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If you’re a fan of Nascar racing, February 16th is a date to firmly keep in mind, it marks the beginning of the first of a series of races leading up to the Daytona 500 on February 24th, that’s the official start of the Nascar racing season. But before the engines start roaring and the checkered flags start waving, there’s a lot that needs to be done leading up to these races. Have you ever wondered what it takes to be the guy or girl in the driver’s seat of one of these impressive automobiles that fly around a racetrack at up to 190mph? Here’s a few pointers that we discovered can get you buckled up and racing in no time.

The most important thing to remember is that the earlier you start, the better. Everyone that you see on TV in racing jackets that are adorned with multiple companies logos started their racing careers early in life, usually at local go kart races. The earlier a person can become involved in these types of competitions, the better, because it gives you more time to figure out how to control a car, as well as all of the facets of what it takes to win a race.

Become familiar with your local race track, and if possible, invest in a pit. If you’re new to racing, ask a lot of questions, this is perfectly alright and is expected of new drivers. As long as everyone at the track can still get their work done, they more than likely won’t be upset with someone that’s asking about something that they love, racing! Make sure that you meet the minimum age requirement at the track while you’re there as well; a lot of states have a legal racing age that is lower than their actual driving age.

Besides spending time at the track getting to know the ins and outs of racing and racing cars, there are some physical requirements as well. Remember, this is an endurance sport, driving a car at over 100 mph for 500 miles means that you will be in that car for several very hot hours. Regular exercise is going to keep your mind sharp as you spend several hours determining your strategy alongside your team. A slim build can help as well, as opposed to a heavier build, every single pound that is added to a car means that it will travel just slightly slower.

One of the most important things that anyone can do in order to get into professional race car driving is to make sure that they have a great education. When you are wearing a sponsor’s logos on your jacket you are their ambassador, you’ll want to sound intelligent when serving as their ambassador so that you don’t end up making either one of you appear foolish. There’s also a lot that goes into the mechanics and physics of driving a race car, you will want to become well acquainted with these areas in order to be at the top of your game.

Driving a race car and getting to be the one that sees the checkered flags at the finish line first will take a lot of hard work, so remember, start early, do your homework, and work harder than everyone else, and some day you might end up in the winner’s circle!