Where to Start: I don’t know what form of racing you want to do but I can tell you where to start. If open or closed wheel is your poison, start with karts and if you can’t afford your own kart, start with arrive & drive karts or rental karts. If you can afford your own kart start with arrive & drive anyway to see if you like it before you buy your own kart. Much like a car, as soon as it leaves the lot the value drops allot, so if you buy an $8,000 kart you would get $4,000 if still new. I would start with indoor tracks, preferably with a sealed surface. These types of tracks have very little grip and a good place to learn the proper line, throttle, break and kart control; then move to outdoor tracks. If you like it, get a kart new or used and move up the classes, owning your own kart can get quit expensive though. Once again, if you can’t afford it stick with arrive & drive. The only problem with arrive & drive is they only go up to 60 mph, so if you want to go faster you have to get your own kart.
After 2 to 3 years of karting go to a race car driving school and if you feel comfortable, compete in one of their series races; Skip Barber Racing School has a popular one and awards sponsorships to the top 4 finishers. This can get quit expensive because car racing is triple the cost of kart racing. fortunately, you can rent cars, it’s 3 to 4 thousand a race, it seems cheap but if you wreck you have to pay for damages and every one eventually wrecks in karts or cars; so save extra for damages. Then, if you talented enough, people will ask you to test their cars, you might have to pay for testing though. The open wheel ladder for indy car goes: karts, Formula f, USF 2000, Stars of Mazda, Indy Lights then Indy car. For Formula 1 you have to move to europe and the ladder goes: karts, Formula Ford, Formula 3, GP2 and then Formula 1. You can skip through classes if talented enough but I wouldn’t recommend it; I would rather move up and learn trough the classes.
If you like Nascar start with dirt oval outlaw karts, then move to pavement oval, then move to quarter midget’s, then to midget’s or sprint cars. You can go two ways from here, pavement: Full size midget’s or stock cars or dirt: Full size midget’s or sprint cars.
If you like motorcycle racing, you can start with a 600 but I wouldn’t recommend it because its to fast and you have to learn how to lean. Start with mini bikes, they may look like kids ride them but are perfect for starting off and even sports bike champs still race them. Most people don’t know that almost every motorcycle racer started here as kids; one of racing exclusive secrets, just like auto racing and karts. For kids I think they start with 50cc and adults 100cc then modified. The l00cc classes can reach 60 to 80 mph and faster with modified engines. Perfect for learning to lean and if you fall it’s much safer because of the slower speeds. Along with cars and karts you’re gonna fall or wreck so get used to it, champs eat pavement too! Then, after a year or two move to 600’s and up the classes; you’ll thank me later if you start with 100cc.
If you like dirt bikes, you can start two ways 100cc or start with bmx racing. Many people don’t see the similarities with bmx racing and motocross. You can learn the fundamentals of motocross at slower speeds and smaller jumps. After a year or two move to 100cc or 125cc if you feel comfortable.
If you like rally racing start with dirt oval or backyard karting, many backyard tracks are private owed and few are open to the public. Backyard karting is karts raced tracks much like pavement road courses just with dirt; perfect training ground. And if your young enough, up to 16, they have mini torque truck racing; just like rally cross but with bigger jumps. That’s all the auto racing I know of, so what ever path you choose, good luck!
Your not alone: When I started karting I thought I was the only black person that raced them; I was wrong. The more tracks you go to, the more you will see others like you. It may just be one person and there not as welcoming as you are. From what it looks like to me, there forced to fit in and they turn into something there not. So, when they see someone the same race, they neglect them ass if there different and not the same. I see this all time, but what can you do. I’ve had people my race laugh in my face when I told them I race. Or, if I try to talk about racing, they would talk and act as if they were better than me or just end the conversation.
I find this sad that someone would laugh and discourage your own like this. It’s like they know what there saying but since there so much better than you, they don’t care. If it were me I would encourage as many as I can because I’m tired of being the only or 2nd black person at the track. So, don’t get mad if you don’t make friends with someone the same race; just a heads up! fortunately, everyone is not like that; I’ve found one and she’s a girl. Also, get as many people involved as you can, especially those street racers you know!
Racial segregation: The racers demographic is a confusing one to explain. Meaning, why some races act the way they do and towards other races. Some, act as if there one race but treat another race as if there not minority’s also. From what I see, every one sticks together and if you see an interracial friendship it’s very rare; sad rite! For example, the Asian community seems to act as if there Caucasian but aren’t excepted by them and look down on every one else.
Everyone else: Hispanics stick together, Asians stick together, Caucasians stick together, Indian are rare and singled out and African-Americans are rare and singled out. The only people who seem to don’t mind diversity are the Utopians, this shows you how sad America is. The only time I’ve seen one race segregated is when financial stature comes into place, I.e. lower and upper class; these are all observations!!!
Racism: This is very alive and well in the racing community, some shown and some not shown. Every time I go to a track I see hate in people’s eyes. You know that look you get when people don’t think you belong there; so get use to it and keep your composure. I’ve had bottles thrown at me, called the n word, overlooked, ignored and more. None of this will stop me from racing though and it shouldn’t stop you either. I recall onetime when watching a kids race, I seen the devil in one fathers eyes when he looked at me. Also, I’ve had my kart tampered with, so be ready if your racing arrive & drive and your any good.
