What is club racing?
If you want to start racing on a track,
you will start at this level; it's for beginners, those
on their way to stardom and those who race for the enjoyment
of it.
Visitors' Guide
Take a look at the race meeting format
below to decide when to come along.
As with BSB, etc., you will need to pay
entry to the circuit and get a ticket. You can book these
beforehand or buy on the gate - usually £10 or £12ish
a ticket. If you know a club racer they can meet you at
the gate with a spare ticket, but bear in mind that this
may interfere with their very hectic schedule and it may
not always be possible.
You are allowed into the paddock and garage
areas as well as pit lane (except kids in pit lane), but
be very carefull and always look around you - race bikes
are moving about all day, they don't have horns and the
riders may not always be thinking about pedestrians.
If you turn up on a bike then you can
ride into the paddock and find somewhere convenient to park;
just make sure you're not blocking anyone's route from the
track to their garage/awning or a safety lane (usually clearly
marked). If you're in a car then it's best to park just
outside the paddock area as the paddock will be very full.
You are unlikely to be directed once you've got your ticket.
I cannot stress enough how friendly a
club paddock is. You can wander around and chat to everyone.
If you don't know anyone, then watch some races and go and
find a favourite competitor afterwards to compliment them
on their riding skill - this will almost always be appreciated!
What
clubs are there and what are the differences?
There are many different clubs, the largest of which is
BMCRC (usually referred to as Bemsee - even their website
is bemsee.co.uk),
which also runs the MRO Series.
- MRO is generally accepted as the step between club and
BSB level.
- Bemsee Nationwide is the lower level.
- Both Bemsee and MRO are run at the same meetings.
- The Club is based in the south and does tend to favour the southerly based racer, with Brands Hatch as a favourite and oft-repeated location.
Other Clubs include:
To race at a club you have to become a member.
What
is the format for a race weekend?
This is a common format for a two-day club race weekend. The times can
vary depending on regulations for noise at each circuit
e.g. for church on Sundays, and the format will vary for
each club:
- Practice day (usually Friday for a race that weekend)
is like a track day, with usually 3 or 4 groups running from
9am to 5pm
- Saturday race day normally starts with warm up laps which last
for 10 mins for each group starting at 9am. This is essential
for those who haven't made practice day; you must complete
2 laps to be allowed to compete.
- Saturday racing starts at around 10.30am - the race
schedule is laid out just before the meeting and is available
in the events programme.
- The race times are not normally set - a race follows the previous
As Soon As the Circuit is Clear (asacc) - this is due
to stoppages; wet weather, anything really. If there are
20-odd races in a day then this is the only way to fit
them in.
- Each championship can have two races per day.
- Competitors can race in more than one championship
(for instance 600cc and 1000cc riders can also pay to
enter an open class).
- Sunday is a similar format, but warm-ups tend to be only 3
laps so the racing generally starts earlier.
- The circuit bar is a great place to go on a Friday and
Saturday night.
What
types of races are there?
Within the race format there are different classes according
to the type of bike you want to race. These range from 125s;
400s; Minitwins (mostly SV650s); 600s; 1000s, classics, rat bikes (such as Mz250s) and sidecars. There are also
specialist classes and one-make series such as Triumph Challenge and the Aprilia Superteens. Some of the classes
are split into levels, e.g. a Supersport 600 classs
and a Clubman 600; the Clubman 600 is for those new to racing
(rookies) or with very little racing experience.
Do
girls race against men?
Yes, there isn't a separate race; there aren't enough of
us yet, and a level of competition may disappear if we were
separated out. The only women's only championships at the
moment are based in Europe - one called the European Women's
Cup (EWC), and the Italians have enough female racers for a full championship.
You must have a "UEM" Licence to compete in this
the EWC (detailed below).
In Bemsee in 2006 for example:
- Minitwins: 3 girls, 80ish men
- 400s: 5 girls, 50ish men
- Thunderbikes: 1 girl, 8 men
Who
can compete in what?
Every racer will start off with some form of Novice Licence
from the ACU (Autocycle Union). By participating in racing
and getting results, the racer will progress up the licencing
ladder enabling her (or him!) to compete at higher levels.
The ladder is: Novice, Clubman, National, UEM or International
- On a novice licence you can enter almost any Club race.
- As a novice you can compete in special novice championships,
sometimes with separate races and sometimes run as a part
of a main race.
- To upgrade to a Clubman licence a novice must compete
in 10 race meetings (a weekend race in fact consists of
two one-day meetings) at 4 different circuits.
- As a Clubman you can enter any Club race.
- To upgrade to National you first have upgraded to Clubman,
then you must finish in the top 50% of the total finishers
in 10 race meetings at 4 different circuits.
- Once you have your National licence you can compete
at BSB and the Manx GP.
- To compete outside the UK you must have either a UEM
or International licence. Both require a competitor to
have held a National licence for a year. The UEM is a
time-based progression, the International is based on
results and raw talent (this is what GP and WSB riders
hold).
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