Race daze

LET'S TORQUE

So you want to be a racing driver, huh? Well, I wanted to be one too. This isn't one of those "Man, I wish I had tried it just once..." stories. I actually went and bought myself some racing shoes (Sparcos, no less), a racing suit (made in Chennai, saar!) and lined up on the grid for the Formula Maruti, JK Tyre National Racing Championship.

So how did it go for the next biggest star of Indian motorsport? Er, I qualified 20th, got a DNF in the first round and finished eighth in the next. And then, I packed my bags and left.

Now, I could have gone back and had another crack at becoming the next world's fastest Indian, but frankly, a weekend was enough to put my retirement fund on the line. So, Lesson No 1 to 10: If you even want to sniff around a race car, make sure you have a sack of Vitamin M. Sponsorships are as difficult to come by as Indian Formula One racing drivers.

The place to begin though is the JK Tyre Junior Championships. This series races Formula Marutis, which until a couple of years ago, used to be the cream of the racing series. They no longer have the "national championship" tag attached to them, but at twenty grand for a weekend, they are an adrenaline bargain and a great place to start.

They use the humble Maruti 800 engine but since they weigh just 340 kilos, they are quick. Or at least quick enough for the novice. Also, make sure that you put in enough number of laps to know every bump, every crevice and every kerb in your sleep.

The races are always held at Chennai or Coimbatore, so that shouldn't be difficult. Even though it's expensive, think of it as an investment when you move onto a higher class.

Or you could do what I did. Buy a scooter and take part in the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally. It's half the cost, but just as much fun... almost.

shreenand@business-standard.com