Help needed. young driver...

[ANT1...]

Does anyone know how cheap it is to, buy a juniour minicross car and race it for a few races next season.

Or if possible can anyone tell me the cheapest and most cost effective ways to get into motor racing for a 16 year old kid that is desperate to go racing!!

Cheers all!

Anton

[ss_collins]

Various ways - but whatever your realistically gonna need about £5,000

[Spectator]

Anton,
go to the BRDA web site---go to competetor information----go to items for sale and you will find several minis for sale.
As SS_ Collins says will cost about £5,000 but there is one there for £2,200.
Good luck

[danieljboys]

This kind of question gets asked on here every now and then - I have to recommend the Silverstone racing school and their week long intensive course. It does cost alot of money but will give you the best grounding to go racing that you could hope for. You get a good amount of track time for your money and your first race at the end.

Its always worth noting that you've gotta learn/prepare yourself before you compete. Just like going off to compete in golf tournaments or snooker, some background preperation is always good, otherwise you'll be in at the deep end which is something you don't need in a dangerous sport.

[ian_c_uk]

Originally Posted by danieljboys

This kind of question gets asked on here every now and then - I have to recommend the Silverstone racing school and their week long intensive course.

The problem, for someone without funding, is to continue from there.

A friend of mine did that, competed in the BRDC FF races, won the season, but never managed to convert it into a drive for anyone, and I think is still paying off the debts he built up doing them!

Shame as he (clearly) has some talent \ potential.

Ian

[ss_collins]

I think the Silverstone course is overpriced, I worked out that you could do the same amount of races / track time in Vee for a fair bit less. Its not something I would reccomend unless you have a very good budget

[danieljboys]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

I think the Silverstone course is overpriced, I worked out that you could do the same amount of races / track time in Vee for a fair bit less. Its not something I would reccomend unless you have a very good budget

OK, I see the points here. It depends what the aim is I guess. When I started out I didn't have a clue on what is the best way to get the most out of a race car. All I knew was you had to put your foot down!

Silverstone gave me the tuition that I needed and got me on the right track. If you have plentiful advice outside of a race school to help you go racing then thats cool but I didn't have any of that. It is expensive but I felt the track time combined with the tuition and help met my needs.

Of course the cheaper way round is just sitting the ARDS test and renting a car/buying one and turning up at the track. Good luck either way!

[Bob Pearson]

Ant, get to know someone who already races at club level, the further down the grid the better, then go with him/her to a few meetings and see how it all works. You can listen to people till the cows come home telling you how to spend a fortune in racing and generally frightening you off. A person who can do it on a "shoestring" sounds like the man you must learn from. If you aren't rich then you must see it as fun, a Sunday afternoon game,results don't matter, then if you do have some good runs then it is a bonus.

[Bob Pearson]

I've just looked at the date, he's probably a world champion in something by now!!!

[Bob Pearson]

Take that back, I read the wrong date, perhaps I'll just shut up!!

I must not post until I have woken Up !!

[ss_collins]

A good team will give you tution as part of the hire deal.

[Bob Pearson]

Unfortunately a "good team" will want nearly as much as a cheap race car costs for a Friday test and a weekend double header. This is the very thing I was referring to when I said how people can tell you how to spend money. The cheapest way to go racing is always to do all the work yourself, as soon as someone else is involved the costs go through the roof along with the uncertainty of relying on third parties.

[Alan Cherry]

Originally Posted by ANT1...

Does anyone know how cheap it is to, buy a juniour minicross car and race it for a few races next season.

Or if possible can anyone tell me the cheapest and most cost effective ways to get into motor racing for a 16 year old kid that is desperate to go racing!!

Cheers all!

Anton

Anton,
If 5k or even 2k scares you, don't get depressed - Have you thought about sprinting for a year to learn your craft ? Licence is cheaper and easier to get, you can start at 16 (I think) and a road car is fine - even have their own class - I got my cousin started in a Scirrocco I was offered from a guy at work - It cost £70 plus he had to spend a couple of hundred on bits to make it safe and reliable. This ran for a couple of seasons at places like Lydden, Goodwood,Hethel, North Weald etc _ He's now gone on to race my old fiesta, and I know sprinting is a different animal from racing, but I used to enjoy it before I went racing, and it sure beats propping up the fence watching ! _ If you want to talk costs at the arse end of the grid - come and have a chat at any of the TRC rounds - car no 80 - I'll be happy to let you know as long as my wife isn't listening.
Won't be racing a Silverstone this weekend though - car not yet back together from slight Brands indiscretion - will be back for Snetterton, or will be at Silverstone helping my cousin in car no 45.

Alan

[ANT1...]

Ok, thanks for the help, what do you mean by sprinting though? short oval track or what?

Also, ive also been looking into racing a mini in autograss. Anyone got any info for me? where i can buy a mini for grasstrack for about £350?

Any Info? Cheers, Anton

[R59]

Anton - got to your local Autograss club's race meetings. Find their race control, and there's usually a for sale board around there somewhere, there has been at any NASA meetings that I've been to. Since you're in Kent, is that a SEGTO area? Not sure.

Have a look on either the NASA Autograss website, or the SEGTO one, you'll find details of your nearest club, and meetings.

Here's the Invicta Kent site:

http://www.invictakentautograss.co.uk/index.html

As your in the Medway area, you may be just as quick to hop over the ditch to Essex.

There is a link to the NASA site on the invicta site. Though at the last try, the main NASA site was offline for some reason.

Another useful site.

http://www.autograss.net/AutograssReview/index.htm

The links show the SEGTO clubs, but the nearest one to you is Croydon in Surrey.

Have fun.

Rob.