Don’t expect to get much advice, so unless you’re a fast learner like me take a driver coaching session. I remember one time racing on a new configuration, I was the first to find the perfect line; everyone followed. After my heat, I sat down and watched people follow my line and people started crowding around me; I think mainly to see what I was looking at and because I would always stand by the hairpin and no one said anything to me. The only time I’m acknowledged is when I do something amazing but not in the good way; so, don’t look for anyone being a fan of yours. Also, if you do talk to someone, be ready for insults or talked down, not every one is like that, just most people I’ve met.
If you can’t find away, make away: If your like me, you want to carry out allot in racing and some of it may seem impossible. If that’s the case then don’t let it discourage you, let it motivate you. Nothing is impossible or unreachable, it all depends on how much you want it and how much your willing to sacrifice. I spent my whole life hearing people say “that’s impossible, that’s unreachable or your never make it”. What makes me mad is everybody says something is impossible but yet they have never tried or if they did, they weren’t willing to sacrifice. They said we will never make it to space, the Mets wouldn’t win a World Series or there never would be a black president; as you see, this has happened. Before I started racing I did my research asking questions on how to get to formula 1, how to get to Indy car, how to get rally and so on. They all said it was impossible because your to old and you didn’t start karting as a kid. I read that one guy started racing at 18 and made it to formula 1, one kid started at 16. So, don’t believe people when they say somethings impossible because they didn’t even have the balls to chase their dreams; like people say put your money where your mouth is.
In racing if you have enough money or support anything is possible and if you started racing around 16 or 18 like me, there are ways to make it there until you turn 26. For instance, Skip Barber Racing School has a shoot out for people up to 25, Team America scholarship 18, there are no age limit for I racing and participating racing Sims. I heard there’s a guy that started racing quarter midget’s at 18 and is on his way to Nascar. One more thing, if you here of a racing for diversity program that magically turned into fueling your dreams, I recommend not wasting your time unless you have extensive racing experience. They have something called the last shot program but yet have to move anywhere with it; I think it’s all false advertisement and putting false hopes in people’s heads. So, let the impossible fuel your passion and turn the impossible to possible.
Be Prepared: If your like me, you can’t really afford to race or even practice; don’t let that stop you. If you can’t get to the track play Racing Sims and if you can’t afford that go to
www.liveforspeed.com, they have a free download and practice, practice, practice. I can’t afford to practice so I work out every day; if I can’t have the most practice, I will be the one that’s more in shape and that means allot in racing. You will come across a lot of racist people who don’t want to see you make it, like I said one track rigged my kart and one track tried to mess with my lap times. So, unless your James Stewart or Lewis Hamilton look forward to it at every race.
Now, it will be very hard not to retaliate, keep your composure! If your weak and you do something back they will kick you off the track; there basically looking for you to mess up and a reason to put you out. Slavery might be over but it’s not out of people’s hearts. Before I race at a track, I watch races on you tube to get down lines, breaking points and so on. Watch them every day if you have to because 9 times out of 10 you won’t see the track until race day. Also, most race tracks will be very far away and you might can’t catch a race, but someone else did and put it on the Internet. It doesn’t matter what form of racing you want to do, watch as many races as you can because you can learn allot. Either it’s over taking moves from professionals, racing lines dry or wet, blocking and more. Use every resource available because if your like me there are very few available. Remember, the Internet is your greatest resource ever!!!
Getting sponsored: It doesn’t matter if your white or black, every one has a problem with this and with the shape of the economy it’s even harder. I’ve read books on statistics, writing proposals, marketing and sent a couple out. Your main problem you will face is most companies won’t sponsor you unless your sponsored already. Some companies don’t want a minority faces representing them and then there are minority companies. I don’t know if there are any involved besides Starting Grid Inc. and like Willy T. Ribbs said “We won’t have more black racers until it’s more black money”.
Your next resort is local sponsors and if your closet track is no where by your house, there a waste of time. You don’t want to promote a local business in Baltimore and your track is in Virgina, that’s way out side their target market. Fortunately, I’ve been sponsored before but not the way your thinking of. Some from my family and some from asking people. Whats been working for me is emails and I send out allot. Lets say if I send out 100 emails and out of 100 emails 3 people would respond and one would actually help. I had an anonymous person pay my entry fee for a shoot out in New York and I did some promotion for an endurance race for 2 hours of seat time. I try to target people of my race or relevance because I would hope they would want to help their own. I’ve emailed diversity speakers, racers, business owners and celebrities. If you do try this, try your best to make it not look like spam mail, DON’T FORWARD ANYTHING, write them personally to them, do not buy any ones email, ask if they can send it and always say thank you! And, don’t expect every one to respond and if they do respond, don’t expect them to help; say thank you and ask them to send it to people who can help.
Now, there are diversity racing programs out there some open and some kept exclusive, most are for people with earlier racing experience. For instance, the so-called Drive for Diversity program that turned into Fueling Your Dreams which purpose was to introduce minorities into racing but they only want people with earlier racing experience. To me that’s a very big contradiction; mainly, because they help people who are already racing and not help people who don’t know about racing. There defeating the purpose of introducing minority’s into racing when your only introducing people who are already been racing. This makes no sense, how are you really going to get more minorities into racing when you don’t target people who have no experience. My last advice, when your on the track push, push, push; you never know who is watching you! As for more, this is all I can say, I’m still a rookie with sponsorships my self; good luck!
Richard
Richard Talbert Racing 