Blacks In Motorsports, Why Are We Lacking?
12-16-2007, 06:02 AM
#16
mehh i know every time i go to a new crowd of people i have to prove my knowledge.. after about 10 min of me talking and or driving they are like.. hmmm he is the real deal..
i feel where you coming from David.. people just dont understand that this is a lifestyle not a hobbie.
i feel where you coming from David.. people just dont understand that this is a lifestyle not a hobbie.
12-18-2007, 01:15 PM
#18
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Ft. Riley Kansas
Posts: 316
I think Ry hit it on the head. I know when ever I mention drifting or Autox I always get the reaction " Youre crazy". Its cause they skurred 
Seriously though, I think its pretty much what Ry said man.
Seriously though, I think its pretty much what Ry said man.
02-22-2008, 05:04 PM
#19
I saw this quote earlier today and I think it kinda sums up my feelings. Not trying to **** anyone off.
"You have no right to be proud, unless you did it yourself. That goes for anything from racial pride to patriotism. Your race, gender and nationality are ****ing accidents of birth. Being proud of something you got stuck with when mamma squeezed you out is stupid. You have a right to be proud of your own personal accomplishments, and perhaps those of your children. That's it. Your parents ****ed, Mom got knocked up, and ~9 months later, there you were. Race, gender and nationality handed to you out of some cosmic lottery machine."
"You have no right to be proud, unless you did it yourself. That goes for anything from racial pride to patriotism. Your race, gender and nationality are ****ing accidents of birth. Being proud of something you got stuck with when mamma squeezed you out is stupid. You have a right to be proud of your own personal accomplishments, and perhaps those of your children. That's it. Your parents ****ed, Mom got knocked up, and ~9 months later, there you were. Race, gender and nationality handed to you out of some cosmic lottery machine."
02-22-2008, 06:59 PM
#22
I saw this quote earlier today and I think it kinda sums up my feelings. Not trying to **** anyone off.
"You have no right to be proud, unless you did it yourself. That goes for anything from racial pride to patriotism. Your race, gender and nationality are ****ing accidents of birth. Being proud of something you got stuck with when mamma squeezed you out is stupid. You have a right to be proud of your own personal accomplishments, and perhaps those of your children. That's it. Your parents ****ed, Mom got knocked up, and ~9 months later, there you were. Race, gender and nationality handed to you out of some cosmic lottery machine."
"You have no right to be proud, unless you did it yourself. That goes for anything from racial pride to patriotism. Your race, gender and nationality are ****ing accidents of birth. Being proud of something you got stuck with when mamma squeezed you out is stupid. You have a right to be proud of your own personal accomplishments, and perhaps those of your children. That's it. Your parents ****ed, Mom got knocked up, and ~9 months later, there you were. Race, gender and nationality handed to you out of some cosmic lottery machine."
02-22-2008, 07:11 PM
#23
03-03-2008, 03:22 PM
#24
I've been asking that question with groups of close friends for a while, we never really tried to ask questions like this outside because, well, we're asian and around our area, people play the race card calling us racial for bringing up such a topic.
I personally dont care about the color of your skin, but more rather I care about how well you drive or how well knowledged you are about cars.
Take my friend Dale Sievwright, he is literally the only personal afro-american friend who is in road racing. They guy is TALENTED! Very well accomplished, finished on the podium many many times. Now is under EvoSport racing their 6 series Bimmer and test driving GT class Caddy CTS's and GT class GT3 Porsche's.
He has this much talent, but when he goes out to Forumla D with us, he's like Donnie, has to prove to people he knows his stuff. Aside from Dale, I've only seen one other black driver, the guy who use to drift the McDonald's sponsored Mustang in FD, only saw him for 2 seasons, and now I dont see him around.
I agree that Ry hit it on the nail, if you dont follow the norm, youre ridiculed for being different. But isnt that why we are human? Isnt it human to be different or try different things? Ok, that was a bit odd ball rant from me there.
I personally dont care about the color of your skin, but more rather I care about how well you drive or how well knowledged you are about cars.
