How to become a race car driver

[S14SwimShark105]

Hey, I made this thread so that I and other people who are interested in wanting to become a professional race car driver can learn more information on how to move up the ladder and get to the top. Any information on ANY racing series is fine, for example; World Touring Car Championship, WRC, Formula 3, US Touring Car Championship, etc...

Information on how to get sponsorships and recognition would also be great.

I know it takes a lot of money, and I know most of the people pay for their seats, but what about the other people?

I hear many professional drivers started with karting when they were younger but I know that is not the only way.

Anyways, information on any Touring Car series would be greatly appreciated. :D

[Nikeboy355]

You have to have a car and take it to the track a lot...
It takes a lot of money and time to afford racing development...

Each track event last year cost me about $500 a day when considering all the costs involved... Track fee, gas to get there, motel room, trailer rental, gas for the car, fluid changes, tires, brakes...

If you go to one a month, then that's $6000 a year without even taking into consideration the cost of the car...

First you start off by going to track days... Improve on your times...
Then try and enter a Time Attack to see how you do... How you work under pressure...
Join NASA and/or SCCA and start racing with them...
Network with other racers and companies...

Hope in the end that someone trusts you enough to hand their car over to you...

Treating racing as a hobby and competition are two different things... Figure out if you are really that competitive... and rich...

[johngriff]

for example; World Touring Car Championship, WRC, Formula 3, US Touring Car Championship, etc...

Information on how to get sponsorships and recognition would also be great.

:D

Everything listed is all paid seats, and some of them you have to start racing at the ages of 4-5, oh and not be an american, its mostly a euro only boy's club.

Trans AM cars is probably the closest one of you will get, paying your own way on a retired doctors money to racing competitively in touring cars.

How to get sponsors is simple. If you can get allot of people to pay attention to you all the time, and believe what you say and do, then you will have all the sponsors in the world.

IF YOU HAVEN'T Stared shifter carts yet, PLEASE DO. You will get the lowest cost per outing + most experience there.

[azndoc]

I'm no professional in any motorsports.

But this is what I see that works.

To be competitive you have to drop what you are doing now other than driving, make your car competitive, drive a lot, get better, hit the tracks a lot, and eventually someone will notice you and may want to speak to you.

No one is going to come walking up to you on your first trip to the track asking you to drive their car. Pipe dream.

I will say one person's name that I'm sure many have heard in the drifting world. He works his ass off, drives his ass off, and after all that hardwork it's finally paying off.

Joon Maeng. Now that guy is all fucking heart.

[S14SwimShark105]

Some good info here thanks, I was planning on getting a shifter kart or getting a rotax kart and competing in the rotax championships but I am also debating between getting a Porsche 944 to race in the Porsche 944 Spec class through Nasa. The thing is, is that where do you go after karting?

[eli_eli]

Some good info here thanks, I was planning on getting a shifter kart or getting a rotax kart and competing in the rotax championships but I am also debating between getting a Porsche 944 to race in the Porsche 944 Spec class through Nasa. The thing is, is that where do you go after karting?

one of my really good buddies maintains a bunch of Porsche's for, the Porsche club of america...he just recently got his licence through NASA i believe to start racing with them competatively in the boxter class...he drives his own car though...as i believe they all do...he is located in socal as well, anahaim area

[nismonotmugen]

I dunno, you can try racing schools also?

[Dousan_PG]

get a time machine
go back to 5 years old and start racing because dad forced you to
be born into a rich family
have lots of money

[SILEIGHTY_DET]

it all depends on the money you are looking to spend . i bought a shifter cart due to taking my car to the track was burning holes in my check book . i spend 100 bucks for a day at the track with my kart , most of the time less . 25 for the day at the track , two gallons of race fuel and mix , a spark plugg , new gear box fluid , and a full set of race tires are 150 , or you can buy the pros take offs for 40 . the reaction times are faster and the karts are more responsive . its where most of the top drivers have come from ... jeff gordon , michael and ralph scheumacher ... almost all f1 drivers came from kart . also , if you live in norcal there are twelve tracks in a four hour radious . four of which are within a hour from home . its the most cost effective competitive racing that i could get into in my oppinion , and everyone at the track is friendly and gives advice on improving your driving . if you total your cart at worst your out five grand , or you could pick up a used season kart from a team at a swap meet for three grand or off of craigs list . KART IS HELLA CHEAP

hope that helps , just my experience and oppinion

Scott

[S14SwimShark105]

haha I wish I had a time machine and was born into a rich family that forced me to do go karting. I have seriously been considering about racing go-karts, but I like racing touring cars so much more. BUT if that is one way to get into professional driving then I will for sure give it a try. I work at k1 speed right now haha but I know the karts there dont even compare to shifter karts.

what to do, what to do

[Maximamike]

Rotax, rotax, rotax. You will not get anywhere in a gearbox kart unless you are willing to throw massive amounts of money into the sport. Rotax has a great program to move up in and maybe get you a small sponsorship into a gearbox kart.

[SILEIGHTY_DET]

i love driving my car at the track too . i just couldnt afford 2000 every time i went to the track . go drive a real shifter kart . when you cant hold your head up straight with out a neck collar , then see how you feel . you will feel your body the next day due to the cornering g's . once i did i was hooked , it was just the more practical route for my financial situation . alot of kart shops will rent race karts for the day , some tracks rent them as well . like infineon raceway . good luck

Scott

[HyperTek]

What I want to know is how to get into nascar.. sure it seems borring. but each racer is like a instant celebrity, and they get paid good. and you still got tons years to do it hahah.

