By Rob Krider

Racerboy

Getting tired of drag racing the same old straight 1,320 feet? Is autocrossing around cones in a parking lot, racing against the clock, not doing it for you anymore? What if I told you about a place where you could compete head to head against similar cars with similar modifications in a drag race format on two mirrored autocross courses? Does the idea of blasting away from a drag race Christmas tree and then barreling into a tight turn interest you? How about coming out of that turn and seeing your competitor out of the corner of your eye, sideways, coming out of his turn just a few feet ahead of you over on the other track? You’ll need to push harder and run the next corner even faster if you plan on being the first car across the finish line. Sounds pretty crazy doesn’t it? It is absolutely fantastic competition. It’s called Pro Solo, and it’s drag racing with corners.

To learn the details, cost, car preparation, adrenaline factor and how to actually win a Pro Solo read the RacerBoy column at Speed Sport Life.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

So you want to go road racing but your racing experience has been limited to Gran Turismo and your couch. No worries. Grab a couple of friends, jump start the AMC Gremlin that has been sitting in your grandpa’s side yard, weld in a roll cage and head to the ChumpCar World Series. You don’t need a fancy racing license or a fancy car.

At ChumpCar all you need is any ole car valued at $500 or less and the lack of sense to think that a $500 racecar can actually survive a 24 hour endurance race. Ignorance is bliss, put your right foot to the floor and chase that checker.

To learn the details, cost, car preparation, adrenaline factor and how to actually win a ChumpCar race read the RacerBoy column at Speed Sport Life.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

The 2010 Crap-Can racing season began last weekend with the ChumpCar World Series event at Infineon Raceway. Two seven hour enduros were held for $500 cars to do battle on the world famous racing course. Many motors were harmed during the event (what do you expect for $500?) but fun was had by all who attended (even those who did three motor swaps). The racing was very close both days with less than thirty seconds separating some of the podium finishers. The next ChumpCar event will be a true 24 hour race held at Willow Springs in Southern California on January 30th and 31st.

To read the live coverage of the weekend’s event as the drama unfolded on track go to Speed Sport Life.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

Most of us gearheads experienced our first competitive car race in the Pinewood Derby. A seven inch long piece of wood, four nails, four plastic wheels and a sloped track –that’s it. Gravity is the only motor in this race. At first glance it seems like there isn’t much to the Pinewood Derby. However, after getting your ass kicked your first year you realize that a Pinewood Derby car can be as complicated as any real race car. Aerodynamics, rolling friction, center of mass, weight, alignment, lane choice, there are all sorts of things that can make the car roll down the track or get stuck halfway down the hill. Of course, as a seven year old kid you have no idea how to change the center mass of a Pinewood Derby car, that’s where dad comes along.

To learn the tricks of the trade on winning a Boy Scouts of America Pinewood Derby check out the Racer Boy column at Speed Sport Life.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

Most of us car guys don’t have the enormous budget it takes to run a serious race team. Heck, I don’t have enough cash to fuel the towing rig Penske uses. However, most of us do have enough spare change lying around to run an un-serious race team. Que up the ChumpCar World Series. At ChumpCar you can race on the same racetrack (Infineon Raceway) as Jimmie Johnson and Danica Patrick (No, trust me, she won’t be there in a Cobra or a bikini). All you need to do is get together with a few of your Car Domain friends, piece together a $500 beater and head to the track. This is claimer road racing at its finest.

The next event is January 9-10, 2010, at Infineon Raceway, with a full schedule for the entire year all over the country. The deadline for signing up for the upcoming race has already passed, but everyone knows that deadlines are meant to be broken (the promoters will squeeze you in). To see the full schedule, prices and rules check out their website: ChumpCar World Series.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

So you want to get into motorsports, but the only thing in your driveway is grandma’s 1976 Buick stationwagon. You’re in luck. Knock the windows out of that bitch (the stationwagon, not your grandma) and head to the demolition derby.

Not only will you get the opportunity to cut off the exhaust system and enjoy the kick ass melody of an uncapped V-8, but you’ll get the chance for motorsports victory in front of a fairground stadium filled with drunk, derby fans. That’s right, you’ll be vying for glory in front of a paying and cheering crowd, try to find that at an autocross.

Demolition Derby is something YOU can do (and by destroying the car you’ll be saving the environment by ridding the world of another gas guzzling monster). To learn where, cost, car preparation, adrenaline factor and how to actually win a Demo Derby read the rest at Speed Sport Life.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

We have all probably spent way too much time (at work) surfing different car forums. Some of us have even gotten into knock down drag out fights on the Internet with some Bozo about the power capabilities of the Nissan SR20DE engine. The fact of the matter is, people love to talk trash on car forums. Speed TV has a new show coming out, The Forum Wars presented by Royal Purple, which pits different cars/forums against each other for a drag race and road course shoot out. Internet excuses are over. Put up or shut up. The show will air in early 2010.

See some of the cars and forum match ups on Jalopnik.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

Sure, we all know that you would probably be racing in F1 already if there wasn’t that small complication about you not having a racing license. Guess what? Your endless excuses are now null and void. Time Attack is a venue where a regular guy (or gal) can go out and race on the big tracks. That’s right, no parking lot racing here. These events are held on real race tracks that you’ve been reading about in magazines and playing on Gran Turismo for years.

Time Attack is a timed racing event where you take your car onto the track, do your best impression of Aryton Senna on a qualifying lap, and try to put down a blisteringly fast time. Your best lap time is compared to that of people in your class (similar cars, similar mods). The one with the fastest lap time picks up a trophy and never ending glory.

Time Attack is something YOU can do in your own ride. To learn where, cost, car preparation, adrenaline factor and how to actually win a Time Attack read the rest at Speed Sport Life.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

So, you watched Travis Pastrana in his Subaru at the X Games and now you’re convinced that you can get your Mom’s Outback at least six feet off the ground if you were just given a dirt jump and the chance. Well, it’s time to put down your PS3 game controller, turn off MotorStorm, and borrow a helmet. Rallycross is the closest thing you’re probably going to get to the X games without any money or talent.

Rallycross is something YOU can do in your own ride. To learn where, cost, car preparation, adrenaline factor and how to actually win a Rallycross read the rest at Speed Sport Life.

By Rob Krider

Racerboy

You’ve read about it in all the car magazines and you’ve been to the 24 Hours of LeMons website a hundred times, obsessively pouring over the rules. It’s the endurance road racing series for $500 cars. You’ve commented on numerous forums that “someday, if you can get a team together, you want to do LeMons.” Stop blowing bench racing smoke up everybody’s ass. Find a piece of crap car (that runs unlike a piece of crap), make four new friends (one with money, one who can weld, one who can fix motors and one who has a car trailer) and get yourself to the biggest thing happening in the world of motorsports. The 24 Hours of LeMons is absolutely the coolest thing you will ever do in an automobile.

To learn about cost, car preparation, adrenaline factor and how to actually win LeMons, read the rest at Speed Sport Life.