You may have been burning rubber as a petrolhead all your life and decided to take the next step and get your Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) licence. Whether you’re taking the test for the speed or non-speed licence, you’re officially carded to hit the track as a drift king, rally star, or (limited) touring champ. Whether you’re racing in Motorkhanas, rally cross, hill climbs, sprints, or drifting comps – or want to take it beyond starters and go for your circuit or off-road licence, here’s what you need to know about car racing as an amateur – or semi-professional – in Australia.
Entry level options: karting and motorkhana
If you want to get a taste of motorsport for little to no outlay, car enthusiasts’ first point of entry is either go-karting, “come and try” days, or the motorkhana. Go-karting isn’t just for kids – some superkarts can tip the speedo at 160km/h! Karting is not only easy to get into, it’s fun for the family as well. Clubs will also hold “come and try” days as part of their rallies or Motorkhana days. Motorkhana is a low-impact and friendly short course race marked by flags or witches’ hats. If your car is stock, it won’t be too hard on its brakes and engine.
Speed events: drifting, sprints, and more
When you obtain your CAMS non-speed licence, you’re eligible to enter amateur or semi-pro events including timed events. These can range from the hill climb, the auto cross which is a race against the clock, sprints and supersprints, drifting competitions, and the regularity: where drivers nominate a lap time and attempt to make the same time each lap, hence the “regularity” winning the competition. Of course, you will need to have a car that is race ready – unmodified street cars will not cut it.
Getting serious: Circuits, clubs, and cars
If you are looking to become an amateur racer (non-paid) or semi-pro (prize winning competitions), you’ll need to join a club and get into circuit racing. Circuit Excel Racing is an inexpensive way to get into real racing. Some Excel cars can sell for as little as $1,000 – as long as you’re ready to invest in some big repairs and mods. Most can be found for $6,000, but your outlay will usually run you about $8,000 to $15,000 or more – if you want to be really competitive. Some classes will have mixes of amateurs and pros (ProAms) and if you’re really good, you could go semi-pro. You’ll also have to pay for race gear such as helmets, apparel, and safety harnesses. You may also want to invest in race training and coaching. If you aren’t 100% sure, go to a “come and try” day or book a V8 hot lap first to get a taste for it.
Financing your club car
Getting into car racing as a hobby isn’t cheap. If your daily driver is a money pit, wait until you get a stock car or an Excel! Even used go karts can cost as much as $1,500 for one in reasonable condition. If you’re expecting to pay the average interest rate on car loans, some banks may feel hesitant to loan money for cars that have a high likelihood of wearing out fast, taking consistent damage, and the added risk of total write-off after a bad corner or crash. Brokers and motorsport lenders may be more open to the idea, however you may need to pay a premium in interest rates and fees to allay their fears, even if you have stellar credit. If you want to put rubber to the road, you have to be committed! Once you have the gear and equipment, you’ll likely have to sell it all at a deep loss