I know this lifetime i would never make F1.. sucks.

Your in socal, hit up the local go kart tracks
http://adamsmotorsportspark.com/
http://www.apexracing.com/
http://www.lakc.org/

not those kiddyshit indoor crap like dromo1, pole position, k1 etc..

On a side note- you could take up the hobby of sim racing, its dam fun..
NASA actually recognized simulation racing as a form of motorsport.. Someone who plays sims will have more experience then a beginner. There are leagues, etc, even endurance races online.
http://www.bhmotorsports.com/
http://www.simracingtonight.com/

I usually frequent the forum at http://www.racesimcentral.com/ . Alot of real race car drivers post there and play the sims as well.

my favorite right now is Rfactor , its an open source sim with a growing mod community
http://www.rfactorcentral.com/
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JYoBcMejPBs
F1 88 season mod.. mad fun, been playing it online... Whats cool about these games is your going to suck! I still suck after 3 years of playing them, I cant ever set pole position, theres always guys that are liek 3-4 seconds faster then you no matter what.. Just got to get better at driving.

With the sim racing, at least you will get the enjoyment out of it, enough to fill your cravings if you cant afford to race a real car. at least for me. Once you try a real sim game, you dont ever want to play gran turismo or forza through a gamepad again

[Maximamike]

What I want to know is how to get into nascar.. sure it seems borring. but each racer is like a instant celebrity, and they get paid good. and you still got tons years to do it hahah.

I know this lifetime i would never make F1.. sucks.

Your in socal, hit up the local go kart tracks
http://adamsmotorsportspark.com/
http://www.apexracing.com/
http://www.lakc.org/

I'm pretty sure Adams Kart track shut down or is in the process. :down:

[i3igpete]

almost all nascar drivers start on the dirt ovals. i'd see if there are any nearby sprint car assn's if that's where you're looking.

[cfrost]

get a time machine
go back to 5 years old and start racing because dad forced you to
be born into a rich family
have lots of money

ding ding ding

go out there and do it because you love it, and if you have the natural skill you'll find the right path

don't ask people on here, ask the guys who ARE out there racing spec-classes and trying to do what you want to to do

[S14SwimShark105]

One of my managers that I work with, got into Nascar and Truck racing by working for 76 Racing Fuel for 8 years or so until they gave him a chance at driving, he said ok and gave it a try and did really well, so now he drives for them with full sponsorship. Craziness man , but yeah go-karts are damn fun, Adams kart track closed down?!?!?! man.... that sucks . Dont get into racing if you want it for the fame and the money, I dont think you'll last long in the industry like that, you got to have the passion for racing, winning and all that other good stuff that it takes to become a race car driver. the NEVER GIVE UP mentality haha

[614duece40]

no offense to the people on here, but ask actual racer's, pro or am. you'll get your best info from them.
best thing you can do is build a decent track car and race your ass off every chance you get. if your good, you'll get sponsered.

[McRussellPants]

no offense to the people on here, but ask actual racer's, pro or am. you'll get your best info from them.
best thing you can do is build a decent track car and race your ass off every chance you get. if your good, you'll get sponsered.

errrrr right.

it takes alot more than being a good driver to "crack it big". And talking a really big game will get you further than driving half the time.

Shifterkarts won't teach you to drive fast they'll teach you how to race.

Hanging around a track alot is your best bet.

Theres no racecar driver that got where he is off talent. and the biggest mistake I've seen people make is "Im pro now I don't need to practice"

get your competition liscenses and instructor liscenses and roll with that.

if you want to race Nascar get on a dirt oval and do well, talk a big game and don't burn any bridges and in enough time you'll get better and better rides, but probably not paid.

[McRussellPants]

Also "Time Attack" is a good way to get a paid ride.

All those guys are stupid ricers so they have no idea how to drive and no idea what a driver is worth.

talk a big game and spout off lap times from tracks they don't know and you'll have a pretty good chance of scoring a seat with someone who can't afford a better driver.

you need a competetion liscense though.

[steve shadows]

Treating racing as a hobby and competition are two different things... Figure out if you are really that competitive... and rich...

Yeah once Im out school in one million years, im going to pretty much devote my weekends to doing it right over time.

This requires beoming somewhat finanically kick ass in life.

Assuming we still all use gasoline engines in 5-10 years :x:

For now it's just a big jack off session.

[WhiteGLX]

Dont get into racing looking to get sponsored or you will be doing it for all the wrong reasons. Most people get into some form of racing because its fun, fun for them individually, and most small racing classes dont have any type of worth while payout, only F1, NASCAR, Craftsman truck series maybe, and BUSCH.

[jussjepbrox]

yeah takes alot of money you can pretty much do anything if you have money look at Nick HOGAN 1 day he was watching tv and said i wana be a pro drifter now look at him crashing vipers like its nothing

[hijack3d]

Looks like you have a lot of information on how to get started in racing...

So here's my .02 on getting recognition... or rather, remembered. In a world where important people meet a lot of people every day, the best thing I've done to help people remember me is: make a cool business card, don't talk a lot about myself.

People get bored with hearing about you, and they wont remember most of it unless you guys have something really cool in common. Make it a two-way conversation and try to laugh at least once. Remember something about them (if they have a kid there, remembering the kid's name seems to always win me super brownie points).

