Your race Carreer (real life)

[nome66]

yep i warm the tires and sacrifice 3 of 14 laps a run to do so, just to make sure my lines are also warm. the track record holder does the same.

[danfilm007]

I've done quite a few sessions in an Electric kart at Peterborough, I wasn't any good (even if I hoped so!) and then duly decided becoming a Commentator was a much better idea! (Even if I'm sh**e at it!)

[LionZoo]

Decided to take the Lotus to Buttonwillow this weekend AND make the car my avatar. Getting excited!

[Wallio]

Well Saturday was the Jalopy Showdown Drags, a massive Nostalgia race for cars 1964 and older. Over 110 cars were on the property and we made the Quarter-Finals and finished 8th in class and 8th overall. We put a lot of fast stuff on the trailer (including the slingshot in the pic below with a Turbo Jag I6 in it) before the car remembered it was Italian and the starter cunked out in the lanes before the Quarters.



Despite the DNS, we had a blast, went some rounds, and actually got to race in front of a 4-digit crowd (for once). It was cool rolling through the pits with everyone snapping photos on their phones or Ipads.



We made two websites and I even had to kids ask me for my autograph! Which, obviously, never happens. Too bad the season is over.

[nome66]

This is what we, as employees, do in our free time here at autobahn indoor speedway.

going to really start making real connections with teams/team managers/etc soon. TPC Racing(a yokohama Porsche GT3 Cup team/Porshe tuning shop,won in Baltimore last year) is right down the street from my job.
don't know if all of you can see this, but here is some onboard footage of myself.
I got this "iclam" phone case that doubles as a gorpro-style mount to turn your 400 dollar phone into a 400 dollar camera. put down 20 quid for it, love every bit.
as you see, i got myself a new visor and some vinyl decals for my helmet, plus an Oakley CarbonX balaclava. some nomex racing gloves are on the way, while the pair of neon green gloves you see are actually fire-resistant garage work gloves.

[Leyton House]

Started out in club level rally events in a MkII Escort back in 2007, I remember I had just lost my job and had only around $30 to my name but I had already bought the car so did it anyway.

The Escort was knackered unfortunately, and for 2009 I replaced it with a Corolla

Did OK in that in the end, won a couple of class championships and a state title.

For 2011 my brother talked me into kart racing. Absolute disaster and a total money pit. Being 20kg heavier than the lightest guys didn't help either...

Quit that for 2012, and bought a Peugeot 205. Ran it in hillclimbs for most of the year with some success.


The car sits in pieces right now as I complete an Mi16 engine conversion on it. Am considering converting it to do rallies, albeit at a higher level than the old Escort days!

[TheFlyingCaterham]

Just gonna post some achievements of my on-going karting career

2012 - Class: Cadets
- February: Got my first kart, an Arrow AX9
- April: Participated in my first ever round. I was 2-3 seconds off the pace
- June: Got a second place in the second heat of mynsecond ever round. It was a long train
- July: Got my first ever podium in the Cadet P Class with 3 wins and 2 seconds (Sadly, it was finals only). I was also involved in a pretty sizeable t-bone in the first heat
- October: First race off my P Plates
- December: Won my first ever round after passing my 2 main rivals within the final 2 laps of the race
Year Review: Considering this was my first year karting, I dont think this year was too shabby.

2013 - Class: Rookies
- January: My first race in my new class
- September: Won my second ever round at my local track after leading from start to finish
Year Review: Overall, a meh year

2014 - Class: Rookies
- August - November: 3 round podium streak ( two seconds and one third, i think)
- November: My best ever finish in what I consider to be a 'big event' (3rd)
Year Review: Pretty good for me, as i got 4th overall in the club standings (although i technically placed second)


Tracks I have raced at:

Canberra - http://www.shkb.com.au/race_track_database.aspx - First track on the webpage. Also has a nice little animation showing all the 1997 F1 cars (except Mastercard Lola, sadly)

Grenfell - http://kartsportnews.com/OLD-site/conte ... 112-3.html - Ive only raced on the longer layout, although i have used the shorter ones for where there is multiple warm up laps

Events in italics are events that happened in Grenfell.

