If the Path to a Professional Racing Career . . .

was clear, easy and cheap ... every good young driver could become a professional race car driver. But in the most expensive sport in the world ... car racing ... the reality is the path for most young racers and their families is unclear, complex, and unfortunately expensive.

Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle (known as RSWC from here on out) is a Talent Scout and Driver Career Development Program.

RSWC typically receives over 500 resumes from drivers and/or their parents. After resume review and interviews, each year we narrow it down to approximately 20-24 drivers to do full race track testing and try-outs. The chosen few drivers, that we believe have what it takes, are invited to join in the Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle Driver Career Development Program.

We are not a typical rent-a-ride business. This is a comprehensive development program with 21 race teams in various series. This is also not a free ride nor scholarship program. If a driver races ... someone has to pay for it. That is the family, unless they have sponsors or benefactors.

We are an independent talent scout and driver development program focused on finding and developing young talent for NASCAR Nextel Cup teams. If a driver has what it takes ... RSWC can train, mold and develop them all the way to a career in professional racing.

We currently have drivers in development that we are confident will sign to drive for top NASCAR teams in the coming year. In this web site, we will explain how we view the racing environment ... and how we have succeeded in getting young drivers all the way to a career with top racing teams.

We all know, only a percentage of drivers really have the talent to be professional car racers in the top circuits like CART, IRL, NASCAR, F1, etc. The sad fact is ... capable drivers do not always make it ... and often watch from the stands ... while drivers with similar talent, but with better funding or the right connections are in the cars on the track. The main challenge for up and coming drivers is ... there has been no single “standardized” path to a racing career ... like there is in basketball, football, baseball, etc.

There are a plenty of veteran racers, shop owners, fans, etc ... with opinions on how to become a professional race car driver, but when we look at their results, it is clear that they do not really know how to get drivers to the big show. Opinions are cheap ... facts are hard to come by. One easy fact: There is no single clear, straight-forward path. Unlike the NFL, there is no college draft structure in place. There is no one predefined "system" that all the teams use.

Professional racing is very fragmented, with no standardized process for scouting, recruiting and developing new talent. The individual team owners, have varied beliefs and philosophies about who they want to drive their cars ... and why. They are influenced by their sponsors, their budget ... or lack thereof ... the people they trust ... and their own unique belief system, likes, dislikes, tastes, etc.

What is clear now ... is that the top race teams in NASCAR are signing talented drivers ... at much younger ages than a decade ago. A few teams started the trend of finding young talent and paying for them to race and develop their skills in the mid levels of racing.

Other teams that were used to going to those mid level racing series ... and signing drivers ... started finding the talented drivers were already signed to a team. Those teams have now been forced to follow suit ... and scout, recruit and develop young talent for their race teams also. Most of these top teams now use independent scouts and driver development programs, like RSWC.

Things are changing ... for the better ... for families of young talented drivers. For most families, the thought of paying a half million to several million dollars a year for their young driver to race at these upper levels was unrealistic.

Just for reference, here are some annual budgets to field a winning operation in upper level "feeder" series:
* Formula Pro Mazda: $400,000+
* NASCAR Grand National West: $400,000+
* Infinity Pro Series: $600,000+
* The new Champ Car Formula Atlantic: $800,000+
* NASCAR Craftsman Truck: $2,500,000+
* NASCAR Busch Series: $4,500,000+

Unless a family is very wealthy, or has an incredible sponsor already in their pocket, these series are out of reach. Ten to fifteen years ago, drivers had to work their way through these series on their own ... and win at these levels ... to be "noticed." Today, the situation has changed. The top race teams are signing drivers BEFORE they get to these series ... then running them in these same upper-level series … BUT on the team’s money. It is a major difference. A difference that means families with talented young drivers and less money ... still have a shot.

Please do not misunderstand our message ... racing your young driver still costs you money. In the most expensive sport in the world, someone has to pay for the driver to race at all levels ... until they get hired by a pro team. But unlike 10-15 years ago ... you do not have to go all the way to these upper level series to get hired by a pro team.

There are three basic myths about achieving a career in racing:
Myth #1: “If I just win races ... it will work out.”
Myth #2: Professional teams are watching the ladder system for their next driver.
Myth #3: There is a ladder system.

First, winning is only a part of the equation. Winning is necessary!!! But winning alone won't get a driver to a racing career. Unfortunately there are extremely talented racers that won a zillion races ... watching racing from the stands or their sofa today. There is a whole lot more to getting to the pros than just winning races.

Second, none of the Pro Team Owners are watching entry level racing series to find their next star. Why not? Two reasons. One, because they have so many talented drivers knocking down their doors ... everyday. Good drivers, with great resumes, talent, personality, dedication, motivation, good looks, etc.