Make your business card memorable. My business card is made of plastic and has a background that looks kind of like it was run over by a mini-car, so people think it's cool (they were around 30bux for a box of 200 shipped).The material makes it unique and that uniqueness makes it more likely to be kept than just a regular paper one. Make sure it has information on how to contact you, and a link to a website where you have all that information on you that you wanted to tell them but didn't (mine goes to my website and myspace). There have been times I've given out my business card and have had random people ask me for one just because it's different. And it's been THOSE random people who've contacted me for something (like getting a free Fujita air intake kit for just having an S14).

Having a cool business card and good people skills are just some of the things... Knowing people already in the business who actually like you helps too.

[HyperTek]

forgive me if im close minded, but i seriously dont see much growth potential playing with time attacking a street car or drift.. seriously karting is where its at. Work up into a formula car.

Or go to a racing school..

one of the local kart tracks by me was talkin about how they want to take a average joe pay-to-race person and take them up to the nationals with sponsorship..

Adams is not closed by the way.. they went under a new owner/management and last i remember had teens working there.

If your early 20s or something you might still be able to get somewhere. former F1 racer Damon Hill was considerd to have had a late start *his late father was a F1 racer in the 60s*, but Damon got into professional racing at 23. He became Schumi's rival in the mid 90s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damon_Hill

[INeedNewTires]

Also "Time Attack" is a good way to get a paid ride.

..........blah blah blah............

you need a competetion liscense though.

I can see where Karting would be really easy to feed into higher forms of racing... especially for you Californians (having double digit tracks within a few hours is nuts and i am SO jealous)... But what about us here in Texas? (Like you McRusselPants, thats why i quoted you) How are we to get into any form of racing besides dirt, motoX or drag..... Their are what 3 or 4 tracks here, only 2 of which are worth a shit and i dont know if they even let tours go there because their private country club type (MSR) And they dont open up the infield at TMS very often.... So are we just screwed if we live in texas or what? I'm hoping that i am very wrong and there are tons of opportunities to race and be involved in the sport but my minimal research thus far hasn't given me much hope.....

[HyperTek]

doing time attacks seriously looks doubtful unless maybe word gets out and a sports car team or gt team hears about it. If your in a isolated state without many tracks, probably doesnt help.

[MomentumGT]

S14SwimShark you kept pm'in me all this time about this very subject and it seems like you didn't believe me. LOL. j/k. It seems like most of the guys here are on the right track.

As far as 'Time Attacks' go its just a glorified auto-x with considerable media coverage. Talking to Sofronas and some of the GMG Global racing pit crew guys, they do Time Attacks to get there name out there and to show what kind of performance services they offer, etc...just like most race/import shops, small companies, etc...Its not wheel to wheel racing so more than likely you're not going to get noticed at a TA event. TA events are to glorify the amount of $$$ a company spends on a vehicle to go fast and show the general consumer 'this is what you need to buy' in order to make your car fast. Talking about the big companies anyway. The rest are industry guys who want to have fun racing against other industry guys. Then you have a few hardcore DIY'rs that take TA events so seriously its boarderline riceboy insanity.

TA events are good in that they provide a competitive atmosphere and try to limit the possiblities of getting a overly hooked up ride with a shitty driver behind the wheel smashed to bits. Its not wheel to wheel racing and majority of these guys shouldn't be holding a competitive liscense anyways. Rant over. lol.

-Jon

[S14SwimShark105]

^^ haha whats up Jon, no I totally took your word for it when I was messaging you but I wanted to hear what other people had to say about getting into the racing inudstry. Also, for time attacks, the only people I see that get big recognition are the shop owned cars, cars that have massive amounts of money put into them basically for the advertisement of the shop.

As of now, Karting seems to be the best bet to get into any form of racing unless you have your connections to people who are willing to let you drive their cars.

I was recently reading up on the Skip Barber and the Jim Russell Racing Schools, they have their own series (which is open wheel racing) and if you go through their school and do very well, you could get a fully sponsored ride into the series. For about 4 grand to get a chance to race in open wheel and progress from there doesn't seem to bad of an investment at all. Even if you dont make it you will surely learn something from the school.

And to Hypertek, about your local kart track taking the average joe and turning him pro, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!! haha seriously that would be a dream come true.

Also I like racing because I love it, not for the money not for the fame or anything like that, I would just like to be on a new level of competitiveness and be able to compete on a professional level. I have the " Never Give Up" mentality so my determination is there. Now I need the experience and most of all...... MONEYY!!!!!!!!!

-Randall

[mehsilvia]

About racing schools . . . you could make that up front investment and still need alot of track time to dial-in your skills - or - you could register with a National Race organization like NASA/SCCA and go through their HPDE programs (much cheaper/and alot of seat time) to eventualy get your Race License. All the while getting the much needed track time, experience, and network connections.

Regarding karting . . . this should compliment your road-racing. Using this as a way to keep sharp and on your game. I personaly wouldnt look at karting as a alternative or starting point at 20 somethin. That would be recommended for those 7yr olds mentioned a few times above.

Sponsorships . . . lets face it. Unless you were born into money and "forced" to race since you were 4, its unlikely to "just happen". However, many companies out there are willing to offer partial/full sponsorships to those who have the exposure that they are looking for. Alot of companies make it easy, posting applications and programs on their websites (follow them to the letter), but it ultimately comes down to marketing yourself. Sell that shit! If you cant get them excited about you, your car, your skills, all the while proving that you are committed to the industry/sport, then forget it. They receive thousands of said "applicants" and you need to stand out from the crowd.
Competition and full schedules are key to securing sponsorships. Mix in some car shows and a few televised Time-attacks, and your much better off then most.
One bit of advise that i received was to treat a sponsorhip proposal as if it was a job interview. Nuff said.

