Expert: Dan Liddy - 4/10/2008

Question
ive always dreamed of becoming a nascar5 driver im extreamly determined to do w/e it takes! and every one keeps telling me u must start young and i cant find anything. i am under age i am 14 going on 15 in july i love driving! although i shouldnt no how it feels but i do so w/e. please help me! i need to find a cheap way to get stared. i live in north aurora illinois.

Answer
Hi Taylor:

Welcome to the dream world of motor sports. We all have dreamed of becoming a superstar in one series or another.  Mine was sports car racing, and I've made it, but only to the amateur level.  I'm too old to turn pro.

If you will go back to All Experts.com, and look through my previous answers to young people you'll see that I stress staying in school, all the way through college. Very important to any career. Guaranteed failure without it.  

Age is certainly a factor, but you're young enough that it wont limit you too much. What you MUST do and right away, is get involved in go kart racing. go to this website  <<http://www.worldkarting.com/>>  and find WKA operations close to you. Like any other form of racing Karting is expensive, but not so much as a full sized car, and certainly managable for most families. You'll probably have to take some part time jobs to help pay for it too. It's hard work and takes money. Oh yes, you'll have to convince your parents that you're serious !

Another thing you can do to improve your skills is get involved in BMX bike racing.  I have a son that was a BMX racer and you should see that boy in a race car- - -really awesome. He's grown up and is a doctor now, but is still fabulous in a race. BMX teaches about racing strategy and dealing with traffic. Also about the fastest way around a track.

That's about all I can offer you at this time, but I encourage you to write again with more questions as your effrorts continue. And I wish you the very best of luck and good fortune !!

Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida