Expert: Dan Liddy - 8/19/2007

Question
I am stationed in Norfolk, VA for 2 more years, after which I am moving back to Wisconsin.  I am trying to get into an amateur racing circuit out here, near racing country, where someone may see me.  I am good at street racing a S6/4.0L Jeep and I think I could race a car on a track pretty well.  I am just looking for a place to start and what would be the best, while also being of a decent price to get started in?  If you could help me that would be great.  Thanks for your time and any effort.

Answer
Hey Allen:

The biggest, and best organization I know of that sanctions amateur racing is the Sports Car Club of America. Road racing is their focus, and if you start at the lower levels it's about as inexpensive as racing gets.


Go to www.SCCA.org and have a look around. There is a way to search for local SCCA regions in your area, and you can start virtually right away going to local events and getting a feel for real grass roots racing.

If you wish, you can start actually working events at a flag station, or in timing and scoring, fire control or nearly any specialty, until you get to the point where you're ready to either buy or rent a race car and attend a driver school.

I know they host several events a year at Virginia International Raceway <<http://www.virclub.com/vir/>> and SCCA is quite active in that area. You should get in touch with the local region ASAP and join up .

Good luck !

Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Florida