Hi everyone!
I have recently discovered this sport, and am interested in becoming a racer and doing this seriously. Problem is, I have absolutely no idea as to which type of racing would be best for me (formula, stock car, or just road racing), where to start, or how this works. Is there a team that competes nation-wide, world-wide? Or is it more individual? I am currently 15, so I just have a learners license - which is probably going to be a problem – should I wait until next year? Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I would appreciate anything. Thanks!
Okay boys and girls - here is someone you should all be trying to entice into your class - who is going to the first to answer their questions.
Sue
Wow so many questions, It seems like you wish to pursue a career in racing. Firstly you will need money, lots of it,either by personal fortune or sponsorship or other means. Climbing the ladder up the ranks you will have to have talent and be able to buy a seat on a team or bring sponsorship money with you. If you have not been scared off yet get into racing NOW ! At 15 you may need to do a year of Karting before you can get a race car license. At 16 take a good race driver training course. Try renting various cars and see which direction you want to go in, open wheel , closed wheel etc. After a couple years you should be able to guage weather you have the talent and commitment to succeed. Many have tried and unfortunately only a few make it. Good luck
RS
Go Karting – Great age to join the local kart club. You will soon learn if you have the talent, the skill, the discipline, the mental aptitude, the mechanical aptitude, passion and the ability to spend copious amount of money on personal enjoyment. Racing a Kart for a couple of years is the very best way to determine if you have the ability. Buy a competitive kart in a competitive class and start to learn about the sport, learn about the mechanics of your Kart, learn about the dynamics of a vehicle when in motion and you will learn a great deal about yourself. Good luck!
Another option is to go racing on the oval. You don't require a licence other than a valid driver licence. On the oval you learn a lot about car setup that will be a great benefit for ALL racing formats.
We also have the road course school on April 30 and May 1. I think you would find lots of racers and crew members that would be more than willing to answer any questions you have.
The best advice I have is to keep it simple and have fun, no matter which path of racing you pursue.
Thanks everyone, I'll definitely consider what you all have shared. I'll look into go-karting, and maybe start there. Seems like the best choice at this point!
I might get slapped for saying this here, but.... In your looking around, check out the Edmonton Internation Raceway. They have some mini stock classes that are super cheap to get into. Likely far cheaper than karting. They do have a class for youth too, where you don't require a license. Cars can be bought for less than $400 and entry fees are relatively nominal. Most racers in these classes buy used tires at auto wreckers and have a blast. If you can handle driving in circles on a 1/4 mile oval, it would be a blast. If I had room to store an extra car, I would probably do it just for kicks. They do have a school and test drive sessions there too. Check it out. I have my heart set on GT racing, and it is going to consume pretty much all of my disposable income just to get out a few times this year. Follow your heart, and good luck.