Who here dreamt of racing?

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GTOne2Three

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Chicano3000X
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Chicano3000
Since GT1, I dreamt of it but never thought it was possible, like you have to know someone in the inside and have connections. Im taking auto mechanics this semester to get more knowledgeable about cars. Overall, I love driving, and I love cars, and GT5 reignited my dream. Although I may never get close, I'd like a job that keeps me close to cars.

How about you? Already doing it? And if u wanted to go to the big boys, which would u want? NASCAR? F1? LE Mans?


BTW: Sry about the bad grammer earlier, posted from iphone..
 
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I'm pretty sure every single member here dreamed of racing because they play racing games. Bar maybe 0.5%.
 
Of course you have to have connections. You start making them by getting out there and racing. Start autocrossing - there's usually an event within 50 miles of just about anyone. I started autocrossing, built up my own car, had good results, won some events, had other people start approaching me to help them with setup, got offered codrives in better cars, etc.
 
GTOne2Three
Who here dreamed of racing?

Since GT1, I dreamed of it but never thought it was possible. Like you have to know someone in the inside. Have connections. Im taking auto mechanics this semester. Overall, I love driving, and I love cars. GT5 reignited my dream. Allthough I may never get close, is like a job that keeps me close to cars.

How about you? Already doing it? And if u wanted to go to the big boys, which would u want? NASCAR? F1? LE Mans?
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Honestly, it was never really an interest of mine until recent years. I played lots of racing games over the various console generations, but never watched it on television or in person and never felt the urge to actually do it. In the past few years I've taken up watching F1 passionately and several other non-NASCAR motorsports to varying degrees besides, I frequent the local dirt ovals (I'm American, so that's what's around here) on Friday nights, and now want to race.

Unfortunately, I'm now 31 and any chances of doing it professionally have long passed me. For example, an F1 driver has already had several years of professional racing experience by the time they're 21 or 22 years old, and starting their F1 careers by their early twenties.

However, this doesn't mean I won't be able to do it at least at a local amateur level, and some buddies and I intend to start in 2011. Jim wants to do dirt oval racing, but our mechanic hates ovals altogether (I tolerate the dirt ones but don't care at all for NASCAR or Indy) so if he's going to work on the car we've gotta do something he wants to do which is road racing (my preference, as well, but as long as I'm racing I don't really care).

So, what we're looking at right now is a parody of 24 Hours of Le Mans, called "24 Hours of Lemons", which is a low-budget deal wherein you're limited to a maximum of $500 US dollars or less for your car, not including safety equipment. They have races sprinkled around the US and the nearest is in an adjacent state in July, and we hope to participate.
 
GTOne2Three
Since GT1, I dreamed of it but never thought it was possible. Like you have to know someone in the inside. Have connections. Im taking auto mechanics this semester. Overall, I love driving, and I love cars. GT5 reignited my dream. Allthough I may never get close, is like a job that keeps me close to cars.

How about you? Already doing it? And if u wanted to go to the big boys, which would u want? NASCAR? F1? LE Mans?
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Forget about connections, you need money. As long as you have heaps of cash at hand, you can find race drives pretty easily.
Money pays for the car, mechanics, transportation, etc. There are also several spec series which are open to pretty much anyone with the money to run, such as Formula Palmer Audi or the many car clubs and single-make championships.

You need connections if you don't have money...to find sponsors ;).

Anyway, I would be pretty happy racing in BTCC or lower. I don't have much hope of F1 or anything like that as I'm already 21 and lack the many years karting and single seater experience required. But sportscars and touring cars are pretty much open to anyone of any age.
One day I hope to at least enter into small club level events, such as historic touring car races. Doing a season of Formula Palmer Audi would be fantastic, even though I would get owned.
If I got to the point of running in historic touring cars or whatever and doing moderately well, I would then try to enter Le Mans. I don't think I could achieve anything greater than that in motorsport.

If I had £500,000 or so to spend on motorsport right now, I wouldn't spend it on actually racing though. I would spend it on testing to build up experience of driving fast on a track.
 
In my experience, any man with decent job can go racing.

When I started racing SCCA sports cars back in the 60's, all it took was a union job in the local mill or aircraft factory.

Now, it is no longer possible to race cars due to inflation, etc. But karting can be done at a tiny fraction of the price of car racing. I know.

The kart racing in GT5 is quite authentic in spirit to what it's actually like to race one on a short track. It can be very frantic and hub-to-hub.
 
I've dreamed of racing since the days of GT1, and even before then. I'm 17 now, so do the math.

I'm confident I could make it on raw talent. It's just a matter of finding a way in.

If I ever make it big time, I expect to end up in NASCAR. Not necessarily Sprint Cup, but maybe a lower division. :)

At one point, ranked #9 globally on NASCAR 09 (Xbox 360). That doesn't exactly scream simulator, though.
 
