Ultimate Dream

Hsaavedra · 12 Jan 2003, 22:57 (Ref:472502)

I am a 17 year old high school senior with aspirations to race in Champ Cars after developing experience in the real world going to college learning how to build high performance engines and chassis.
My dream is to build and race my own Champ Car, selling the chassis to customers, and building a small empire. What steps can I take to make this dream come true? Any input will be appreciated.

The Snout · 12 Jan 2003, 23:05 (Ref:472510)

I love the keenness of the young. Good for you, go get 'em.

If you have some serious family money that would be helpful in get started. Maybe some of the America members can provide a good ladder from where you are in the country. Perhaps check out on the Cart.com website the "Cart Ladder System", it will give you a good foundation of skills and put you in contact with the right people.

Making chassis is going to be serious money though. Multiple millions will be required.

Liz · 12 Jan 2003, 23:09 (Ref:472514)

Do you have a university lined up? And do you have a good background in science, math and mechanics? The right course will provide you with connections to people who can help you farther up the ladder, but it is a very tough ladder and as has been stated, very expensive.

How did you decide that this is what you want to do? I'm interested in hearing the story!

Jay · 12 Jan 2003, 23:14 (Ref:472518)

If you're interested in race engineering, make sure you go to a University with a Formula SAE program, and get involved in it ASAP. You can make a lot of connections with those. For example, when BAR were starting up, they hired a few engineers from my Uni who were involved in that program. And I know the big wigs of Champ cars usually attend the annual competition.

Lee Janotta · 12 Jan 2003, 23:40 (Ref:472533)

Quote:

Originally posted by Liz
How did you decide that this is what you want to do? I'm interested in hearing the story!

Isn't that what everyone wants to do, Liz?

Definitly get yourself seat time if you want to make it to Champcars. Karts, quartermidgets, midgets, spectator stocks, whatever.

As for you education, yeah, a Formula ASE program would be great experience.

As for the building of race cars, I'm always talking with a couple buddies (an aerodynamics student and a brilliant chassis and engine guy) about doing the same thing. Let's talk in about ten years, maybe something'll work out.

Lee Janotta · 12 Jan 2003, 23:43 (Ref:472536)

Quote:

Originally posted by Liz
How did you decide that this is what you want to do? I'm interested in hearing the story!

Isn't that what everyone wants to do, Liz?

Definitly get yourself seat time if you want to make it to Champcars. Karts, quartermidgets, midgets, spectator stocks, whatever.

evo · 12 Jan 2003, 23:43 (Ref:472537)

Our university out here has a Formula SAE program. 2002 was our first year at the competition and we are again building a car for the 2003 competition. However, 2004 is when it will really get interesting as we will have 3 years of experience and the guys who are leading the team really wanna build a monocoque car. Another plus for the University of Victoria program is that the team is not too big. I'd say there are maybe 10 people in the program and a lot of them will be graduating this year, so there will be spots open. Another plus for you is that the US dollar is worth quite a lot up here so tuition would be really cheap for you.

I'm sorry if that sounds like an advertisment, I'd just love to see more racers on our FSAE team than bean counters, which we have now (but most of them are the one's graduating this year

.

DNQ · 13 Jan 2003, 00:07 (Ref:472549)

Hsaavedra, I can't offer you any advice, but I say good luck to you! And make sure you keep your business away from Tony George

Jay · 13 Jan 2003, 00:12 (Ref:472553)

I probably should get involved with the FSAE program at my uni, but my strengths are definately in teh computer/electrical sides of things, and the solar car team seems to offer more. But, if your goal is to build formula race cars, FSAE is a good starting point.

Jordi · 13 Jan 2003, 00:47 (Ref:472577)

Money, a lot of will, and all the other people said...

Good luck mate!

deloreanboy · 13 Jan 2003, 01:24 (Ref:472599)

hey hsaaverda,
thats exactly what im trying to do---im 21 i go to the university of kentucky, im majoring in mechanical engineering. the best way to do it i think, is to get a real understanding of all aspects in racing----join the school sae club, learn about fabrication---design.. all of it
the route i thought would be most helpful to me is actually being able to build something with my own hands. ive done alot of welding--im trying to get started in a little metal working.but your alot younger than i was when i started--so you have a much better chance.
if you wanna drive ---get a shifter kart--ive finally saved enough and bought a used one, but not only will you get the driving skills, but youll learn how to set up your chasis, etc. but hey man---id realy like to help out if you need anything--who knows maybe we should be partners

evo · 13 Jan 2003, 01:31 (Ref:472607)

Hey Jay, there is a hell of a lot of electrical work that goes into the car. We only had one electrical guy last year so ours was lacking but he wanted to recruit people so we could do all sorts of cool stuff like traction control and telemetry. He wanted to make a robot driver but I told him he can't...

