Sports Then and Now

Racing and car culture enjoy a thriving community that includes social events, amateur get-togethers and professional competitions. Like many hobbies, it can be daunting when you consider the level of effort and the costs involved in dipping your foot into the world of motorsports. We’re here to tell you there’s no reason to be intimidated.

Motorsports fans love the company. Sure, the automotive community can be competitive on race day, but in general, we all want to see fellow gearheads succeed and become better drivers. If you’re interested in becoming a competitive driver, here are a few ways to get started.

Check Out Cars and Coffee

It might not involve a checkered flag, but your local cars and coffee gathering is a great way to make connections in the community. Arriving at the track with no associations is a fear many new racers have. If you can make a friend and pick up on where the local autocross or after-work drag races are held, you’ll not only know how to go racing, but you’ll also have a buddy to go with.

Try Go-Karting

The finest drivers in Rally, Formula One and NASCAR all got their starts driving karts. This low-budget form of racing teaches outstanding car control skills and lowers the price of admission significantly compared to even the next-cheapest grassroots motorsport.

In most cities, your local kart track will offer packages for you and your friends to drive using their equipment. This is a great way to try karting. If you like it, you can take the next step and invest in a kart of your own, which you can then compete with. The parts are cheap, and you can throw the entire thing in the bed of a pickup truck, so there’s no need to pay for expensive trailers.

Go to HPDE

High-performance driving education comes in many different flavors. It might see you driving your own car, or beating the pants off one provided by BMW, Porsche, Dodge and other performance brands. These are a significant step up in price compared to visiting the Kart track, but you’ll be getting real-world experience in a high-performance vehicle.

It’s a great way to begin to hone your skills for the track. If you enjoy this type of driving, consider attending a car control school, which is less about doing smokey drifts and more about understanding chassis dynamics so you can be safer on the road and faster on the track. If you’re a real talent, maybe you’ll even try out racing school.

Check Out Autocross

When you’re ready to start practicing some technical driving, sign up to take your car to the local autocross. This time-tested grassroots motorsport involves racing the clock to see who can get through a tight and twisty course that’s usually constructed in a parking lot. Many racers swear by the technical skills they learn racing autocross, which forces you to become good at cornering and translates into more confidence when you do make it out on a real race track.

These are some of the best and most affordable ways to break into the wide world of motorsports. There are many ways to go racing, and everyone’s background and resources are different, so do what feels right to you. Just remember, the best fix you’ll ever make is to tighten the nut behind the wheel.