Getting Started - which series

[MisterT]

Hello all,

I'm hoping to start racing in 2010, spending this year preparing (taking the test, getting some practice, going to races and talking to people, sorting a car, etc.). However, I'm still undecided as to which series to compete in (maybe it's too early to be thinking about that?)

Anyway, my requirements are:
- cheap, both initial cost of car and entry fees/running costs/etc. This also includes not having to spend ££ to win
- close racing (although obviously it will be my first season so I'll be at the back )
- preferably as many races as possible up North (I'm based N Manchester)

So far I've been looking at the BRSCC Ford XR Challenge and the 750MC Golf GTi series. I was leaning toward the XR Challenge but it appears that lots of people are peed off with the BRSCC Ford series (although I don't think the XRs specifically).

So, I'd appreciate any thoughts, observations, anything at all really. I plan on going to a few races this year, but I'd like to concentrate on the series that I'm eventually hoping to compete in (Global Financial Crisis permitting of course!)

Thanks.

[chezza]

One suggestion I'd have is the BARC NW sports and saloons, although there can be some quite exotic and powerful cars in there.

[djinvicta]

How great to see a new addition and someone who will be racing post "credit crunch", prepared to pay the increases in race fees at circuits some of us are going to boycott. Life does go on. Good luck mate, go for it.......

[MisterT]

Originally Posted by chezza

One suggestion I'd have is the BARC NW sports and saloons, although there can be some quite exotic and powerful cars in there.

Yeah, I had looked at that and it does seem to be a cheap option in terms of entry fees (and no registration fee). But the cars there do look way more modified than I would be capable of, so I guess the one-make series (with fairly standard spec cars) look a bit more appealing to me.

Originally Posted by djinvicta

How great to see a new addition and someone who will be racing post "credit crunch", prepared to pay the increases in race fees at circuits some of us are going to boycott. Life does go on. Good luck mate, go for it.......

I can't work out if that was encouragement or sarcasm .
Have the race fees gone up that much? Having never raced before I don't know.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by MisterT

I can't work out if that was encouragement or sarcasm .
Have the race fees gone up that much? Having never raced before I don't know.

You never know with dji so maybe best to ignore it. Yes the race entry fees have gone up but I am not sure if it's excessively or not. My first race at Brands in 2001 was £145, the same race in 2008 would have been £195 to £210 so how does that compare to everything else?
Although circuit hire has gone up considerably a lot of it depends on how the clubs manage their finances and how many cars they get to fill the grids.
It's all a case of you pay your money and take your choice, or sommat like that, but whichever way you look at it racing isn't cheap.

[djinvicta]

Sorry mate; No, no sarcasm. Living near Lydden Hill and looking at postings etc it was meant in the best possible taste.. Good luck, I can just see a lot of normal clubbies easing back on racing during the current climate.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Sorry mate; No, no sarcasm. Living near Lydden Hill and looking at postings etc it was meant in the best possible taste.. Good luck, I can just see a lot of normal clubbies easing back on racing during the current climate.

Well Lydden seems to have gone silly in the last few years, my frst race there was £125 for a double header, last year I paid £220 for the same amount of time, and didn't even get the second race due to snow and that was with the 750 club, BRSCC or BARC was dearer IIRC.

[chezza]

If you'd have raced with DMN it was £150 for practice and two races...but we're getting a little off topic here.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by chezza

If you'd have raced with DMN it was £150 for practice and two races...but we're getting a little off topic here.

Yes but i don't have a car that is eligible so I can only comment on my circumstances.

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Sorry mate; No, no sarcasm. Living near Lydden Hill and looking at postings etc it was meant in the best possible taste.. Good luck, I can just see a lot of normal clubbies easing back on racing during the current climate.

Sorry I got the wrong idea. Agreed on the cutting back due to the current climate but for those of us that still have a job, well me in particular, I'll be cutting back because it's getting too dammed expensive.
As I think I have said elsewhere, when I started racing I said to someone that there are a hell of a lot of novices out racing. The reply was along the lines of yes, they don't realise the true cost of racing and a lot of the old hands have given up because it is too expensive, that was 8 years ago.
So as one lot give up there will always be the newbies who don't know any different and accept the current costs as the norm.
sorry for the hijack

[djinvicta]

Tim; PM explains. If a youngster wishes to start racing, thats racings future; Good luck. I think they will all realise after the first year; it aint cheap! Live the dream and try to carry on! No sarcasm, its been in my blood since 1955.

