Expert: Dan Liddy - 9/5/2008

Question
Hi Dan,
I am from India, and i have completed diploma in mech engg,graduate dipl mech engg,and presently studying post graduate dipl in mech engg from NIM university,from very childhood i am mad after cars racing, i cant think anything accept cars,when i see any sports car, i feel some magnetic filed which is pulling me to that car.so can you please suggest me the rite way to start my carrier in this field and for that what course or any other knowledge should i have, infect i am very good with car driving at high speed,controlling at highspeed on nice tracks make me feel as i have everything and i am free from this world.even i am planing to settle in new York as my many relatives are there,so even if you have any information or course or any sport school/license which i can do from newyork please do tell me so i can start my carrier and fulfill my life with perfect sports car which is my life

Answer
Hello Daksh:

I admire your ambition and your preparation in engineering.  It's good that you will be in America, but New York may not be the best place to start looking for a career in sports car racing, and sports cars may not offer a many opportunities as stock cars or open wheel racing.

The center of stock car racing at the higher levels in in Mooresville, North Carolina.  There is also a lot of activity in Charlotte North Carolina as well.   Open wheel racing has some perticipatiion centered around Indianapolis Indiana, and so forth.

Most people try to visit the various shops and are willing to accept nearly any type of work at any rate of pay. It's good that you have the degrees, but you might not get to use the engineering much at the start.  My advice is take anything you are offered, move to engineering later on.

As for a career as a race driver, unless you have years of experience in actual professional level racing already, your chances are poor. Most of our professional drivers these  days started in Go Karts when they were 6 or 7 years old. Very very few began in their 20's.

I do wish you all the luck and hope you find something to satisfy your need.

Sincerely,

Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida