Although professional motor racing can be difficult and expensive, it is possible for novice car enthusiasts to get behind the wheel of a car and take to the track. These 10 tips will help you understand how to get into motorsport, whether you are interested in endurance rallying, go-karting or autocross.
First, join a motor club
A motor club is a great way to get involved in motorsports. Members of clubs enjoy many motoring benefits, discounts, and are well-placed to give information about upcoming races, rallies and car shows.
Advanced Driving School
Although you may believe you are a Lewis Hamilton, there are some skills you need to master before you can drive your dream car to its full potential. Driving skills are the key to being a skilled driver at speed. You can learn these skills by enrolling in an advanced driving school.
Autocross
To begin, autocross racing is a great choice. It doesn’t take much equipment, and you can race any standard road car. You will need a race harness with four points, fireproof overalls, and an MSA-approved crash helmet. You must be a member of a motor club and possess an MSA competition license to race.
Drift clinics
You are looking for something that will bring a smile to your face, and get you ready to go. You should try “drifting”. You can enjoy the thrill of the British Drift Championships, and you want to learn how to drift. There is a Scottish drift track where you can receive professional instruction.
Rallying cars
Do you think it would be fun to power down backroads of gravel, dirt and mud? It does. This is rallying. Although you can participate in amateur rallies in your car, it could prove to be risky. Many rally racers are looking for late-model, cheap cars that can be modified to get them on the rallying path. Although car rallying can be great fun, you will need the following skills to compete:
- A full DVLA driving license
- An MSA Go Rallying starter package
- A certificate proving that you have passed the BARS course exam
- A Rally National B Stage Competition License
You don’t have to complete the BARS course if you want to co-drive. Ask members of your club about amateur rally opportunities in the UK and locally. What kind of rally car do you need? Any type of car can be raced as long as it is taxed, insured, and has a valid MOT certification. Stage Rallies require that your car conforms to the race organisers’ regulations. This means it will need to be modified to include special seats, harnesses and a roll cage as well as fire extinguishers. You can buy a used car that has been modified or you can hire a mechanic who has experience in car rallies. Rally events These are only three UK rallies that may be of interest to your:
- The XPart Rally
This endurance race is for two-wheel drive cars with minimal modifications. Engine capacities are limited to 1400cc petrol and 2000cc naturally-aspirated diesel. Forged induction diesel engines that are built according to the Endurance Road Rally formula have a limit of 1400cc.
- Pure Rally UK London to Edinburgh
The race takes place in April every year, and entry fees are very affordable at only PS300 per person. The ultimate driving experience across the UK. You start in London’s West End and drive for three days to Cardiff, Manchester and Edinburgh.
- The Pure Rally UK 2017 – Northern Car Rally
This rally takes you from London to Birmingham, Liverpool and Newcastle.
Go Karting
Modern go-kart racing offers a thrilling thrill that is close to real racing. This is a great way to improve your driving skills and it’s much simpler than high-level racing. To get a taste of the action, you can visit competitive karting tracks close to you if you don’t want to purchase your own go-kart. DISCLAIMER – The opinions and articles contained on this website are not those of Shout Out United Kingdom (SOUK). They are solely the views of the author.
