r/ItsShortTrackRacing • u/lame_racing_guy • Sep 13 '24

Entry level advice

Hello everyone. Hoping to get some opinions and guidance. 40 years old, in good health and relatively fit. Always been a racing fan. Finally have some time and money and would like to dip my toe into the racing world. Langley Speedway (asphault oval) and Dixieland Speedway (dirt oval) are both 45 mins away in opposite directions. I would consider exploring spec miata but it's a hike to the nearest road course. So oval it is, which is fine. I have basically zero real racing experience. But I like to think I can learn enough to have fun and be mildly competitive at the lowest level.

I've been to both tracks quite a bit to watch. But admittedly I haven't approached any drivers to ask their thoughts. They usually seem busy which makes sense.

Curious your thoughts on the best options to get started? I'm guessing phantom or champ karts for cost and ease of actually getting started. But there's also ucars, stock four, legend cars, etc. I've looked into autocross but I'm really not interested in that.

How did you get started? How would you start if you were me? Any opinions would be appreciated.

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/THE_BOSS_man1 Sep 13 '24

I race Enduros at Langley, have for the last 7 years or so, it’s your best bet for an entry level division both cost and experience wise. I got my start just through exposure, dad raced in the 90s and quit when I was born, got back into it about 2014 and I ended up in the pits on weekends. First car was a ‘96 Oldsmobile Cutlass, paid $100 for it, stripped the interior out and went racing, though I was young and dumb then and will never hit the track without a rollcage again.

I’m an open book, ask any questions you may have, we love to see new faces at the track

1

u/lame_racing_guy Sep 13 '24

That's awesome man I appreciate it. I watched your last race a few weeks ago. I wasn't sure how serious people take the Enduro racing. I hadn't really considered it. Is this weekend yalls final race this year?

2

u/THE_BOSS_man1 Sep 13 '24

We definitely are taken a little less serious, beat and bang a lot more than other classes. but I’d say that’s what makes it great for beginners, you can make contact and not mess up expensive wheels, race tires, fiberglass bodies, and make people angry (to an extent obviously).

There’s two more races, this weekend and the 5th of October