Looking for opinions from the real life racers in the LFS community......

Basically, I am seriously looking at running a car in the 750mc Stock Hatch next year.

To fund this, I am going to have to flog my bike, and various other bits, I have wanted to race for years, never got further than trackdays and karting.

So basically, would you if you do it if you could?, is it worth doing, pitfalls, things you have learnt from real life racing, any tips, hints, warnings etc etc etc, before I dive into it.

Cheers

Given the money, I would love to.

Unless you make it to F1, it's just a massive black hole to pour money down. It must be one of the most expensive hobbies around, and I don't think I would sacrifice the quality of the rest of my life for it.

Being in England, there is a huge number of motorsport opportunities so I can get my fix in various ways, and that's a happy compromise for me. If I wasn't saving for a house I might even buy a cheap car just for trackdays. The MX-5 is great fun to sling round a circuit but knowing that you have to drive it home does put a bit of a leash on the experience.

I would.
Is it worth it? Depends on how much fun it'll be or what you want to achieve by doing it. Is it just to be a race car driver because you want it and most likely would like it?

I've been racing karts mostly but i've tried rallyX for a couple of times and some time attacks on snow and dirt with both car and a dirtbike. All i can say is that every cent i spent on this 'hobby' was very well worth it. Had tons of fun, adrenaline and experience. ...oh and the stories you can tell your friends afterwards

I guess I just want to do it, should be fun, should be quite competative, it's relatively cheap, and even if it's just one season, at least I did it.

I am under no illusions that anything will, or could, come from it, it's just one of those things I want to do.

I guess you could say, if I am asking the question, then I have already answered it myself.......

E;

-withdrawn-

You know you want to.

You've done track days, you know what's involved... The only thing is pay a bit more for a car that's been prepared rather than get a cheaper one that needs work, because 99.9% of the time that will work out more expensive in the end.

If you can afford it (and pricing up a season isn't easy, but fuel to get there and back, and to actually run it, spares, food, B&Bs (or a tent), trailers, ARDS test, medicals, licence packs, entry fees, tools, waterproof clothing, fireproof stuff, new seatbelts and fire extinguishers......................)

It is one of the most expensive hobbies around. But for a petrol head it is by far the most rewarding and can be the most cruel. But that risk is also the attraction, as it's what gets the adrenaline flowing and endorphins moving.

Go for it. You will not regret it!

Oh, and consider hiring if you are only going to do a few races. Might work out cheaper to just pay £1000 per meeting (or whatever) and thousands of pounds to buy everything and then sell it afterwards.

Already looking at booking ARDS, already looking at a car, worse comes to the worse, I do my ARDS, and use the car for track / test days.

I have considered hiring, I think I will look into it in more depth.

Ballpark for a season is £7000 inc fully prepped car.

http://www.racecarsdirect.com/
http://www.motorsportads.co.uk/
http://www.closeratio.com/asp/

If you can imagin yourself going to your first race, being accidentally punted off the track in lap 3 and converting your former vehicle to metal shreds within 10 seconds, then crawling out of the debris and saying "That was worth the 7000£!" you're good to go.

What I'm trying to say is: Just make very sure your expectations are realistic. Your car will fail, you will have to make repairs from car-to-car contact, you will not make it to every race and your funds will not be enough by any means.
If you're still enthusiastic, and I'd be if I were in your position, you're good to go.
I think you'd regret it if you don't do it.

...Though perhaps I'd go for rallying, but that's personal preference.

Vain

Your car might not fail - preparation is the key
You might not have to make repairs, it depends if you idolise BTCC driving or skillful driving.
You can make it to every race, just put a note in your diary
Funds might be enough if you can find a car cheap enough that's ready to go

You also don't invest the whole £7000 by the first race, so if you crash out of that you won't lose everything.

Hint: Buying a car that's just finished a race is a good move, especially if it's done well. You could almost get them to drive from the track straight into your trailer. That way you know you have a car that is reasonably okay and not a total bodge job that will never pass scrutineering.

Hell yes. Wish I could say something more useful though.

There are a number of cars available already prepped for the actual class, couple of saxo's look good, all around £2000-£3000.

A lad on the RR competes in this in a 106, I could give you some contact details if you like.
I'm sure he wouldn't mind answering a few questions.