[Pointrox]

Yesterday I had my first karting drive in eight years in a cup organised by the students' union.
I was just about average

In a field of 60 participants I managed to finish 28th - still 0.4s shy of the last final race spot, where 12 fastest drivers were to fight for the cup.
I beat my mate's time by another 0.4s though so all in all it was a good day

[nome66]

BIG NEWS
i will be attending a 3-day racing school in Millville, New Jersey this coming July.
it is the Bertil Roos Racing School and is accredited by the SCCA for competition licensing.
after this, i'll be eligible for the 2-day advanced classes at a later point, money permitting.
once completed, i'll be competing in the Bertil Roos F2000 series, then later, the USF2000 series, working my way up the IndyCar stepladder. Not really concerned about making it all the way up, as say, a touring car or sportscar seat would be plenty to check this career off of my bucket list. i'll probably be one of few drivers wearing a Bell Vador helmet. super psyched!

[Nessafox]

BIG NEWS
i will be attending a 3-day racing school in Millville, New Jersey this coming July.
it is the Bertil Roos Racing School and is accredited by the SCCA for competition licensing.
after this, i'll be eligible for the 2-day advanced classes at a later point, money permitting.
once completed, i'll be competing in the Bertil Roos F2000 series, then later, the USF2000 series, working my way up the IndyCar stepladder. Not really concerned about making it all the way up, as say, a touring car or sportscar seat would be plenty to check this career off of my bucket list. i'll probably be one of few drivers wearing a Bell Vador helmet. super psyched!

A racing school founded by an F1 reject! If you somehow manage to catch Bertil, go interview him! Good luck with it, by the way.

[nome66]

BIG NEWS
i will be attending a 3-day racing school in Millville, New Jersey this coming July.
it is the Bertil Roos Racing School and is accredited by the SCCA for competition licensing.
after this, i'll be eligible for the 2-day advanced classes at a later point, money permitting.
once completed, i'll be competing in the Bertil Roos F2000 series, then later, the USF2000 series, working my way up the IndyCar stepladder. Not really concerned about making it all the way up, as say, a touring car or sportscar seat would be plenty to check this career off of my bucket list. i'll probably be one of few drivers wearing a Bell Vador helmet. super psyched!

A racing school founded by an F1 reject! If you somehow manage to catch Bertil, go interview him! Good luck with it, by the way.

i thought there was something familiar about the name.

[wmetcalf7 4]

BIG NEWS
i will be attending a 3-day racing school in Millville, New Jersey this coming July.
it is the Bertil Roos Racing School and is accredited by the SCCA for competition licensing.
after this, i'll be eligible for the 2-day advanced classes at a later point, money permitting.
once completed, i'll be competing in the Bertil Roos F2000 series, then later, the USF2000 series, working my way up the IndyCar stepladder. Not really concerned about making it all the way up, as say, a touring car or sportscar seat would be plenty to check this career off of my bucket list. i'll probably be one of few drivers wearing a Bell Vador helmet. super psyched!

WOAH! This means there's a chance we might be racing together in the future..... This summer, for my karting performances I'll be testing a car that looks like a F1000 but has the speed and power of a USF2000 car. If I do good, I will be considered for a possible race seat in USF2000 or F1000 with my sponsor Team E Racing (they were 2nd in Drivers Championship last year in USF2000). If all goes well I'll be the youngest driver of all time in MRTI! (I'm 12 as of now) So hopefully we meet in the Mazda Road To Indy someday

[Wallio]

BIG NEWS
i will be attending a 3-day racing school in Millville, New Jersey this coming July.
it is the Bertil Roos Racing School and is accredited by the SCCA for competition licensing.
after this, i'll be eligible for the 2-day advanced classes at a later point, money permitting.
once completed, i'll be competing in the Bertil Roos F2000 series, then later, the USF2000 series, working my way up the IndyCar stepladder. Not really concerned about making it all the way up, as say, a touring car or sportscar seat would be plenty to check this career off of my bucket list. i'll probably be one of few drivers wearing a Bell Vador helmet. super psyched!