[MisterT]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Tim; PM explains. If a youngster wishes to start racing, thats racings future; Good luck. I think they will all realise after the first year; it aint cheap! Live the dream and try to carry on! No sarcasm, its been in my blood since 1955.

Ha, I wouldn't exactly call myself a youngster

Thanks all for the messages re cost - I appreciate it's going to be expensive, regardless of where I would race but it's something I've wanted to do for years and even if I only get one season out of it I'd still like to give it a try.

So, to try to drag it back onto the original question... any thoughts on which series I should look at?

[flying muppet]

MisterT,

I was in the same situation as you this time last year; I also looked at the XR series (I live half an hour south of Oulton) but I plumped for the 750MC GTI championship instead - and I would thoroughly recommend it; had a great time.

Drop me a PM if you would like more details, etc.

FM

[Copperbottom]

IF you were prepared to travel down south you wouldn't go far wrong with the BARCSE tip tops;limited mods, road tyres, a very good class structure meaning you could use any saloon car you want and cheapish entry fees = good fun at a lowish cost compared to some other series.

[andy97]

Mister T, have a look at the CSCC's Tin Tops series - 30 min practice & 40 min races for one or two drivers, so you can share a car (and costs) if you want or just get plenty of track time for your money. It's a series for saloons & hatches of any age & its class based. I reckon it has one of the best, if not THE best, track time per £ in UK club racing. There are plenty of cheap(ish) cars running in the series - XR2, Fiat Uno, Alfa 33, etc etc so ideal for the sort of requirements you have outlined.

The series runs all over the UK but has rounds at Anglesey, Oulton, Mallory & Silverstone so you should be able to get to those OK. You could even run in one of the other series that you have mentioned and also do a few races with the CSCC.

[S14GJC]

Originally Posted by MisterT

Hello all,

I'm hoping to start racing in 2010, spending this year preparing (taking the test, getting some practice, going to races and talking to people, sorting a car, etc.). However, I'm still undecided as to which series to compete in (maybe it's too early to be thinking about that?)

Anyway, my requirements are:
- cheap, both initial cost of car and entry fees/running costs/etc. This also includes not having to spend ££ to win
- close racing (although obviously it will be my first season so I'll be at the back )
- preferably as many races as possible up North (I'm based N Manchester)

So far I've been looking at the BRSCC Ford XR Challenge and the 750MC Golf GTi series. I was leaning toward the XR Challenge but it appears that lots of people are peed off with the BRSCC Ford series (although I don't think the XRs specifically).

So, I'd appreciate any thoughts, observations, anything at all really. I plan on going to a few races this year, but I'd like to concentrate on the series that I'm eventually hoping to compete in (Global Financial Crisis permitting of course!)

Thanks.

Speak to the guys at the Classic Sports Car Club, great guys, great racing at good circuits such as full length OUlton Park and affordable!

[graeme]

Originally Posted by MisterT

Yeah, I had looked at that and it does seem to be a cheap option in terms of entry fees (and no registration fee). But the cars there do look way more modified than I would be capable of, so I guess the one-make series (with fairly standard spec cars) look a bit more appealing to me.

I ran a bog-standard 100bhp Caterham reasonably competively in NW s&s a few years ago - an unmodfied, say, 150bhp Caterham would be up in the front of the field (couldn't change mine as its from a one-make series).

All everyone does here is promote the series they race in so not to be left out, can I suggest Caterham Graduates? Cars are more expensive than in some of the "obsolete road car" series, starting at £7 - 8,000 but these cars are at the bottom of their depreciation - they'll be worth that in 5 years time. With zero mods allowed, running costs amount to one set of tyres a year (about £150) and routine servicing (an occassional set of brake pads and oil changes). And, of course, it means the racing is very close. You could perhaps do a season for £3 or 4k if you sleep in a tent and didn't do much testing (and avoided any big accident damage) - or half a season for half of that...

[MisterT]

Thanks to everyone for input, especially flying muppet's PMs. I think I'm 80% decided on the 750MC Golf GTis, although I will try to go to some races from other series too during the course of the year.

Hope to see some of you later in the year, and be racing against you in 2010 (fingers crossed!)

Cheers,
Andrew

[spannerman5298]

Been involved with the 750mc for years and find them to be a friendly bunch with a keen interest in keeping costs down were they can. Have looked at the 750 golf regs and seems sensible and shouldnt cost the earth to put a car together.

[Austinspace75]

I saw a Golf GTi race at Silverstone last year... looked like a lot of fun and very cost effective..

