Is racing a sport for young drivers?

[Boneman]

I heard recently that "racing is a young mans (or womans) sport. I don't really believe that, but it could be argued both ways.

There is a reason that ALL the high dollar team owners are searching out very young drivers. Is it because they learn quicker? Because they will have a longer time span in which they can compete at a high level? Maybe they more fully embrace the new approach to driver training; simulators, iRacing, etc..

On a local level, I think the opposite is true. Older drivers tend to fill the fields on the weekends. Why? I think we have the work ethic and the funds to be able to compete where the money is low. Yes, there are exceptions: I know some young racers can and do spend their nights in the shop building and working. I think they are outnumbered however by kids who are planted in front of the computer while daddy's money takes care of the dirty work.

At 50+, I think I am still improving (slowly), so I don't plan on doing anything different for a long time. Bring on the kids!

[rdv69]

I feel the same way Rex I don't think I'll be going away anytime soon. Really enjoy the sport and all the work, the daughter does help quit a bit when it is time to clean and work on both cars. But I am not ready to give up the seat yet.

[williston19]

new vs used/young vs old/bone vs no-bone

There's all different paths through this sport. The majority on the local level
being various wallets and talent. In my case I will continue to try and keep the sport moving forward any way I can realistically afford. My son is 9 but he works in the shop and will have that ethic that he must give the effort to receive the reward. If Dad and Mom have the $$$$ mentality then that's their choice, I wish them the best.
Time + experience=knowledge. What you do with it is up too you.

Old Guys Rule!
Rick m

[egspeedway]

The media would certainly give that impression but I feel this like a lot of other things is a byproduct of our increasing population. There are more entry levels into our sport than ever before. In the past you had go karts and after that it was fenders or non and mostly on the local level only. Now we have added legends bandoleros mini sprints and a host of 4 cylinder classes. Beyond that there are several national and regional series that are touted .as feeder series to the big times. In summary yes there is more visibility of youth but when you get to the big time the percent of participation is not up that dramatically.

[jbonez21]

I have a theory why young guys have the ability to take over and compete at an early age at the professional level.

Joey Logano and Chase Elliot both are the examples. Their fathers had a top notch crew and bottomless pockets. They "enrolled" their sons into racing from the age of 5 years old and never faced any obstacles in moving to the next level. They have a pedigree of competing in top notch equipment and winning.

For everyone else it's a catch 22 -

Average guys who work in the shop all day on their race car but have no funds.

Average guys with a family and full-time job with money have no time to work on their car or race.

[egspeedway]

I have a theory why young guys have the ability to take over and compete at an early age at the professional level.

Joey Logano and Chase Elliot both are the examples. Their fathers had a top notch crew and bottomless pockets. They "enrolled" their sons into racing from the age of 5 years old and never faced any obstacles in moving to the next level. They have a pedigree of competing in top notch equipment and winning.

For everyone else it's a catch 22 -

Average guys who work in the shop all day on their race car but have no funds.

Average guys with a family and full-time job with money have no time to work on their car or race.

Add to this parents like Jeff Gordons and Kyle Larsons wh simply dedicate themselves to the future of their sons. I hope NASCAR and other do not go the way of Indy and Formula 1 where you simply bought your way into the sport. But money talks and the rest walk.

[tccaz]

I hope NASCAR and other do not go the way of Indy and Formula 1 where you simply bought your way into the sport. But money talks and the rest walk.

Too late for that.

[Dana Barlow]

Kids knowing how to build racecars an work on them ,plus drive. Computor game just don't get it done,we had ABC block,Tinker Toys,Lincon Logs,Erector Set an Bikes,Soap Box cars are for the most part missing in many kids play time=don't know how to fix much as they get older. and nearly no understanding of how things work. Yes start them young and show them the safe an right way to do it.

[zerofor]

The Kids Now Have Most Every Advantage

And it will take them farther,faster.Along with the fact that there is a fearlessness and recklessness that a young age brings before you smarten up a little bit plus start to feel a little gunshy about putting yourself in bad situations on the track and start racing smarter and more patiently.Youth has no patience or fear which brings a lot of wrecked race cars but a lot of (sometimes surprise)wins.How many of you are more patient behind the wheel than you were 20 or 25 years ago?

[Jack Burroughs]

Kids in Racing?

I've seen it for many yrs., I've also seen my 2 boys race Karts for about 12 yrs. then discover, girls , football, R.C. boats, etc. plus an attention span that is only as long as a music video, it sure seems to me that the kind of racing we all grew up with just might be destroyed from within, just like some countries in our world.

[Groundpounder]

No....old age and treachery will beat youth and enthusiasm!!!!
Bring them on.
Refers to short local tracks, not NASCAR.