Ultimately, you need to love it and just get out there and do it. I would also not recommend that you start with a pre-determined spec class or goal until you have been through HPDE or race schools and spent alot of time at the tracks talking with the drivers and soaking it all in.

Just my .02c

[hitman]

about drifting... its kinda a joke. so many good amateur drivers that hardly have any sponsors... while doing a season of nopi as your first kind of drifting whatsoever you get fully sponsored lol.

[Maximamike]

If anyone in the northeast is serious about this I can probably set you up for a demo for you at my track. No tire kickers or people looking for a joy ride. My company is one of the largest in the karting industry and we run the 3rd largest Rotax series in the country. Demo's will be done with an instructor and usually consist of a few laps in both a rotax and a DD2(2 speed) kart. No chance in hell you will drive a shifter.

[sijia10358]

How To Become a Pro Driver.

Step 1: have lots of money

Step 2: spend lots of money

Step 3: spend more "lots of money"

Step 4: you are now a pro driver!

lol...i dont think that'll work!

[hijack3d]

About HPDE...the program counts as a "driving school," so any accidents that may result MAY be covered by your insurance. This is why I decided to do HPDE this year... my first event'll be the one at Cal Speedway in March. Learning road race this way gives you a safe environment to practice, can help lower your insurance (it is a driving school), and is the best way to get to know your car and your driving style. You don't need a billion dollars to put into your chassis to start racing. Mine is stock (ok.. except brakes and decept wheels/tires), and I'm hoping to just upgrade things as I find out what I need to support the driving style I've yet to nail down...

[MomentumGT]

How To Become a Pro Driver.

Step 1: have lots of money

Step 2: spend lots of money

Step 3: spend more "lots of money"

Step 4: you are now a pro driver!

lol...i dont think that'll work!

Just to add to that: "To make $1 million in racing start with $2 million" :eek2:

-Jon

[fly]

just a quick fyi, it may be too late to reach real high levels like F1, but dont think youre out of luck...Randy Pobst got into racing at 19 when he started auto-x'ing, and didnt actually get into road racing until he was in his late 20s (27 iirc), and if you dont know the name you need to look it up to see what hes been able to do after that late start

me personally im going through nasa's hpde program and hope to start running wheel to wheel in 2010...its a big advantage if you live in an area where you can race year round so make the best of it, locally i can drive maybe may-october/november, and if i drive a ways the season starts a little earlier, but even still it has a big impact on the amount of hpde's you can run in a year, even if time and budget would allow it otherwise

[steve shadows]

Its not wheel to wheel racing and majority of these guys shouldn't be holding a competitive liscense anyways. Rant over. lol.

-Jon

I agree with this. haha

[chibo]

I believe Grassroots Motorsports had a series on how to break in to the industry and such, I'll have to root through my collection of GRM when I'm back at my old house.

[McRussellPants]

1) Know People
2) ???????
3) Profit

[LongGrain]

i have a question for you guys that is sorta off topic, but purtains to sponsors n such.

ok ive been autoxing for a while now (2 years or so) and i'm starting my first drift season in april at the first local event. well theres this tire place in my town that ive ALWAYS gone to when i needed stuff, tires, tire repairs, and even emergency used tires when i get a flat or something. and they always help me out. the owner even knows me by first name. well i was in there the other day gettin my tire repaired (ran over a nail..) and i decided, what the hell, and asked them if they did any kind of sponsorships for racing (tires and allignments). the guy was like "are you talking about autox?" and i said yea, and i'm also starting drift days this season. so he said "yea, we should be able to do something like that, stop by before the first event and i'll see what we can do for you"

ok, so is it lame to have a sponsor if youre still a beginner? i mean, i'm not gonna have my car covered in "Omro Tire" vinyl and look like a total tool, but if their going to help me out with the cost of tires, why the hell not right?

[Silverbullet]

like most people have said, its either connections or money.

I was pretty stoked about getting a minor in Motorsport Engineering at my school, until i talked to the faculty adviser for the major. He told me, the motorsport industry isn't something that you can walk into because you have a degree, even in motorsport engineering. Now think about the number of engineers on a team vs drivers. There are even less drivers on a team. Chances are small if you don't have the connection already.

[fly]

also not something you can do while youre moving up the ladder in the learning process, but after youve got your comp license, you can always look to buy rides with teams

it will be expensive, but if as long as youre pretty good running a few races with another team as a funded driver can go a long way...theres also arrangements you can work out with teams where theyll provide the car, you find a way to the track, then you split the winnings, stuff like that

i know of arrangements like that in everything from nasa 25hrs at t-hill to world challenge TC and rolex GT, and several drivers that jumped up to that level by this means now have full time rides, some even at a higher level than what they bought into

[mehsilvia]

i have a question for you guys that is sorta off topic, but purtains to sponsors n such.

ok ive been autoxing for a while now (2 years or so) and i'm starting my first drift season in april at the first local event. well theres this tire place in my town that ive ALWAYS gone to when i needed stuff, tires, tire repairs, and even emergency used tires when i get a flat or something. and they always help me out. the owner even knows me by first name. well i was in there the other day gettin my tire repaired (ran over a nail..) and i decided, what the hell, and asked them if they did any kind of sponsorships for racing (tires and allignments). the guy was like "are you talking about autox?" and i said yea, and i'm also starting drift days this season. so he said "yea, we should be able to do something like that, stop by before the first event and i'll see what we can do for you"

ok, so is it lame to have a sponsor if youre still a beginner? i mean, i'm not gonna have my car covered in "Omro Tire" vinyl and look like a total tool, but if their going to help me out with the cost of tires, why the hell not right?


