Even though grassroots motorsports represent the lowest ranks of amateur racing, it is still an immensely interesting and exciting way to get into motorsports. Organised by one of many motorsport clubs operating in the UK, you can enjoy numerous grassroots disciplines. From regular circuit races to hill climbs, time attacks and rallies. Whatever your preferred form of motorsport is, you will be able to find like-minded enthusiasts willing to race you. You can enter the series with practically any car, but very soon, you will see that stock vehicles will not be as competitive and that you will need to modify them in order to extract the most performance. However, you have to choose your upgrades wisely and know which components will actually help you shred those seconds. Here is our list of the best performance upgrades you should consider which will turn an ordinary vehicle into a proper race car.
Tyres and Wheels
Having the right tyre is immensely important for any type of racing. After all, tyres are the only thing between the car and the tarmac and being sure that you have the most grip possible is imperative. Depending on the race series and the specs of your vehicle, you can go for a performance street tyre or for a full slick or semi-slick rubber, which will introduce you to next level grip giving you more confidence in the corners and under the braking.
Engine
Of course, having more power is crucial for being faster than your competitors. Some series have limits on what you can actually do to the engine in terms of forced induction, displacement changes or similar major modifications. However, most will allow you to use performance chips, cold air intakes, bigger radiators or heavy-duty/performance components to withstand the track torture.
Suspension
A great way to improve your lap times and get the edge over competitors is by investing in suspension. You don’t need to do anything significant; a simple set of shocks and springs will do wonders and help your car be more neutral in corners, put the power to the ground and steer more precisely. If you wish to further develop the car in this direction, coil-overs are the next step for an even better handling machine.
Brakes
We fully agree with the old Pirelli ad that reads – “Power Is Nothing Without Control”. When your car gets better, faster and more stable, you will need a set of brakes to keep everything in check. Here you have a couple of options. You can start lightly with just better pads and if you need more stopping power, replace the discs for some bigger ones. If that is not enough, you can always opt for a performance brake set designed to endure constant track use and repeated hard braking. Some even say that it is better to invest in brakes first than in the engine.
Dry Sump Kit
If you are a serious grassroots racer, a dry-sump kit should be high on your list of priorities. Dry sumps are a fantastic addition to your race car and offer several key advantages. First of all, with a dry-sump system installed, your vehicle can achieve higher cornering speeds without the fear of oil starvation. Second, removing the standard wet sump system will release slightly more power and help the engine achieve higher revs. Third, cracked oil pans are no longer a problem, which could be crucial for off-road events.
Make it Light
People tend to forget that weight is crucial for any performance machine. Since modern cars are so heavy, one of the best things you can do to your grassroots machine is free it of unnecessary weight. Just by removing the rear seats, spare tyre, boot isolation, door cards, headliner and so on, you can shave a couple of hundred pounds which will do wonders to your car’s handling and overall performance on the track.
Safety
With the rise of performance of your car, so is the danger. Although grassroots motorsport is amateur racing, the series is still concentrated on driver’s safety, so investing in roll cages, fire extinguishers, and racing belts is necessary and mandatory.
Racing Seats
After the first race, you will understand that your standard seat is just not good enough for any type of spirited driving. Regular driver’s seats are designed for comfort and not for keeping your body firmly in the corners. So, a racing seat (with safety harnesses) is one of the things you must include on your shopping list. However, do not think that racing seats are only good for lateral support; they are also much stronger than regular ones and can help protect you in case of a crash.
Aerodynamics
You have upgraded your engine, suspension, brakes and lost a lot of weight; what is next? Aerodynamics. This could be your ticker in finding more performance and stability at high speeds. The aerodynamics play a minor role if you are racing lawnmowers (yes, there is a lawnmower racing series in the UK) but are crucial if you participate in Porsche or BMW club series.
Carbon Fibre Body Panels
Removing unnecessary weight from your car is one thing but replacing body panels with carbon fibre is totally different. Some series will not allow it, but some will, and if you happen to race in those, you might consider getting lightweight doors, boot lid, bonnet, bumpers, wings or roof made of carbon fibre. The weight savings will be significant, which would be very beneficial to your performance. Of course, this upgrade will also have a considerable price.
PACE Dry Sumps
The Pacepump® range is designed to meet almost any installation. From the dry sumping of pre-war classic sports cars to modern day Le-Mans cars, fast road cars to Touring cars, Formula Ford to Formula 1. We have dry sumped some of the world’s fastest drag motorcycles and off shore power boats – We have the ability and equipment to design and manufacture special oil pumps to your exact requirements. Now designed and manufactured by Neil Brown Engineering.
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