I'm Trying to get all the info i need to get started in racing. I already know what car I'm going to start off with I just need to know where to get info on regulations, rules, and license if needed. I want to start off with pro street on a track and work my way in to really racing. If any one knows where i can find all the info I'm looking for then let me know.

Thanks for the help to those that help me out.

What do you mean by "racing". Do you mean drag racing, sports car racing, open wheel, dirt? I know you said you wanted to start off pro street which reminds me of autocrossing but I could be wrong.

If you want to drag race I would suggest by going to your local dragstrip and work on your skills there. Mattering on what kind of car you're using just keep on building your skills and car for the straight line a little at a time. If you're a "tuner" wanting to go pro though the chances of going to something like the NHRA sport compact series is small. There are only a few hardcore sponsors in the series and they already found their drivers but with good skill and personal endurance anything can happen.

If you want to go into sport car driving then I would suggest going autocrossing or going to the closest road course every once in a while. You might even want to enter some driving school just to get a sense of driving on a road course with a professional on a safe track. As for autocrossing there are dozens maybe even hundreds of autocrossing groups all over the nation. Just look it up on the net and I'm sure you'll find something. Autocrossing is inexpensive and fun but road courses and classes could cost you a pretty penny. NASA and SCCA are great places to start because they sanction many autocross and road racing events.

Open wheel. I would suggest the same route as sport car driving but you need tons of carting experience. Carting lets a person "feel" the car more then anything and is valuable for great open wheel career. Enter a carting league and see how you do. Start small and grow from there. Many open wheel careers start very very young so start as early as you can and learn as much as you can.

The number one thing is to get connections. Contact everyone and anyone you see. Sponsors like to know what you're up to and like to see progress in a car and driver's career. Even if the sponsors of individual doesn't support your dreams at first keep in contact and maybe they might change their mind mostly if you're successful as what you do whether it be winning local events or just doing well in national events. KEEP IN CONTACT AND DO WELL that is the key. Don't be afraid to show what you've done or how you improved try to impress and impress hard.

That's my suggestions. Maybe you'll get more help if you post this in another forum like here..

http://www.speedtv.com/forums/viewforum/8/

If you want to get started in road racing, I would strongly suggest NOT starting with a converted passenger car. This is a common mistake--passenger cars were not made for racing and don't be fooled by the Fast and Furious crowd. It takes a ton of work and a ridiculous amount of cash to make them even remotely raceable.

The place to start is karting (not "carting"). Specifically, you want to find an International Karting Federation track ("IKF") near where you live. For $4000 and comparatively modest upkeep, you will have a purpose-built racing machine that will teach you the driving skills you need. Go to http://www.psgka.com and click on the "getting started in karting" link in the navigation box.

TopKart - 09 May 2008 02:40 PM

If you want to get started in road racing, I would strongly suggest NOT starting with a converted passenger car. This is a common mistake--passenger cars were not made for racing and don't be fooled by the Fast and Furious crowd. It takes a ton of work and a ridiculous amount of cash to make them even remotely raceable.

Fast and Furious Crowd? Someone has a bias here. Look at the World Challenge and the TC crowds they're all most have come from rallying or autocross backgrounds and I bet they probably drove "coverted passenger cars" in their times in autocross. Don't believe me? Look at all the times at the following link..

http://www.fvscc.com/results/2008-04-20PAX.html

We have '89 Civics beating out Mustangs, BMWs, and Porsches on the same track. This '89 Civic was not turbocharged and it ran all motor. At most it was probably pushing out 200 HP compared to the power of other cars like the Evos which had 300+ HP and AWD. Sport compacts are a great and inexpensive way to gain your skills as a driver and a racer. Heck many Civics autocrossing are not DOHC swapped engines but are running on SOHC engines making less then 150 HP and their still beating Corvettes with twice the HP! Again inexpensive ride with weight advantage and makes you look like a genius.

Stop the bias...Ask me I drive a Ford Focus and naturally aspirated I was beating turbo cars or cars with much bigger displacement/HP on a regular basis. Now I'm supercharged I'll be running with the Evos and Corvettes head to head - big it turbos and V8s.

Hitokiri2 - 09 May 2008 04:22 PM

. Sport compacts are a great and inexpensive way to gain your skills as a driver and a racer.

Bias has nothing to do with it. I'll put it this way: There is not a single driver on the Formula One grid who started in sport compacts. Every one started in karts. I haven't surveyed the Indy or LeMans grids, but I'd frankly be shocked if the vast majority didn't start in karts. Maybe one of those guys started out in sports compacts. Maybe. In recent Car & Driver article, Scott Pruitt was asked what is the best way to become a professional race driver? He said "Drive karts, whenever you can, where ever you can."

Here are the performance specs for a 125 shifter kart, from the Bondurant driving school web site:

0-60 3.5 seconds
1-100 6.0 seconds
0-100-0 10.0 seconds
corner g's: 2.5 (not a typo)
top speed: 120 mph

Bondurant has a video of a shifter kart racing a Z06 vette in an autocross. The shifter LAPS the vette on the 3rd lap.

You can get this kind of performance for under $5000 in kart. With the exception of top speed, you could pour $50,000 into a passenger car and never come close. The reason is simple--one vehicle is intended from the start to be nothing but a bare-bones racing machine. No pretense at being street legal or even remotely street driveable. The other was intended from the start as a commuter vehicle and now the owner is trying to completely change that.

I'm not trying to knock autocrossing or fast passenger cars. Heck, one of my daily drivers is an STS-V. But the dude asked for advice and I gave it. Since he apparently doesn't have a "car" yet I told him where the best bang for the buck is.

TopKart - 12 May 2008 09:50 AM

I'm not trying to knock autocrossing or fast passenger cars. Heck, one of my daily drivers is an STS-V. But the dude asked for advice and I gave it. Since he apparently doesn't have a "car" yet I told him where the best bang for the buck is.

If you said it like this I would understand and agreed. The fact that you called us "fast and furious crowds" does to me show bias.

Karting is expensive though and unlike a compact car you can't drive it everyday nor get groceries. Plus you talk as if this guy wants to get into F1 or Indycar - what's wrong if he just wants to get into something like the Koni Challenge or World Challenge? Many Koni Challenge and World Challenge drivers are from weekend warrior/autocross backgrounds.

The only two real places you need to get started are NASA (National Auto Sport Association) and the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America). If you already have a car, you can start by autocrossing or doing HPDE's (high performance driving events). You can build up your car as you go without any car to car contact. Make some racing friends and learn the ropes, then look into moving up to actual car races.
Stop by and check out iwannagoracing.com for some more info.
If you're serious, I highly recommend a Skip Barber 3 day racing school. Teaches you the basics of being a fast driver.

I have experienced the Arrive and Drive karting and enjoyed every minute of it. I remembered, at the start of every session each driver signs in and has an allocated racing number. I also agree with TopKart, you get can a better kind of performance chip under $5000 in kart.