Sounds like the perfect start. And you wont look like a tool if its fo real.

Not to mention other sponsors you approach (or that approach you) will appreciate seeing other sponsors and that you are actualy holding up your end of the bargain.

Plus it will get you laid! :keke:

[MomentumGT]

i have a question for you guys that is sorta off topic, but purtains to sponsors n such.

what the hell, and asked them if they did any kind of sponsorships for racing (tires and allignments). the guy was like "are you talking about autox?" and i said yea, and i'm also starting drift days this season. so he said "yea, we should be able to do something like that, stop by before the first event and i'll see what we can do for you"

ok, so is it lame to have a sponsor if youre still a beginner? i mean, i'm not gonna have my car covered in "Omro Tire" vinyl and look like a total tool, but if their going to help me out with the cost of tires, why the hell not right?

(In Bold) This is your main problem here. Even if they do decide to give you free stuff its not going to last long because you're not WILLING TO STICK YOUR NECK OUT FOR THEM. I'm not yelling at you here its just that a lot of people looking for free stuff from a company just don't really understand that a "sponsorship" ,however small it is, is an investment by the company in order to get more exposure, which will hopefully lead into more sales ie $$$$.

When I say 'sticking your neck out' I don't mean backing them up in a knife fight but more of being a moving billboard or spokesperson/outside identity for said company(ies) in promoting yourself in racing, drifting, shows, media, etc...and along with that promoting the companies that back you and your racing. Sponsorships are a two way street and the best sponsorship relationships are when both parties, driver and company, have equal amounts to gain as well as equal amounts to loose. It keeps both side in keeping their end of the bargain.

There are drivers at every track event where you can say to yourself and friends "I can drift better than him/her" or "I'm faster around the track than that fool! Why the hell does he have so many sponsors?" You may indeed by a better driver, but are you also marketable? visible? at the track every track day possible? do you have any sort of media, ie website etc... that promotes you and your racing to actually have a following? are you EVEN competitive in your class and place on the podium? are you racing in a sanctioned body? More than likely the answer is NO to a majority of them.

I'm not trying to rag on you here and I think you're definitely on the right track with your auto-x'ing and drifting. If I were you I'd accept the sponsorship, it sounds like you're a great repeat customer and the owner is willing to back you. I just wanted to give a little taste on how it is on our end of the spectrum and give you a small version on how it is. In the big leagues its cut throat and if you're not putting down numbers you won't even be a memory. Damn another rant on 1 thread. LOL.

-Jon

[LongGrain]

(In Bold) This is your main problem here. Even if they do decide to give you free stuff its not going to last long because you're not WILLING TO STICK YOUR NECK OUT FOR THEM. I'm not yelling at you here its just that a lot of people looking for free stuff from a company just don't really understand that a "sponsorship" ,however small it is, is an investment by the company in order to get more exposure, which will hopefully lead into more sales ie $$$$.

When I say 'sticking your neck out' I don't mean backing them up in a knife fight but more of being a moving billboard or spokesperson/outside identity for said company(ies) in promoting yourself in racing, drifting, shows, media, etc...and along with that promoting the companies that back you and your racing. Sponsorships are a two way street and the best sponsorship relationships are when both parties, driver and company, have equal amounts to gain as well as equal amounts to loose. It keeps both side in keeping their end of the bargain.

There are drivers at every track event where you can say to yourself and friends "I can drift better than him/her" or "I'm faster around the track than that fool! Why the hell does he have so many sponsors?" You may indeed by a better driver, but are you also marketable? visible? at the track every track day possible? do you have any sort of media, ie website etc... that promotes you and your racing to actually have a following? are you EVEN competitive in your class and place on the podium? are you racing in a sanctioned body? More than likely the answer is NO to a majority of them.

I'm not trying to rag on you here and I think you're definitely on the right track with your auto-x'ing and drifting. If I were you I'd accept the sponsorship, it sounds like you're a great repeat customer and the owner is willing to back you. I just wanted to give a little taste on how it is on our end of the spectrum and give you a small version on how it is. In the big leagues its cut throat and if you're not putting down numbers you won't even be a memory. Damn another rant on 1 thread. LOL.

-Jon


yea, i get what your saying. but when i said that, i didnt really mean that i expect them to give me free stuff without anything in return. i have no problem with doing some advertising, having some stickers on my car. but This place is not by any means a speed shop, or tuner shop. its a place that sells tires and does the occasional oil change or AC recharge. what i meant was that their not going to be funding the build of my car, it isnt going to be like instant formula D caliber car, just some assistance with tires.

ok, i dont think i was able to effectively get my point across there. i dont really know how to explain what i mean, so if you dont understand what i'm getting at i apologize lol

[S14SwimShark105]

If you can get ANY kind of sponsor man go for it, any assistance is good assistance haha I am loving this thread, so much information it's awesome, I didn't expect so many people to come into it. Thanks a lot for everyone putting up useful information.

I am currently 19 years old I just put in a random date when I signed up for the account haha But yeah, the thing is, is that I wouldn't want to compete in F1 or super high open wheel racing series, although I know thats where the money is at. Touring Car is what I want to do, it's just so crazy!!! drivers bumping each other and all that craziness in attempts to reach the top.

