Historic Racing -Why did you start?

[terence]

Maybe time for something like this to be opened judging by the various thoughts from other threads:

Personally,I started Historics after building/restoring other peoples cars and them telling me it was much friendlier than other things I'd grown used to.
How about you?



Sorry,any mods out there,this was supposed to be in Historic Racing,can it be moved please.

[LYNX]

I started because I thought "Why should my husband have all the fun". He then discovered it's more harrowing on the pit wall waiting for the car to come round than actual driving!

[terence]

I suppose you are not alone in those thoughts Jill,I have heard the same from quite a few wives.


Thanks Mod's.

[Podd37]

I started in Historics because after racing (if thats the right word for a spectacular lack of wins.!) moderns for years I got a yearning to drive cars that I used to see racing as a kid. And they are soo much easier to maintain than a modern 'electronic' car, I dont have to visit a body shop after every event and it is definitely friendlier. There is also the attraction of bieng able to race at more interesting circuits as most Historic series travel further afield than one makers.

[midgetman]

When I started racing my car it was a modern....I kept racing so now it's historic!

[simon drabble]

Terry - I am intrigued..what had you "grown used to".... sounds like seesions in the correction chamber!
In my case by the time I could afford it I was too old for current and all my mates who had done current when we were much younger were either doing historics or had got it out of their system!

[DAVID PATERSON]

When i first entered the sport at the age of 19, none of the historic classes interested me, all of them had a cut-off date which preceded my birth by several years, so i didn't relate to any of the cars, i didn't even know what most of them were.

So, i went into moderns. However, because i was so short of money, i bought a car that was very old, nearly as old as me in fact. By the time i was 25, a new historic category had been created, for which my car was eligible, just! An old bloke from the Historic movement approached me and convinced me to move across. I've been a keen historic racer ever since.

There is a tremendous friendliness and camaraderie in historics and it is more laid back and more fun. I also like competing against people who don't have commercial sponsorship, because i don't have it either.

[Andrea Lazzari]

I've started because I've always been in love with... Jim Clark, and the 60'.
Modern cars means mainly nothing to me, they don't have the "taste", the shape, the sound and the soul of an historic.
I don't like perfect machinery but a car that you must interpret, that you own because means something to you, because you take care of "her", because there's a history behind, and because you only know the tricks to switch on the engine... and many others.
And also because historic is the only "car racing place" where after a battle you laught with your rival, everyone try to help each other, and at the end of the day a beer all together is welcome!

[Al Weyman]

Like Midgetman, when I first built my 1970's Camaro it too was quite modern, mothballed it for years then revamped it to Historic spec, well CTRCC Historic spec. ;-)

[zefarelly]

my daily drive and my race car are my favourite car, before the racing I spannered on the same type of car, before that I had a Cortina as a road car, my first car was a Cortina, before that its was Lambrettas (still got them)

I've always liked the idea of getting more than your supposed to get out of something, a Lambretta doing 100mph, a Cortina GT beating a Lotus ( occaisionally!) a tin top beating a sports car etc etc, its a challenge and its fun, its affordable, you can do it yourself

Moderns never entered consideration.

[john ruston]

Next thread is why did you stop?

[delta]

Over the past 30 years i have been with 750 Motor Club to running cars with TOCA.I dont know why we ended up running cars in historics but i think having so much fun might have something to do with it. And i dont have any plans to stop.

[terence]

I'll go along with that Iain.!!

[simon drabble]

prepping for historic punters is driven more by relationship than result as the punter is indulging with his own cash rather than relying on sponsorship so unless you have a front running team in current stuff, historics make for a more rewarding business.

[zefarelly]

historics is a hobby, despite what some people think. and despite the fact people turn it into a source of income, and some a business, the sport itself is a hobby.

I enjoy it, immensly, despite the frustrations, and challenges of both cars and my driving ability! I'm always learning something new.

I don't think I'd get half the above If I went and did something modern, and on my budget I'd be in a **** car!

[delta]

Your right about hobbies. Radio 5 did a program on people who have made their hobby into work and i was interviewed at Cadwell Park. At the end of the program which went on air on a Monday night at around 11 30 " i think it was only my Dad who listened " Anyway we all said the same thing "we have lost our hobbies". Lucky for me that i love my work.!!!!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by midgetman

When I started racing my car it was a modern....I kept racing so now it's historic!

Exactly. I brought a new Anglia bodyshell that I turned into a Hot Rod all those years ago !

[Derwent Motorsp]

I went to races as a kid when cars were either red or green! I've been involved in motorsport ever since as a competitor and organiser but only now as a race driver with a FIA MG B in the excellent GTS series. I've done every other type of motorsport but racing at this level is far cheaper than even club rallying. I wish I could have done it when I was younger.

[James Murray]

Like most of the drivers in historics under 30 I drifted into it because my dad did it and had a car I could drive but I was only allowed to have a go once I passed my exams!

Currently apart from a few categeories such as hff the price of the cars in historics makes it prohibitive for most of theunder 30's and I guess thats why they go modern club racing or do something else entirely.

[p261brm]

As Mr. Ruston so aptly puts it; 'retired roaming', or so I thought! seemed a slower way of life to the hustle and bussle of the 'modern' way I retired from; not so sure sometimes about certain aspects or the antics of some both in preparation and driving in the 'historic' scene, beats waiting to die in font of the box though.

[Racer 35]

For my part, I never had the money to go racing when I was young, and finally got into a position in my mid thirties when racing looked financially possible. At first I was going to get a modern car, but having been a member of the Goodwood Supporters Club, then attending the first Revival, my mind was altered for ever.
The historics looked nicer, the people were friendlier, the mixture of cars, capabilities, sideways angles... etc looked much more fun.
So, for my 35th birthday I got a 1960 TVR Grantura, joined the HSCC, and have been having huge fun for the past 8 years. Sadly the past 2 years have seen business commitments take over a little, but '09 will see me back on track more regularly
I don't think I'd have done half the amazing events I've done, or raced half the wonderful tracks that I have if I'd gone with a modern car. To have raced Spa at dusk, sharing the track with famous drivers, and multi-million pound cars is an experience that could not be beaten.

[Peter Mallett]

Are you at spa this year?

[zefarelly]

good point racer 35, theres a guy with a lock up in our pound who has a newish FF and he can't understand why he races on all the Michael Rodent circuits when we get to do GP circuits and proper do's

we do pay twice as much for the pleasure usually though!

[Racer 35]

Sadly no Spa this year, and I'll miss it greatly... the beer, the frites, the moules, the hot waters..... oh yes, and not a bad bit of track to play on too
Next year, next year............

[simon drabble]

sadly that was me last year and I ended up updating the race through internet and got quite hooked - this year it looks like lady luck has been kinder....