WOAH! This means there's a chance we might be racing together in the future..... This summer, for my karting performances I'll be testing a car that looks like a F1000 but has the speed and power of a USF2000 car. If I do good, I will be considered for a possible race seat in USF2000 or F1000 with my sponsor Team E Racing (they were 2nd in Drivers Championship last year in USF2000). If all goes well I'll be the youngest driver of all time in MRTI! (I'm 12 as of now) So hopefully we meet in the Mazda Road To Indy someday

You at you guys, with your talent and all that Seriously though, good on both of you. Go for it and lay it all out there. Most people dream of doing what you guys are gonna do. I want loads of pictures. I'm psyched I can finally have someone to root for on the Road to Indy!

[nome66]

thanks! compared to others, i'm starting out a bit late(just turned 21) but i'll work my hardest.
heck, i'll be ok with a CTSCC seat or grc lites. those would be pretty cool to be apart of.

[dr-baker]

Good luck to you guys. Maybe you guys may become Indy Rejects one day?

[wmetcalf7 4]

Good luck to you guys. Maybe you guys may become Indy Rejects one day?

Well, not Milka Duno esque, please NO. But I'd just be happy to get to Indycar

And I just thought of something. Guys, just think: That weird, annoying, 9 year old kid who would make terrible conversations on the forum? He's now going to be the youngest person to ever drive a car on the Mazda Road To Indy. *mind explodes*

BIG NEWS
i will be attending a 3-day racing school in Millville, New Jersey this coming July.
it is the Bertil Roos Racing School and is accredited by the SCCA for competition licensing.
after this, i'll be eligible for the 2-day advanced classes at a later point, money permitting.
once completed, i'll be competing in the Bertil Roos F2000 series, then later, the USF2000 series, working my way up the IndyCar stepladder. Not really concerned about making it all the way up, as say, a touring car or sportscar seat would be plenty to check this career off of my bucket list. i'll probably be one of few drivers wearing a Bell Vador helmet. super psyched!

WOAH! This means there's a chance we might be racing together in the future..... This summer, for my karting performances I'll be testing a car that looks like a F1000 but has the speed and power of a USF2000 car. If I do good, I will be considered for a possible race seat in USF2000 or F1000 with my sponsor Team E Racing (they were 2nd in Drivers Championship last year in USF2000). If all goes well I'll be the youngest driver of all time in MRTI! (I'm 12 as of now) So hopefully we meet in the Mazda Road To Indy someday

You at you guys, with your talent and all that Seriously though, good on both of you. Go for it and lay it all out there. Most people dream of doing what you guys are gonna do. I want loads of pictures. I'm psyched I can finally have someone to root for on the Road to Indy!

Thanks a lot, nice to hear this

You'll get those pictures, promise

Here is what the car roughly looks like:


Also, my avatar is of my first "fan art". Someone on Twitter made this logo for me with those play on words at the bottom there "Wheeliam" (pretty much revealing my name is William….) with a pretty cool emblem with my initials, and a Maple Leaf design around it (because I'm Canadian of course ) Pretty awesome stuff!

[nome66]

Good luck to you guys. Maybe you guys may become Indy Rejects one day?

i'll stop in the wrong pitbox just for you, one day.

[Bobby Doorknobs]

Why does this remind me of the Ligier JS5? Why am I here at four in the morning? And not drunk? And haven't gotten drunk in the past nine months, therefore not living up to my national stereotype (I'm very bad at that in general, I don't even have ginger hair for HWNSNBM's sake)? And continuing to spout random crap that has nothing to do with anything?

