The belief of many is that obtaining your race licence is just too complicated - not true! It’s a lot easier than finding your way to Shennington, avoiding the village itself.

Belief No.2 it’s just too expensive! It can be, but not if you take your test at Blackbushe. The price of the test is £74 and at Blackbushe we charge ONLY £74. Having completed your test you can practice for the rest of the day free - what a bargain! I’m even tempted myself!

How?

1. Apply for a starter pack obtained from the MSA priced £38.00.
2. Continue practising, honing your skills until you can lap Blackbushe in approximately 110% of a race lap time. If you are a cadet, 100cc, 125 Rotax Max that is a time, on a dry circuit, of approximately 30 - 32 seconds.

Gearbox should be approximately 23 - 25 seconds.

3. You are now lapping consistently in a good time. You have watched the video, supplied in your starter pack, you know your flags, go on take the plunge it’s easy!
4. Contact an ARKS examiner. Most clubs have one - at Blackbushe we have one - Ian Johnson (that’s me). ARKS tests are normally carried out on the second Saturday of each month. So ‘phone up and book your place.
5. If you book the test with me the plan is you turn up as on a normal practice day. Sign on and pay nothing - tell them you are an ARKS pupil. The ARKS test starts at 11 a.m. So irrelevant of what class you are driving you should have one session to make sure the outfit runs and the driver still remembers his way round.
6. 11 a.m. We meet in the signing on hut. I ramble on about the flags, overalls, helmets, procedures etc. We then watch the video yet again. The first part of the test is a multiple choice section - tick the right box. You must achieve 8 correct answers out of 10 questions. If you have watched the video and listened to my ramblings you will have no problem (it’s easy).
7. You now take to the track in your relevant class where your driving standard is assessed. If you can consistently lap within the 110% time, you are aware of other drivers on the circuit, you don’t fly off into the undergrowth every other lap, then the ARKS examiner will be suitable impressed, sign and stamp your licence application form, found in your starter pack. You then send the form to the MSA with a further £25.00 for your race licence and hey presto! You have become a racer. (It’s that simple).

Medicals?

18 -45 year olds must have a medical examination prior to obtaining a licence.

From 45 until you’ve had enough you need a medical every year.

Your licence application from has a medical section on it. Take it to your doctor to complete, the main points being colour blindness test, eyesight test, urine test and blood pressure test. The doctor will probably make a charge for this.

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