Well I don't have a kart.:( But I have lapped within a second of the lap record at a minute long track the first and only time I was at the track. I was told I should seriously consider a kart.:D
 
In the US, you can buy decent used kart with stand, starter and a few spares for about $3000. Tires go for about $200/set, and will last two to four races. Entry fees are variable, but as low as $50 for a day's racing.

Smaller young men who are physically "tough" will do exceptionally well.
 
Have always been frustrated that my weight is an issue in karting. I'm a very good karter (though I don't go regularly), and I can keep up with or beat regular karters...

But weight plays a major role over the course of a race. No matter how cleanly I drive, I can never keep the tires in good condition over more than a few laps while keeping pace with some of the other drivers here. Hurts even more that the regular Asian driver is five-foot nothing and 90 pounds... that's a pretty big handicap for a 200 pound guy to go against! Oh, to be 17 again and at fighting weight!

I satisfy myself with the occasional autocross and track-day. I've won (and lost) at small invitationals. But professional or full-time racing? The wife will never allow it, sadly.

Nowadays, it takes skills and connections. Lots of both. Having money doesn't hurt, either. And no matter how skilled you think you are, there is always someone better... which makes it doubly difficult to "break in" to the scene.
 
I'd like to sup up my civic and race it in track. IDK how you do that. And true, you need connections and I'm not good on money.
My dad showed me how to work on cars and got an uncle who's a pretty good mechanic. But most of the people around me that I grew up with, and people that my dad and uncles know, aren't really a good crowd.

Never knew anyone who races or anyone envolved.
 
i'm terrible with money, and i aspire to get a Lola(ah, to dream...)

I'm thinking of getting an old Volvo 240 or 242. I'll try and convert a 240 wagon into a truck, and rally that, probably.
 
On Saturday, January 29th, I'll be racing my kart at the the fabled Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway. This will be the first time since 1989 that a kart club has been able to obtain a date. Oh, there has been the annual 250 superkart invitational, but the race on the 29th will be open to all classes.
 
One word:

Pictures!

...please? :lol:
 
I would love to race I honestly don't know If I am any good I do a Karting event only 2 times every year and I had a pretty close lap time to the record once,Of course after seeing GT academy I am sure most of us who are good in GT start to think I may be good in the real thing so who knows I plan to finish my education first and maybe some day I might get a chance.Wrong Country for now though :D
 
Dotini
On Saturday, January 29th, I'll be racing my kart at the the fabled Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway. This will be the first time since 1989 that a kart club has been able to obtain a date. Oh, there has been the annual 250 superkart invitational, but the race on the 29th will be open to all classes.
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Dotini tell us how it goes, you havent posted your recent adventures in the karting thread recently. ;)
 
lbsf1
Dotini tell us how it goes, you havent posted your recent adventures in the karting thread recently. ;)
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Damn straight!

No adventures since my regular season ended in October. But I would be remiss indeed to omit reporting this rare opportunity to drive Laguna. It's an out of region, non-points race hosted by Northern California Karters. I'll take pix and get them posted one way or another! It'd be fun to meet any Bay-area GTP members on this trip.

Edit: Your note reminded that I failed to post my final result for the 2010 season:
1st Place International Karting Federation Region 6 Road Race - 80cc Laydown
Last year brought me 5 wins out of 8 races. Plus I won a money race, the NOS event at Pacific Raceways.
Here's the proof:http://portlandkarting.com/forum/

My class had the highest participation of all, averaging 12.3 entries per race.

Respectfully,
Dotini (Steve)
 
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Wish I could go up there for a go...

Was thinking of going up to WA in June... cousin getting married... but am pretty short of funds right now. Shame. Still... with the rate of exchange, after what I'd pay for the plane fares, I won't have much money left over to do any actual, on-track, driving...
 
niky
Wish I could go up there for a go...

Was thinking of going up to WA in June... cousin getting married... but am pretty short of funds right now. Shame. Still... with the rate of exchange, after what I'd pay for the plane fares, I won't have much money left over to do any actual, on-track, driving...
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Niky, there's no local road race karting scheduled here for June. Otherwise, we have what we call the "buddy drive", essentially free racing at the end of the day.

Even so, if you make the trip, I'm good for a meal and drinks, and I have a spare bedroom...

Respectfully yours,
Dotini
 
Dotini, wow about Laguna Seca, the corkscrew is going to intresting its technically vertical at some points (over 45degrees.) Have fun.
 
Dotini
Niky, there's no local road race karting scheduled here for June. Otherwise, we have what we call the "buddy drive", essentially free racing at the end of the day.

Even so, if you make the trip, I'm good for a meal and drinks, and I have a spare bedroom...

Respectfully yours,
Dotini
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Thanks for the offer. I doubt I'll make it come June, but I'll keep it in mind. Our family home is just around 300 miles away from Seattle, on the other side of Washington state. ;)
 
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