Getting involved in motorsports may be easier than you think

Local racers took to the track this weekend as the Northern Alberta Sports Car Club (NASCC) hosted its fifth and final race event of the season at Castrol Raceway. This season’s final race proved to one of the most exciting of the season.

Racers came from all over the province to test their merit on the track in wheel-to-wheel competition. Sorted into classes based on car weight and displacement, the drivers battled it out amongst their classes for prestige, bragging rights, and prizes.

Despite the inherently dangerous nature of wheel-to-wheel racing, safety is the number one priority among the NASCC and the greater racing community. Resources such as on-site ambulance crews, motorsport response teams, and volunteer track workers ensure that all racers and spectators experience only the highest levels of safety.

In the event of a consequential driver error or mechanical malfunction, the Canadian Motorsport Response Team is on site to help. Acting fast to remove any broken or damaged cars from the track and ensuring the safety and health of the drivers involved.

It truly does take a village to raise a racing event, as a multitude of parties are necessary for a successful event to go off without a hitch. The group involved that participates purely out of love for the sport is the group that also needs the most recognition. The corner workers used to communicate pressing information to the drivers are a quintessentially important aspect of the event, without which the races simply couldn’t go on.

People come for the adrenaline rush and stay for the community. Racing attracts a truly dedicated and passionate group of men and women who have put years of work in to the progression of the sport. Racing, as a sport, rewards its participants with more than just podiums.

Most racers get their start in competitive driving through increasingly common lapping events in which drivers are given the opportunity to test their cars on a racetrack without the competitive aspect. Sean Lin, a longtime car fanatic and seasoned racecar driver mentioned that his start sprouted from the days when the Edmonton Indy was the city’s premier racing event.

“Once I started a lapping at the Indy and saw the wheel-to-wheel racing, I decided I wanted to get into that,” he says.

Lin isn’t alone when it comes to the humble beginnings of many racecar drivers; a large majority of racers begin their careers simply wanting to drive their street car a little faster. Making the responsible choice to fuel this desire at a sanction event paves the way for many casual enthusiasts to become full-blown racers within a few short years.

Others are out at the track fulfilling lifelong dreams of becoming racers, realizable only after years of hard work and saving money towards the goal of one day owning a racecar. Kevin Robertson, lapping enthusiast and rookie racer, commented that only in recent years has he been able to achieve his racing dreams.

“I’ve loved racing all my live, I’d never had the time [or] the money. Fortunately [now] I’ve been able to play a little instead of just watching it,” he says.

Racing attracts a truly dedicated and passionate group of men and women who have put years of work into the progression of the sport. Racing rewards its participants with more than just podiums, it’s an experience like no other that allows those involved to feel indescribable excitement and a true sense of community. Friendships forged on the tarmac while duking it out for first place are seldom forgotten. 

Racing doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby. The most basic of race cars can be purchased or created on a shoestring budget as long as safety is the top priority. If you’re willing to put the time and effort in, you could be out on the track fighting for first during the next season of NASCC racing events. For more information on racing, lapping, and the motorsport community, visit nascc.ab.ca.