Need help With a Christmas Present In A Racing Car

Just Dave

Just Dave

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Hi

Julie and I would like to get our youngest son (26yrs) a racing car experience day, we live in the northwest, but he would travel to a venue,but we would prefer to get one close to here, I would like to go with him so I can capture his day and get some prints done for him, he owns Subarus, and races bangers and competed in rally car road racing trials, so thats no good, we'd like to get him something like formula 1, single seater or similar, some thing insanely fast, either a full day or at least half a day, but have no idea where to start, so has any one any ideas or suggestions please,

please excuse me being thick but I have no experience about cars except driving them on the road, and dont even watch them on TV it bores us, but he lives and breaths cars as hes a motor mechanic

TIA

Dave N Julie
 
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Not sure if Knockhill might be a bit far for you, but they have some good special offers on for Christmas. Details here
 
Aha - racing cars - right up my street.

F1 - expensive. You're looking at close to £ 1000 for a handful of laps in an early 1990's F1 car. Fabulous experience but not a lot of driving for the dosh.

Does he have a race license? From the sounds of things, yes. If its a national B or A then I would suggest that hiring a single seater for a test day would be much more worthwhile for him rather than a few rev limited laps in a low end single seater which is all the experience companies will really offer. These experience drives are great for the general public, but if you've done any sort of motorsport the level these are pitched at is possibly two low.

There are plenty of people who will offer a rental car for a test day. They provide the car, and some trained staff. You provide a damage deposit (refundable) and pay their fee and the test day fee and you get a full day or half day testing.

If he's done racing, the level of the experience companies will be patronising for him

An older F3 car or Formula Vauxhall Lotus will give him a taste of slicks and wings, at a performance level that is managable. They still feel very fast but there is a lot of learning. He'd probably get more out of this than an F1 drive (although the bragging rights in the pub are slightly less!)

Our 1988 Reynard 883 would be ideal, but we're in Norfolk !
tristan_cliffe.jpg


There may well be a team near Oulton Park, Croft or Knockhill who would take this on.
 
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I agree the three sisters one is what you will be looking at paying for a real adrenline day. I have done the Race days at brands Hatch [same available at Oulton Park, not a million miles away from you] in single seaters [about 150 squids] and yes, great for a first time, but if your son is already a racer in some area then it might not be nearly enough.


A better idea might be to ask him to find what HE wants, then cough up the dough accordingly ;)
 
Many thanks guys, I will check out the links, he has got some sort of licence/ certificate I remember it coming through the post, other than his normal road licence, but not sure and I'll have to try and weevil it out him, maybe I'll get my son inlaw to get the info, in conversation, I'll pass on this thread to Julie when shes home from work tomorrow, thanks for your help, the image of the car posted is what kind I was thinking of is that formula 1 :shrug:, Julie did mention 3 sisters,before she went to work this afternoon
 
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Thanks Yvonne, sounds good to me,but dont want to ask him as it will spoil the surprise, but do know what you mean, he'd know more what he like :thumbs:
 
There are lots of single seaters. Many have wings and slick tyres and look similar to F1 cars.

The car I pictured is a 1988 Reynard. Originally a F3 car which is 2 divisions below F1. Powered by a 2 litre engine. Much slower than a F1 car but still faster round a race track than virtually any 'normal' car that is being raced.

My brother is the regular driver for our car, but I've raced it a couple of times.
 
I'd think something at oulton park would be your best bet,probably about an hour from chorley

There seen to be a few sites offering driving days, if you book one and it's over £100 make sure you pay with a credit card as a few of these type of companies have gone bust over the years

http://www.buyagift.co.uk
 
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May be a little out here.... but what about the two seater McClaren F1 racing car at silverstone driven by one of the F1 drivers
 
Andrew you will be more up on it than me but looking at the things that have been mentioned I would be surprised if he holds a nat B race license.

If he has only done some road rallies a non race national B would be enough to compete. So would not qualify him to race on a circuit unless at a track day.

So tuition at a driving school maybe the only option.
 
bearing in mind what rally media just said, and also how far you will travel and how much you will pay, you might want to have a look at these in Anglesey. This link is for the advanced stuff, but there is also a page of more normal experiences that might fit the bill moreso than the more popular ones at the more well promoted circuits.

http://www.angleseycircuit.com/specialised.htm
 
A quick update, Thanks Guys for all your help, in the end we got him vouchers, so he can decide what he wants, he was well chuffed
 
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