One of the best things about racing is the privilege and the responsibility of "giving back." The way racers give back is by helping to teach new drivers in such a way that they will enjoy their experience. The best way, as in any sport, is to learn to walk before you run–but believe me, in racing there isn’t a whole lot that feels like walking. And as with any sport, new drivers will  have a lot of questions, and many will have doubts. Is my car  fast enough? Will I screw up and crash? What if an instructor ask me to do something I don’t think I’m ready for? These and many other questions tend to go right out the window once you get your feet wet.

The day you start, a lot of things will fall into place, and it’ll become clear that no one’s ever going to ask you to do something you can’t handle. One of the best things about getting started in  High Performance Driving Events (HPDE) is that any car will work fine–there’s no need for a high-dollar race car to get started. In retrospect, I remember  what a great feeling it was when I first began getting the hang of things and found myself passing high-dollar cars with my budget-built ones. Even though I’ve owned Shelbys and Vipers, I’ve become more fond of driving my 1st-generation  RX7′s than anything else. Very affordable, easy to build and WOW are they fast and handle like they’re on rails: one of the best race cars for the buck that money can buy (or build).

So as you can see, you don’t need much. So let’s get started on putting you and your ride on some of America’s most famous road courses! Before you know it, you will be instructing someone and giving back. Continue reading…

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As a noob car owner, I always dreamed of driving on a race track, but never thought it was possible for anyone with a car to just go out there and play around. Then, through a friend, I started attending open-track events with Car Guys, Inc. in my area, and my dream came unexpectedly true! I was also shocked to see how popular this hobby actually is. The price of a weekend ranges from $300-$500 and includes about two hours a day of driving with a professional instructor. Unlike sanctioned racing, you can drive a completely stock vehicle on the track.  And thanks to the rules and restrictions and rules set up by the event coordinators, accidents that involve more than one car are almost unheard of. So it’s fun that anyone can have with minimal risk to their sheetmetal, and it’s a great learning experience that gets you closer to your car. If you really enjoy driving, take it to the track and treat yourself to the most fun you’ll ever have!