i know i do, and i was wondering what it takes to become some sort of pro driver. i don't really car if its drift, rally, or some other form.. but lets just humor me and assume that natural skill/talent is present. where does one go from here?

 

i think about it all the time. that would be the sweetest job ever!

 

Start racing go carts. That's where most of the pros started. Only, they were 3 or 4...

 

You could join a local rallying club, and try your hand at some tarmac stages, then see what happens, or enter one of the budget championships, but to be honest, it would take a lot to get pro at your age.

 

well i wasn't hoping for an overnite transformation.. i was just curious at what steps would need to be taken to get the ball rolling.

 

Yeah, I'm with you sneaker, but I think time is on my side a little bit. I also know exactly what you mean about natural talent. I know I'm tooting my own horn, but a lot of my friends have taken notice in my driving ability. Maybe its just Quattro

I've always loved rally racing, but right now as a 17 year old making $8/hr (although I'm getting another job soon), I can't afford to do it. Not even FWD budget rally. You might want to go to some events and volunteer to help out, just to get yourself immersed in the scene. There are bound to be plenty of more experienced people there that can help you with how to get started. Once you are actually driving in events, just make sure you perform and possible sponsers are bound to notice you. When you are first looking for sponsers, instead of asking for money, maybe ask for services. For example, you might ask a tire shop to give you free mounting and balancing in return for their banner on your car.

 

one of my friends started raceing scca when he was a jr in hs and now he has many sponsors by his sr year his car was so fast and he didnt have to pay for it anymore

 

Knowing the right people is as important as actually being good. Granted, if you know the right people, you're more than likely good anyway.

 

I started out in karts about 8yo. And went the amateur rally route until about 18. I raced a Bright Orange Escort Mark IV which I managed to put on it's roof[8D] I miss her, and I miss racing.

This was at amateur level, the pro's usually start even earlier and dedicate a hell of alot more time to the cause. Have fun!

 

The way to become a racing driver as a career is to pretty much have it become your life.

Not only do you have to be a good, fast driver, but you also have to be a salesman.

If your goal is road racing, then you can start doing track events and move to SCCA Club Racing or NASA. Then, as you become a better driver, you start "selling yourself" and establishing relationships with other drivers. You want them to know you as not only a fast driver that takes care of the equipment, but also as a nice helpful person. You want them to want to be around you. That way, you'll get opportunities to race other people's cars for cheap or free and then move to Pro. The better known you are, the more opportunities to get discounted rides at the Pro and Club level you'll have. You'll also have to work selling yourself to potential sponsors so that they help fund your rides in exchange for their logo on the car or your suit and more important, your time dedicated to them.
It snowballs from there. The only way this works is if you are actually a decent or great driver and you dedicate yourself to it 100%
You can't really have other hobbies or family time. You have to plan to be at the track almost every weekend, either racing, instructing/coaching, helping someone, networking.

Or, you can take a large sum of money and dump it into creating or buying your own racing program and go racing and try to get partners.

Very few people make a DECENT living moneywise out of just driving a race car. Most complement it with a racing related business.

I see quite a few drivers in Pro series that I've raced against or instructed that have gone either way. If it wasn't for my wife, who "saved me" from that life, I'd be another poor, broke, no-life having pro racer, fired from a high paying engineering job and working as a wrench during the week while spending the weekends at the track.