500 MRCI
500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland Ltd,
Kirkistown Racing Circuit,
130 Rubane Road,
Kircubbin, Co. Down,
BT22 1AU
email: info@kirkistown.com
phone: 028 4277 1325
Race Licence
Though motor racing can never be
truly cheap, racing at club level is the
backbone of the sport in this country
and need not be prohibitively
expensive. It is still possible to race
competitively in a car, which you have
driven to the circuit. Novice racing
drivers will be obliged to undergo a
half days training at one of the
Association of Racing Drivers’ Schools
(ARDS), before they can obtain a
National B Licence.
Kirkistown Racing Circuit
Kirkistown Motor Racing Circuit is a
permanent motorsport circuit located
between the villages of Kirkistown
and Portavogie, on the Ards Peninsula
of County Down in Northern Ireland.
The circuit is owned and operated by
the 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland
(500 MRCI), who opened the circuit in
1953 on the site of the former RAF
Kirkistown Air Force base.
Motorsport UK
Motorsport UK sets minimum safety
standards for the equipment you
must wear and your car must have,
e.g. a roll cage, harnesses and a fire
extinguisher. With all the safety
requirements that both the cars and
the circuit have to adhere to and the
on-site medical facilities you are
considerably safer on track than you
are out on the road.
This ‘Competitor Information’ page is written in a way that will give help to people wanting to start racing in this class along with
information for people who already have a race licence.
MSA 'GO RACING' STARTER PACK
Race Licence
Going racing doesn’t have to be expensive; gaining a licence isn’t particularly complicated. It’s fun and once you’ve taken those first few steps we guarantee you’ll never
look back. The buzz from driving a race car is impossible to match and the adrenaline rush of competing is massively addictive. Only a racer knows just how good it feels to
race wheel-to-wheel with fellow competitors. The off-track action is equally enjoyable, you’ll meet like-minded new friends who will offer help when you need it and have
fun with at the end of the day.
How good do I need to be?
Of course, until you’re actually out on the track you won’t know your skill level, but as long you can drive a car then you will be good enough to get started. Remember to
give yourself time to learn and improve at your own pace. When you take the test to gain your licence you will need a basic understanding of the racing line and the
technique required but this will be explained to you on the day.
Will I make a fool of myself?
No. The trained instructor will help you on the licence test day, and the championship co-ordinator will help you at your first race meeting. It’s very likely that there will be
plenty of other drivers on track for the first time
Is it safe?
Modern circuits are designed with safety as the number one priority ensuring all racers are thoroughly protected. Circuits are subject to regular stringent checks and the
race meetings can only be held if they are up to standard. All meetings are marshalled by trained volunteers, professional medical crews and doctors and most have fully
staffed on-site medical centres too. If you do need assistance help will always arrive within seconds.
The controlling body for motorsport in the UK is Motorsport UK, who derive their authority from the FIA in Geneva.
The FIA is the highest international body involved in the administration of Motor Sport.
All competitors need to obtain a Competition Licence from the Licensing department of the Mortorsports UK In order to start circuit racing you need to request a “Starter”
pack from Mortorsport UK which will include an application form and details of ARDS courses offered by various Racing Schools. It is necessary for all new Competition
Racing Licence holders to attend and pass an ARDS course and the ARDS examiners will endorse a successful candidates Competition Licence application form.
After watching the Mortorsport UK video you will sit the first part of the test which is a two-part written assessment to check your knowledge of Section Q of the
Motorsport UK Competitors and Officials Yearbook (blue book) on Car Racing. Then, it's on to the driving part of the test where instructors will assess your track driving
during a 20 minute lapping session.
You must be able to demonstrate that you are a competent circuit driver and that you can lap consistently in a safe and controlled manner amongst other 'traffic'. You
must also show your knowledge of the racing line and ultimately assure the instructor that you are safe and able to enter your first race. Don't worry - they will not be
looking for you to set a new lap record and although it is a test, you'll enjoy yourself as well!
At the end of that just send the paperwork to Mortorsport UK and you will have gained your National B race licence and you’re ready to go racing.
Congratulations! All you need now is a car and you’re off on the start of a whole new chapter in your life, one where you can call yourself a racing driver.
