Newbie ARDS question

[trickyricky308]

Hi there, i'm new to the forum so i'm not sure if this is the place to post this but i hope you can help. Last year i bought my 'Go Racing' pack from the MSA, so all the forms etc have 2010 on them. Finally getting round to booking the test and wasnt sure if i have to buy the pack again to get all the 2011 stuff? Also was wondering if anyone has done the full day ARDS at Silverstone, it's quite expensive (£400!) but it looks like you get a lot of track time/instruction for the money. Does anyone who knows about it think its worth it?
Thanks in advance and hi!
Rick

[Tim Falce]

Hi Rick
Welcome to Ten tenths and the post is fine here. You can use your 2010 pack this year. Depending on how much track time you get and how much time you actually want will help you decide if it's VFM or not.

Personally I'd recommend Mallory for your ARDS as they are a very friendly bunch there. When you do the driving part of the test you are expected to show good car control and the main thing is good observation, they're not worried about race skill or trying to impress.
Good luck with it.

[morninggents]

I too would recommend Mallory Park. It's a simpler circuit than Silverstone and being short and reasonably quick you get more laps for your money and, therefore, more chance to learn the circuit.

I went along when both my son and stepson took their ARDS at Mallory and Donington and the Mallory day certainly looked better value for money.

[whaletail]

Regarding the ARDS test, I would say that as long as you do not drive like an idiot you will pass the practical part easily, speed is absolutely not an issue. You just have to be aware of cars around you.

The written part is all about the flags, I cannot stress enough that you must learn all the flags, particularly paying attention to the difference between a stationary and a waved flag. This is in addition to a few common sense questions about safety equipment.

Good Luck!

PS. I did my test at Brands Indy, £250 not including any tuition you might want beforehand. The examiners there were all really friendly.

[pete21]

Hi Rick, give Everyman racing a call they are the ARDS test people at Mallory, you will be looked after with them. As already mentioned you are not put under pressure, not looking for out & out speed just your overall ability. They also do ARDS tests at Prestwold where they have a purpose built 1.8 mile circuit. Call Kate smith on 01455849084 or e mail Kate@everymanracing.co.uk

[trickyricky308]

Hi guys, thanks for all the advice, I eventually decided to go with the Silverstone course as i'm looking set to be doing three races there this year and i think a bit of time at the track will be helpful! I'd heard Mallory was good but the series i'm going for doesn't go there so i decided to get a licence and some practice at the same time. Now i just need to get learning the flags before march 18th!! Once again thanks for the advice!
Rick

[jimmyRF87]

Good choice. That's where i did mine, was an awesome day, ended up doing the whole day as had zero experience before, but was well worth it as got plenty of track time in a Lotus Elise, and some fun in a Caterham in the car park. Was on the Stowe circuit but may have all changed now with the new layout. Although seems expensive for one day, I justified it to myself by comparing how much you'd have to spend to do a Ferrari/Lotus etc (or similar) experience day where you get 3 restricted laps and nothing else for your dosh

[Stuart H]

What championship are you planning to race in Rick?

[trickyricky308]

Hi there, the championship i'm looking to race in is called the Pirelli Ferrari Formula Classic, bit of a mouthful i know. Its a championship for almost standard v8 Ferraris from the 70s and 80s. I know its a bit of a big thing for my first racing but they say 'race what you know' and I work in a small Ferrari garage so i have all the tools, knowledge etc for prepping the car! The car is a 1979 Ferrari 308 GT4 that is significantly knackered, lots of welding and rust repair to do before the first race!! What do you race?

[Stuart H]

I'm racing a Citroen Saxo. Ive switched from stock hatch to the brscc's euro sports & saloons.

[trickyricky308]

Ah nice! Is that the one in your profile picture? What are those championships like? A friend of mine is looking to compete a saxo or similar in a hatch series.

[trickyricky308]

Just wanted to say i passed! Hundred percent on the written too! Really good day and i would highly recommend it to anyone who hasnt taken the plunge yet!

[Tim Falce]

Congratulations Ricky, when will you be out racing?

[Stuart H]

Originally Posted by trickyricky308

Ah nice! Is that the one in your profile picture? What are those championships like? A friend of mine is looking to compete a saxo or similar in a hatch series.

Its a simalar one to the one i race.
There not bad!!
Ive been rather out priced in stock hatch - the ecu's are changing - I cant afford to put a new ecu in! :'(

[trickyricky308]

Originally Posted by Stuart H

Its a simalar one to the one i race.
There not bad!!
Ive been rather out priced in stock hatch - the ecu's are changing - I cant afford to put a new ecu in! :'(

Ah man that's bad, how much are the ECUs??

And Tim i'm hoping to get to the first round at Silverstone on 30th April but the progress the car is making is painfully slow, the chances of getting it finished and tested before then are looking slim at the moment! The next round after that is May 28 at Donington.

[Stuart H]

Ive heard rumors: you wont get much change out of 2k!! :/
the new ecu regs wont come in till 2012!!

What sort of car is your friend planning to race??

[trickyricky308]

Wow that's steep! I'm glad I'm racing an old car without electronic things!
Ah at least you have another year of racing before you need it then?

He was looking at either Saxmax or one of the various Stock Hatch series around, essentially as low cost racing as he could find. I suggested the Porsche 924 championship as it was what I was originally looking at and seemed pretty cheap, I can't say that I know a lot about it though.

[Stuart H]

Saxmax is the 750 motor clubs jounior championship. Think the age cut of is 16 but if you turn 17 and your still racing in saxmax you can stay in the championship till the end of the season.

I know of a couple of drivers that have there saxmax cars up for grabs!!

[trickyricky308]

Ah fair enough, i didnt know it was a junior championship, my mate is in his twenties so i think he'll probably go for stock hatch or similar.

[Stuart H]

Failing that there's always the brscc euro saloons!!

[Bomber604]

Or the Golf Gti Championship.

All Mk2 Golfs, classes for 8v & 16v cars. Very strict regs to keep costs down.

You can get a car on track for as little as £2500 & Build a winner for around £6k

It's as cheap as proper circuit racing gets!

www.golfgti-racing.co.uk

[Stuart H]

Think the golfs are going to be even cheaper than Stock hatch next year!!