Marshal in need of help/Advice!

[Short Circuit]

Hello there,

I have been a marshal for a few years now and am looking to spread my wings a little bit and venture to the tarmac that exists on the other side of the Armco barrier!!

I have got my "go racing pack " from the MSA and am now looking at taking the ARDS test/course. Can anyone reccomend a School or circuit to contact to complete this at as Cadwell (20mins away!!) doesn't do it at the moment.

Secondly I am partaking in a trackday organised for the marshals (what got me interested in changing orange proban for nomex a couple of years ago!) at cadwell on 23rd feb but I require a trailer to get my sierra too and from the circuit, so if there ae any kind hearted drivers in/around lincoln who could help out by renting or loaning me their trailer f a couple of days I would be glad to hear from you.

Thanks

Steve Spurr

[terence]

Hi Steve,you have a choice of Mallory or Silverstone for your A.R.D.S.personally I would go for Silverstone,not to much of a drag from you,Welcome to the other side!

[COLIN STUBBS]

hey up mate pm me your number and ill give you a call if you like. im not far from you and am taking a race car to the trackday if you wanna jump in for a few laps....

[Austinspace75]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Hi Steve,you have a choice of Mallory or Silverstone for your A.R.D.S.personally I would go for Silverstone,not to much of a drag from you,Welcome to the other side!

Hi Steve, you're doing a cool thing!!

Personally I would recommend Mallory actually. Its a much more clubby atmosphere and they did my ARDS test brilliantly. After everyone's safety, our instructor was interested in only one thing, making sure we passed or failed for the right reasons. Plus, the circuit is demanding and alot more satisfying than Stowe.

I have heard some rather interesting, though I should say unconfirmed reports, of the Silverstone school failing people and then advising them to take their 5 day intensive course. I'm sure that there are good reasons behind their advice and that people gain a tremendous amount from their courses, however the purpose of the ARDS course is to test your awareness, your understanding of the flags and signals and your overall competence and command of driving safely and confidently at speed amongst other cars. It is not intended to check that you know the perfect line, threshold breaking point and gear selection technique for a given bend on the Silverstone Stowe circuit..... which I fear may be a requirement for passing the Silverstone version of ARDS.

The Mallory test was exactly what I believe the ARDS is intended for and for that reason alone I would recommend it.

[Short Circuit]

Thanks for your advice all, Its just a cae of scraping together the pennies now!!!

[greenamex2]

I have heard of several people being 'hard sold' the course at Silverstone.

For most people this would be a totally unnecessary expense.

Help out a racer at a race day, pass your ARDS course and do a test day with an experienced racer/manager running it and you'll learn far more, and save some pennies for what really matters, racing!

Good luck with the racing, I think you are going to find the other side of the armco very different to what you imagine, but your marshalling experience will give you an insight most drivers have missed.

Please update us on your progress.

[brickkicker]

I took my ARDS test yesterday at Silverstone and passed, I would like to say that I thought Silverstone were very good and there was no hard sell on me. The price was a bit more than some places but you do get more in your day. We had skid car as well as car control in a caterham and also the laps on a track. They also didnt use the stow track we used the southern track which had some interesting corners. Out of the 24 that took the course I think only 4 failed (and some of those due to falling of the track during the test). It was a good course and I would recomend it.

[Tim Falce]

Hi Steve, I would recommend Mallory for the ARDS test, they are a friendly bunch and go out of their way to help. The test is fairly easy provided you have a bit of track time under your belt to show you are not dangerous. As for the written test, make sure you know your flags

[terence]

Originally Posted by brickkicker

I took my ARDS test yesterday at Silverstone and passed, I would like to say that I thought Silverstone were very good and there was no hard sell on me. The price was a bit more than some places but you do get more in your day. We had skid car as well as car control in a caterham and also the laps on a track. They also didnt use the stow track we used the southern track which had some interesting corners. Out of the 24 that took the course I think only 4 failed (and some of those due to falling of the track during the test). It was a good course and I would recomend it.

Well done you,it,s funny how these story,s get spread ,about [hard sell].The only time that further training is offered is when some one REALY shine,s.The whole ARDS thing is not to make a total novice learn the correct line,braking point,turn in point etc,its to ascertain that they are competent enough to hold a license and not go hurt themselves/others in thier first outting. I think the Instructors at Silverstone are amongst the best in the country,indeed one guy holds an ARDS Super licence,now that Ithink should give any prospective candidate some sort of confidence.

[terence]

As a follow on ,the Stow circuit is used for the single seater thing,where else can someone take thier ARDS on the same tarmac that F1teams test thier cars!

[brickkicker]

I agree terence, the whole day was well organised and I dont think that if you go to other tracks in the UK you get so much in the day. As I understand most places its a few laps in a Golf and a writen test. We had skid pan, car control (in a caterham) as well as the laps in a Lotus and the writen test. I think it was better as you got to learn a bit about what happens when it goes wrong as well as what to do when its ok with nothing around you.

[ascarracinguk]

how much is the ards course/test. im in the same boat as steve, been doing drag racing for a year but just sold the car and bought a legend...want to carry on with drag racing but also look at doing hillclimbing and possibly track days too.

[Suze]

It depends where you do it - the Go Racing pack from the MSA is £51 then depends where you take the test - IIRC Mallory is £50, whereas somewhere like Silverstone is just over £350 (Silverstone day is slightly different - think they do skid pan and things too). Not sure what hillclimbing license requirement is but to sprint you can have a non-race Nat B which requires no test and is £34.

[terence]

I,m sorry to have to say this brickkicker,but they are the best in the country.I,ll bet you drive every day looking further ahead than you used to,and you also know what to expectwhen ,like you say ,it all goes wrong S urely ,the bit extra that people like you pay for this sort of instruction is more than worth it.But you must always remember that no matter how long any of us have been driving,we can always learn something new,and by the sound of it you have plenty of time ,good luck

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Suze

Not sure what hillclimbing license requirement is but to sprint you can have a non-race Nat B which requires no test and is £34.

Hillclimbing is covered by the same Non-Race Nat B license for newcomers. There are limitations on what you can drive with a Nat B but once you have the pre-requiste signatures on your license it is easy to upgrade to a Nat A. Then the world is your oyster! I took the trouble to get a Nat A Open which allows me to drive anything in Speed Events - now all I need is someone to offered a free ride in a Gould!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Suze

It depends where you do it - the Go Racing pack from the MSA is £51 then depends where you take the test - IIRC Mallory is £50, whereas somewhere like Silverstone is just over £350

Suze, YRI, Mallory and all other ARDS testing centres have to charge a minimum fee set by the MSA and at Mallory was £175 seven years ago when I took mine.

[Suze]

Arse - Mallory is £250, sorry obviously didn't hit the 2 key. Be a bloody good deal if it was only £50!

[Short Circuit]

Definatelt food for thought. Had a bit of a financial set back though, so it may have to wait a couple of months.

Thanks for all your advice.