I am planning to do as many HPDE's as I can through NASA this season and hopefully work my way to a racing license. I know I am already old thats why I want to do whatever I can to get a racing career on the road. I got the determination to win, now I just need the funds haha

Randall

[ZOMG_S14]

yea, i get what your saying. but when i said that, i didnt really mean that i expect them to give me free stuff without anything in return. i have no problem with doing some advertising, having some stickers on my car. but This place is not by any means a speed shop, or tuner shop. its a place that sells tires and does the occasional oil change or AC recharge. what i meant was that their not going to be funding the build of my car, it isnt going to be like instant formula D caliber car, just some assistance with tires.

ok, i dont think i was able to effectively get my point across there. i dont really know how to explain what i mean, so if you dont understand what i'm getting at i apologize lol


im in the very beginning stages of drifting and ill be starting hpdes with the hope to get my comp liscense eventually, and if a tire shop offered to give me even just free mount and balance id rock full vinyls on my daily if they asked me to.

looking at it from a business standpoint even for a small shop to hook you up with tires at cost, or free mount and balance, theyre still investing in you.

i think sums it up perfectly

Originally Posted by MomentumGT
Sponsorships are a two way street and the best sponsorship relationships are when both parties, driver and company, have equal amounts to gain as well as equal amounts to loose. It keeps both side in keeping their end of the bargain.

[MomentumGT]

yea, i get what your saying. but when i said that, i didnt really mean that i expect them to give me free stuff without anything in return. i have no problem with doing some advertising, having some stickers on my car. but This place is not by any means a speed shop, or tuner shop. its a place that sells tires and does the occasional oil change or AC recharge. what i meant was that their not going to be funding the build of my car, it isnt going to be like instant formula D caliber car, just some assistance with tires.

ok, i dont think i was able to effectively get my point across there. i dont really know how to explain what i mean, so if you dont understand what i'm getting at i apologize lol

The more the better its a Tire shop, to me it makes you look more 'pro' at the auto-x. LOL. Tuner/speedshops come and go like the seasons, at least in SoCAl anyways. Its going to be hard finding a sponsor thats going to build 'your' car more likely they'll build a car for themselves and have you drive it. More than likely their not going to hook someone up and all of a sudden when things go bad the person disappears along with a modified car by the sponsors. The more the reason to get more sponsors to help you out. haha. In this industry tires go a long, long, long, way so a big thumbs up to the owner for having your back.

-Jon

[johngriff]

Yeah exactly.

Word of mouth is still the SINGLE most effective form of advertising. So expect to cover you car in large stickers for him, and talk to everyone you can about them, if you want them to continue support.

A sponsor ship isn't a one time deal, or a small thing, it is work, and you will need to work at it. If you are not comfortable being that guy, I would back out now.

[S14SwimShark105]

hey MehSilvia, how did you end up getting some sponsorships? Was it through connections or did you have to do a lot of stuff to get it? Getting sponsored and getting into the racing industry has always been a mystery to me, sure everyone says karting is the way to get into racing professionally but what happens after karting? Do you go straight into a formula car? So much money is involved in motorsports I would like to know how the average person with an average budget gets into the industry.

Also I have heard that working for a racing team for a couple years or a company that is actively involved in motorsports is a good way to get into the industry but how do you get a job like that? :D

Randall

[racepar1]

There is no secret to becoming a pro driver. The bottom line is that it takes A LOT of hard work and dedication as well as a good deal of luck (money never hurts either). Racing must become your #1 priority, other that the basics of survival. You bust be FULLY dedicated to developing your car and practicing your driving techniques. If you would rather go out clubbing than pull an all-nighter tweaking your set-ups for the next track day then you can forget all aspirations of going pro. Get out there, meet people, develop your set-ups and driving techniques, and set some fast times. Start with HPDE's, then move on to time attacks, then start competing in a REAL race series. If you're good at it sponsorships will follow. 90% of people that drive at the track are simply not capable of performing at a pro level. The pressure is absolutely unbelievable. You have to not only be fast, but you also have to be VERY consistent. You have to not only know how hard to push it, but when and where to push it. You have to be able to drive fast laps while being easy on the car, which is not easy. Don't plan on becoming a pro driver, just go out and have fun. Take it all as it comes, because it is EXTREMELY UNLIKELY that you have what it takes to do it.

[lhracer05]

MomentumGt seems to know what he's talking about.

Becoming a professional race car driver...isn't it every boy's dream? =)

1. The right mental discipline - accepting the fact that becoming pro may never become a reality for you. understanding that you want to become a pro because racing a car is the Only thing you want to do in your life. and most importantly, accepting the fact that Skill alone will Not further your racing career. to climb the racing ladder, a racing driver needs not only skill but marketing abilities, money and LUCK.

2. Commitment - there are a thousands of racers who are competing against you for a limited amount of paid seats, sponsorships, etc. those that are serious understand that everything else comes second to racing (school, gf, your IRA account). if you aren't 100% committed, both mentally and financially then how do you expect to beat the thousands of others who are?

3. Becoming a business man - racing is obviously not cheap. therefore sponsorships are an absolute necessity. you Must become proficient at marketing yourself to those who have something to offer. over-exaggerate and lie if you have to, i did. (when i had my first win, i went to 4 different newspapers and asked them if they could run my story. i told them that i was a local in each one of their counties). ultimately, if you can't sell yourself, you won't be able to earn the trust of your sponsor, which means you'll be left without a car.

4. Never give up - you may find yourself without a raceseat for a season. deal with it. continue to look for an empty seat, work full-time and try to pay for your own raceseat, keep racing something, anything...a team will not want to hire back an ex-racer who has not been active in any racing series.

