XR2 Challenge

[pete]

Anyone know anything about this. Mate wants me to go halves on a car.

Never raced before.

(Although have licence - sort of), idea of cost would be good...

Pete

[mac]

Our very of Brian J used to race XR2's if my memory serves me correctly.



Mac

[woody]

A fellow from work, Calum Hume, (well he's just left) used to build XR2's and race them. I could forward him your details if you're interested.

[Fluoxetine]

Brian J is probably the best person to speak to...

'Cheap' motorsport is still expensive...The top XR2's are worth £5-6k...And are pretty much rebuilt before each season...

Figure on £200-250 entry fees per race, £150 per test day, accident damage and breakages (there are some drivers with a BTCC mentality... )

You need to be handy with a spanner, or else ICR's fees to run the car will quickly rack up...(And you'll need a trailer / tow car / somewhere to store it).

The Kumho tyres are cheap, and you're probably limited to a few sets a season...

Not trying to be negative - But you need to go into it with your eyes open...

You can hire a car for a race from ICR - But bank on £5-600 hire, plus entry fee, plus testing...And liability for any damage...

Likesay - Brian J will be able to give a better idea, as he's actually had a go...

[gorrie]

I thought about doing the SMRC XR2 Series a number of years ago. Went up to chat with Ian Cowie (ICR) about it who took me out for a spin in a 'half-prepared' car... and then took me over to one of his other garages to look at a Caterham he was trying to persuade me to think about instead.

Costs for XR2 racing ain't all that cheap, and before taking the plunge I decided to go to a few race meets to convince myself that XR2's were what I wanted to do.

The amount of cars ending their race at turn1 was enough for me to decide against it. I'm all for full grids, but at that time, the XR2 grid I felt was overcrowded so retirements before the end of Duffus were inevitable. No way would I have been happy investing my time & money in to it when there was a very high chance of only being involved for a 300mtr dash to turn1.

Not sure what the grids are like now.... but by the time you buy a competitive car, pay the running costs, test day/race entry.... for a year, you probably aren't a kick in the ass of the price of Caterham Academy (assuming you're happy to do the build)

[campbell]

Ross,

How would those XR2 season costs stack up against the Caterham Academy?

I think the grids for the latter were WAY thinner but the racing experience very little the poorer for it, and a true learning experience from my memories of supporting you at a couple of events

Campbell

[Fluoxetine]

Ross,

How would those XR2 season costs stack up against the Caterham Academy?

I think the grids for the latter were WAY thinner but the racing experience very little the poorer for it, and a true learning experience from my memories of supporting you at a couple of events

Campbell

Hmmm - I did make up a spreadsheet of the outlay for 2004/2005...

Think the car was around £21k with options...£500-1000 build and SVA costs...Fuel & testing was another £5-600...Trailer £8-900...Wheels / tyres / ARB's / spares £1.5k...And set up / transport was another £1k...SN2000 lid / suit / gloves / boots etc £1000...ARDS £300

Reckon the season cost around £27k all in...

(Although that includes additional races with the Super Graduates at KH, and the Caterham Festival at Brands Hatch...Along with a test day at Donington...)

I recouped just over half of that when I sold the car and trailer...

Had I continued to race in '05, I reckon it would have cost around £7-8k a season all in - Plus any accident repairs...

It was fantastic fun, and my only regret is that I gave up doing it...I've only driven on track 4 or 5 times since 2005, and really miss it...

The Caterham Academy died a death in Scotland after 2004 - You'd need to do the English version, which would mean increased travel / accommodation costs...

As for XR2's - Think you'll need at least a £4-5k budget (in addition to buying the XR2) to run a car at the back of the pack for a season...Considerably more to run nearer the front...

(Championship registration / SMRC membership / Entry fees / Fuel / Tyres / Testing will eat up £3k minimum...)

[pete]

Thanks for all the input, they've highlighted some of the problems we've already identified ourselves.

What we want to do is dabble, I don't care about winning more just the experience but my mate was quite successful in his own right back in the day so I think he wants to win, or at least hold his head up...

I want to turn up, do a couple of races then move on. I have a garage to store it in (we've been offered a cheap car in reportedly good nick that is cluttering up someone's drive) but it would be in the way, I missed a trick when I built the garage by not building one at the other side at the same time. My mate's car collection is already approaching double figures so he just doesn't have any more room...

We can afford entry fees and tyres but the setup costs seem high, I'd need Nomex suits, gloves etc and a lid (I guess my 10 year old Shoei bike lid won't cut it).

This is just rambling now, I am terrible for over thinking stuff and then not doing it - I should just get on with it...

Hmm offf to think some more....

Pete

[Dominic]

Hmmm I'm watching this thread with interest.

Would love to have a go at something, but don't have the pennies to spare just now.

I have in the past spent over £5K per annum when I was doing the Brittish Autotest championship, and have thought about hiring a car for the occasional race.

I had a look at some race prepped XR2s about 6 years ago,.. but decided £1500 - £2K was too much.... doh!

[campbell]

There might be enough collective interest to do a shared entry, no?

And should I move this thread to the "Motorsport" forum

[pete]

Can I tow it with an A frame? I've not really got the room for a trailer...

[pete]

Was thinking of just buying it and taking it to SIDC at KHon Sunday and seeing what time we can do in it before spending on clothing and suchlike. Only CAPEX, I'd get the money back on a trailer (if I can find one).

Then I realised KH is on Saturday, not Sunday and I'm on nights Friday. Hmm up all night Friday then drive to Knockers and errrm no. I'd crash. Probably en route.

I was supposed to have a private income like Bertie Wooster and spend my days idly racing cars rather than working for a living (Although I suppose I'm lucky enough to have the cash to at least dream of these adventures).

[Shug]

Can I tow it with an A frame? I've not really got the room for a trailer...

If it's MOTd and Taxed, yes. If not, no.

[BiggestNizzy]

What about Stock hatch ?

[Brian J]

As my name has been extensively quoted, I'll pass on my experience of 3 seasons in XR2 from 1998. I hired from ICR so it will certainly be a lot cheaper running your own car - conclusively the cheapest entry to motor racing. Also, the large fields do mean that you will always be racing - in smaller classes the field can be so strung out you might as well be on your own. In XR2 there is always a wide range of skill/experience/budget so that you are among others. There was, in my experience, also great cameraderie and it was great fun - there is nothing else quite like 28 cars going off the grid together - track days cannot replicate that! You will find that your times come down quite quickly at first - mine then levelled off at "not very fast"! I regret now that I had not more trackday experience at the time - you do not really get much time during the testing days - some (but not all) trackdays allow competition cars out. You also need to get used to front wheel drive handling which is, of course, quite different on the limit....

On the comments about damage, the worst bashing tends to be among the front runners - more mid-field people are on a budget and more careful with their cars. Inevitably there may be accidents but repairing your own car will again be cheaper than ICR concours bodywork restoration!

Downsides are a lot of hanging around between practice and racing and on test days which are sessioned, often with red flag delays so that time on track is very limited - that combined with costs and my mediocre performance caused me to shift to trackdays but real racing is certainly something you should try if you reasonably can - it is quite a different experience - and the old saying goes that "you should try everything at least once except incest and folk dancing".......

See also Scottish Club Racing website forum
http://scotracing.proboards4.com/index.cgi

Hope this of help - and best of luck.

Brian J