Two, they have Scouts like RSWC. Scouts are people they trust ... that refer worthy drivers to the teams.

Third, the concept that there is a "ladder system" in racing. There are many different levels or steps in racing ... but there is no "ladder" that automatically leads to a career. Open Wheel has had official ladders, but they haven proven to not work well.

NASCAR does not pretend to have a ladder system, although they do sanction racing at the local & regional level. NASCAR knows the teams are going to pick their drivers, their own ways ... and not from a predefined feeder system.

Want our viewpoint on young drivers considering NASCAR versus Open Wheel & Sports Car Racing Career Paths?
Click Here

Most young Drivers coming into NASCAR over the past 10 years have come one of two routes: USAC Open Wheel or NASCAR Late Model Stock Cars. This is why RSWC develops drivers in both of these series.

So, what does it take for a young driver to make it to the pros?
We have asked and listened to the Team Owners and Managers of top pro teams over the last few years, and compiled the 23 key ingredients. The list is long, more or less in order ... and each one is critical.

Pro Team Scouts & Driver Development Programs (like RSWC) look for:
1. Youth with experience: 15-20 years old with several years of racing experience. 21 is almost too old … because pro teams want to put their young drivers in the upper-level series by 21.
2. Results in junior racing series. Wins and/or championships in karts, legends, bandeleros, quarter midgets, TQ’s, Micros or full-size cars on local tracks.
3. Natural gifts of talent and the senses that great race drivers possess.
4. Self motivation, persistence & dedication - Teams like drivers that give their all, never give up and “just keep digging."
5. Great "real" personality ... because teams have to work with, like and trust this driver.
6. Charisma - that immeasurable quality that makes people like someone.
7. Good looks can help with sponsors. Style & class are always an asset.
8. Driver confidence - in self and in race cars at speed. Teams want to see the driver OWN that cockpit and embrace the speed.
9. No arrogance - up & coming drivers don't know squat. Teams know it. So when a young driver is cocky, arrogant or full of themselves - Teams simply pass. This eliminates more drivers that you can imagine.
10. Coachable, open minded, hungry to learn and trainable is the number one thing Driver Development Programs look for. Young drivers need to learn the skills, methods, race strategies and techniques of the great experienced drivers. Again, the teams know young drivers don't have experience in 190-225 mph cars. If the driver doesn't listen or isn't coachable … teams pass.
11. Character & integrity ... because teams are going to invest their money, reputation, career, business, and life on this "driver."
12. No bulls*** - they get too much of it as it is. Phonies, fakes, hype, over blown claims, big promises, blah-blah-blah ... does not work.
13. Money - to fund the learning curve up to the point of being signed by a pro team.

If chosen by a good Driver & Career Development Program, the young driver can gain:
14. Advanced driver training, techniques, terminology and strategies to develop to their fullest potential.
15. Experience working with a crew of individuals that are "not their family“ … that doesn’t love them unconditionally. This is a big deal, and is often overlooked by most racers and their families.
16. Communication skills - Not necessarily an eloquent speaker - Just be able to speak well ... and actually say something meaningful.
17. People relationship skills - because the driver is just one person in a very complex team. Teams that work well together … win. Loners lose ... regardless of talent.
18. Ability to give accurate, thorough feedback in terms pro teams are used to. Today’s professional race Engineers and Crew Chiefs make adjustments and know what the car will do. They ask the driver to see if they can feel it too.
19. Impressive Results ... in cars. Poles, track records, wins ... and solid finishes outside of the wins … in race cars … not karts, legends, bandeleros, quarter midgets, TQ’s or Micros. They need to see an impressive resume of results in real race cars, in one or more competitive series. This is an important key to opening doors.
20. Networking strategies ... to connect with pro team owners, team personnel, sponsors, motorsports companies, press, etc.
21. Connections to the right people: other Scouts, Driver Coaches, Team Personnel, Friends in the Press, Resources, Race Officials, VIPs and most importantly Team Managers and Team Owners.
22. An opportunity to show Team Owners & Managers the Driver's talent & performance. This is usually done in "test days" arranged by the team looking at a young driver.

23. But, the most important thing is Parents of young Drivers on a career track ... need to make the right decisions on:
* Driver development program
* Driver Coaches/Mentors
* Career development program
* Series to run each year
* Talent Scouts to connect with

Each of these decisions is critical … because if you make the wrong choice … you can’t turn back the clock and make your driver "young" again.

For information on the Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle Driver Career Development Program ... click on the red Next button at the button of each page.

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