As for picking a starting point to start racing...

there is no specific step-by-step way. while many top racers have started in kart, many others have started from various sorts of racing backgrounds, whether it be dirt ovals, motocross, rally, auto-x, buggy, you name it. the point is, the successful drivers who have emerged from these various backgrounds have used this experience to further develop their overall skills in racing(dealing with pressure, getting used to passing, winning, losing).

having said that...kart would still make a wonderful starting point. like others have said, there is no other machine that can provide greater g's in acceleration, handling and braking for the amount of money you put in. why spend your hard-earned money to finance a track car that accelerates half as fast, brakes slower and corners worse? getting used to racing in intense g's will only benefit you especially when you begin racing open-wheelers or touring cars, etc.

a great kart class to begin with is the Rotax class. the rotax engines are reliable and kept @ spec levels, therefore it eliminates the hiring of engine builders and spending outrageous amounts of money for good tune.

best bet is to go to your local kart tracks and see what classes are most popular in your area and to speak with the locals regarding where you can go to pick up a kart for a decent price with decent service(service is huge as you will have no idea what you are doing, most shops usually also provide trackside service and karting instruction).

before you do any of this, pick up a copy of: Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way! by Perry McCarthy (the original stig of Top Gear).

his book gives a great insight into the true world of racing and what it requires of you to get there. if after reading that book you are still giddy about becoming a racing driver, pick up: Going Faster! Mastering the Art of Race Driving by Carl Lopez.

that book is basically the bible for race car driving and also the Skip Barber School textbook.

and finally enroll yourself in an actual driving school. eg. Jim Russell, Skip Barber, Bondurant karting, Bridgestone Racing Academy and take either their intro-to-karting class (~$500) or their original 3-day intro to racing class (~$3000).


good luck, it's easy. :rolleyes:

[S14SwimShark105]

^^ That was a wonderfully good read haha But I do agree with you that karting helps with most forms of racing. But for sure I will go out and get those books that you mentioned.

You made a lot of good points that I haven't heard a lot of people say. I know it takes a ridiculous amount of hard work and determination and I have that, I want to at least try to go for the goal, if I can make it I'll be fine with that but at least I know I tried.

All I want/need is a chance. :D

Hopefully this thread has helped a few more people realize what it takes to become a race car driver, keep the information come along, thanks

Randall

[Maximamike]

sure everyone says karting is the way to get into racing professionally but what happens after karting? Do you go straight into a formula car?

Depends what your goals are in racing. Most continue onto some kind of open wheel car such as Formula Mazda/Skip Barber/etc, but some become development drivers for smaller stock car teams and other types of racing. National Karting News had an article a few months ago on how to approach sponsors and make yourself marketable. If I can find it around I'll scan it and post.

[lhracer05]

traditionally, the "route" that many racers have taken is:

1. kart/local level/dominate

2. kart/national level/race school kart series - placed high or won(high placers at the national championships are sometimes awarded full or half season rides in a formula class by a team). Regarding the skip barber and russell series, a full/half/1-3 formula car race season scholarships are usually awarded to the winners of their school-specific kart racing series.

3a. formula mazda, skip barber race series, jim russell race series, other racing school formula series.

if i remember correctly, both schools had a specific scholarship program that you would pay for where the instructors would closely watch you and your fellow racers for a couple days. at the end, the scholarship would be given to those who were deemed to have the most potential. scott speed(drove for red bull F1) won this scholarship program through the jim russell school. it was co-sponsored by the russell school and red bull, dubbed the red bull driver search.

i know back in the day the racing schools had the end of the year graduate runoffs as well. the top novices of the intro-to-racing classes were invited back to the school at the end of the year and they battled it out in front of the instructors for a couple days and like the scholarship program, at the end a couple drivers would be selected as "having potential" and given scholarships, usually in the form of being awarded race seats for the next season of their school's formula car series.

3b. International Karting (Europe) If you gain considerable success in karting on the national level, many take their karting to europe. the racing in europe is much more different and is much more competitive than in the US. by now, you should have the backing of major sponsors as a competitive race year in europe will cost you close to 100k. however, even though the competition is tough, the gains are considerable. winning karting races in europe will not only greatly improve your driving, but will officially put you on the mainstage of the racing world. major sponsors and ride deals are awarded at this level.

4. for the USA: formula atlantic
for europe/intl: formula renault, f2000, formula nippon

5. USA: champ car, indy car
Europe: GP2

6. Formula One!

The reason why I have placed formula one as the ultimate goal is because it is generally the ultimate goal for all of those who begin with karting. You say that you find touring cars very exciting. They certainly are in their own right, i'd probably go to say that it's more fun to watch a jgtc or dtm race than the current formula one races. However, once you race a true open-wheeler, whether it be a kart or formula vee, you will understand the general nature and reasoning for the karter to make formula one his main goal. all race car drivers want to go faster and faster. simply put, F1 is the fastest and most technologically advanced machine out there so it's only a given that the racer would want to drive such a machine and better yet, race it against others.

However, if you have made it to formula atlantic, formula nippon, formula renault, champ car, indy or gp2...then in most cases, you are already overqualified for most touring car series...meaning you would be in a pretty good position for attaining a race seat in a touring car series of your choice.


easy peezy lemon squeezy. good luck!

[Maximamike]

it was co-sponsored by the russell school and red bull, dubbed the red bull driver search.

