Many people want to get on the track but really don't know how to
get started. This step-by-step guide will look at a few of the many ways
amateur racers can enter into the racing scene.
Step 1: Research
The first thing you'll need to know if you
want to participate in dedicated track racing is to see if any tracks exist in
your area. Do a google search on "race tracks near _____" to see if
any circuits are close by. While dedicated racers take trailers cross-country
to visit different tracks, its nice not having to spend hours on the road every
time you get the need for speed. After determining where the closest tracks
are, go to their websites to see if the track has any events for amateur
drivers. Road America's website,
for example, has a dedicated page called "get on track" where you can
check out multiple events and the rules and details for each one. The most
common way for amateurs to get onto an actual race track is through track days.
These events allow drivers to race their own cars with strict rules on car
specifications and on-track behavior. The Road America track days do not allow
competition between drivers and do not allow for timed laps. Generally, the
larger and more established tracks do not allow drivers to go
"all-out" from a competition perspective. The smaller tracks usually
have fewer regulations and allow amateurs to engage in more spirited driving.
This is worth keeping in mind as you will probably only be able to go at about
8/10 at a large track but 9/10 at a smaller one.
Step 2: Determine what type of racing you
want to do
Most people associate racing only as
taking a car to a dedicated race track and running hot laps. This is surely the
closest an amateur can get to feeling like they're an actual race-car driver
but is only one of the ways to race. The next section gives three types of
racing opposed to the traditional track-day that offer cheap thrills.
Autocross- Autocross is becoming more and
more popular for amateurs as there are few barriers to entry. Autocross
involves placing cones to form a unique track along a large paved surface (like
a parking lot) and allowing drivers to compete against the clock. This removes
the possibility of a crash as there is usually nothing really to run into even
if you leave the course. There are also no other drivers on the
"track" at the same time because it is a time trial. Because of this,
autocross events give you freedom to drive what you want the way you want. The
cost of Autocross can be as cheap as heading over to your local hardware store
and purchasing a set of cones to put in a parking lot of your choice and
competing against friends.
Rallycross- Rallycross takes the Autocross
concept and applies it to a dirt track. Rallycross events are my personal
favorite as not only is it fun to compete in a time attack setup, its also just
a blast pretending to be a rally driver. While truly competing with the other
drivers will likely require you to purchase a dedicated car purely for
rallycross, if you are just in it for the fun you can bring your daily-driver
and see how it handles the jumps and drifts of a rallycross track (just make
sure you're ready to repair things on the fly). Rallycross has a very
close-knit culture and taking part will allow you to meet other crazy people
who love kicking up dirt as much as you do.
Karting- Karting may not seem like
"real" racing until you strap into a 150cc cage and go full throttle.
Karting is great for amateurs because it allows you to actually compete with
other cars physically on the track. When on track, these battles for position
feel like you're Nico Rosberg trying to overtake Lewis Hamilton at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Almost all current race car drivers got their start in karting and developed
the skills they would need for the rest of their career. I have been riding
go-karts since I was 12 years old and will never grow tired of the
wheel-to-wheel competition. Karting is also very inexpensive with kart tracks
usually a quick drive away. While indoor karting leagues are good for those
with a competitive drive, I prefer spur of the moment trips out to my local
outdoor track as they are usually not as strict on rider regulations.
Step 3: Buy the proper gear
While things like autocross may not seem
like a dangerous sport, the proper gear can keep you more comfortable behind
the wheel while also providing piece of mind in case you do experience a crash.
The first purchase for anyone that is interested in amateur racing is a helmet.
Helmets are required for many racing events like karting and for some track
days. Another purchase many amateurs don't think about is driving gloves.
Driving gloves ensure that even extended racing sessions will not leave your
hands blistered and a good pair will even keep you just as cool as wearing
nothing at all.
Step 4: Prep you car...or use someone
elses
What can make track days, autocross, and
rallycross expensive in the long-run is repairs and general maintenance.
Tracking your car puts pressures on it that were likely not considered when
your car was engineered. Continuous full-throttle to full-brake and aggressive
cornering maneuvers can leave many cars undriveable even after only a few hours
if they are not properly prepared. Again I advise you to head to your vehicle's
forums to see if anyone else has modified their cars for track-duty and see
what upgrades you will need to pursue. From a general perspective, cooling is
the usually the biggest on-track issue with racers commonly needing to buy
beefed-up radiators or vented brakes to ensure it doesn't impact performance.
Other common upgrades include the soft racing tires (or off-road tires if you
take an interest in rallycross) which will likely need to be replaced after only
a few trips to the track.
Step 5: Go Racing!
Your first race day can be intimidating
even if you are just entering a karting league. From the classroom sessions
highlighting track regulations to the other drivers who may have 30 years
experience, I understand that it can put some people off. Once you begin to
compete on-track, however, you'll never look back.
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