Basic Competitive Motorsport

[mic_VR 3]

Mr Riot, I see what you're saying mate, and if I hadn't already been out in the C on track I'd probably agree but I was so impressed with the VR the other week I'll definitely be taking back out again..... only it'll be quicker next time! :lol:

 

pete-griff, definitely looking forward to seeing your motor out on track as I suspect it'll be surprising almost everyone else on track.

[The_Dude 0]

Trackdays are great fun, until you spin off and see a barrier approaching fast, at which point they kind of lose their appeal.

 

Definitely have a trackday car rather than your pride and joy.

[Sonicriot13 0]

It would be nice if I could get a VR as a base for a track car but it's just gonna be too expensive. The prices that early 1.8 valvers are going for at the moment make those a much better prospect. Seriously tempted to buy a non runner or something as cheap as possible and garage it, save up some cash over spring and do it up over the summer. At the same time though would not be wise diverting too much of my funds away from the G60. It's a whole world better than it was after going to G-Werks but still loads to do on it. Plus I'm already worrying about MOT time next year.... I'll think about and find a way to strike a balance.

[Toad 0]

As much as I love hooning around in my corrado and wouldn't mind a bit of a trundle around a track, there's no way I'd use one for a track car. I'd get a mk2, and fit it out with rado suspension, engine etc.

[mic_VR 3]

Trackdays are great fun, until you spin off and see a barrier approaching fast, at which point they kind of lose their appeal.

Definitely have a trackday car rather than your pride and joy.

 

Haha!!!! You're just upset that you had a 'moment' chasing that M5! Crazy man :notworthy:

 

I wouldn't suggest a VR would make the perfect trackcar by any means. It's a little heavy in standard trim and expensive in general to fix. To put it this way, standard VR6 = 157bhp per ton, track Gti cup car = 160bhp per ton.

VR would probably have the edge on the straight because of the gearing but the mk2'll be quicker in the corners.

 

But I'll definitely be taking mine back on track, but I'm happy to take a bit of a risk.

[Sonicriot13 0]

That would be the only thing putting me off a mk3 ABF. The weight of the thing. But if it's only gonna be a track car I can always strip it out.... :D

[Toad 0]

I was bored, and found this thread on E38, about a new VAG race series in 2009, using pre 2002 cars, and encouraging deisels. Might be interesting. And give a bigger choice of vehicle than the GTI cup thing.

 

Shall I start looking for a 1l polo breadvan in beige?

[fee60 0]

i took my coraddo g60 on the track and hated it as its my pride and joy, so brought a mk2 golf 8v and stripped it out uprated the brakes put in a rollcage and took that out on the track and loved it.

mainly go to lydden hill near dover as this is local to me and done brands hatch twice.

 

lydden is a bit like racing as they let you overtake on the corners etc which most other tracks dont allow.

 

would love to have a go at racing but to expensive at the mo for me, i also think you get more time on track with a track day than you would with a race day.

 

i now gonna change the engine for a 16v and run it with twin 45's as it lacks at bit of power on the straights and upgrade the suspension for this year. :D

[polog40racer 0]

I was pitcrew for my mate who raced in the VW Cup and also later the TRC Championship in the South East in a white G40 polo. It was still very expensive, even though he bought a ex champ winning G40 cup racer from Peter Studer with a load of spares. The cost of running was well over a grand for the weekend for the VW Cup, although the TRC championship was alot cheaper in term of entry fee's. To stay competitive, the car was constantly being upgraded, power, brakes, chassis. But this was a novice driver, albeit with lots of 'track day' experience. To show an example, Peter Studer could go round Snetterton in a 130bhp G40 Cup Racer in low 1min23s, whereas my mate with the same car ,180bhp, big brakes, better chassis etc only managing 1min27s.

The TRC Championship had 4 classes in it but a varied difference of cars, from pugs, escorts to space frame contraptions and EX wrc Escorts and V8 Mercs. Low entry fee's were key to this champ being good, but people who had money always had the better car, for instance we were class C (1.6 - 2l - charged G40 counts as 2l) and we were always finish 2nd in class, never 1st in class as the guy who won the class had a pug 306 with a longman ex touring car engine that he bought for 15grand and was running 280bhp - still technically a 2litre engine that 'came' with the car originally so he always beat us.

 

Most people who are Pitcrew, are volunteers, and do it for the love and rush of it, I did and had a brill time. He only paid his mate, John Haycock (Haycock Motorsport) for the weekend as he was the main fixer and looker after of the car.

 

Find a championship that is low cost, find an ex racer and research the championship to make sure that you wont be on the back foot straight away and having to spend a fortune to get the car competitive. Do a proper budget of everything you reckon it'll cost you for the season for fuel, tyres fees etc, and have this budget/funds in place before you start racing. then have a back up fund for repairs/upgrades. The cost of motorsport is always what seems to be the issue, seen loads of teams enter the first couple of rounds then as the season continues and draws to a close, they've all pulled out due to cost.

 

Then go out and have fun!

[polog40racer 0]

Oh and he found getting financial sponsership hard at the time. Most places would offer replacement panels etc for free, and some minor parts, brake pads etc etc free. But trying to find someone that would sponsor us to say buy the tyres every race weekend or something along those lines was hard. He was an engine builder so any engine work was done himself, but anything else, say a paintjob etc was done by contacts he had that say they needed an engine built, he'd build them the engine in return for a free paintjob, etc.