Monoposto Racing Forum

New here and after advice ,help in getting started in single seat racing, i have spent the last 4 years racing bikes so im used to paddock life and the whole club scene.
I have purchased this vandiemen 1600 with the hope of getting started as a novice with a good club.
My local circuits are lydden and brands so any advice on clubs making good use of these would be most welcome.
thanks in advance , jeff

Hello Jeff.

Normally if you mention single seater racing at Brands and Lydden you think of SEMSEC (see here - http://www.semsec.org.uk/).

But, Mono is a bigger club with a working championship and more variety of tracks. Quite a few Mono people enter SEMSEC races, but only to fill a void in a calendar usually.

Mono will be visiting Brands Indy (in March) and Brands GP (in August). Why not enter that March race and get to see what the club is like. Friendly, welcoming and pretty much everyone will lend a hand or a spanner if you need it. I reckon you'd be back for more races with us before too long!!!

Other races not a million miles from you are Donington, Silverstone, Mallory and Snetterton (all a couple of hours of motorway away), with Cadwell, Oulton and Spa being the long haul (although I think you need a National A licence to do Spa, so you need to finish 6 races and get signatures before then).

Can I just say that from the photos your car looks very well presented. Love the colours. Did you buy it like that, or have you been making it lovely?

Tristan

P.S. Don't forget - there are no stupid questions! If you have a query then it's highly likely that someone has had the same problem/query/worry over the last 30 years and will be able to give useful, real-world advice that doesn't break the bank.

Is that a Formula 1st? Weren't they the transverse engined single seater? I wondered where they had all gone.
As Tristan says, a nice bunch in Mono. As Graham Hill says a better class of person at the back of the grid. I'm sure that won't include you.

Hi,

I can honestly say that as a novice to the club this year, the Mono championship is definately the way to go. I had issues with my race clothing (being a novice converting from karting) and at both events the generosity of the members was tremendous, a certain Mr. Timms even lending me his race suit after every session out (quite literally ripping them off his back, they were still warm lol!). Mr. Cotton "trusting" me with his race helmet was also so kind too. And Mr. Parkinson/Mr. Sergison kindly inducting me on my first ever outing, greeting me in the paddock and introducing me to a few fellow racers too!

The forum here is such a fantastic resource. I rebuit my 1600 car and without the knowledge of the members on here I would probably have made a complete balls of it!!! No question I asked was too daft either and I always get good advice.

The club is so friendly that I have forged new mates along the way, and even at a wet Anglesey meet, complete strangers to me came out to swap slicks to wets in the blink of an eye, without quibble or in search of reward! Amazing! I have more instances of such generosity too but I wont bore you here, best bet is to see for yourself!

Your Formula First certainly looks the part and with the CVH engine should give you reliability but more importantly FUN! I remember rebuilding one for my trusty XR3i many years ago!

Good luck in your chosen path, but I repeat, as a Novice, Mono is the way to go!

Thank you for the replys, sounds like the first dip is going to be a great one i think i shall join this club and get involved in the fun.
Sounds like a great paddock with help and knowledge on tap (thankyou Tristan and mwalters).

Steven yes it is a formula first and a very tidy one at that , came to me as is and i must say i cant wait to get her going, she has a blue printed xr2 engine and should be quick enough to equal the rush i get from racing my 1000cc bike.

Im going to get busy now in order to get all my gear , race suit gloves boots - helmet aspestos underwear etc, i shall apply for my license and club entry in the next month.

What are the average entry fees etc i can expect (i hope its cheaper than the bikes lol)

Again thanks guys , looking forward to this new chapter in my life.... jeff