How to get started

The friendly and competitive nature of the Volkswagen Racing Cup is an ideal place for the newcomer to racing to feel welcome, quickly learn the ropes and come up to speed alongside a mixture of novices and very experienced drivers.

The first thing you will need is your competition licence. The category required by the Volkswagen Racing Cup is a Race National B.

Apply to the Motor Sports Association on 01753 765000 to receive your 'Get Started in Motorsport' pack. This will provide you with all of the paperwork you need, along with a useful video. Watching this video a few times will be an excellent start to understanding just what you are embarking on.

Then get your GP to complete the medical form (normally for a charge). These are mainly routine checks.

You then need to book your ARDS test at a racing school. ARDS stands for the Association of Approved Racing Drivers Schools. The ARDS test has been compulsory for first-time applicants for racing licences for the past 12 years in order to try to introduce a minimum competence level across all newcomers to motorsport.

The test is made up of a written test examining flag usage and race procedures, and a driving test to establish that the basics are understood.

Your personal preparation for the written test will be explained in the video enclosed in the pack, which you should watch through a couple of times. You will need to go through the ARDS notes, together with a read-through of section J of the Motorsports Association (MSA) Blue Book. The written flags test must be passed, so you will need to spend a little time beforehand to learn these thoroughly.

The test will take around three hours. For the driving section, you will receive time with an instructor in a road car, during which he will decide on whether you pass or fail on driving competence. He will be looking for you to demonstrate adequate vision ahead of you, and to judge that you are travelling at a reasonable pace for the circuit. There is no element of timing or any speed requirements. But crucially, you must stay on the track at all times, and be able to string at least two laps together consistently.

With medical, ARDS test and a cheque written, post it all off to the MSA, and your Race National B licence will be in your hands about a week later. You are now entitled to drive on test days on circuit, but before you can actually enter a race, you will need to join a club and register for the championship.

The club that administers the Volkswagen Racing Cup, and much of British circuit racing, is the British Racing and Sports Car Club, the BRSCC. Contact the BRSCC on 01732 780100 to get the membership application forms. You will need to become a 'Racing Member'.

Finally, you need to register with Volkswagen Racing for the Volkswagen Racing Cup. This will entitle you to enter the races, and all of the associated benefits.

You will need to enter each race meeting individually during the season, directly to the BRSCC. As a racing member of the BRSCC, you will have all of the entry forms sent to you at the beginning of the year.

Before you enter your first race, it is always a good idea to get a few test days under your belt. Not only will this get you used to handling your car, you will also become aware of other cars up close around you at speed.

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