best first race series

[CSLut]

Anyone regularly do any races in any particular series?
Im looking for a relatively cheap race series to do next year, but cant spend too much and yet want to try and avoid bumpercar/dodgems series as much as possible.
I did a round of the Lotus Trophy last month, which was brilliant (apart from catching fire!) but quite pricey at around 2,500 for an arrive n drive, or about 15k for a season with own car. The top couple of cars also seemed to have had money thrown at them to win, which I know is common, but a shame and something i also want to try and avoid.
Still, the seed was sown, the crack addiction tasted and another hit required.
Anyone prepared to argue a case for whatever series they race in? Caterham Academy? Kumho BMW? Ginetta? Whatever...
cheers

[Funkster]

I know there's lots of different opions and views on race series but we started in the MSV Trackday Trophy last year and have moved on to the Team Trophy this year.

The Trackday trophy are 45 minute races @ £350 or Team trophy are 1 hr races at a cost of £400, Both include a 30 minute practice / quallifying session and occasionaly we do get an extra 30 mins practice. The prices are per race so if you decide to share as a two driver team the cost is halved.

Grids are made up of class A,B,C & D cars which are all decided on power to weight ratio, The races are a real mixture of cars from Beemers, Clio's, Elise, Focus, Seat, Porsches etc etc.

There are some guys up in class A that are spending some serious money and wanting to win everything but it's a lot more relaxed in the other classes. We run a 328i Coupe which generally will last a whole season on one set of tyres and brake pads 5-6 races and really keeps the cost down.

The racing is pretty exciting because of the mix of different cars and you don't need to spend a fortune to be competitive. We originally bought our coupe for £1500 and over a 4 year period it probably stands us in at around 5 - 6k inc fancy diff, ap's, coily's, cage, seat and belts etc etc... This cost is purley on upgrades and doesnt include previous spend on consumables and fuel.

Some of the stuff has been from Ebay and all work carried out was by ourselves so it reduced the cost dramatically.

We have met some great lads racing over the last couple of years and the series is what I would call competitively edged..... We all wanna win but also wanna take the cars home in one piece....... Generally good sized grids, think it was 40 at Snett this year.

The TDT is racing at Snett this Saturday and we are racing at Brands on November 11th ( final race of the year )
PM me if you want to know anymore but we are just loving it !!!

[shimmy]

mx5 mk1

car £6000 (residual £4500)
season £9000 (£1000 per race total cost including entry, tyres, brakes, hotel, fuel, support)
damage £2-4000 maybe

can be contact but panels very cheap

[s.mac]

Also depends are where you are based. Being up North I decided to go with a Northern series.

XR Challenge
Car- Last years winner sold last week for £3,500
Races - single/double and triple headers
I think about £2,500 for all entrances - 7 meets (i think)
Then tyres, fuel and the odd nudge to repair...

The boys at the front have teams behind them and you can buy a drive. Valley Motorsport would be the guys to talk to.

MX5 - always big grids for good racing from back to front

[Neil M]

This may be worth a look: http://www.mk4tdigtichallenge.com/ for starting out.

[Yanto]

Originally Posted by s.mac

Also depends are where you are based. Being up North I decided to go with a Northern series.

XR Challenge
Car- Last years winner sold last week for £3,500
Races - single/double and triple headers
I think about £2,500 for all entrances - 7 meets (i think)
Then tyres, fuel and the odd nudge to repair...

The boys at the front have teams behind them and you can buy a drive. Valley Motorsport would be the guys to talk to.

MX5 - always big grids for good racing from back to front

You sold the Tangerine dream mate ? What next ?

[Yanto]

Originally Posted by shimmy

mx5 mk1

car £6000 (residual £4500)
season £9000 (£1000 per race total cost including entry, tyres, brakes, hotel, fuel, support)
damage £2-4000 maybe

can be contact but panels very cheap

+1 for Shimmy racing

[e46m3c]

Interesting. Should be collecting a double garage by crimbo so will be looking for a way into racing also. Perhaps 2014 for me.

[s.mac]

You sold the Tangerine dream mate ? What next ?

no mate, stripped it bare last weekend, engine and gear box sent for a check over, maybe a couple of tweeks....
Car sent for repair and full respray after this season

All ready to be shown on the BRSCC XR stand at the NEC Autosport show in Jan

Then go go go again

[thegingerninja]

Production GTi. One make series for Golf Mk2. www.productiongti.com Cheap to build and run. I have raced in quite a few tin top series in the past 19 years of racing and I can honestly say that this one is by far the best I have experienced. Nice people, very close racing and the cleanest driving standards by far. You won't get regular panel damage here. The Mk 2 is hugely entertaining to drive, loads of over steer if you like it like that and the chassis responds well to simple tweeks, so you can tailor it to your own type of driving.

20 minuntes qualifying and then 2 x 20min races.
Entry fees £240 - £290 depending on circuit.
Tyres - fronts every 4 races. Rears can do a whole season.
Brakes - pads £60 a set, discs £ 50 a pair, change them twice a season, maybe 3 times if the whole season is dry races only.
Standard engines and gearboxes - my engine is still giving the same power after 5 years.

A budget of £ 500 would cover entry fees, fuel, tyre and brake wear for 1 qualifying session and 2 races if you run your own car. You then need to add on your transport costs to the circuit and accomodation if you don't do tents / back of a van.

Arrive and drive - general rule of thumb -double it.