http://supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332746

 

Ok, PDA merged with NASA-Northeast, so in order to race, you will have to work your way up through HDPE4 then get a racing license. Do you have previous experience so that you can start at a higher level? It seems it may be a while before you are actually racing competitively. I know it will take me this whole next year before I work my way up to trying to get a racing license. You may be premature in your expectations.

 

The racing scene is so big, it can make your head spin. First of all, the Evo is an exceptional car. But ask yourself these questions first:

Q: Should I dump all my own money into a car hoping to get a sponsorship?
A: Probably not...without vendor funding you'll go broke (unless your filthy rich) than you wouldn't need a sponsor, just a team to do your ****.

Q: Should I just set up my car to run single events (weekends) and see if I like it.
A: It would be the best learning step to get involved into this sport

Q:Should I start with a less high dollar car and try spec racing first?
A: Yes. It will prove to you right of that this is an expensive sport to jump into.

I've asked and answered these myself, because I was once thinking of the same as you.

 

Well I never raced on a track so I don’t know where I will be at yet. I know from just racing around the streets my friends that do race at the track go mike you should become a race car driver. But I also know that the track vs streets are total diff. so I would only have to wait and see for my self.
Only think I can do is start easy and see how I do and then work my way up. I can learn and catch on fast and I mean I’m not a bad driver and I’m not trying to say I have a high ego. I will get a cam mount for car and video some track days so I can send to people if they are looking to sponsor me and what not. I am whiling to go all out. But I mean as you said anyone can say that but have to prove you’re self. I kind of am as of right now with a almost fully gutted Evo. There is nothing left inside but a driver seat. But I’m going to be getting 2 race seats so I can have a co driver to help me around track like a partner telling me track times and turns and what’s up and look over car and what not.

 

Oh man, it's worse than I thought.

If you have 0 track experience and are going off what friends say when you drive on the street, then we have a lot further to go than I thought.

First off, you'll have to start in HPDE1 at the very bottom, which means you will have classes and an instructor, so you HAVE to have a passenger seat right away. Then, it will take you several events to get up to HPDE2, then several more to get up to HPDE3. The highest HPDE level is 4, so it may take you a year or two to get that high, and this is with spending around $400 per event, not including brakes and tires. After you get all the way through HPDE4, then you can go for your racing license so that you can later join actual races for competition.

After all that, then you will be able to start "showing" what you can do and why you should be sponsored, and that's if you are placing high in your class, which will probably require some excellent skills. I think you have a long long way to go before worrying about sponsors unless you find one that is interested in your gutted progression and thinks it may attract customers, but I doubt it.

 

1. I’m not dumping all my money well a good amount. But this is my hobby as of right now. So I don’t see the big deal and I’m not out looking for sponsors but I think it would be cool and nice with a help of vendors.
2. I’m not total setup for the single events because car will be able to do road race, drag and auto, with coil over just a diff setup for a diff event. And light weight car will be good in any event so I don’t see the lost there.
3. I don’t see how I would have such a run race car then an evo for the track it’s a good car. Why anything less of a high dollar car. If that way it will only be a lot older with more problems because its older. So why go though that head problems. I got the evo and I will make it an built race car not a problem.
And I always wanted to race around a track. I love it I had a go cart and used to race all the time. I mean 6hrs a day some times. I used to find people to go to a lot and race them and would go throw tanks of gas. And for a go cart a tank of gas is kind of crazy to go throw. So on that note I would just imagine how much more run it will be in a real car with a lot more power were I can get back end out and then lose car and then get it back and just go out and have fun.

 

If only it was that easy.

 

Hey you never know. Never been on track I can have a skill for it. Only time will tell for the 1st track day hehe. And I see that you have sponsors are those real and or if so how did you get sponsored and what section if can say cool if not I understand. But I mean I’m out to have a fun time and get corp. more business for them.

 

Yes, they are real, haha. That's why I tried to answer your question right away. I explained how I got sponsored in that first response. What do you mean "what section"? I can tell you the exact story of how I got each sponsorship individually along with the exact things that I got from each via PM if that's what you're asking.

