Introduction

This is not by any means a definitive way of getting into motorsport in the UK. This is how we got into hillclimb and sprints. The aim of this article is to show just how easy it can be, and how we went about it. This is only a guide and intended as a good read and to give you basic information. As always, you should do your own research into going racing and not take our information as accurate, especially as this was written in 2006.  However, this page will provide a good basis on which to conduct your own research. We are not responsible for your actions as a result of reading this article. Especially if you get injured, killed, divorced or skint!

What you will need

Some of these may seem obvious, others may not:

• Money, but not as much as you might think
• Ability to drive (not necessarily quickly), or the ability to learn.
• Reasonable health
• Mechanical skill (or someone with this skill, or you will need more of the first item)

I know there are some glaring omissions from this list, but most things are covered under ‘money’ such as car, safety equipment, licenses, etc.

First Steps

Firstly you must decide if it is right for you. It all seems like glamour when you see these people strutting about in their race suits and getting into fast cars, but there is a lot of hard work, heart break and money involved in going racing. Besides the expense and effort, you must remember that motorsport is a dangerous, and you risk serious injury or death.

OK, so you want to race cars. What type of racing are you going to do? There is circuit racing in all its forms, from (saloons and trucks, to single seaters and Sports/GT with everything in between). There is also karting and a myriad of other ways of going fast on four wheels with an engine. We chose to begin our career with hillclimbs and sprints as the requirements are far less for these events. The main difference is the cost. This is due to a number of things, primarily the risk of damage. It is far less in sprints or hill climbs than circuit racing, and if something goes wrong (other than mechanical failure), it is only your ability that keeps the car on the track (or off it) and there are no other competitors to cause damage to that vehicle you lovingly prepared and spent your last penny on! Also you do not need to take an “ARDS” test which can cost over £250, the levels of equipment can be less too, also meaning your budget can be kept to a minimum.

Get The Ball Rolling

Go along and watch a hillclimb or a sprint, you will probably be surprised how close to you an event is held. We think that a majority of the population of the UK live within 30-40 minutes of a venue. In our case this was Gurston Down. Do a little research into who runs events in your local area when you are there. Talk to competitors or marshall’s, but keep in mind that they are there for a reason, and choose your moments to chat to them carefully. I am sure that not many drivers want someone in their face asking where they bought that set of Yokohamas from as they are about to tackle a timed run! Watch what happens at the event, see how the day is run and try to witness the extreme of emotions that some people go through at an event. Cost: £8 entry as spectator, plus money for lunch.

We were lucky, we were involved with organising track days for Dreamracers Ltd at the Haynes International Motor Museum in Somerset, when we met ‘Team Yin’ who already compete at Gurston Down. So we had plenty of chance to extract the necessary information, or was it that they talked us into going racing?

Time To Start Spending

OK, you have been along to a hillclimb or sprint, you like the way it looks and it is for you! First thing you need is a car. Most events have a road legal class, and youcan run your daily driver at an event, but remember you could cause excessive wear or even cause damage that your insurers probably will not cover. Running your road car is the cheapest option, but it is far wiser to have another car for this.

We had bought an old Ford Fiesta XR2 as something to thrash around the museums test track on track day events, and it was suggested by Team Yin that we could use this for hillclimbs. This is true, and that was our intent, to use a £300 XR2 to see if we enjoyed it, and then spend some money once we had tested the water. Then we stumbled across an Alfasud that had suffered some minor damage in a saloon car race, but other than that was a fine vehicle. A few hundred pounds later, we were the proud owners of our first proper race car! There was obviously going to be some work required to get it to standard, but we were prepared for that.

It is at this point I would point out that if you are going to buy a car specifically for racing, this might be a better idea and could well save you a lot of effort, if you buy one already complete. But this can cost more and put a big dent in your budget, but is far cheaper than preparing it yourself. If buying a ready prepared car is your way, then have a look at some specialist web sites like Race Cars Direct, Motorsport Adsor Fast Road & Track. You can also go to your newsagents and pick up ‘Autosport’ or ‘Motorsport News’ and trawl their classified ads. Soon enough you will end up with you very own money pit, I mean race car. Cost: £500 to purchase the car. £400 in body repairs. £440 for gearbox renovations

Car Is Sorted. What About The Driver?

