Best (cheapest) way to start?

[jonboyG]

What I would like to know is what is the best way to actually start racing? More importantly, what is th ebst way to do it (reasonably) cheaply?

I was thinking that the stock hatch would be a good formula to start in - a 205 GTi isn't that expensive, and you don't have to spend loads on it apart from the roll cage etc, and you can drive it to and from the races (which further cuts costs).

A friend of my dad's races a Marcos in the HSCC, and talking to him and the rest of the Marcos boys there they suggested starting witha classic, but wouldn't that be more expensive?

Then ther's the fact that I'm not very handy with a spanner. I might be, it's just that I've never actually done any mechanic type stuff, so I'd need someone to help me do all that side of things. How do you go about finding a mechanic thats any good?

Finally, sponsership. How does one go about getting it, and what do you offer them in return for their cash?

Many thanks in advance,

Jonboy