Getting into Amateur Auto Racing

Unless you are ready to invest many years and possibly millions of dollars in becoming a professional race car driver, you can start at the bottom — amateur auto racing. The best thing about amateur racing is that age is not a barrier, even in club-level motorsports. In addition, there are many friendly, cost-effective series that welcome those just starting out, whether your interest is in rallying or single-seater racing. Here are a few possible options for getting into amateur auto racing.

Go kart racing is one of the easiest forms of amateur racing to get into. All that is needed is to find a go-kart track, pay the required fee, and start driving your timed laps. If you become serious as a go kart racer you can advance to higher levels, where it’s taken quite seriously as a sport. Karting can also be the ladder for youth getting started in racing, and most professionals begin their careers here.

Track days are a cheap opportunity to familiarize yourself with a certain circuit. It offers an opportunity to make sure that racing is for you before you decide to move on to its pricier stages. Novice-only track days and expert instructors are available to answer any questions. Track days are best if you want to keep risks as low as possible. Although it’s not mandatory to wear helmets on track days, it is still advisable to protect yourself as you drive around the track.

Time trial racing is another easy way of experiencing the heat of motorsport competition. In timed events, drivers don’t come into contact with other cars, thus reducing the risk of accidents or damaging your car. You drive on purpose built tracks and race against the stopwatch. You can even use your standard car in many rallies without having to install a roll cage, harnesses, or special racing seats. This is perfect if you want to gain experience on a genuine race track but are still apprehensive about door to door car racing.

But you want action packed, wheel-to-wheel racing with other cars around you on the track. You can also try your hand in untimed events. These races require a dedicated race car, have higher safety equipment requirements, and are much harder to get into. You can, however, find racing series open for ordinary or lightly modified cars, such as the 24h LeMons series in the US.

Autocross could be the easiest way of getting into motorsports. In autocross, an organization rents a parking lot and creates a temporary race track using markers or traffic cones. To get started, you don’t need any special equipment or a race car. An autocross track is convenient and cheap, as it can be set up anywhere.

The best thing about autocross is that it is among the least demanding forms of racing for the car, and you don’t even have to modify it to participate. Of course, once you get the feel of the sport and climb the ladder, you may want to modify your car, adding performance and safety features.