Auto Racing: Getting into racing?, touring car championship, british touring car championship

Question
Hey Adam,

Well as you can see I want to start getting into racing. I'm a big fan of British Touring Car Championship racing and would love to start racing in that sort of field in the US, seeing how competitive it is. I learn so much just from watching the shows and then taking that info out on the track. I live in Washington so there is not much to do on the weekends, so I go out with friends to Kent and race with other guys for fun to get experience. I have no expert experience only what I learn from watching T.V, websites and other racers. Always been an adrenalin junky and have urge to push my car to the limits and myself every time I go out on the track.

I been looking around for schools near by and found that Skip Barber is one of the best ones but expensive and sense I am only 18, I don't have the financial background to start on my own. I was wondering if there's a way you think I could try to get into the sport possibly without a lot of financial backing. I would do anything like be a pump man (fuel guy), tire changer, ect.

Thanks for your advise,
Damian


Answer
Thanks for your question Damian. I presume you are in the US (I am in England and not very aware of the various motorsport starting options in the States). Also, I wasn't sure from your Q whether you were interested in saloons (sedans), single seaters or what type of racing. If it helps you at all, here is the advice I recently gave to a similar question, this one from somebody in Australia.

"My recommendation is that you start with one of the racing schools and
attend their course (I presume there are some in Oz for single seaters).
This will take several months and teach you about driving and racing a
single seater formula racing car. In the UK this also enables you to get
your racing licence, not sure how thsi works in Oz. If you were to go down
this route you may be in shape to drive a few races towards the end of the
racing season.

If you do very well at a Racing School you can sometimes win a drive for
the following season in a competitive car (although only a few of the
schools in the UK offer this scholarship - Silverstone don't).

If you are able to secure a budget, then approaching a good team in the
first instance might be a way forward but not many will want to take on a
novice. They will certainly I am sure help you go testing to see how you
get on and can give you some good advice, and of course, if you are both
impressed, could run you in some races or enter you in a
(2006)championship.

Having spoken to some reputable team's managers (Alan Docking Racing and
Woodcote Racing) to ask them about how a novice should ideally begin, they
both told me that starting
with the racing school is best. One also mentioned that a parallel
programme of karting would be very advisable, suggesting that ideally you
should be karting 2-3 times/week and then also doing the single seater
racing school at the same time. One of the team managers said that after
the racing school course is finished, he could provide a car and the
back-up to test with, and can also coach a young driver with a view to
preparing them for entering a championship, depending on talent too of
course!

I have spoken with the Silverstone Racing School's top man Ken Bowes. SRS
say they would start a novice off with an intensive 5 day course where
they will receive full training/coaching and they will supply the
necessary kit and racing licence application etc. The 5 day course
culminates in a race against the other students. The cost is £3100 and
they are available at fairly regular intervals through the year.

SRS recommend that, depending on how a driver gets on in the 5 day course,
they next offer a programme of races to help the drivers apply the skills
and continue their learning. The costs will be around £7-8000 and involve about 6 races.

If you are interested in UK alternatives, Jonathan Palmer has a facility
in Bedfordhire, there is also the Aintree Racing School(Liverpool), the
(formally) Brands Hatch circuits of Brands Hatch (Kent), Snetterton
(Norforlk), Cadwell (Lincs), Donington (Derbs) and Oulton (Cheshire).

I hope this is helpful to you. Motorsports trade press in Australia will
no doubt give details of local soultions."