From your visit to your local venue, you now know who runs the various events locally to you. In our case it was the BARC South West Centre (BARC SW). For every event there is an organising motor club, and to take part you must join them. We joined the BARC by calling up the friendly folks at their head office at Thruxton and gave them some debit card details and within a week, we had our membership cards through the post. Bear in mind you are joining a club, and it is good to get involved with the other activities. At the official test day I still had evidence of my blisters from the ‘work party’! Cost: £30 for BARC membership, £15 for affiliation to the South West Centre

We made another phone call to the competition secretary of the BARC SW, who was very helpful and sent us out the forms for entry for the seasons events, as well as another to register us in the hillclimb championship at BARC SW. Cost: Typically £60-£90 per event for entry and £10 for championship registration

You will also need a licence, this you get by filling in a form that is available on the MSA’s web site (motorsport governing body in the UK) and sending this off with your payment. Within a matter of two to three weeks we received our ‘Non-race National B’ licenses, as this is all that is required for most hillclimbs and sprints. If you want a race licence ‘proper’, it will set you back twice the price, you will also have to take an ‘ARDS’ test, which typically costs over £250, and get a medical at your Doctors surgery, which normally costs around £70. None of this is required for the non-race national B, again keeping the costs down. Cost: £32 from MSA – it arrives with the current MSA Blue Book (motorsport regulations)

Safety Equipment

With your licence you will have received a copy of the ‘blue book’. This will provide you with every detail of every regulation you, your car and your equipment MUST comply with to take part in your chosen sport. Read it carefully with regards to your class. Road going classes require very little work, and depending on your vehicle you probably wouldn’t even need a roll cage (not that I would feel safe without one). In theory, if you have bought the right car, or are entering a road legal class, your spend will be minimal. Remember you WILL be scutineered at the events, and it is all for the safety of you and others at the event, so it is best to be up to scratch well before the big day.

For hillclimbs and sprints, you must have ‘proban’ overalls and an MSA approved helmet. Other than this, you wont have to buy any specific kit. The overalls we bought from AWS Racewear start about £70, and are perfect for our needs.

Your helmet is what we consider to be our most important piece of kit, and as you only have one head, do not skimp on a good ‘lid’. Demon Tweeks have a huge range, and even offer a free courier return if it isn’t a good fit. It is likely that you cannot use that helmet you bought a year or two ago for bike as the standards are different from bikes to cars. Careful reading of the blue book reveals that your helmet MUST be of one of a few standards, of which the ACU Gold sticker is NOT one of them. Take the blue book with you when you buy your helmet to be sure you have the right sticker. Better still, but from a motor sport specialist like Merlin Motorsport. If you don’t have the right sticker, the scrutineer will not allow you to race.  Cost: Helmet £300. Proban Race Suit £70

Is That It?

That is just about the essentials to get going. Bear in mind that we have not figured into this, costs of fuel, which should only be around £10 for an event, depending on your car. Servicing, tyres and any other bits.

Totals (if on a bare minimum):

Our Expenditure (October 2004 – April 2005):

Don’t forget that in this as well, we also have various ’sponsors’ who very kindly provide services or parts in exchange for their name on the car, and publicity where possible. For their help, we are VERY grateful, and would like to thank the following people and companies:

Haynes International Motor Museum, Sparkford – excellent workshops, and fantastic testing facility. Thank you all!

STICKY SLICKS! - An ongoing cost is tyres, and the guys at Sticky Slicks can help you as they have helped us – from £15 a corner for slicks!!

Yes, it has cost us what we would consider a large sum of money, but we have done it for a fraction of the budget of other competitors. To be able to compete, set and achieve our goals in motorsport is worth every penny, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.

Still sat there? WHY?? Go racing!

 Email This Post

Comments(2)