This question came from a friend of mine: Should I try stock car racing for a hobby?

Question

"I know I'm tough enough, but sometimes I get kinda scared behind the wheel........ I've driven my uncle's stock car around the track before. Should I sign up for my uncle's stock car team?"

Answer 1

I agree 100% with Beth. I've been in racing since I was 3, and wanted nothing more than to be behind the wheel. If I had ever had a doubt as to whether or not I wanted to race, I never would have even tried. Luckily, for me, I was more of the "exception to the rule," being one of the best racers in the whole sanctioning body, and finishing in the top 1/2 of my class in EVERY event my rookie year. Unfortunately, I started my driving career too late to make a professional career out of it. At least I got to be a "Star" for a while!!!

BTW, Ironing the tracks is kinda fun, ain't it?

Answer 2

Its a very VERY VERY EXPENSIVE HOBBY!!!! If your scared I would say no leave it alone--You will get even more scared after your 1st spin or 1st hit into the wall. It is just not your safety out there it is the other drivers safety as well. Being a frightened slow driver is not a good Combination--- I will tell you this there is nothing and I MEAN NOTHING WORSE than having a car Hug the inside line at 65 MPH and have a fast car coming up on you with Me or any other driver be right on the Fast cars rear bumper--THEN fast car cuts outside at the last possible instant to pass slow car which I cant see well enough to judge slow cars speed then there I am 1 1/2 car lengths from slow car running 65 MPH and I AM RUNNING 115 MPH and have to hold my line because I have a car on my outside!!!! So its ..1. Rear end slow driver--2. Put car on my outside in the wall--3. Spin out into the Infield and Mess My car Up or WORSE!!!--Not Trying to Knock You but Just Telling You the way it is---Just completed my 32 nd year of racing Sportsman Class Stock Cars and Late Models---Ask your Uncle he will tell You Im Telling the truth!!! You just cant see 2 cars ahead when racing on a Clay or Dirt Track with the Dust & Mud Flying--Same for asphalt if your car is Steaming or Somebody ahead has Tire Rub or Oil Burning and White Smoke is filtering around the Track!!!!

Answer 3

If you want to give it a go then you should, but is there a rock bottom class for you to start in? Racing against other rookies would be a much better way to get ones feet wet then to jump in with experienced vets who won't like you getting in their way.

If you do race with the more experienced guys, regardless of where you are supposed to be lined up tell the pit steward you are dropping to the back. That way when the race starts you won't be in anybody's way and you'll be able to concentrate on learning how to drive your car effectively. Watch what the others are doing, how they enter and exit, when they brake, when they get back in the throttle etc.... Most importantly make friends with as many of the other drivers as possible. They won't share all their secrets, but they'll help you out enough so you won't be a hazard to yourself or others. Ask questions, but otherwise keep your mouth shut and your eyes open. Good Luck!!

Answer 4

It all comes down to how bad you really want it. I started racing right after I graduated from high school, which was a lot later than I wanted to but I wanted to be a race car driver and that was it. The only bad thing is that besides being a very expensive hobby is that there are risks involved with it. My first race I had an accident, not of my doing, where a guy on the outside of me made a pass, lost his rear tire, and spun around in front of me. It all happened so fast, I checked up but it was too late and we hit head on at almost full speed. That race was where my injury first started where my seat broke loose from the mounts that it was bolted to and twisted me around, but my belts luckily held strong. That wreck injured my back and I continued to race even though my back hurt a lot. I moved on to another series and towards the end of my rookie season I was involved in another accident with two other rookies where they got into each other, I thought I was clear and tried to drive down low to avoid them, they slid back down in front of me, ripping the entire front left fender of my race truck clean back to the door and drestroying most of the front end. Yet again, another accident that I couldn't avoid. Nothing broke this time but my back was just worse for wear. After that accident, I realized that I had too much else that I wanted and that I couldn't risk another injury that could mess me up forever because I was so young. I quit racing after I got married and my daughter was on the way. I couldn't take the thought of being hurt bad enough that I couldn't do everything that I wanted with my new family. These stories are not meant to scare you away from racing because I am still an avid fan of the sport and one day when my kids are raised and gone I would love nothing more than to strap back into another race car but these stories are to bring up the reality that risk will always be there as I'm sure you know. I never thought that I would get hurt and remember telling my parents that when they were trying to get me to reconsider racing, but I can honestly say that if I had it all to do again, I wouldn't change a thing.

Answer 5

NHRA Top Fuel & Funny Cars College Football ~ Notre Dame fan ~ SEC fan Pro Football ~ Browns fan NBA Playoffs ~ Cavs fan Baseball ~ Indians fan Local Stock Car racing

Answer 6

If he/she has to ask this question I would say no. They will be racing against people who have wanted nothing else all their life.

You just can't go out there and kinda want to do it.

Answer 7

No. If you feel fear instead of vindication, you will never be able to beat the competition.

Answer 8

forget it, DRAG RACE it's cheaper and much more fun. i used to race karts and NOW race jr dragsters it;s soo much fun! our slogan is" if your turning your not goin fast enough

Answer 9

why not if you have the skill, guts, and money to do it.