You might want to have a look at Production BMW also. Again highly cost effective (probably even more so) and the cars are RWD of course. Big grids, loads of support, strictly policed driving standards. Coudn't recommend it highly enough frankly.

Cheers,
Tom.

[EdLeake]

If you like Japanese cars then the Federal Tyre Nippon Challenge is a good bet, nice mixed fields and should be an MSA approved championship in 2010.

www.nipponchallenge.co.uk

The GT150 class is your best bet, you can buy a ready-to-race MR2 for under £4,000 - or even cheaper if you do it yourself.

Older honda Civics and Crx's are also a good bet for that class and all can be had for 'good' money.

[Ambo]

Hi MisterT,

I'm currently in the same situation as you.

I've been attending a few events this year to try and help identify which championship would be ideal for me.

I started looking at the LMA Euro Saloon Championship (BRSCC) but the key problem with this is the modifications. Before I know it, I'd have spent an additional few k in mods to compete better. However, I have read that in 2010 they are looking to to split between 'Mods & Prods' - which might make it a more preferred level playing field.

I am also interested in the 750mc GTI Championship.. but their MR2 Championship looks most appealing at the moment. I'm going to have another look at them at Silverstone on the 22nd/23rd Aug where the GTI's will also be contesting.

I hope this helps

Chris

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Ambo

Hi MisterT,

I'm currently in the same situation as you.

I've been attending a few events this year to try and help identify which championship would be ideal for me.

I started looking at the LMA Euro Saloon Championship (BRSCC) but the key problem with this is the modifications. Before I know it, I'd have spent an additional few k in mods to compete better. However, I have read that in 2010 they are looking to to split between 'Mods & Prods' - which might make it a more preferred level playing field.

I am also interested in the 750mc GTI Championship.. but their MR2 Championship looks most appealing at the moment. I'm going to have another look at them at Silverstone on the 22nd/23rd Aug where the GTI's will also be contesting.

I hope this helps

Chris

Have a look at posts #14 and 15 on here. If you go down the MR2 route, then remember that they should also be eligible for the CSCC "Future Classics" series wich is another CSCC mini-enduro series with great track time for the money.

[MisterT]

Originally Posted by Ambo

Hi MisterT,

I'm currently in the same situation as you.

I've been attending a few events this year to try and help identify which championship would be ideal for me.

I started looking at the LMA Euro Saloon Championship (BRSCC) but the key problem with this is the modifications. Before I know it, I'd have spent an additional few k in mods to compete better. However, I have read that in 2010 they are looking to to split between 'Mods & Prods' - which might make it a more preferred level playing field.

I am also interested in the 750mc GTI Championship.. but their MR2 Championship looks most appealing at the moment. I'm going to have another look at them at Silverstone on the 22nd/23rd Aug where the GTI's will also be contesting.

I hope this helps

Chris

Hi Chris,

I probably should have posted this a while ago but I decided on the Golf GTIs and am now in the process of preparing a car. I'm sort of enjoying that part of it too, in a masochistic kind of way, but it's taking a lot longer than I expected. It would definitely have been quicker (and cheaper) to buy a car already prepared but I wouldn't have learnt so much

The plan is to have the car ready for next season, but I'm hoping to get in some trackdays and/or a couple of races of some kind towards the back-end of this year, fingers-crossed.

The GTI drivers all seem a friendly bunch and very happy to help with any questions: check out their website and forum at http://www.golfgti-racing.co.uk/

Good luck with the racing,
Andrew

[Ambo]

Originally Posted by andy97

Have a look at posts #14 and 15 on here. If you go down the MR2 route, then remember that they should also be eligible for the CSCC "Future Classics" series wich is another CSCC mini-enduro series with great track time for the money.

Andy,

Nice one.
The Future Classics looks very appealing!!! And thats before I even noticed SPA on the calender.

Thanks mate

Chris

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Ambo

Andy,

Nice one.
The Future Classics looks very appealing!!! And thats before I even noticed SPA on the calender.

Thanks mate

Chris

Yes, the Spa one hour race is the jewell in the crown and the club are delighted to have been invited back for 2010, having put on two races at Spa this July. In the past the CSCC have also provided a support race at the WTCC at Brands Hatch (Swinging Sixties), get invites to the Nurburgring in August every year (cars pre 1981), have an invite for a mixed grid supporting the new F2 series at Donington Park this coming weekend and have even had invites to send cars to compete at Daytona in Florida! Its a good club and novice friendly, as well as having very competitive and quick guys racing at the front of each of its series.