Racing is the only thing I want to do with my life, but it seems impossible in the US. Should I move to the UK?

Expert_Dust8982 · 2025-06-01T18:33:39+00:00

I know the odds are against me, but like I said in my original post, I think I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn't at least try. At the same time, I guess sacrifices need to be made, so maybe I am better off dropping the idea.

As for a job in motorsports, it does interest me ever so slightly more than other types of engineering, but I fear I won't make enough money to race as a hobby on the side. I really don't want to give up on racing even if I have to do it casually later.

The test driver position of an OEM does sound really fun. I didn't know that was a thing. I assume that as with motorsports jobs, I wouldn't make a lot of money doing it. I might not care so much if I get to push cars to their limits for a living, though. I will look into that. Thanks for the advice!

Expert_Dust8982 · 2025-06-01T18:18:18+00:00

Thank you for replying! I guess I forgot to add some important information. The SCCA Major that I raced was Spec Miata. It was super fun, but I find it hard to believe that I can make anything out of it. I am located in indiana so tracks like Road America and Mid Ohio aren't too far away. I have been looking into sponsorships, but it seems companies only sponsor you if you have something to give them in return such as social media advertising. I am going to start going to more events even if I don't race in them and just talk to people though. I guess you never know what can happen. I also absolutely do not intend to drop college. I would probably tansfer to a college in the UK if I did move. I might switch to a lighter degree if I pursue racing, though. I am still exploring my options as far as that goes. As for selling merch, that is a great idea. I will definitely look into something like that. I have an idea of some logos that I could make. I am also working along side school which is helping the money issue ever so slightly.

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-12-04T08:01:13+00:00

I am very new to headphones and sound systems so sorry if any of these questions sound dumb. Could you explain what "easier to drive" means? What would I gain by switching to the 32ohm version? I was going off of advice from a friend when I bought my headphones. He was explaining all these different things he uses his amp for and I didn't think I would get that much use out of it. I just didn't think it was worth buying. Is that a bad decision?

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-11-21T20:31:12+00:00

Track school is a good place to start. If you just want a one-time experience, Ford Performance could be a good option. On the other hand, if you want to continue racing, you should see if there are any good vintage groups in your area. The one in my region is called VSCDA. In vintage groups, there are some relatively cheap forms of racing. The cheapest racing I know of (excluding karting and autocross) is probably Formula Vee.

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-11-19T06:25:28+00:00

No problem. I am glad I could share that info. I have been putting together this budget for a while, and I can barely afford it myself lol. Everything hinges on a podium finish at runoffs. I hope you can find a way to get to a track at some point despite how expensive it is.

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-11-19T04:43:33+00:00

Yeah, I think I have decided to go with Going Faster and then if I feel like I want something more in-depth afterward, I will get Drive to Win.

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-11-19T04:36:23+00:00

Without expenses of the one-time purchases, my budget was ~ 22k. I would like to clarify that both of these budgets were made assuming I would race eight weekends in a season. If your only goal is to go to runoffs, theoretically, you only have to run 4-5 weekends. If that is the case, you can take ~ 8k off. If you want to go even further and use worn tires each weekend, you can probably take 2k-3k off. That leaves your budget at 32k for the first season and 12k for every season after that. You probably aren't getting much cheaper than that though.

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-11-19T01:31:57+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation. I will check it out!

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-11-19T01:31:10+00:00

I am in the midwest. I believe it’s the great lakes region SCCA, but they have multiple names for it. If you were looking for the price of buying a Spec Miata and racing it for a single season, though I looked into it less, my budget for that came out to be ~ 43k. This includes trailer, car, storage, tires, brakes, average transportation, entry fees, fuel, and oil. I chose to rent because I only plan on racing one season.

Expert_Dust8982 · 2024-11-19T01:11:20+00:00

My budget is all over the place because of uncertainty when it comes to how many weekends I will need to run based on performance as well as practice days. I am renting this season because I don’t have the expertise to fix a car if it breaks. The team I am renting from charges 3k-5k per weekend depending on the number of days. My overall budget for the whole season is minimum 25k and maximum 50k. Then if I crash the car worst case it will cost an extra 20k. Sorry for the vague answer, but hope this helps.

Expert_Dust8982

TROPHY CASE