Basically, though, I just did what I told you in the first reply.

 

Seems like you have a great love for driving, and I definitely can relate to that. I learned to drive stick on a go kart that my grandfather built when I was 7. 10 HP 4spd manual clutch, made from a Toro tractor. Best thing in the world. Then had a 3hp kart that I put about 2000 hours on in a year time period. My yard had no grass left. Once I got too big for those I inherited a 5spd 1992 Chevy Cavalier (I was 14) that would be mine once I got my license. I put 1000 miles on the car in 2 years in my BACK YARD (up till I got my license) which was about 1.5 acres big. Got my license, got the car on the street, and started getting speeding tickets (side note). Went to college, spent most of my nights (when I should have been doing homework) reading about cars. Graduated in 2004 with a Computer Science & Engineering degree, got a job, bought a VW R32. Started thinking along the same lines as you (except stripping the interior of a 30k car, thats just nuts ).. How do I get into racing, where can I get the hookup on the parts I need, etc etc. It didnt take long to find out that getting into a higher level of racing isnt easy (without having a big name, or winning powerball). Experience is the key. So to continue with my long story/post (which I think will end in a valid point, but we'll see), I met some friends in the racing scene and began to get into Auto-Cross. Its cheap, you can race with ANY car, its FUN AS HELL, and its spectacular experience. I realized I was never going to look at weekends the same again now that I knew what an Auto-x was, so I started doing my research. Spend a few G's on the R32 trying to make it a good racer, and it did ok, but wasn't an all out racer. Put 47,000 miles on it in 1 YEAR, sold it and picked up an Evo. The Evo is the machine you want to have for racing. ..And here I am a few months later, absolutely in love with the car.

Moral of the story, there are a few ways to get your name out there (which is basically a MUST for sponsorship). My suggestion is dont worry about the car doing your work for you (by making it unique, etc). There are always people out there that have more $, and can do the same mods you do and 50 more. The one thing you can't buy is skill. Sure you can spend $10,000 in driving courses, but you have to actually use, practice, and learn what they teach you. Take your car the way it is, throw a bit of suspension on there and hit the local Auto-x EVERY weekend. Work your way up and you will get noticed. A company looking to throw $ at a car will not pick the most unique car that lands in the middle of the pack on the results sheet, they'll be glad to pick a more common version that ends at the top every time.

So put the interior back in, enjoy your sunroof and HIDs and go racing

 

Good luck is all I can say... There is 0 chance of me ever getting a sponsor due to where I live.. no tracks (besides 1/8 drag) no sponsor

Other things I've been thinking about is reselling parts or doing install work just to get my name "out there". I realize my post isn't very helpful.. couldn't resist.

 

This thread title is funny.

It's like you're yelling "HOW TO GET" and then "sponsored" is said normally.

That reminds me of family guy where Peter is having trouble controlling the VOLUME OF HIS voice.

 

+100000 on the autocrossing. YOu need NO MODS whatsoever to not only compete in auto-x but to do well. I took 5th place out of 85 at my first every event while on stock suspension and my original tires. The only handling mod I've done since then is a set of R-compounds, which is really all you need until you learn to master the stock suspension, which I have not done yet. In fact, I will still not use any suspension upgrades this entire next year other than to set the camber on my stock eccentric bolts to -2 (or however far they will go).

You should start here and work your way up...

 

I know what you mean. That's why im in the process of builing my own road course and 1/4 drag strip. All we have up here is 1/8 mile and it's lame.

BOT: AutoXing is the way to go homey. It's cheap and will teach you more about your car (and your driving skills) than you'll ever know.

 

Yes I will be trying auto when spring comes around its like $20 for the day. Is there any web page about auto? Or a video of someone in the car? I want to see how it looks and how they drive there car. Auto is how fast you do the curse like anything lol. Duhh mike think. But I would need to do heal tow and all kinds of things. But some times when I do that to the car I feel so bad to it. I don’t know why I think it’s a mental thing. I guess just have to go out and do it and see that nothing happens just brakes and what not go fast doing it that.