Oh, yeah, good luck and all that. I envy the opportunity you have before you. It's something I never got, sadly. No monies

[DanielPT]

Good luck to you guys. Maybe you guys may become Indy Rejects one day?

Well, not Milka Duno esque, please NO. But I'd just be happy to get to Indycar

And I just thought of something. Guys, just think: That weird, annoying, 9 year old kid who would make terrible conversations on the forum? He's now going to be the youngest person to ever drive a car on the Mazda Road To Indy. *mind explodes

Don't take it personally and forgive them. Most kids don't deal with younger kids that well, forgetting that, in the process, they also used to be as young.

Also, it is a fact that a large majority of 9 year old kids do make terrible but funny conversations.

Good luck to you and your venture. May you be able to realize your dreams.

[tommykl]

Good luck to you guys. Maybe you guys may become Indy Rejects one day?

Well, not Milka Duno esque, please NO. But I'd just be happy to get to Indycar

And I just thought of something. Guys, just think: That weird, annoying, 9 year old kid who would make terrible conversations on the forum? He's now going to be the youngest person to ever drive a car on the Mazda Road To Indy. *mind explodes

Don't take it personally and forgive them. Most kids don't deal with younger kids that well, forgetting that, in the process, they also used to be as young.

Also, it is a fact that a large majority of 9 year old kids do make terrible but funny conversations.

Good luck to you and your venture. May you be able to realize your dreams.

Indeed. I started my stay in this madhouse as a bratty, annoying and incoherent 13-year-old, and I still cringe when I see an old post of mine. To paraphrase CGP Grey, there's no use regretting what you said a long time ago, you're not that person anymore.

Best of luck to both of you on your racing careers, and may the Grand Prix Rejects banner fly high!

[nome66]

is it ok if i print a sticker of the website's logo? thinking of flying these proud colors on my helmet

[Bobby Doorknobs]

Well, not Milka Duno esque, please NO. But I'd just be happy to get to Indycar

And I just thought of something. Guys, just think: That weird, annoying, 9 year old kid who would make terrible conversations on the forum? He's now going to be the youngest person to ever drive a car on the Mazda Road To Indy. *mind explodes

Don't take it personally and forgive them. Most kids don't deal with younger kids that well, forgetting that, in the process, they also used to be as young.

Also, it is a fact that a large majority of 9 year old kids do make terrible but funny conversations.

Good luck to you and your venture. May you be able to realize your dreams.

Indeed. I started my stay in this madhouse as a bratty, annoying and incoherent 13-year-old, and I still cringe when I see an old post of mine. To paraphrase CGP Grey, there's no use regretting what you said a long time ago, you're not that person anymore.

Best of luck to both of you on your racing careers, and may the Grand Prix Rejects banner fly high!

And I started my internet forum life as a 15-year-old that was basically like "look how much I know about F1 history!", when it was stuff that was fairly common knowledge to anyone who did five minutes of research on F1 on Wikipedia Luckily for me, I never posted in forums much, nowhere near as often as I do here today.

[Nuppiz]

is it ok if i print a sticker of the website's logo? thinking of flying these proud colors on my helmet

As the logo was designed by Biscione, that question is probably best directed at him.

[wmetcalf7 4]

Don't take it personally and forgive them. Most kids don't deal with younger kids that well, forgetting that, in the process, they also used to be as young.

Also, it is a fact that a large majority of 9 year old kids do make terrible but funny conversations.

Good luck to you and your venture. May you be able to realize your dreams.

Indeed. I started my stay in this madhouse as a bratty, annoying and incoherent 13-year-old, and I still cringe when I see an old post of mine. To paraphrase CGP Grey, there's no use regretting what you said a long time ago, you're not that person anymore.

Best of luck to both of you on your racing careers, and may the Grand Prix Rejects banner fly high!

And I started my internet forum life as a 15-year-old that was basically like "look how much I know about F1 history!", when it was stuff that was fairly common knowledge to anyone who did five minutes of research on F1 on Wikipedia Luckily for me, I never posted in forums much, nowhere near as often as I do here today.

