Minors in Racing

Here's truly a subject worthy of discussion...

According to a recent law passed, parents do not have the right to sign a minors waiver of liabilty. And since the law does not allow people undeer the age of 18 to enter into a contractual agreement, those under 18 cannot sign thier own waivers.

To cover their butts, many tracks will stop allowing minors to race.... Can you imagine? I know several minors who race, that ard some of the best drivers on the track.....

wow...

What do ya'll think about this???

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=35263

I was amazed when i heard about 12 yo running a a racecar.....Back home you had ot have a valid DL to drive. I dont think there is anything wrong with racing young.....but keep it in go-carts....I think 16 is young enough to be running dirt or pavement races...JMO

DOSH, ONE OF THE BEST LATE MODEL DRIVERS I KNOW WAS 14 YRS OLD WHEN I MET HIM!!! SO I THINK IT'S THE WAY THERE BROUGHT UP.......... I THINK IT'S ALL B/S

I think it depends on the kid also. They have to be mature enough to understand racing. I was 15 when I started racing.

For some kids all they know is racing because it is a family function that is attended on weekends by their family and friends. I see nothing wrong with a minor racing. We have to give them something to do on the weekends besides getting into trouble like gangs, drugs, alcohol and such.

14 teen should be the youngest, The more younger Genertion that gets involved. The more chance racing will survive.

This will be an interesting case to watch. The law is stating a person under the age of 18 does not have the right to sign a legal document, but has now struck down a parents right to sign a waiver of liability for the minor. Without the waiver of liability, the tracks aren't protected from injuries resulting from mishaps.

On the other hand, and as a 17 year old driver points out, what about football, soccer or other sports which could pose a potential for injury to a minor? There are many activities which present a potential ofr someone getting hurt....including ice skating?

There are many minor drivers out there, many of which can drive just as well as many seasoned professionals. What they lack in experience, they seem unafraid to push the envelope.

Seems two-sided to me. While a parent is legally responsible for every other aspect of their child, they are restricted from signing liability waivers. This would restrict a minors exposure to racing scenarios when their learning abilities and hand-eye cordination is at it's peak. I hope they work out some sort of compromise before too many drivers, facilities and other sports are affected.

It seems to me, that all the lawyers,need to find something else to fight about, if your son or little giri needs to be seen at a doctors office you MUST give permission,you also must give permission for your son to play football,baseball, etc or go on a field trip at school.
I know fathers who take there sons hunting,and yes they have a weapon,12 ga.,30-30,is this wrong? Naw ,Ifeel it is great that fathers do these things with their sons and daughters,most other parents do not spend time with their kids.
My grandson is 12 yrs old and has raced some at a local track in a car that he and his dad,(my son) built, Now in the off season he is rebuilding the engine,mostly by himself,(ya gota learn some time) on the track he has elected to start last and stays out of everyones way,this is called seat time.And his car does not have a mark on it.
He has a grand pa who raced years ago,a daddy who raced,and still does on occasion,an uncle who was a track champion in Miami for several years,a couson who works for a Nascar truck team, I think the young man has a good back ground.
Whan the car was built, it was set up so nobody could drive it,and he has to figure out whats wrong with it,so far so good.
We as a society let young people do lots of things,but we do not give them guidance,we just seem to tell them,O.K. go ahead and stay out of trouble.
Lastly the young folks are the future of our sport and they need to be encouraged,and not told NO you can't do that at all.
Well I now put my soap box away,for now
Bill Fisher

I don't see a problem letting them run race cars as long as they are ready and that is the parents decision. Like said above what about football, baseball, hockey, etc. Kids get hurt real bad in those sports. That boy thats been on the news from Jax got paralyzed playing high school football. Racing has it's dangers but if your car is built right it is safer than riding dirt bikes, 4 wheelers, and other things of that nature. I ride motorcycles and I feel 100% safer on Saturday in my race car any time. Hopefully they don't get a way with passing this law.

I guess I look at it this way: There is no age limit on playing football, baseball, hockey, or soccer, but htere is an age limit on driving a vehicle. I am new to Florida so I do not know what the driving laws here are. But I still think you should be able ot legally drive before you strap into a racecar. Back home I have seen too many people injured or killed racing, and yes one of them was a 14 yo(before they changes the law saying you had to have a DL). He was a great driver. But, like someone else said...they dont have any fear. I think alot of the youger drivers feel invinsible and drive way over their heads. We had 1 class at my home track that would allow someone without a DL race...that class was called the roadhogs....it was a 4 cylinder front wheel drive car, the catch is it had 2 people in it....the one on the left had the brakes and steering while the one on the right had the gas. The unlisenced person was only allowed to run the gas. That is how they got the feeling for racing...it can be done without them piloting a mod or something else like that.

LOOK AT JEFF GORDON HE WAS RUNNING SPIRNTS WHEN HE WAS 13 TEEN AND I WAS 14 TEEN WHEN I STARTED THE YOUNGER GENERATION THEY JUST NEED TO HAVE A GOOD TEACHER I GROWED UP WATCHING MY UNCLE, AND COUSIN'S THE MIKE SCRANTON'S MILLERS' AND THE BEST TEACHER IS YOUR SELF WATCH AND LEARN IT JUST COME'S NATURAL TO SOME BUT SOME OF THE KID'S THEY PUT IN THIS CAR'S THINK THERE PLAYING SATURDAY NIGHT SPEED WAY, ON THE PLAY STATION WHEN THERE DRIVING AND THAT IS WHAT GET'S THEM IN TROUBLE IF THERE THOUGHT TO HAVE NO FEAR AND RESPECT THAT IS WHAT CAN GETEM HURT ARE SOME BODY ELSE. SO I SAY LET THEM START AT A YOUNG AGE BUT TEACH THEM WHEN TO GIVE AND TAKE . TIM DOWLING

i do not think there should be an age limit on raceing if they are tought right be for they get in and race with others