The Red Bull Driver Search was started in 2002 and 16 drivers were drafted into the program and through run offs, 4 advanced to racing formula cars in Europe. The next year, drivers ages 13-17 could qualify at various indoor/outdoor karting centers all over the US and the top 16 along with 8 scouted drivers drove Skip Barber cars in Sebring to qualify to go to Europe. 2004 and 2005 had the same set up but instead of just choosing 16 kids, they had 2 finals on each coast to determine the top winners to go into the Skippy cars. I was involved with the program for a few years and it was kinda geared more towards the top stars in karting from SKUSA and Stars. The 2005 coordinator of the program was also none other than... Mike Speed, father to Scott and Alex. Coincidence? :bite:

Edit: BTW, the program ended in 2005 which sucks cuz they unloaded Red Bull to my work with a forklift.. oh, and I guess it was good for the kids too.

[lhracer05]

oopsies, my mistake. i keep thinking that it was co-sponsored by jim russell just because Scott won the school championship.

that's neat how you got to see how the program worked. I wonder if scott's success(or lack of it) was the reason for the program's cancellation?

[Maximamike]

oopsies, my mistake. i keep thinking that it was co-sponsored by jim russell just because Scott won the school championship.

that's neat how you got to see how the program worked. I wonder if scott's success(or lack of it) was the reason for the program's cancellation?

It was. Red Bull's goal was to get an American in Formula 1. Once it happened they stopped. Hopefully it starts up again, the competition was great. One kid lost in the finals probably 500 feet from the finish line when a fuel line came off and the rest of the race was a demolition derby because they were all going for it.

[yudalicious]

Not to be a killjoy or anything, but I think it's probably much more realistic at this point to just race as a hobby. Get a normal job. Work your way up from DEs to W2W, maybe a spec series where costs are reasonable. I think it's kind of idealistic to have grand plans and aspire to be a professional race car driver when you haven't even gotten your feet wet yet. 95% of real racing is done at a grassroots and amateur level where people pay to race, no pay, no fame, but it certainly isn't any less competitive than pro racing.

[lhracer05]

Don't listen to Yudalicious!! Pursue your dreams, think thomas the tank engine, i think i can i think i can! =)

Honestly though, Yuda has a point. Like stated before, to aspire to become a professional in anything requires absolute commitment and making sacrifices. Most people don't make it even with all the gusto and confidence that the OP has... If you spend your whole life pursuing your dream and don't make it...what then? You could have had an education, you could have spent more time with your family(let alone created a family), could've should've...

But then again...there are those who have made it at the old age of 16, 20, 25, 35(maybe not to F1 but to other pro-series) and continue to make a living racing cars. And they have made it only because they were fully committed.

so again, just get your feet wet as yuda said...go to some schools, hpde, race whatever in whatever series and see if you even like side-by-side racing. you might just find that it's driving fast that you really love to do, not w2w racing, which makes it a whole different ball game.

[S14SwimShark105]

lhracer05 you are awesome, I must thank you for all of the information you've given me along with so many others. I do understand how hard it is to get into pro series racing and stuff like that, what I plan to do is try to get as far up as I can as fast as I can.

I know what you mean about wanting to racing Formula 1 cars though, Formula 1 is crazy!!! so much money and technology in that series it's unbelievable.

I will continue to pursue my dream of become a race car driver for now, it could be far-fetched, unreal, out of this world but I love it and I don't mind putting in time, money and effort to make things happen.

I JUST WANT TO RACEEEEEEEE!!!! haha

Randall

[LongGrain]

The more the better its a Tire shop, to me it makes you look more 'pro' at the auto-x. LOL. Tuner/speedshops come and go like the seasons, at least in SoCAl anyways. Its going to be hard finding a sponsor thats going to build 'your' car more likely they'll build a car for themselves and have you drive it. More than likely their not going to hook someone up and all of a sudden when things go bad the person disappears along with a modified car by the sponsors. The more the reason to get more sponsors to help you out. haha. In this industry tires go a long, long, long, way so a big thumbs up to the owner for having your back.

-Jon

i really wouldnt know, where i live. they havent come yet, so i guess when we get a tuner/speedshop we'll see how long it lasts lol.

[HyperTek]

go watch capeta =p

lol


i wanna rent a kart session at moran raceway
http://www.moranraceway.com/pages/kartrental.html

[LB.Motoring]

go watch capeta =p

lol


i wanna rent a kart session at moran raceway
http://www.moranraceway.com/pages/kartrental.html

this isnt how to become and E-Racecar driver........



:rolleyes:

[S14SwimShark105]

haha man talking about all this racing has made me sign up for the redline track event next sunday, is anyone planning to go on sunday? I didn't see any 240sx drivers on the drivers list.

[KA24DESOneThree]

Here's the deal:

For most of us, especially those of us with modest (or very modest) means, all the big series are out of the question. We can't afford to run our own cars, we can't afford to take that much time off work and family affairs, and we're generally too old to get scouted. However, time attack is a viable venue to get noticed but again, that requires quite a bit of investment in travel and in modifications.

The easiest and cheapest racing to get into is Spec E30, Spec Miata, or even Spec 944. The best part about a spec series is that it's all about the driver. You've got a whole bunch of cars running within 10whp of each other, with the same brakes and the same rubber, so it's perfect for perfecting your driving. The only problem is that we in SoCal only have like three tracks within sane driving distance, which totally kills the gas and hotel budget.

Everything you do other than working on cars and driving them is superfluous. If you want to be a race car driver, racing becomes your life. No more drinking heavily, no more drug use, and you'll probably find it hard to keep a girl.

Also notice that if you're never allowed up into the advanced run group at the track, you're not going to be a race car driver. You're just too slow or too dangerous.

I have a decent collection of racing books, and they all emphasize that if you want to drive for a team, you have to sell yourself. You're a brand they have to have.