What do you think of actors/actresses turning to pro race drivers?

[wizardofOz]

[fs1977]

Good for them!

[vreihen16]

Used to see Paul Newman at Lime Rock Park almost every time I've been there.....

[BMWCCA1]

Show me any current top driver in any series who didn't come from a position of privilege and maybe I'll change my opinion. This is a sport where money and nepotism play such a large role that the average aspiring kids just don't stand a chance.

In many countries they have programs to introduce sports like golf to the poorer population. I just don't see how that type of program would operate in motorsports. So we'll continue to get what we've got.

[Maynard]

I feel sorry for the other 23 (more) talented drivers who likely didn't hear their names more than once during the race while the announcers carefully watched that painful 'battle' for not-last place. Paul Newman should not be invoked when discussing these celebrity show-ponies; Newman was somebody that discovered the career he wished he could have had, and by all accounts he could have done as well at racing as he did in the movies.

[RickFLM4]

I thought about for a few seconds and decided I don't care.

[erickonphoenix]

I have followed Michael Fassbender at the 24 Nurburgring but I also follow Ben Keating our local gentleman driver when he's out there as well. It's just another channel of the race to observe. I don't resent it.

[Buug959]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I thought about for a few seconds and decided I don't care.

I agree and apparently I care just a little less than you because I couldn't be bothered to write the post.

[Nuckle]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I thought about for a few seconds and decided I don't care.

Me too

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Maynard

I feel sorry for the other 23 (more) talented drivers who likely didn't hear their names more than once during the race while the announcers carefully watched that painful 'battle' for not-last place.

I competed in an amateur racing event where IndyCar driver Lyn St. James was competing, and it was hard to get press for the charitable cause that we were promoting with many of the reporters flocking to her paddock space the entire event. Didn't get mad or anything, but we did have to work harder to get interviews.....

[M-technik-3]

Nonsense like this makes me glad I still love racing in lemons series.

[fs1977]

Originally Posted by Buug959

I agree and apparently I care just a little less than you because I couldn't be bothered to write the post.

Well, you eventually did.

[wizardofOz]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

Show me any current top driver in any series who didn't come from a position of privilege and maybe I'll change my opinion. This is a sport where money and nepotism play such a large role that the average aspiring kids just don't stand a chance.

In many countries they have programs to introduce sports like golf to the poorer population. I just don't see how that type of program would operate in motorsports. So we'll continue to get what we've got.

"Show me any current top driver in any series who didn't come from a position of privilege and maybe I'll change my opinion" - would this sway you?

1. https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...sgdkjuP3vwPxXd

2. https://www.formula1.com/en/informat...2miTUwtnXUHkjk

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by wizardofOz

- would this sway you?

1. https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...sgdkjuP3vwPxXd

2. https://www.formula1.com/en/informat...2miTUwtnXUHkjk

Thanks for pointing that out but . . .

No. Any story about owning a cart that cost the family's monthly income, and the cost of making every weekend a travel even to another competition shows me sacrifice at the age of 4 that isn't possible for hardly anyone else out there. How does a Dad work three jobs still have the ability to take his son to races every weekend? It's just not the same as kids playing pickup basketball on a parking lot with a backboard and rim without even a net. Until you see middle-schools with karting programs, it's still just not a level playing field. I've seen my customers financing their kids' dreams with Legends cars and other entry-level racing events. Not one of them is stretching to afford this advantage. The motorhomes they tow with cost more than most peoples' homes. There is just no infrastructure in-place anywhere to bring motorsport to the average 4-year-old in the real world. Sad, maybe, but true.

[toned]

Originally Posted by erickonphoenix

I have followed Michael Fassbender at the 24 Nurburgring

Fassbender's journey has been a great one

Porsche's YT channel has 4~ seasons of his 'road to le mans', for anyone interested, it's pretty cool

No hate on anyone famous racing, if I had the money they do, I would be doing the same

[2000cs]

It’s fine to have the money and time to go racing, but like most sports to be competitive you have to put in years of work. For racing that seems to start with carting as a kid or at least a teen. So I’m doubtful many starting older can get to the podium in a pro series.

[ASAP]

there is one girl that I follow on Instagram that you can tell got into this sport due to connections and privelage... her dad raced cars at one point... she has over 1M followers on IG gained from onlyfans and the like and pretends she is a race car driver... never won anything, never got remotely good results in any race but has access to everything because of who she is... her real claim to fame... posting pictures on IG that attracted a certain audience... this is somewhat similar

[bucketfoot]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I thought about for a few seconds and decided I don't care.

This

[spazzyfry123]

Gotta pay to play. Don't see anything wrong with it, and with associative sponsorships, I think it's a good mesh. Patrick Dempsey, Eric Bana, Frankie Muniz, Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, Michael Fassbender, Gene Hackman, Rowan Atkinson, Paul Walker, James Dean... What about Walter Cronkite that was a racer that then became famous?

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I thought about for a few seconds and decided I don't care.

LOL

[wizardofOz]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

Thanks for pointing that out but . . .

No. Any story about owning a cart that cost the family's monthly income, and the cost of making every weekend a travel even to another competition shows me sacrifice at the age of 4 that isn't possible for hardly anyone else out there. How does a Dad work three jobs still have the ability to take his son to races every weekend? It's just not the same as kids playing pickup basketball on a parking lot with a backboard and rim without even a net. Until you see middle-schools with karting programs, it's still just not a level playing field. I've seen my customers financing their kids' dreams with Legends cars and other entry-level racing events. Not one of them is stretching to afford this advantage. The motorhomes they tow with cost more than most peoples' homes. There is just no infrastructure in-place anywhere to bring motorsport to the average 4-year-old in the real world. Sad, maybe, but true.

Well these were examples to your point about "Show me any current top driver in any series who didn't come from a position of privilege", cool that the above is your view.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

What about Walter Cronkite that was a racer that then became famous?

Yup. He was a member of the same SCCA region as me, and also a member of the famous/exclusive Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving & Chowder Society.....