Vintage Racing: Your First Race

In the other Vintage Racing articles, we learned what vintage racing is all about, picked out the perfect car and surrounded ourselves with safety equipment. Here, we'll cover gettng our license and what it's like going to our first event. Hang on—we're on the track at last!

Licensing
Before you fire up your racer, you will need to get a license. Some vintage racing clubs issue their own licenses, while others subscribe to the Vintage Motorsport Council (VMC) licensing program. Some clubs will also accept licenses from other established racing groups, such as the Sports Car Club of America or other vintage racing clubs.

Checkup
Your first stop before race weekend will be at the doctor's office for a good physical. Your club will provide a form that may require an E.K.G., depending on your age. Your doctor will be asked to evaluate your ability to take part in a high-stress activity like racing. You need not have always had perfect health. Many vintage racers have survived heart attacks or other serious illnesses.

Qualifying
If you have had previous racing experience you may be able to bypass some of the club regulations for qualifying for a license. Having taken a professional racing school may help as well, but most clubs prefer for new drivers to be taught the "vintage" way to race, not the "win at all cost" methods common in other types of racing.

Class Time
A typical vintage racing school will start on the Friday before a race weekend, and will include a number of classroom sessions that explain the meaning and uses of the flags. Flags are the principal method the race officials have of communicating with the drivers during a race, and a clear understanding is essential to safety.