The best place to start when it comes to getting started in Sprint competition is to find a local club near you. There are many different clubs around the country that organise sprint events, whether they are at hill climb venues, circuits or on disused airfields and closed public roads.
Once you have found a suitable club that you are interested in, it is worth going along to one of their events to see what goes on, talk to some of the competitors and get a general feel on how the event unfolds. In doing so, you will be able to find out what classes of competition the club offers, which will give you a good understanding of what type of car you use to compete in.
Many clubs will also have classes for road going cars to compete in, so if you have a road car that you would be comfortable in using, this may provide a good starting point for you to give sprinting a try.
In order to enter an event, you will need to join a club, so it is worth doing some research into the various clubs in your area to find one which you are happy with and that would be suitable for you.
Due to the nature of Sprint events, you can share a car with another driver, as you will be on track at separate times. This will help to keep costs down as you begin your journey into the sport.
After you have decided on a class to enter and what car you will be driving, you will need to obtain some safety equipment. All classes require the driver to wear a suitable helmet which meet the safety requirements as set out in the regulations. Drivers of competition cars are also required to wear fireproof overalls and gloves as a minimum, although for those driving standard cars these are not mandatory but are strongly encouraged.
Drivers will also need to obtain a RS Inter Club licence in order to compete in club events. This can be obtained through the Motorsport UK website. To obtain this licence, you won’t need to take a test or complete a medical assessment.
With both car and equipment all sorted, it is time to enter an event. Each club will have its own calendar of events which make up a championship. These may run at 1 or more venues and will give you a good opportunity to gain some experience.
The most important thing to remember is to have fun and enjoy driving your car in a competitive environment.
For more information, check out the video below:
HSA Speed Championships
Once you have a few events under your belt and you feel ready to take on a new challenge, it is worth taking a look at the Hillclimb and Sprint Association Championships. These are geared towards new Sprint drivers and feature events at both hill climb and circuit venues across the country. The championships also cater for a wide range of different competition cars with various classes to provide fair and close competition. There are even classes for production cars, so you can still use your everyday road car with minimal safety additions to get started.
In order to enter an event, you will first need to obtain an RS Inter Club licence. You can obtain this through an online application on the Motorsport UK website. You won’t need to take a test or complete a medical assessment for this licence.
The championships feature over 30 rounds at venues such as Shelsley Walsh, Prescott, Cadwell Park and more. For the HSA Speed Championship, it isn’t necessary to compete at all rounds of the championship as only the best 9 results count towards the overall points standings. This means that you can pick and choose which events you want to enter depending on your location or budget.
For more information, check out the video below:
British Sprint Championship
The pinnacle of Sprinting in the UK is the British Sprint Championship. Featuring some of the best and most experienced drivers in the country, the level of competition is fierce as competitors battle it out to become the British champion.
Like the HSA Speed Championships, there are a range of classes which compete across multiple weekends throughout the year at some of the most prestigious circuits and venues in the country. There are 44 scoring rounds held throughout the year, however only the best 33 scores count towards the final points total.
Due to being a national championship, a Motorsport UK RS National licence is required to compete in this championship.
For more information, check out the video below:
Apply for your Free RS Clubman Licence
Start your motorsport journey, apply online for your free RS Clubman licence
Motorsport UK has launched a special edition magazine titled, DRIVE! How to begin your motorsport journey, to explain the routes into the various disciplines of motorsport.
Complete the form to download the publication and understand how you can get started.