Some brilliant responses for this, thanks guys haha! I guess you're right! But thanks for all the fantastic wishes, and hopefully all goes well!

[CaptainGetz12]

I myself have been to a couple autocrosses to help some friends at my college's auto club get their cars ready, and I have a bit of an itch to do a autocross day myself. The problem is that I don't wanna potentially wreck my only car that I need for school.

So if anyone has any advice, should I try to save up for a cheap car to autocross or would trying to get a kart would be a better way to see if I like motorsport?

[wmetcalf7 4]

I myself have been to a couple autocrosses to help some friends at my college's auto club get their cars ready, and I have a bit of an itch to do a autocross day myself. The problem is that I don't wanna potentially wreck my only car that I need for school.

So if anyone has any advice, should I try to save up for a cheap car to autocross or would trying to get a kart would be a better way to see if I like motorsport?

Well, I don't know if its the best idea to follow advice from a 12 year old, but..... Karting is insanely fun. Better than any racing sim out there, the real thing is the best. I've never done an auto cross (I'm 12, I don't have a license....) but I'm just telling you what I think about karting. If you ever get good in karting, it is actually more fun! Speed + adrenaline + sitting inches from the ground = Awesome experience. Shifter karts are even more extreme..... Then you could argue moving up the racing ladder would be better in a kart since many Indycar and F1 drivers started out in them. However it goes, good luck!

[UncreativeUsername37]

I myself have been to a couple autocrosses to help some friends at my college's auto club get their cars ready, and I have a bit of an itch to do a autocross day myself. The problem is that I don't wanna potentially wreck my only car that I need for school.

So if anyone has any advice, should I try to save up for a cheap car to autocross or would trying to get a kart would be a better way to see if I like motorsport?

Well, if the passion is for autocross, then do that. Don't do karting just because it's the "normal" thing.

[Wallio]

I myself have been to a couple autocrosses to help some friends at my college's auto club get their cars ready, and I have a bit of an itch to do a autocross day myself. The problem is that I don't wanna potentially wreck my only car that I need for school.

So if anyone has any advice, should I try to save up for a cheap car to autocross or would trying to get a kart would be a better way to see if I like motorsport?

Well, if the passion is for autocross, then do that. Don't do karting just because it's the "normal" thing.

I agree. Do what you love. I tried karting. Its mad fun, but I had no drive for it. I switched to the quarter mile and here I am. Do what YOU like. Remember a racing "career" is more than being a F1 driver. Any type of racing, at any level, is still more than three quarters of the populace can achieve. One day in the cockpit is better than a lifetime in the stands. Find some friends to crew for you, or better yet race with you. The memories you will make will last long after anything else.

[nome66]

STARTED CLASS TODAY! so awesome. the Bertil Roos guys are a good set of instructors. we did some classroom time and notes, drove boring stock road legal sedans around the track to get affiliated with surroundings and the basic line. then we did some track walks, and finally to end the first day, we got some seat time in the Formula 2000 cars. little Ford 2.0 Liter single-cams have more aggression that i'd hoped. we were not timed today, because for right now, we're just getting acquainted with the procedures of driving at speed, like heel-n-toe shifting, visual references, and generally trying not to spin. my first 20 minute session in the car? had 4 good laps, a bunch of "meh" laps(ground 2nd gear into a slow corner), and on the final lap(clock hit 0:00) i spun it. turn one at NJMP's Lightning Raceway is uphill, 3rd gear, and has a nasty drop in elevation right after the apex. i approached at about 98mph, hit the brake a little too late, hit a good downshift, but i lifted at the wrong time(right as the car got light), lost traction over the crest. i didn't panic, though, because having driven and slid around in far worse conditions(today was bone dry, perfect temperature), i knew to countersteer just enough to pass the armco barrier without hitting it, plus i kept it off the grass right on the pit exit. had tons of fun, and tomorrow there's even more seat time in the Formula 2000's.