Take my friend Dale Sievwright, he is literally the only personal afro-american friend who is in road racing. They guy is TALENTED! Very well accomplished, finished on the podium many many times. Now is under EvoSport racing their 6 series Bimmer and test driving GT class Caddy CTS's and GT class GT3 Porsche's.
He has this much talent, but when he goes out to Forumla D with us, he's like Donnie, has to prove to people he knows his stuff. Aside from Dale, I've only seen one other black driver, the guy who use to drift the McDonald's sponsored Mustang in FD, only saw him for 2 seasons, and now I dont see him around.
I agree that Ry hit it on the nail, if you dont follow the norm, youre ridiculed for being different. But isnt that why we are human? Isnt it human to be different or try different things? Ok, that was a bit odd ball rant from me there.
05-20-2008, 06:36 PM
#25
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: from the bay but in Bossia
Posts: 188
Wow... sorry to bring up a semi old thread but I just saw this.
Some of you probably don't know but I'm black. I've been into motor sports since I was 13 years old. One thing I notice with most people into motor sports is someone close to them was into it or just cars in general and they followed suit. It was the complete opposite for me. I was raised in northern California, my father left when I was 3 years old and I was raised by my mother and sisters (typical black family right?), and no one and I mean no one in my family cared anything about motor sports. But for some odd reason I always had the urge to want to be good at driving. I remember even when I was about 6 or 7 years old I would play arcade racing games and yell to my mom "See mom I can drive good!".
I got into drifting and club racing when I was about 13. Although I had the deepest urge to get involved with it and cart and want to learn and become a great driver my mom didn't let me. At the time she said it was because she didn't want me to get hurt, and I guess that was partly the reason because she didn't allow me to play football until I was 13. I guess because I was held back from following my dreams early on in life I resorted to being the typical stereotypical black male. I got into a lot of trouble in high school, got kicked out, fights etc etc. But then I met my GF's dad who just so happened to build spec miata, Honda challenge, HPDE, ALMS, and all kinda of other different road racing cars I don't think I would have ever gotten the chance to be around otherwise. He taught me a lot about racing and a lot about my self (he just so happened to be Chinese). He taught me that no matter what the color of my skin is when I'm in that car no one will know what color skin I have, and if they are a real driver they wont care, and if they do you will most likely beat them every time.
The sad part is I feel more accepted at the track (driving, staffing, volunteering, or whatever) than when I am around other black people who aren't into racing. I usually get these weird looks when I speak, (especially here in the south) for whatever reason (I'm guessing because I usually don't speak with an accent or speak improper English). I've had black people say to me "I thought only Asian and white people do that" or "Man you ain't black!", including family members, even my mom. At times it gets me down knowing that I'm not accepted by those like me but in the end I've come to feel that I am more like those on the race track than those who share the same skin color I have.
I had a race car driver tell me one time "Motor sports is a white mans sport". I know he was saying it as to say it will be more difficult for me to be successful than someone of European decent, but it still struck me awkwardly. All it means to me is that I will strive even harder to accomplish what I have dreamt of accomplishing for so long. No matter what people say I drive for my self and no one else, if no one believes in me I will believe in myself. And I think everyone who is into motor sports should think this way. Not to say don't go out and have fun. I'm just saying motor sports takes dedication, it cant just be a hobby, if it's not a lifestyle (like someone already said it was) you will never become any better at it, and it's definitely no fun if you don't become better.
I think most black people are too worried about what their peers think, or impressing people. I'd just much rather impress myself with my own driving.
Some of you probably don't know but I'm black. I've been into motor sports since I was 13 years old. One thing I notice with most people into motor sports is someone close to them was into it or just cars in general and they followed suit. It was the complete opposite for me. I was raised in northern California, my father left when I was 3 years old and I was raised by my mother and sisters (typical black family right?), and no one and I mean no one in my family cared anything about motor sports. But for some odd reason I always had the urge to want to be good at driving. I remember even when I was about 6 or 7 years old I would play arcade racing games and yell to my mom "See mom I can drive good!".
