic fun and very tricky! Is there an Autosolo series?

How many hillclimb series are there? My ideal car would be an MX-5, although maybe not the one I have at the moment.

 

[SnappyChariot]

There are numerous hillclimb series, most venues have their own championship, there are regional championships, e.g. Midland/ASWMC, as well as national i.e. British/Leaders.

The MX5 (MkI/II) is a great car, some clubs have their own distinct championship for them (e.g. Gurston- where I compete - and Bristol I believe). Bristol are also considering a Clio-only class for next year.

Worth popping over to the UphillRacers forum to join the discussion over there.

 

[McGherkin]

Curborough do Autosolos, they look like epic fun and very tricky! Is there an Autosolo series?

Yeah, like most things there's autosolo championships. For example ASWMC have an autosolo series.

Here's a mate autosoloing at Kemble, to give you an idea.

 

[imprezaworks]

Video set to private mate

 

[McGherkin]

So it is, no idea why. Fixed.

 

[shiftspark]

I would love to run an MX5 but unless your near one of the mentioned club series they are seriously out classed in the 1400-2000 sports car class.

 

[Adam G]

As far as hillclimbs. Local choice would be the New Barn B Licence Championship for your first year. (google Prescott Hillclimb) Which generally runs alongside our Midland Hillclimb Championship so you'd be at Prescott, Shelsley Walsh, Loton Park and one event at Gurston Down I think, which would be the only trek. You'd need to upgrade, to a Speed A licence after getting enough signatures on your upgrade card to join us in the MHC. The B licence is for newcomers. You could also just join the Midland Automobile Club (Shelsley Walsh's Club) and do their events which include sprints at Curborough and others such as MIRA. I'd just look at the websites and see what suits mate. Other local option maybe Nottingham Sports Car Club Championship.

 

[Mr Burns]

I guess now all I have to decide is which series to compete in and whether to use my MX-5 or buy something else...

 

[McGherkin]

The fact I've just bought an MX5 should tell you how fun they are for the sort of stuff I've mentioned, although as above there are better cars if you want to win.

 

[Mr Burns]

I know how fun they are, I've owned two and half my mates own one lol. It's just that in the 1600 to 2000 road going categories the Clio's and Fiesta's reign supreme, or at least they do at Curborough. Joining an exclusive MX-5 league would solve that, but I may have to buy a faster MX-5 lol.

 

[imprezaworks]

The mx5 class would be excellent fun.

 

[McGherkin]

I know how fun they are, I've owned two and half my mates own one lol. It's just that in the 1600 to 2000 road going categories the Clio's and Fiesta's reign supreme, or at least they do at Curborough. Joining an exclusive MX-5 league would solve that, but I may have to buy a faster MX-5 lol.

I know the HSA speed championship has an MX5 class, A2.1, which is what my car is in, running 4th in the class, 20th in the championship under the last owner.

 

[C l a r k e y]

When I was thinking about racing, I asked a friends friend who raced for some advise.
He said " I hope you have deep pockets"

 

[Mr Burns]

I do have deep pockets, but only because I'm a saver. I've no intentions of emptying my account for racecar funds lol. I'm going to do some investigating as I'm not keen on driving in an 'unmodified' class.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Targa rallies could be an option? Somewhere between an autosolo and a road rally.

Start getting into racing and stage rallying and it costs a fortune.

Javelin Track Days run their own sprint series.

 

[Mr Burns]

So I've been doing my research and have eliminated hillclimbing due to expense vs seat time, so that's that out. My friends who rally confirm that it's costing them a fortune so that's that out too. Another friend recommended an autotest championship which I thought might be awesome fun, but after googling it just looks way too slow and mostly done in carparks etc... Sod that lol. So I'm liking the idea of road rallies and perhaps a targa rally, although I haven't found any useful info yet @massivewangers ?

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

So I've been doing my research and have eliminated hillclimbing due to expense vs seat time, so that's that out. My friends who rally confirm that it's costing them a fortune so that's that out too. Another friend recommended an autotest championship which I thought might be awesome fun, but after googling it just looks way too slow and mostly done in carparks etc... Sod that lol. So I'm liking the idea of road rallies and perhaps a targa rally, although I haven't found any useful info yet @massivewangers ?

I know these guys are a bit out of the way, but Chelmsford Motor Club have got into targa rallies in a big way. There is some info here: http://chelmsfordmc.co.uk/node/3711

Worth looking for motor clubs in your area to see if they are running anything similar.

 

[shiftspark]

How about toyota sprint series who have an open class and generally get 1/2 practice and 8 timed runs then more runs if there is time left.
No Msa safety gear except covered arms and a helmet similar to a track day.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I went had a look at this over the weekend, looks alright if you want a relatively cheap way to try your hand at competitive driving: http://www.javelinsprintdays.co.uk/JTSS/