[AndreaModa]

Ah I'd forgotten about this thread!

Won my company's karting championship a couple of weeks ago. We did the racing down at the South Wales Karting Centre - some of the Brits might know it.

Nice little track, used for proper kart racing so not just some tyres laid out in an old warehouse. It was wide enough for 3 wide in most places. As there's approximately 120 people in our company, we did four separate heat sessions over 4 weeks, every Thursday afternoon. Each group had between 25 and 30 people in it. Mine was the last of the four heats.

In the session we got 3 laps to familiarise ourselves with the kart and track, then we all did 4 heat races against each other with between 3 and 5 people racing in each heat, over 4 laps. The results of all of them decided the semi-final grid orders. There were 3 semi-finals of 6 laps with everyone progressing from the heats, so larger grids of 8 or 9, with the top 3 from each semi-final going through to the final of 9 karts which was a 10 minute race plus 1 lap (each lap roughly 38 seconds). The top 6 from each of the previous 4 weeks' worth of finals went through to a Grand Final session the following week. Confused yet?

It was a scorching day for my session, lovely conditions, so we could really push the karts. Of my four heats I won two and finished 3rd and 4th in the other two. That put me third on the grid in the first semi-final, in which I finished second, thus progressing to the final. I lined up 4th on the grid for the final, and was lucky to get one of the better karts and had a great fight for the whole race with the guy who beat me in the semi-final, eventually overcoming him on the final lap to win!

That set me up nicely for the Grand Final which was the following week. The format of the day was identical, the karts were identical, the track was identical. What wasn't identical was the weather - it was pissing down. After the 3 lap practice we were all completely soaked and the rock hard slick tyres were tricky to say the least!

Of course, with it being the Grand Final the competition was a lot higher. All of the sales boys were pumped up on testosterone, giving it the big one, which of course is exactly what you shouldn't do with a nervous kart on a wet track!

At first I struggled to get to grip with the karts in the slippery conditions and my heat results were pretty rubbish - a 2nd, a 3rd and two 4th places meant I was well down the grid for my semi-final. I think I started 6th. At this point I was happy if I could just nick a third place and get to the final. Fortunately that's exactly what I did and I was in the final to end all finals.

At this point the rain eased off and by the time we lined up for the final, the sun was out, but the track was still soaking wet. I was ninth and last on the grid, with kart 13, apparently one of the better ones. What followed was a hugely entertaining race as 9 blokes all went for it on a wet but drying track with predictable consequences. At one point I was sixth and all five karts in front of me span simultaneously under braking for the bottom hairpin. I ended up clipping one of them though so didn't take the lead.

In the end there were three of us out front by a clear margin, two guys in front of me battling, and me sitting back a little bit, waiting for them to take each other off! One of them ran wide at the final corner and span slightly, at which point I started to think I could win. I hassled the other guy for a couple of laps, and in the end stuffed it down the inside at the final corner with a couple of laps to go, from which I stayed in front and won!

In a company with a low average age and a lot of 'lads' I didn't expect to win and I don't think other people expected me to either which made it a hell of a lot sweeter! I now have two sizeable trophies in the front room and aspirations to do a 'Damon Hill' and get into F1 as a late (okay very late!) starter!

Tl;dr - I won my work's karting event. Happy days!

[dinizintheoven]

Sounds like the complete opposite of my karting career. Which, admittedly, lasted one afternoon about eight years ago (or maybe more?) but there's always time for a Jan Lammers style comeback.

[Wallio]

I've taken the Fiat out a handful of times this year with little success, as we have been unable so far to set the thing up now that the new engine is producing about 720bhp. That being said, I'm having fun, and my driving has been ok (my lights being decent, not great, but competitive) and we are flirting with the 140mph barrier for the standing 1/4mile which is fun, a 139.63mph being our best so far. Attached find a picture of yours truly in the cockpit, and a picture of the car being towed to tech from this past weekend. Also included is a shot of my "office" so to speak, as you can see its a bit cramped!