Circuit Racing - 13yo

[nice 28]

I'm guessing that most of you guys here think that this is stupid but i wanted to know if you knew any places where I could do circuit racing or motorkhanas etc, keeping in mind that i'm only 13.

Most of you are probably thinking i should grow up and focus on school or something but i saw a kid in the magazine speed who was only 14 and was doing motorkhana's. i absolutely love cars and really want to learn more about them and how they work.

I want to learn how to drive and hopefully by the time i'm around 16 or 17, i can get a sponsor and race in production cars or something.

Anyway back to my questions.

Do any of you guys know where i could start off racing (not go-karts) in victoria?

Would you make a lot of money racing professionally?

Please none of the "Grow up" lectures and all.

Thanks for all your help.

Nice 28

[Jamezilla]

Cool - wish I had your foresight when I was 13.

Too busy with Lego and Astroyboy cartoons...

Anyway:

1. turn 14

2. join a CAMS affiliated car-club... like SAU Vic

3. get CAMS licence

4. lobby supportive parents to take you to track meets

5. compete, learn, improve and have fun

6. remember me when you are Ferrari's F1 driver. I'd like a mint F40.

You can come to our track and motorkhana events to spectate and see how things work to get a bit more info too.

Making money means spending money - no-one busts out their cheque book until you start winning and winning lots... but you have to be in it to win it

Best of luck - hope to see you at an event soon

Check the SAU Vic calendar in the events section to see what's coming up.

[nice 28]

I'm turning 14 in july so its not too far away.

how much is it to join SAU vic and get a CAMS license. Can you even get a CAMS license when your 14?

My parents are supportive of me and i'm lucky because my brother-in-law is a mechanic so i can get help learning about the cars from him and of course you guys.

i know how to drive (i think?), but only an auto.

Mint F40 coming in a couple of decades (hopefully sooner)

[justin911]

dont forget about school though

you might decide in a few years racing isnt the thing you wana be doing..

best of luck with everything though

[Duncan]

You need a junior cams license and I'm pretty sure they will only allow you to have a L2NS license which lets you do motorkhanas....which are brilliant fun, even a slow car is great.

Ring the Vic state office to confirm the license rules, join SAU VIC and head along to some of the events

[blind_elk]

Great to someone who wants to get started young.

Contact the Kyenton Car Club - they have a junior series (something like that). Also contact CAMS in Melbourne, I seem to recall they are taking Kyneton CCs idea on board to get it going in other car clubs throughout Vic and even Australia. www.cams.com.au can get you all the info.

As for making money from motorsport, I think this is attributable to Paul Stoddart :

How can you make a small fortune in motorsport? Start with a big fortune!

[KamikazeR33]

there was somethin in the herald sun the other week about having driving events for 13 yr olds or somethin....

[Al]

I am quite surprised that for someone that is really into learning how to race/drive will not consider go-kart racing.

I always thought this was one of the best first steps to getting into the sport. You will find that competitors with previous karting experience will be alot faster than someone who just jumps into "motorsport".

From your opening post, it sounds like you have not been behind the wheel before. These quotes really confirm my opinion; "I want to learn how to drive" or "i know how to drive (i think?), but only an auto." I suggest you get into competitive go-karting, and trust me they go MUCH faster than your average hire karts, learn the lines of a track, where to brake, where to accelerate, how to correct the kart, etc. Once you have won a championship, in your own class, move on. Once you are in the sport you will have a better idea where to go next.

[nice 28]

thanks for all your support guys

justin911: for me, school always comes first. I want to finish a degree in I.T or business.

Duncan: I was reading that you can get a junior license (not sure which one, but L2NS is probably right) for motorkhanas when your 12, and you can compete in a khanacross when your 16, unless you've been in a motorkhana before then you can do khanacross' at 14.

Blind Elk: The Kyneton Car club and some other club are apparently holding junior events (for 12 to 17yo's) which is more focused on getting young drivers experience, which is what i need.

KamikazeR33: If you can find it, can you scan it and send it through a pm or something.

Al: I've been in a hire kart before and they are really, really slow, (especially at sidetracked). My bro-in-law has a race kart and I've driven it a couple of times now and hopefully try out his new rotax these holidays.

I have been behind the wheel before, but only to like take the car out of the garage and all, and because my mum's car is an auto it kinda sucks.