Yeah bean0, that'd be great thanks

Quote from danowat :

Looking for opinions from the real life racers in the LFS community......

Basically, I am seriously looking at running a car in the 750mc Stock Hatch next year.

My first suggestion is go and watch some of their races and speak to people in the paddock. 750MC Stock Hatch have big grids and very competitive, close racing, at times it does get too close and by the nature of the series cars do get written off on quite a routine basis. It's not as bad as BTCC and most of the contact isn't done with the intention of taking people out but by running very close in old cars that aren't worth a lot sometimes it will happen, the upside is that you get much closer proper racing than BTCC. You can rent cars in Stock Hatch, I wouldn't suggest doing that on a long term basis because it would work out very expensive but it could give a taster.

If you want to race tin tops on a budget in an environment where you'll get much cleaner racing then look at the 750MC Golf or Production BMWs both of those series would leave you with a more substantial track day car with a slightly high purchase cost but lower running costs. A car from either of those series has to be road legal and due to the lower contact racing can realistically be (and many are) driven to and from race tracks.

I have also looked into doing some stock hatch races with the 750MC, would love to do the full championship but dont think that funds/work commitments would stretch that far.

What car are you looking at Danowat? You been to watch any of the racing with the 'lower' classes of the 750MC?

Chris

I have yet to watch any.

I was looking at something like a pug 106.

Very capable car also nice and easy to drive too, however also expensive considering other options.

I have been thinking about doing it and building a car from scratch. I think I could knock a competitive nova/205/xr2 together for around £2k. I that option would be best, especially in the event of a 'big one' as another car could be bought for £100 . Just my way of looking at it, I suppose it all depends how 'handy' you are with car's and have the patience to sorted them out.

The reason I want to do it is to get some races under my belt and my dream is to compete in a/some VLN races

Still considering all options, just had a look at the 750mc Golf series, and that could be an option too.

As I've mentioned before, I'm looking to get into racing a 2-stroke 125 GP bike next season so I'm kind of in the same boat, except bikes tend to be quite a bit cheaper than cars. Relatively minor mistakes can have big consequences, though.

I too have been thinking about getting into motorsport, but wth no experence and little funds it's marshalling for me.

Having said that, if the chance to get a kart came up, I would love to do club races at my local track in Golspie. Even if at the tender age of 24, my chance of making F1 is slightly lower

I think that you should if you can.

There will be times when you wish you were at home with sky on and a mug of coffee, safe and warm, but then there will be times when you'll be flying, the car will run like clockwork and you'll come home with silverware, and even if that only happens once or twice a season, it makes the whole season of rain, mechanical problems and mistakes much more then worthwhile, and thats why people race.

Whatever you do though, don't go out and buy the cheapest of everything, or you'll end up like me, with a mechanical problem every round and an Easy up shelter that tried to fly across the Irish sea from Anglesey but didnt get much further than mashing itself against a trailer.

You only live once.

I would if I could too, but n my area there is nothing related to motorsport, except one rallycross event on someones farm and a rally event 2 hours away a year. I would like to try rallying in someting small (my Lupo would fit into F1000) but I have no money for anything like this.

Quote from ACCAkut :

I would if I could too, but n my area there is nothing related to motorsport, except one rallycross event on someones farm and a rally event 2 hours away a year. I would like to try rallying in someting small (my Lupo would fit into F1000) but I have no money for anything like this.

Money is always an issue, but time required to get somewhere shouldn't be, to an extent.

For motorcycle trackdays, my schedule looks like this:

Friday:
- go to work
- get home around 5:30 PM (17:30)
- pack up the car and put the bike on the trailer
- get on the road around 6:00 or 6:30
- drive for approx. 2, 6, or 8 hours (depending on which of the three tracks "near by" I am visiting)

Saturday:
- arrive at the track around 12:00 AM to 2:00 AM
- sleep in the car at the gate
- wake up around 7:00 AM and run the track day
- track day ends at 5:00 PM
- pack up and leave around 6:00 PM (often more like 7:00 PM after lots of BSing with fellow riders)

And this is for a trackday, not a race. I typically try to do both Saturday and Sunday trackdays when available, as well. Track time is track time, regardless of whether it's a race or a trackday. The more track time I get, the more my skills improve and the faster I get.