And again, if we’re considering the totality of auto racing, cones and hay bales (and speeds rarely reaching more than 50 MPH) are very safe, but they are incredibly challenging.Īgain, rallycross is mostly a run-what-ya-brung type of race, meaning there’s a class for just about everything. They give drivers the opportunity to participate in some off-road racing without doing 120 MPH on a tree-lined forest road (though some events can be pretty interesting). They’re set up much the same as an autocross event, with cones (and hay bales) as markers, though the obstacles can include mud pits, gravel patches, and the ruts of the drivers that went before you. These relaxed events are usually held in fields surrounding race tracks or on the properties of very understanding auto-enthusiasts farmers, and they’re simply a blast. We’re talking about the latter.įor those that love the feeling of getting sideways, slinging mud, and sliding around tightening bends, rallycross might be the way to go. Okay, so before we start, there are two types of rallycross: professional rallycross with insane jumps, joker laps (yeah, they sound awesome, right?), and door-to-door racing, and then there are races held in muddy fields on farms. Start Racing Cars As A Hobby: What is Autocross? But the following four types of racing aren’t so exclusive, and they can be relatively affordable to start racing (though the sky’s the limit). Most of the time, it’s because an amateur driver doesn’t have the money to outfit a vehicle in such a way that it meets safety standards or repair after events. Some forms of racing are very difficult to break into. And, within those 100-plus forms of auto racing, each has several divisions. There is dirt track racing, rally racing, drag racing, club racing, and about 100 other types. Not all auto racing is the same, and there are plenty of events to choose from. But getting into racing can be an awesome hobby, and learning how to manipulate a car safely at high speeds is an absolutely badass skill to learn. I just don’t want to give you the idea that after a few of the events I’m mentioning, you’ll be ready to take it to Spa or The Glen. And who knows, you might become a local legend and see some degree of success. There are plenty of amateur events that are relatively inexpensive and fun to do. But you don’t have to sign a deal with Red Bull or Budweiser to have a good time behind the wheel. There’s nothing wrong with that, but high-level professional racing is an exclusive sport.

How to become professional racer