Driving Careers

[Nickell100]

I'm 17, living in the US. I love driving, as many of you do, and hope to somehow put that love into a career. More than just a fantasy, I really want to be a stunt car driver, or something of the like, maybe a car magazine contributor in reality. Can you tell me how to progress into this field? I really have no clue where to begin, no connections. I'm not interested in car racing as a sport, just accurate, amazing driving. How do I begin, and what might I be getting myself into?

[integra818]

Start out as a pizza boy.


Man, I'm sure at least 20 people wouild love a job as a driver, but it's difficult getting that job.
My best adice would be to start out with a shifter-kart. If you have enough skill to go into club roadracing, do so. If you end up outdriving everyone on a roadracing course, you'll end up getting a sponsor and you might be able to drive for SCCA's SPEED challenge class (if you've ever heard of it. But trust me, it's hard as hell.
At 17, if you are'nt already a 'good' shifter-kart racer, it's gonna be difficult getting to the top. A year ago, when I was 17, I was in the same shoes as yours.
But, if you have ANY intention of bieng a good driver, buy the book called "Going Faster:the art of race driving". You don't HAVE to buy it if you wanna be a good driver, but it'll make a world of differance.

Oh yeah...and play Gran Turismo 3 (or 4, it's coming out soon). It helps.

[oldbluecelica]

hey, whos the auther of that book? I want it too

[integra818]

It's written by Carl Lopez. He's an instructor at the Skip Barber racing school. I think Skip Barber wrote some of it too, I'm not sure. Either way...it's a good book. Amazon sells it so you can check there.

Bieng a noob at racing and not having this book is like going into America and not knowing how to speak english...sure you can survive, but it's better if you know how to speak english.

[Oz]

Study journalism at uni and hope for an opening in motoring publications.

[Nickell100]

Thanx for the response so far. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up Lopez's book. Still being in high school, midway through my junior year, I have yet to pick a major for college. I have deep yearnings for architecture, but have also had a lasting intrest in journalism. Would interning at a car magazine or department at a newspaper be a reasonable endeavor?
I don't know anything about the shifter-karting that integra818 mentioned; maybe you can tell me more, or I'll look around online.
From the age-restricted, limited knowledge I have of driving in general, I have found more excitement in driving my 93 Taurus wagon than less-shitty, more contemporary cars. The feeling that how your driving may in fact be dangerous for a car with such unresponsive handling is an excitement I hope to master. If anyone connects with this feeling, I would encourage them to read a letter written by a reader to CAR magazine, which express my views in a better sense. Thanks for your help so far.

Nick

[Moppie]

Either study engering, and get into the design and building of cars, or journalism and get into writting about them.

Also find a join a car club, This is a must as it will put you in touch with like minded people, and get you involved in industy and sport. If your in the US then I think its the SCCA? run regular auto cross events and have classes that cater to all sorts, from stock street cars and up.
Also might be an idea to sell the Taurus and find something a little more sporty!

[oldbluecelica]

thanks man. Ill have to pick that up

[crayzayjay]

Apply to every motoring publication you can think of.

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by Nickell100

..Still being in high school, midway through my junior year, I have yet to pick a major for college. I have deep yearnings for architecture, but have also had a lasting intrest in journalism. Would interning at a car magazine or department at a newspaper be a reasonable endeavor?

Working at a newspaper would be a great idea - looks really good on a resume, and if you live in a bigger city (where they actually have someone whose job is auto reviews) that would be a great job to have.

Already you look pretty good for it - you've successfully spelled (and used) endeavor, yearning, architecture - I would say you are already ahead of many of the reporters at the paper where I work. Keep paying attention to your English studies, as you obviously are already, and you could end up being the holy grail of the newspaper industry - a reporter who can write an organized, informative, interesting story that DOESN'T NEED 2 hours of technical editing.

[crayzayjay]

Originally Posted by boingo82

Already you look pretty good for it - you've successfully spelled (and used) endeavor, yearning, architecture -

but not interest, the easiest one of the lot

i'm sure it was a typo

[Cl0ak]

Sorry came in a little late here, I've thought of this myself often and maybe you should consider this also, become a V.I.P driver, you'll get "professional driving experience", get to drive mercedes and limo's for a job, and get huge tips from rich people. If you get the right job you may even get a little danger and chases going on. To become a V.I.P driver you get to take some really cool courses too like tactical driving and such, just something else to consider.

[anarkist61]

There are also a few Stunt driving and Rally schools around, maybe check into a few if them.

[Nickell100]

Originally Posted by boingo82

Working at a newspaper would be a great idea - looks really good on a resume, and if you live in a bigger city (where they actually have someone whose job is auto reviews) that would be a great job to have.

Already you look pretty good for it - you've successfully spelled (and used) endeavor, yearning, architecture - I would say you are already ahead of many of the reporters at the paper where I work. Keep paying attention to your English studies, as you obviously are already, and you could end up being the holy grail of the newspaper industry - a reporter who can write an organized, informative, interesting story that DOESN'T NEED 2 hours of technical editing.

This would be a great opportunity. I live in PA, between Philly and Allentown. Anyone have some connections? I used to deliver the Allentown "Morning Call', maybe that would help. This would hopefully work as a summer job- I go to boarding school for the rest of the year.
The VIP driver job sounds good too. How do I start, and is it possible for drivers to be under 21 in that line of work? Can anyone hook me up?

[slave]

join the RAAF, drive EVERYTHING you can, that forces them to give you the correct licences, lol.