You have the car, you have the gear, are you ready to start using it like a professional? Cruising on the back roads and racing random people from light to light is fun, but the fun is very limited and dangerous. Becoming a real racer takes preparation, patience, and real determination. Novice racers have a few options to stick their foot in the door when it comes to real racing events where the cops won’t give you a ticket and real track times are recorded. There are different clubs and groups that regularly set up events which people can come and attend for a low price. It’s time to review your options and get a head start on the action.

One of the easiest ways to start racing is attending auto cross events. Auto cross events are usually held in large parking lots where a track is made out of cones. The track is pretty tight with many twists and turns. One car at a time is sent out around every 30 seconds and its time is recorded so whoever has the fastest time is first and second and so on. These kinds of events are usually weekend to weekend so you can come and race frequently. Usually from experience it is really inexpensive to attend these events with entrance fees ranging around $30 and the event lasts for around 8 hours. There are usually no restrictions to what kind of car you bring as long as it passes the safety regulations. Some of the safety regulations include no broken lug nuts, battery properly mounted and the positive terminal covered, clean interior of anything loose, no major leaks and sometimes a helmet which they usually rent to drivers for a low price. It’s not very hard finding these events, usually forums and word of mouth spreads pretty quickly about autocross events and when you find one, it is usually held at the same place all season long.

Drag racing is another easy way to get ranked as a racer and still do it for a small amount of effort. Drag strips are a lot more common than road racing courses so finding one does not take a lot of effort. Once you do find a drag strip in your area look at the events calendar and see what is going on. The first thing to look for as a beginner would be “test and tune days”. On test and tune days you can try out the track with no pressure and see what you can do. The price for test and tune is relatively cheap, at Route 66 Raceway it is $25 and all you have to do is pass a safety inspection. After you get familiar with the strip and your car you can then sign up for competitive racing in your class. Drag racing is all about straight line so the way you set up your car and the modifications you are thinking about might have to become dedicated to a straight line dragster. If you are interested in more than just straight line acceleration the options are still wide open.

Road racing courses are very popular and definitely for the dedicated racing driver. These kinds of tracks are full of long straights, turns, hills, and tough racing conditions. There are not nearly as many road racing tracks as there are autocross and drag strips, so if you want to come out and attend one of these events you better pack your bags. As soon as you find a track you can check the calendar for test and tune days, just like drag racing. It’s important to use the test and tune days because unlike the drag strip a road course has lots of accelerating, braking, and turning that lies ahead. There is more danger as well, if you do not slow down enough for a corner you can skid off the track into something as well ask hitting other racers cars! There are many events to attend and many classes of cars, so it is fair for new and professional drivers. Road racing is so popular because you can do so much on a road course. For example you can race against others in grip driving, there are drifting days, you can do time attack, and there are also days where you can drive with a racing instructor. Tracks such as Autobahn and Gingerman which are located in the Midwest offer these kinds of activities and are very popular. Once you find a track you’re interested in and make a trip, you will very quickly get hooked on the action.

The SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) is a club that is all about racing and enjoying the motor sport. They help new and professional drivers attend events and track days that they organize for people to attend. Newer drivers get to take advantage of the driving school that helps guide new drivers to learning everything about the track and how to drive on it. They have a calendar of events and different classes that are set up where you can look over and choose where you would like to race. In order to be a part of the SCCA you must be a member. On their website they have directions on how to join and get started with all the benefits. Another place to look at is the Midwest Council of Sports Car Clubs. This is a similar place to look at when trying to become a racer. Both places offer lots of information and guidance.

Next time you see a bunch of guys joking about how they beat a Honda Civic at the lights you can just walk away knowing they are nothing but beginner sport car enthusiasts. With the laws getting stricter and fines for moving violations rising it is really not worth taking the risk of having some fun on the streets. Unless you live around the mountains or around some great driving roads there is no way to enjoy your car even if there were no laws at all. Many argue that events are limited and far away, but once you attend a great racing event you will be convinced that waiting and going a distance makes the outcome even more fun. Being a real racer comes with great benefits and separates you from the unlawful and much less exciting street racing.

If you have questions or need assistance in setting up your car and would like to purchase the correct parts for drag racing, autocross racing or road course racing, give THMotorsports a call at: 1-800-959-0145