ATM, i think my best bet is to either do motorkhana's etc. or do a bit of go-karting.

[nice 28]

Do any of you guys know the lowest class to start out in where it is low-risk so i don't hit another car besides motorkhana's etc.

[[WLDCRD]]

I've been in a hire kart before and they are really, really slow, (especially at sidetracked). My bro-in-law has a race kart and I've driven it a couple of times now and hopefully try out his new rotax these holidays.

sidetracked would have to be one of the slower go kart places going around. Your problem is your age at go karting places so you will be restricted to driving the slower karts. i strongly recommend you take the path of the go karts rather than full size cars. you will find that at even 60kph in a go kart, it feels fast as hell. Dont forgt, you are only a few inches off the ground. Learn your craft in something smaller. Borrow your brother-inlaw's kart and go to a track and take it for a fang. If you ever want to be a full time professional racer, most of those guys started with karts! Thats my 2 cents.

[inark]

Mate. Karts are your best entry level into motorsports and i dont mean hire karts. You learns proper racing lines... ettiquite... tactics and so on.

My cousins mate actually raced proper karts since he was about ur age and always said he was going to race supercars and F1... his name is Adam Macro.. u may have heard of him if u follow any australian motorsports.

Dont go writing Karts off or comparing real go karting to entertainment value karting.

[adznight]

Get a fast kart, not a hire cart and see how quick they can really go! I think you'll find it's your best way into the sport BUT be prepared to for out $$$$$$$$$$ with anything motorsport related.

[nice 28]

Well i guess that, in most of your opinions go-karting would be the best starting position, and thats probably what i'll end up starting in.

i found a site that is the victorian karting association and maybe i'll be able to find out when and where the competitions and all are.

Depending on the kart's engine, you can find some pretty cheap exmaples as i've seen in the trading-post.

Do you think i should go for and shell and get the motor seperately or get it all together?

There are a few karting clubs and i guess the closest to me would probably be oakliegh.

I guess i would be in the Junior class. So i'd have to run the 100J motor i think.

What i want to do is become the youngest person to race in production car racing or something.

I know i have big goals, but you'll never know what life brings.

[inark]

I had a junior Kart in NZ which i used to go out to the racing days and muck around in... wasnt in any of the races but stuffed around with the other guys in before and after free slather on the outdoor track. Theyre pretty dam quick and a lot more fun then the indoor fun karts.

Your best option is to attend a kart track event and ask around and speak to some of the guys there... theyre usually pretty friendly and willing to talk to someone who is keen on getting into it.

They will be able to give the best advice on what you need to start up and where to get stuff from ie. from within the Karting community. Much the same as if you were to buy a skyline... ur best to speak to those in the club and maybe even buy one from a member etc.

[R31Nismoid]

pm... dave-

He uysed to be into the whole Vic thing. He'll help ya out

[Duncan]

meh karts...to be competitive you will need to spend more a season than most circuit racers, think in excess of $20k pa

Stick to khanas, have a heap of fun and learn car control, then get into supersprints and hillclimbs when you are old enough.

Unless of course you are in fact the next, undiscovered michael schumaker - everyone else in karts thinks they are

[Mean_R34]

I remeber (just) when I was 13. I think by then I was onto my 2nd paddock basher (upgraded from a Mazda 808 wagon 4 cyl to a $100 Corona Mark II 6 cyl).

Had a ball in it, but never had the inkling to go to the track. Probably having too much fun where I was on the grass & gravel.

Ahhh, life on a farm.

[nice 28]

Well if it's true that it's going to cost me 20k pa then i think i might give it a miss and stick to khana's. IMO go-karts need rebuilds too often.

If i was to do khana's, do you think something like a n13 sss pulsar would be alright. Because there's a few cheap exmaples going around. What other cars do you think would be good, cheap and reliable for around 1 to 1.5k.

I would really love something along the lines of a r32 gts or a r33 sedan, but thats a bit outta my price range for now. I'm thinking of getting a job in the near future so i might be able to get one (probably not). Anyone wanna sell me their r32 for 2k.....lol

I wish that i'm the next schumacher but as far as i know for now, he was probably a killer driver when he was young.

[justin911]

by the time your on your l's im sure ull be able to find some r32's for $2k