How Did You Get Started in Racing? Best Of Grassroots Motorsports Journeys

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How do people really get into motorsports? In this special “Best Of” episode of the Late to Grid Podcast, we throw the green flag on the most inspiring, quirky, and downright passionate origin stories from our favorite grassroots racers.

Host Bill takes us on a fast lap through more than a dozen guest highlights—each one sharing how they first caught the racing bug. From pushing go-karts uphill, wrenching on beat-up Miatas, attending legendary races as kids, or tagging along with track-day mentors, these stories celebrate the diverse and relatable entry points into motorsports.

Whether you’re already deep into HPDEs, autocrossing on the weekends, dreaming of your first endurance race, or just motorsports-curious—this is the episode for you. Learn how real people, many with zero racing background, took their first steps and built their racing careers one lap at a time.

💡 You’ll hear:

• How family ties, movie moments (Cars, anyone?), and $10 F1 tickets sparked lifelong passions
• Why every form of seat time is good seat time
• The value of mentors, community, and cheap cars
• Practical advice from seasoned racers for getting on track without breaking the bank

🔧 Fuel your own motorsports journey with stories that prove you’re never too late to grid.

Race season is here. If you need to catch up on setup, or have something that needs repaired, you need to be Atomic prepped.  Get to  https://atomicautosports.com/ to get your car ready to get out there next weekend. 

If you're chasing lap times, you need a track ready setup for your car.  Get to AtomicAutosports.com to get your car scheduled to get you on the podium. 

Track ready setups for time trial drivers and others 

Thanks for listening and taking an interest in growing grassroots racing. The Late To Grid podcast shares the stories and inspiration that help listeners along their motorsports journey.

Find all episodes on the Atomic Autosports website.