I got into drifting and club racing when I was about 13. Although I had the deepest urge to get involved with it and cart and want to learn and become a great driver my mom didn't let me. At the time she said it was because she didn't want me to get hurt, and I guess that was partly the reason because she didn't allow me to play football until I was 13. I guess because I was held back from following my dreams early on in life I resorted to being the typical stereotypical black male. I got into a lot of trouble in high school, got kicked out, fights etc etc. But then I met my GF's dad who just so happened to build spec miata, Honda challenge, HPDE, ALMS, and all kinda of other different road racing cars I don't think I would have ever gotten the chance to be around otherwise. He taught me a lot about racing and a lot about my self (he just so happened to be Chinese). He taught me that no matter what the color of my skin is when I'm in that car no one will know what color skin I have, and if they are a real driver they wont care, and if they do you will most likely beat them every time.
The sad part is I feel more accepted at the track (driving, staffing, volunteering, or whatever) than when I am around other black people who aren't into racing. I usually get these weird looks when I speak, (especially here in the south) for whatever reason (I'm guessing because I usually don't speak with an accent or speak improper English). I've had black people say to me "I thought only Asian and white people do that" or "Man you ain't black!", including family members, even my mom. At times it gets me down knowing that I'm not accepted by those like me but in the end I've come to feel that I am more like those on the race track than those who share the same skin color I have.
I had a race car driver tell me one time "Motor sports is a white mans sport". I know he was saying it as to say it will be more difficult for me to be successful than someone of European decent, but it still struck me awkwardly. All it means to me is that I will strive even harder to accomplish what I have dreamt of accomplishing for so long. No matter what people say I drive for my self and no one else, if no one believes in me I will believe in myself. And I think everyone who is into motor sports should think this way. Not to say don't go out and have fun. I'm just saying motor sports takes dedication, it cant just be a hobby, if it's not a lifestyle (like someone already said it was) you will never become any better at it, and it's definitely no fun if you don't become better.
I think most black people are too worried about what their peers think, or impressing people. I'd just much rather impress myself with my own driving.
05-20-2008, 08:01 PM
#26
good stuff bro...
yea i just had an urge to get into this sport.. i had no family that did it that i knew of..... what got me into it was..................... One night looking for ****.. and i seen the words Hot Version.. which is Best Motoring, this was about mid 90s.. and i was hooked
About being accepted.. i stop caring. I hate when people say " You don't act black" basically saying that im not ignorant lol. I don't sell myself out to please anyone, but yea. you know what im getting at
pS
I loves the white women............hhaahhaa
yea i just had an urge to get into this sport.. i had no family that did it that i knew of..... what got me into it was..................... One night looking for ****.. and i seen the words Hot Version.. which is Best Motoring, this was about mid 90s.. and i was hooked
About being accepted.. i stop caring. I hate when people say " You don't act black" basically saying that im not ignorant lol. I don't sell myself out to please anyone, but yea. you know what im getting at
pS
I loves the white women............hhaahhaa
05-20-2008, 11:51 PM
#29
My family gives me the same **** too. Thing is, at least for me, if it wasnt for cars, I woulda killed myself already. Cars helped me put that focus back in my life.
And yes, I lub teh weeeh-meeeeeen! I take it you havent seen Yuta's sticker that says "No Fat Women In This Car!" or something like that...
And yes, I lub teh weeeh-meeeeeen! I take it you havent seen Yuta's sticker that says "No Fat Women In This Car!" or something like that...
05-21-2008, 12:08 AM
#30
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: from the bay but in Bossia
Posts: 188
Oh yes most definetly if it wasnt for cars/racing/drifting I would probably still be in Richmond or Oakland doing whatever, or dead... or in jail.... or all three at the same time!
Or I could be a doctor or lawyer or fire fighter... who knows. I love this stuff is all I know.
Or I could be a doctor or lawyer or fire fighter... who knows. I love this stuff is all I know.