GETTING INTO COMPETITIVE HISTORIC RACING

The world of historic racing can seem enormously daunting from the outside. The sheer volume of different race series, ability levels and regulations can leave you stranded before you’ve even got near a race track. But it can be simple if you know what you want to achieve and – since you’re reading this – we’ll assume you simply want to dip a toe in this world. Those that do often find themselves fully immersed before long anyway…

First things first, you need to be able to actually race. And just like learning to drive, you’ll need to get a racing licence. Job number one is to order your ‘Go Racing’ Pack from Motorsport UK for £99, which includes videos and written material on racing, along with an application form for your NDTC test, formerly called ARDS.

Once you’ve booked your NDTC test at a circuit near to you, you’ll have to sit a written test and prove that you can ‘competently’ lap the track with an instructor over the course of 20 minutes, so it’s worth doing your research and some track days before. If you pass, then you’ll be issued with your very first racing licence, the Inter Club, which used to be known as National B. This Inter Club racing licence will grant you access to a whole host of different race series, and if you ever want to get more professional then additional advanced tests are available.

Now you’ve got your licence, it’s worth looking at organisations like the Classic Sports Car Club, Masters Historic Racing, HSCC or HRDC to name a few, so you can see the types of historic racing available. Different classes and races will have different price entry points, simply because of the cars that are allowed to race, so you’ll be able to gauge a starting budget. Have a look at the fine print on the regulations for you chosen series, too, so you can be sure the car you end up buying is able to race in it.

Once you’re settled on a racing series, you have three main options: you can start from the beginning with a road car and set about transforming it into a race car; you can purchase a race car and consider historic race preparation for the series specification, or you can purchase a car that was built or has competed in the exact series you want to compete in.

Whichever route you choose, we will be able to help you with one of the specialist historic racing cars we have in stock – you can see the latest HERE. We also offer all of these services to get you and your car on the track as soon as possible and we’re just as passionate about this world as you are, so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone to us, send us an e-mail or even pop down to the workshop to just have a chat. There’s nothing we love talking about more.