Thread: What Got You Into Racing ?

I saw this thread in another forum and I thought it was kind of neat. I was just curious as to what got everyone into racing ? When did you start watching it or doing it even ? Were you born into a racing family, friends get you into it, or by yourself.
Just share some information on how you got into racing.

I'll start..

Well, I remember as a kid growing up, I used to listen to the Indy 500 on the radio with my dad. Since I live about an hour away, they didnt televise the 500, it was always blacked out, which it still is to this day on Indianapolis channels. I watch it on Ft. Wayne channels now.
But I remember listening to it and loved it. We cooked out that day and listened to the race. When I got older, I started getting into Indy 500 pools and getting more into indycar racing. I went to a few races as well. Now, I always go down there in the Month of May to all the practice, qualifications, etc they have down there.

I also host a big Indy 500 Race Party that day now with family and friends and its become a tradition around here. I decorate the whole house, cook out, watch the race. Its a great time.

And then the great year of 2005 came when Danica Patrick came into the IRL. Watching this driver, I was hooked. I then started to follow her career and actually go to other races and events that she was in. I was more into racing then ever when she came up the ranks. But we all know how I feel about her so no need to dwell on that..

And several years ago I also started following NASCAR. Ive got to learn quite a bit about the series and drivers and really enjoy it too. Indycar is my favorite but NASCAR is second.
And next year I will start watching more F1 so I can learn more about it as well and get more involved in the F1 discussions around here.

I didn't get too serious into racing until late in high school. I went to some drag racing with my dad when I was younger. Top fuel drag racing is something that cannot be matched. You shake soooo hard you can't see straight, you have to have ear plugs and yet it's still loud. Very nice.
Prior to that my love of speed started with going to air shows and my love of flight and fighter jets.
I started in with racing when I got my 1972 Chevy truck. That really got me into cars in general and I eventually became a US Army mechanic. I worked in auto parts at O'Reilly's as well. That's the time frame that F1 entered the picture. I got very interested in the technical aspects of cars and F1 filled that need. I was into street racing for about 5 min. while I had my 99 S-10 Xtreme and then my 95 Impala SS (A real SS). I got bored with that quickly and I got more into F1 and AMA superbike. After joining this forum I REALLY got involved in all the other open-wheel stuff. I was following F1 alot due to Frontwing.net and the fantasy league and then I came here. F1, Champ Car, IRL, V8's, anything you want it's here.

EIR, I liked how you said you were into street racing for like 5 min.

Originally Posted by DanicaRules

EIR, I liked how you said you were into street racing for like 5 min.

It got so boring to me. You see all these guys that think they're hot s**t and they roll a busted Honda Civic etc. I'm trying to drive home with groceries in my Impala SS and guys are always trying to race me ALLLLLLL the way home. That and you can spend endless $$ and never be done. I litteraly had a guy purge his NOS at me in the historical part of town that's a 30mph zone and heavily patroled. Ya numbnuts, let's race here.

Now I DO still enjoy Top Fuel racing at a real track.

In Finland it's hard to avoid all the motorsport talking because we have so much success in the sport, especially in rally. My father is keen follower of F1, but nowadays he has "moved" to MotoGP, he still calls me to get the latest rumours for F1 tho. So I started to watch F1 races with him in the very early 80's and I was sold at the moment.

I used to read all the magazines who wrote about F1 when I went to school because we had a library in the same building. Later I found out that my uncle has these mag's from 80-88(ish) so I usually read those when I visit my grandparents. I've always followed rally too, and since Rossi was still in 125cc's I've been somewhat following RR also because the racing there is so exciting and those guys are totally hole-heads! I used to check out for CART when Mansell went there, he was one of my favourite drivers back then, but after he came back to Europe I kinda forgot oval racing. So F1 has been in my heart as long as I remember.

It seems for the majority, our fathers got us interested in racing. Pretty cool, really.


Harakimi, I see you said you forgot about oval racing, dont you miss it ?

Originally Posted by DanicaRules

Harakimi, I see you said you forgot about oval racing, dont you miss it ?

Not too much really. Sure there is lot's of competition and positions change on every lap but they have too much collisions and safetycars, IMO!

A friend of mine's bigger brother had a comic book with Ronnie Peterson and his black Lotus (he died in the comic as well unfortunately) that we used to read. And then we (this was in the age before videogaming) used to draw cars on paper (black Lotuses, red Ferraris and blue Tyrrells etc) and make up some weird complicated rules and had them race around the house. Sometimes my friend's bigger brother was in on it too, but somehow the rules always allowed NHL style body checks when he was around.

During the 80's they only televised the Monaco Grand Prix on Swedish TV as motorsport really was (and still much is) frowned upon after the death of Ronnie P. So my F1 interest only lived on through one race and Commodore 64 racing games (anyone remember Geoff Crammond's Revs?).

In 1993 we got Eurosport and for once I could see all races live... and that was pretty much it.

Originally Posted by Driverdb

And then we (this was in the age before videogaming) used to draw cars on paper (black Lotuses, red Ferraris and blue Tyrrells etc) and make up some weird complicated rules and had them race around the house. Sometimes my friend's bigger brother was in on it too, but somehow the rules always allowed NHL style body checks when he was around.

Full contact auto racing there Driverdb...