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I feel like I have a wasted talent, and I can't get over it
Hi,
I am 16 years old, and I've always been a really talented driver. My dad is a psyciatrist, and my mom is a nurse.
My problem is that ever since I was, I think five years old, I have wanted to race cars. Of course when a five year old says it, then my parents always thought the same thing that it was just me being a kid, and that it didn't matter because I couldn't even try until I was 16 anyway. As I was growing up, I was always really good at driving. I always got a new record at the arcade racing games, and I was always the fastest at the go kart tracks, but no matter how much I insisted my parents never thought anything of it. When I got older, I met a friend who raced quarter midgets (these are miniature sprint cars) and he had been doing this since he was five. He's not even that talented it seems, but he's extremely good when he races, and has many records at different tracks. His dad has connections to everyone, and my parents know nothing. They have no connections and know nothing about cars. I know much more about cars than my friend, and I feel like I'm almost as good as he is. I can beat him easily at racing games, and have even gotten the chance to beat him at a go kart track. I know I have talent because I can do this and I still lack so much experience compared to him.
Growing up, every single chance I got to get more experience with cars, I used it. I taught myself to drive a stick on a car when I was 6,I always force my family to let me go to the go kart tracks at ammusement parks or on vacation, and I rebuilt the motor on a '92 300zx when I was 12 using my friends machine shop. I have always been able to point at any car on the road, from even pretty far away, any car. I have saved up money in every way I could, and tried everything I could to build up a skill. I bought a pretty good off-road go kart - having almost no room to use it - and bought tons of dirtbikes and motorcycles for cheap and restored them. But I only have my small yard to use them, and have only gotten to take them to a riding area a few times. When I do my parents are impressed with me though. I have only gone to an off-road area 4 times in my life, and I taught myself how to do a backflip on my 125 last time I went. I am really good at picking things up like this fast, but I don't really have any friends I know that are into cars or motorsports like me. Anyway I enjoy this but my parents have no nowledge of anything about it, and they continue think that it is a rediculous hobby of mine.
I've always been so good but just been horribly deprived of chances to express this talent, and I can't take the regret anymore. Now I'm 16 and I got my liscence on my 16th birthday, and have been driving for 10 months now. I feel like I'm too old and my brain is no longer developing like it was when I was younger. I have always picked up skills fast, and I still do, but I feel like it's too late to be good enough as the people who started when they were five, I don't know weather to start now, and try, or to let it go and accept that I never will be as good as I could've been. I bought a nissan 300zx twin turbo and rebuilt everything and maybe it could be a ticket into racing. But when I work on cars I'm all alone. My family knows nothing about them, and I feel like it's useless to try because I have no connections and have absolutley no idea where to start.
It's really killing me, and for a long time I have tried to forget about cars, and accept that I lost my chance to persue this dream a long time ago. But I can't take it anymore. It bothers me so bad that I finally just decided to post this to try and relieve a little tension.
I have considered street racing, but I am too scared of getting caught, and I have no idea how to make my way in to actual leagle car racing. I street raced only one time, and I don't think I ever will again. It was my 300 against a 98 corvette, and I actually beat him by quite a bit because I managed to pull through the turns better. I guess this is one thing that makes me feel like I am still pretty good, even though I have no experience. My car was $3,000 at a trashed car lot, and even though I have put a lot of work into it, I feel like it must've been talent to beet a corvette, right? I don't know what to think, and I don't really have any friends that street race. I've seen the fast and furious movies lol and I honestly don't think that's the way to go. I am going to a new school this year though, and I will be a Jr. in high school. Anyway now that I've typed this up I feel a little better, but PLEASE I want to know what people think. Do any of you have any experiences or advice for this kind of situation? Do you think it's too late in my brain's developement to get good, or do you think I should try it? I have a lot of resposibilities, and my mom is poor and single, and I should probably get a job soon to support her. So I really, don't mean "is it worth a try?", because of course it is. What I mean is I don't really have many spaces open to play around in my busy life. I am really busy and stressed, and I guess I really want to know if it's rediculous to think I can never be as good as the kids who started earlier, or if it really is true that it is very unlikely I will be able to compete with people that have been racing for a while. Anyway any comments or advice would be great! I really CANNOT get over this, and I want someone's opinion.
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Want to answer more questions in the Miscellaneous category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Random Weirdos?
This is corny, and I'm sure you've heard it 32920492 times, but you can do anything you put your mind to. It is never too late to try something new.
I am into fashion the way you are into cars, however, I only realized this fairly recently. It seemed that every other girl who wanted to go into the clothing industry had been sewing since she was five. I knew absolutely nothing, but that did not stop me. I asked a teacher in my school to teach me how to sew. Friends and family gave me books about fashion drawing and design. I started a fashion blog. If you want to do something, you have every ability to do it, no matter how late it may seem to be. You aren't even 1/4 of your way through your life. You can still be a race car driver.
Talk to your parents seriously about becoming a driver. Sit them down and explain everything you have explained here. Hell, even show them the question. Now, not having connections is not your be-all end-all. A simple google search can connect you with people who can help you achieve your goal. Furthermore, why not ask your friend if he can help you get into racing?
If you need to get a job to support your mom, see if you can get a job in a mechanic shop. It will help you earn money, you will gain experience in the industry. Also, if in the end racing really doesn't work out, you will have another career path to consider.
Do not give up on your dreams because it seems too late. You're 16 years old, the world is at your feet. When there's a will, there's a way. If you want to race, you are fully capable of finding a way to race.
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