Professional Driving Careers - The Next Step

A popular idea is that short-track racing is a good stepping stone to a professional driving career. We like to think that after we decide to move to one of the higher levels of the sport, we will find Rick Hendrick and Joe Gibbs out in the parking lot ready to sign the contract with the big numbers, setting our path to racing stardom.

In reality, the next step from local racing is not as easy as it sounds. It can be done, but it requires some talent, luck, and very good planning. The process in general is a bit more involved than we may think. And contrary to popular opinion, not every racer out there wants to compete as a professional. Some guys race for the fun of it!

There aren't many seats available at the top. But there is a good number of people who are willing to do what it takes to get those few available seats. There are more jobs in racing than just driving, of course. In fact, for every driver, there are several hundred jobs that are heavily involved with racing at the team level. But more on that in a later issue.

The odds of going from Saturday night racing to professional racing are not as good as you may think, even if you have won all the right races. Many deserving drivers have won plenty of races but have never had the opportunity to make the transition to a full-time seat with a name team. With that in mind, let's look at the path and the probability of becoming a professional driver.

Car owners are looking for talent, desire, good looks, personality, and the ability to win. Winning is a big point, considering they can hire people to make you look good and develop your personality. The point is that they are looking for a package that can help sell a product. Let's face it, you need to be able to talk in front of a camera once in a while. And you must be able to communicate with clarity, not only to a camera, but also to the team. Communication skills are paramount, and that means communication both ways, speaking and listening.

If you are full of desire and raw talent but haven't been catching the right breaks and winning, you need to either race in a different series so that you are winning more or do something in your racing program to change your winning percentages and draw some attention to yourself. You may hear that it's not all about winning but about the package. Sorry, unless that package is unique, a deficit in the win column is difficult to work around. Owners and sponsors like winners.

Let's talk about another potentially large stumbling block-age. If you are over 30, you may have already missed your best opportunity to move up. The reality is that unless you have had a unique experience, such as winning a Busch race when the Nextel Cup drivers have been regular winners, age is a real factor. Team owners are looking for drivers they can build an organization around. They are looking for the next big thing. And more often than not, the next big thing will be under 30 years of age. The car owners are looking long range. Why do you think the bigger teams have driver development programs?

Let's look at the necessary steps to a full-time career as a driver. First, you need to evaluate where you are racing today. How long have you been in the series where you currently race? If you have won a season championship or have had a good deal of success, it may be time to move on to a different series. Look for some other series to gain more notoriety as a good shoe.

A good example of this progression is Chad Boat, of Phoenix. He started racing Quarter Midgets as a youngster and did well, winning his fair share before moving on to karts, where he also had success. Then it was on to Mini Sprints and more success. Boat is now racing Sprint Cars and looking to run some race cars with fenders.

The point is that Chad, who will soon be 16, is moving around and gaining experience in a variety of cars at a variety of tracks and doing well in each type of car. He is not a unique example, however. As we travel across the country, we will find many racers with similar stories and talents. The bottom line here is that Chad has a plan. If you want to advance in this sport, you need a plan.

Developing one is not as difficult as it might appear. Get a sheet of paper-you may want to get several-and define where you want to be. What is your ultimate goal? If you say that you want to race in Nextel Cup, that's great. How are you going to get there? What will you have to do to open the right doors? Map it out. If you are racing in a Bomber or a Street Stock division at your local track and have won or placed very high in the season points championship, it may be time to look toward moving to the next level of competition. If you tarry too long in any class, you may stall your driving career.

This next pill may be a bit hard to swallow. If you live in an area with more ski slopes than racetracks, you may have to go to an area where racing has a larger presence. This may involve a move to the Southeast at some point in your career. That's where the big teams are located. Leaving the comfort of your home track and your hometown may show car owners that you are serious about having a racing career. But don't move on a whim. You still need a plan. Sleeping in your car makes a good story after you have made it to the big time, but it can be tough if you're hungry and it's cold outside.

You also need to be flexible. Not everyone who has made the jump to professional racing has started or stayed with one type of race car for his or her entire career. If you get the opportunity to drive an open wheel car or a different type of stock car, then take the opportunity to do well in another series. Just make sure the car you will be driving is not poorly prepared.

By traveling, you will learn about different tracks and drivers, and you will gain a higher level of exposure to the fans and the press. Team owners read racing publications. If you can get your name out there by winning races in different venues, you will attract the attention of the people who are making decisions about driver development.

As racers, we need to keep our options open. That means learning about all aspects of the sport. Merely learning to drive has a value that is sometimes transferable to other facets of your life. This can be an advantage, for there are economic implications far beyond motorsports.

Life on the podium can be great, but you won't know until you make the effort to get there. Work hard, race clean, and keep learning. We'll be watching for you.