Sports Then and Now

Whether you grew up watching NASCAR or Formula 1, there is something exhilarating about the sport of racing. The only thing more exciting is getting behind the wheel of your own racecar and taking to the track. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as submitting a job application or showing up to a career fair. Here’s how to get started in auto racing.

Make a Plan

Before you start showing up at racetracks with your daily driver and getting laughed off the course, you need to make a plan. Wanting to get into racing is a noble goal that’s too broad to be realistically achievable. You need to make a plan and break it down into smaller pieces so you know what you’re working toward. 

Do you want to drive for NASCAR or just make a name for yourself in local circuits? Do you want to drive someone else’s car or build your own from the ground up? Once you have a clearer picture of the kind of career you want to have in auto racing, it becomes easier to achieve your goals 

Get a Car

Next, unless you get really lucky and land a NASCAR or Formula 1 contract, you’re going to need a racecar. The exact details of your vehicle will depend on a lot of different variables, from the type of race to the rules of the track. You may need a regular car with no modifications or you may have free reign to alter it as you like to get the most out of it. 

If you own a truck, you may have thought about taking it racing once or twice. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just showing up at the track and paying the entry fee. What do you need to do to get started in truck racing?

Choose Your Race Type

Just like with cars, there are different types of races you can enter your truck in once it’s ready. The preparations you need to do will vary depending on the competition. There’s drag racing, where you will need to increase horsepower and torque to blast down a quarter-mile strip as quickly as possible. There’s off-road racing, where your suspension and tires will require a serious upgrade. There’s track racing, drifting, desert racing and even super truck racing, where drivers speed around the track in souped-up delivery trucks.

Your next steps for getting started in truck racing will depend on the type of race you choose. Read the rest of this entry →

The world of auto racing can seem like an intimidating place. At the highest levels of competition, professional drivers race cars that cost more than $100,000 in parts alone. However, stepping into the world of racing may not be as difficult as you think. There are several different types and levels of racing, ensuring that you can find some way to participate regardless of how much time and money you can invest.

Autocross

The easiest way to start racing is with autocross. The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) holds more than 1,200 events around the country, and these events are open to anyone. All you need is a car that has passed a safety inspection and a helmet, which you may be able to borrow at the race.

In autocross, makeshift tracks are laid out with traffic cones, often in a large parking lot or at an airport. You’ll race the course alone, just you against the clock, and compare your time against other vehicles in the same class. You can talk to your local race organizer about how to best prepare for the event, but common advice is to put some extra air in your tires, remove your hubcaps and take any loose items out of the car.

Wheel-to-Wheel Racing

If autocross doesn’t quite cut it for you, wheel-to-wheel racing might be more your speed. You’ll be put on a road course with several other drivers, pitting your skill – and your car – against theirs. Being on the track with other racers does add an element of risk, which is why your vehicle will have to meet strict safety requirements. Here are a few safety features most racing clubs require: Read the rest of this entry →

Who said all the action of NASCAR was on the track?

After some jousting during the AdvoCare 500, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, and their crews partook in a WWE Battle Royale.

Fists were flying and tires were being pushing over in the donnybrook.

Vince McMahon Would Be Proud

Vince McMahon could not have scripted it any better as Bowyer left his car and raced through the infield to get involved in the fracas.

Maybe Gordon & Bowyer could square off at Wrestlemania?