Mortorsport UK set minimum safety standards for the equipment you must wear and your car must have a roll cage, harnesses and a fire extinguisher, all of which is
examined closely during scrutineering. With all the safety requirements that both the cars and the circuit have to adhere to and the on-site medical facilities, you are
considerably safer on track than you are out on the road.
All the basic rules governing participation in motor sport events in the UK are contained in the current MSA Year Book or Blue Book as it is generally called. To enjoy the
sport to the full, Organisers, Competitors and Officials should ensure they are familiar with the regulations relevant to their own particular discipline, in this case circuit
racing.
THE SECTION BELOW WILL BE UPDATED IN EARLY 2021.
For those taking part in circuit racing the simple way to read the Year Book is to read the sections in the following order;
•
Section J: Competitors – Vehicles
•
Section Q: Circuit Racing
•
Section K: Competitors – Safety
•
2020 MSA Yearbook FULL DOWNLOAD IN PDF
Section J has the regulations that concern every vehicle taking part in motorsport. Section Q will detail specific regulations for cars that are involved in circuit racing. Section
Q will also list the regulation numbers for the safety items detailed in Section K, i.e. rollcage, fire extinguisher, etc; that cars require before taking part in racing.
Along with reading the Motorsport UK regulations above, you need to read the current MODI-5-CUP Sporting and Technical regulations as issued by the 500MRCI. These
regulations set out the modifications you can and can’t make to the MX5 race car, what it is required to have e.g. what springs it has to run, what gearbox ratios it has to
have, etc.
Approved rule changes are published here and will be incorporated into the next edition of the relevant Motorsport UK Yearbook.
Requirements listed below are shown in more detail in Sections J, K and Q in the MSA Year Book.
•
Crash helmets bearing an MSA approval sticker must be worn at all times during training, practice and competition.
•
Clean FIA 2000 or FIA 2018 flame-Resistant overalls, must be worn.
•
Car must be fitted with a laminated windscreen. If plastic side screens or rear windows are fitted, the thickness must not be less than 4mm.
•
Any ballast required must be attached to the shell/chassis via at least 4 mounting points using bolts with a minimum diameter of 8mm each with steel counter
plates of at least 400 sq mm surface area and 3mm thickness.
•
Tinted glass in any window which can significantly affect through vision (in or out) or distort the colours of signal flags or lights is prohibited.
•
Numbers must be displayed on each side of the vehicle and on the foremost part of the nose.
•
If advertising is on the windscreen, not have the advertising obscuring the driver’s vision, i.e. not more than 13cm deep.
•
Advertising on other transparent surfaces is prohibited unless specified in the Race Series Regulations.
•
The driver’s name may be displayed on the rear side and/or the rear screen in letters not exceeding 10cm high.
PLEASE NOTE
Helmet specification SNELL SA2005 - Not valid
Helmet specification BS6658 Type A/FR - Not valid
An FIA approved FHR device, fitted in accordance with K.10.4, is Mandatory for drivers in Circuit Racing.
With the exception of Period Defined Vehicles for which it is recommend.
Frontal Head Restraints (FHR)
Frontal Head Restraints (FHR) competitor guidance
IF BUYING A NEW HELMET MAKE SURE IT HAS THE PILLARS ATTACHED FOR USE WITH AN FHR SYSTEM
Motorsport UK Regulations
The information contained on this page is presented for convenience only. While every effort will be made to keep it up to date, in the event of any disputes the official
version of the regulations will be the version published by the 500MRCI. Series Registration Form here.
The MODI-5-Cup is organised and administered by the 500 MRCI Ltd. in accordance with the General Regulations of the Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association
(incorporating the provisions of the International Sporting Code of the FIA) and these 2021 Race Series Sporting & Technical Regulations.
Kirkistown race dates for 2021 - March 27th, April 24th, May 29th, June 26th, July 24th, August 28th, September 25th and October 23rd There will be a qualifying and two
races at each meeting.
This series is for competitors participating in the following MX5 cars - Eunos/Miata origin 1989 – 2005.
There may be an A and a B class within each race depending on the modification level of the cars that take part in the series. This would allow highly modified cars and less
modified or Stage Rally and Sprint-Hillclimb cars to score points in the appropriate Modi5cup race series class.
USEFUL NUMBERS
Race Series 500MRCI Office 02842 771325
Race Dates, Cup Sporting & Technical Regulations
COMPETITOR INFORMATION
Race Licence
MODI-5-CUP