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that is probably true these days, but in the old days, most started around age 16-18.
In one of the little "human interest" things that they show in F1 during practices - I think it was 2, maybe 3 years ago - they asked some of the drivers what age they started actually racing in karts and the average response was around 6. Start in your late teens now and you are at a serious disadvantage.
Lewis Hamilton started in competition at age 8. Ricciardo was 9. Sergio Perez was 7. Of the "old guard," Fernando Alonso started at 9 (but not full-time until 11). Felipe Massa started at 9. Vettel was 3 and a half, lol.
Most top drivers in open-wheel series (F1 and Indycar) start as children in go-karts<>
Good advice for a 2 year old.
But you start where you are. Realize you will behind others who start earlier but you will catch up at some point, if you have the ability.
The real answer for when do you start is whenever you have the desire and the money.
In one of the little "human interest" things that they show in F1 during practices - I think it was 2, maybe 3 years ago - they asked some of the drivers what age they started actually racing in karts and the average response was around 6. Start in your late teens now and you are at a serious disadvantage.
Lewis Hamilton started in competition at age 8. Ricciardo was 9. Sergio Perez was 7. Of the "old guard," Fernando Alonso started at 9 (but not full-time until 11). Felipe Massa started at 9. Vettel was 3 and a half, lol.
So this isn't a recent thing.
i am not talking about the 90s here, i am talking more along the lines of the 60s.
Nice feedback guys! But there had to be that one place where one can actually accelerate being a race car driver? Is it Talladega? Like in Boxing, it's Vegas. For car racing, what is it??
Nice feedback guys! But there had to be that one place where one can actually accelerate being a race car driver? Is it Talladega? Like in Boxing, it's Vegas. For car racing, what is it??
certain processes cant be rushed. you first have to go to a good driving school, like the bondurant school of driving in arizona, among others. at these schools you will learn high speed car control, you will learn how to handle many situations that normal daily drivers dont ever face.
then you have to decide what series you want to race in, nascar, scca, imsa, nhra, formula one, etc.
once you have picked the series, you then need to get your competition license. once you have that, you need to prove yourself to the people that will be hiring you to drive their cars. and that means you will have to prove that you can not only run in competition without bending very expensive race cars and killing yourself, but that you will be competitive as well. no one is going to hire you off the street just because you got your license.
as to where to go, again that depends on what series you want to race in. lets say you want to race in nascar, that means you need to get out to north carolina, virginia, alabama, georgia, etc. and establish yourself there. and that means running dirt track. aka the bull rings, usually in late model sportsman, the K&N pro series, ARCA, etc. it also means you build and run your own equipment.
example, jimmy johnson. a seven time champion in cup racing, so he is now a proven winning driver. but he started out in his own equipment proving himself every time he stepped up in class. jeff gordon the same way.
to give you a non racing example, lets say you wanted to be a marine scout sniper. the marines are not going to just hand you a rifle and say go kill people. you will start in basic training. you will then go through various other schools the marines have to teach newly minted marines just out of basic training about combat among other things. you will spend a few years in the corps learning, before you will be allowed to volunteer for scout sniper school. you will then spend eight weeks or so learning not only how to shoot from long distances, but you will also learn about cover and concealment, and you will have a final exam that you will have to pass, that of putting three shots on target WITHOUT being seen when you fire those shots. and your judges will be highly experienced marine corps snipers who know exactly what to look for.
in the end you cannot short cut your way to racing, you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.
then you have to decide what series you want to race in, nascar, scca, imsa, nhra, formula one, etc.
With the exception of the VERY top teams, in pro open wheel racing the drivers are mostly pay drivers, meaning they (or their sponsors) give the team money for the seat. Not the other way around. No, Lewis Hamilton, Bottas, Ricciardo, Alonso don't pay for their seat, but they did on the way up.
Start at the local track, run local series, SCCA, the local NASCAR/Arca 1/2 mile / 1/4 paved or dirt affiliate. Most local tracks have instruction of some kind through the various racing organizations - a skid car school ins a great way to start.
Go to your local go kart shop and get your posterior kicked by a bunch of 12 year olds what are half your weight and go there twice a week or more. It's still good fun.
A nice little article about Bubba Wallace on CNN today. I was going to post it in the 2017 thread, but it touches on what we've been talking about here.
A nice little article about Bubba Wallace on CNN today. I was going to post it in the 2017 thread, but it touches on what we've been talking about here.
i just have this feeling that wallace is going to be something special in nascar. we shall see.
I think so as well. He's talented as hell. I have been very high on two drivers that I've followed coming up through Gibbs.. Almirola and Wallace.
Almirola may get his chance to really shine next year being in Stewart-Haas equipment.
Wallace will struggle some.. The thing that worries me is sponsorship and the health of Petty. Richard is really what's holding that team together.. If something were to happen to him.. He is, after all, no spring chicken. His stomach is about 40 years older than the rest of him.. At least what's left of it.
Without question he has earned a ride. This is no "Oh, they're trying to be inclusive so they're giving the black guy a ride"..
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