So, You Want To Take Up Extreme Motorsports?

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Motorsports aren’t for everyone, and yet anyone out there with a car has at some point dreamed of racing around a track.

If you’re a particularly good driver, maybe you’ve looked into it at one point, and seriously considered taking a few lessons – extreme sports inside of a car are a good adrenaline thrill, and there are quite a few competitions out there you could sign up to, and then go on to win a lot of money in.

But are you ready for this kind of adventure? Sure, you’re good out on the road, you know all the rules and you’re a pro at keeping to the unwritten ones, but are you willing to take on extreme driving in a vehicle that could veer off and take you with it at any time during your training?

Well, let’s see – here are just a few things to keep in mind before you decide to take up motorsports, to make sure you get the results you want.

Know What You Should Expect

Motorsports are a whole world of difference to what you’re going to experience when you’re behind the wheel on normal motorways and backroads, and that’s the first thing you’re going to need to understand in your journey to take up an extreme sport like this.

You’re going to need to walk into a training session with a fully new set of expectations – you’re going to need new gear to drive in, you might need a mentor or tutor to get you started, you’re going to have to think about the vehicle that’s best suited both for you and the sport you’re taking up etc. All in all, don’t let yourself be naive simply because you think it’s going to be an easy transition.

If you’re someone who likes the thrill of dreaming about being a motorsport participant, but you’re a little too nervous to actually try one out, try to work on these expectations as well. After all, another thing that’s good to remember is that motorsports don’t have to be as dangerous as you’ve heard about.

Yes, there’s quite a few accidents within them, and yes, maybe at one point you’ll need a Car Accident Lawyer, but that doesn’t mean the sport you’re interested in is inherently dangerous by nature. Accidents are accidents for a reason (they’re no one’s fault), and equal chances of dangerous crashes plague our perfectly normal roads that you take to work and back each day.

Keep in mind that no one gets on to a race track or drifting course without being a pro at what they’re about to do, and they always know the ins and outs of the game due to how long they’ve been training at it. No one takes to a course or a competition before they feel ready, with all the right confidence and knowhow on their side, so make sure you’re not letting yourself fall into a trap of doubt about this.

Want a career in motorsports?

Then check out our feature on How To Land Your Dream Job In Motorsports.

Find a Cheaper and Hopefully Local Track

There’s always a race or dirt track near you, and you’re going to need to put your proximity it to it to good use. You can’t practice for a motorsport sitting at home with a fake steering wheel in front of you and some video tutorials or slow mo features on the internet – it might have worked as a kid, but as an adult, you’ve got to get stuck right in. So, make sure you know where your nearest practice track is, and what days and times you can use it on.

The track you’re using to practice needs to be local enough to justify the price of the race car you’re intending to buy to properly give yourself a chance with a hobby like this. Of course, there’s always some cheaper options out there, like the older versions of the Honda Civic or the Volkswagen GTI, and these are the cars you’re going to want to start off with.

Make sure you’re not going in too hot and heavy this early in the game – you’ll just be left with an over expensive sports car sitting outside your house, collecting dust and doing nothing to earn its keep for you.

And not only that, but the track you intend to frequent also needs to be as close to you as possible to make sure you’re always sticking to your training routine, and that the cost of the journey there and back is never more than it’s worth. You don’t want to blow an entire paycheck here – you haven’t even fully invested in the suit and helmet and lessons that will make sure your motorsports career is off to a good start yet!

Find Yourself the Right Tutor or Motorsports Group

Maybe you’re only up for motorsports on a part-time or casual basis, maybe you want to make a real hobby out of it that might take you to the championships one day. Whatever your plans are with taking up motorsports, you’re going to want to look into finding yourself a mentor or a tutor, or at least a local group to join and practice with.

The latter option will make sure you’ve got one or two other beginners like you around you, and that makes for a great support circle.

A mentor means you’ve got someone with all the necessary experience to give you a helping hand with techniques for handling and the speeds to reach and stay at when it comes to making your way around a course.

A mentor is someone who can get in the car with you, simply because they’re not afraid of how reckless your beginner driving might be, and can guide you on what pedals to push and how to steer as and when it’s necessary.

They’re a very useful person to have around, and you can find them up and down the country.

You could even join a motorsporting academy if you’ve got the time and the means on your hands to support this kind of lifestyle.

You could start by working behind the scenes, and servicing the race cars as they come into the pit stops – this is a surefire way to learn the ins and outs of the game, and what you can do in an emergency if one ever arises.

And as a complete beginner, that’s probably what you’re worried about the most.

Remember to Exercise Your Neck Muscles

A quick point to finish the list off, but it’s one you’ll need to pay attention to. Your car is going to be all over the place when you’re out on the track, and you’re going to be travelling at speeds that might just have new and different effects on your body.

So, you’re going to need to start working on your fitness as well as your driving skills, and you’re going to want to focus on your neck and the strain it could go under most of all.

Ready to Get Behind Some of the Most Extreme Wheels?

It’s not something everyone is up to, but if you’ve always been an avid fan of F1 on the TV, and you’re itching for something a little more adrenaline-fuelled to get on within your life, motorsports might be for you.

Even just letting your car drift every now and then, and learning how to handle it, is a good way to prepare for a hobby or even a career here!

Written by Joe Terrell Drifted.com founder, motoring journalist and all-round car enthusiast. Read more about Joe and the Drifted team on our about us page.