Snrub · 13 Jan 2003, 02:50 (Ref:472657)

Assuming your region has it, spec RX-7 ('79-85) racing is about the cheapest racing you can do.

Jay · 13 Jan 2003, 03:03 (Ref:472668)

lol...at that last line evo. Yeah, you're right there is some electrical (fuel injection sy) and there should be some kind of telemetry systems... but I was asked to join the solar car telemetry team, so I went where I was needed. The solar car project is more of a long term thing too, as the big race (all 4000+ ks of it) isn't until 2005. So, I might be able to get a 4th year project out of it, which would be nice. I'm not really sure where I want to go career-wise though.

f1manoz · 13 Jan 2003, 03:32 (Ref:472682)

Be an expert in skullduggery!!!

Lee Janotta · 13 Jan 2003, 03:55 (Ref:472686)

Quote:

Originally posted by Snrub
Assuming your region has it, spec RX-7 ('79-85) racing is about the cheapest racing you can do.

Entry fees in club racing'd eat him alive.

Hsaavedra · 14 Jan 2003, 04:43 (Ref:473600)

Thank you all for the input, I really appreciate all the positive things you all said. A certain other forum, *cough*Granturismo*cough* just laughed me off the the boards. Liz, if you pm me I'll tell you the whole story, and delorean boy, pm me your email and we'll talk about it.
I am going to WyoTech to study basic chassis fab and high performance engine building, and teaching myself MCAD and AutoCAD at the moment. Thank you to all that replied and thank you for supporting me in this endeavor. A hearty round of stout to all!

sgw2 · 14 Jan 2003, 06:23 (Ref:473630)

Hsaavedra,

There are two things you probably need to do.

One go to a decent technical University (it doesn't matter that much in Engineering since the undergraduate curriculum is pretty much standardized). A mechanical Engineering, ephassis on Dynamics, or Thermo, or Aero (Fluids), is best. You really need to like what you are doing.

Get into the co-op program and get experience. It is a huge leg up. For me Co-op not only gave me enough money to buy a sporty car and pay for lifestyle. It also gave me the advantage I needed to land a good development job right out of school in a soft market.

If you like a specialty, then by all means do some grad work. Once with a company they will usually pay for it.

Second, find a local shop that races, especially if it is pro racing like Star Mazda, World Challenge, Grand-Am Cup, or whatever and picth in there anyway you can. Adding some racing experience yourself helps.

If you can do these extra-curricular things you have a fair shot. First because you show the passion, and second because you took the initiative. That is what I look for when I hire fresh engineers, and I think that is true of race teams as well. You don't hire any old body, you want somebody whom you think could someday be a lead, working with the drivers.

If you are here, then you probably don't need to find the passion, you have it. Good luck.

Hsaavedra · 14 Jan 2003, 15:42 (Ref:473998)

The reason I chose do to pursue this dream is simple: I have always wanted to be challenged mentally and physically. I was born with hydrcephalia, or in lay terms fluid on the brain, which progressed to cerebral palsy of the left side of my body. For my whole life I have had to struggle with doing things differently than other people, and people showing their ignorance by thinking that I could not be a regular kid. I was born three months premature, and was given a very small chance to live, let alone function normally when I recovered. I wanted to be computer programmer for a long time, but then I asked myself why I would want to be stuck in a cubicle all day. I decided to pursue this because it was challenging mentally, and my body would be pushed to its limits, and I would be able to prove to the world that you don't need to be rich to pursue a dream, and there is no such thing as a handicap. You just have to be passionate and tell yourself you can do this, despite what people say otherwise.

ss_collins · 14 Jan 2003, 16:54 (Ref:474086)

Come to england Oxford brookes uni - if you are still thinking about it after that the you will probably suceed

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