Auto Racing: Getting started in the world of Professional Racing, world karting association, professional race car

Question
Dear Sir

My name is Christopher and I have been living in the United States for one year now, originally from South Africa. I'm 16 years old, nearly seventeen and in the 11th grade, and I have a huge interest in motorsports, and am very enthusiastic about it. Where I used to live it was almost seen as an impossible task to become a professional race car driver, but now that I live in the States, it seems more possible to get involved. I am a huge fan of the DTM and the WTCC series and it is very appealing to me. I have no racing experience under my belt, but I am determined to change that within the next couple of years and am willing to take advise from anyone I can. I am a very optimistic person and would love to join a racing team to compete professionaly. If you dont mind me asking, how did you get into the sport? But the reason I am posting this is so that I can get a better understanding of what it takes to get into this wonderful sport. I will accept any advice that you are willing to give me, thank you so much.

Answer
Hi Christopher :

Start with Go Karts, join World Karting Association (Google it!) and find the tracks close to you . Start racing in the lower levels, move up until you are in the larger , faster carts, and winning regularly.  MOST of the big names in racing spent some time in Karts early in their careers.  

Then join Sports Car Club of America (www.SCCA.org)  and look into racing with them.  You will have to buy a race car and do the mechanical work, buy the tires and gas and fix things that break at the track. It might be a good idea to try and get a friend interested in being your crew. You will probably need considerable financial help at this stage. But if you get good at road racing, your chances of getting a pro ride are a little better.

Understand though, something like 1/3 of the young population of the country want to be race drivers, so the competition is REAL tough, and you simply may not have the talent to be a professional. Plus it is EXTREMELY hard work.  18 hour days 7 day weeks and year around. It's a real killer. Many of us enjoy the amateur racing we do (I am in SCCA) and can spend some of our time doing other things that  professional driver can't - - like being with family  or earning a living !

Finally, since you're a good student and interested in racing, you should study Physics, Chemistry,and Math VERY hard, and plan on pursuing an Engineering degree in college. Several of today's NASCAR stars are engineers, Ryan Newman is one that comes to mind, there are others. Nearly all of todoay’s professional drivers though, stated in Go Karts.

Good luck !

Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida