New to the forum, how I started racing.

[MBellRacing]

I didn't see any member introduction area on the forum-- at least not in an appropriate section. My name is Matt Bell, not the English one, I'm the Californian. I race professionally in the U.S. and have been for about 4 years now. I can't believe it's taken me this long to stumble upon this site! I haven't cruised the forum too much yet, but from what I've seen, it looks like an awesome virtual hangout.

A quick bit about myself: I did not start in the usual manner to end up in my current profession, especially by European standards. I never did karting as a kid, never did any open wheel stuff, never had much serious coaching beyond a three-day track class as an 18th birthday present. I was just a complete idiot on the street with my parents' cars in high school and learned the hard way how to control a car-- crashing a few in the process. My family decided it maybe best for me to let some of that aggression out on a closed course. They bought a little project/track 1989 BMW M3 and I learned a lot in just a couple years about how to be efficient around a race track.



Just a few years later, my dad decided that maybe we should make the best of a good friendship we had made with a team owner running in a then-prominent series here in the U.S. For sale was a two-time championship winning BMW 325i Touring Car. We bought it, and I spent the next few years leaning to drive it, but not racing it.



After three or four years of just doing inexpensive track days (followed by expensive services to a high-strung car), I finally thought it might be fun to try some BMW club racing. My first race ever I ended up 2nd. The winner was surprised that I didn't pass him when I had the chance, surprised to hear that I never had to pass for position before! The season went fairly well, never a DNF, decent qualifying, and a 4th place finish to the national championship, 2nd regionally.



The big moment that year was not the top three finish, but a conversation with a fellow club racer. He asked me if I'd like to join him in trying out a professional series, sharing the payment for a ride. Not having much money of my own and struggling with reworking my college career, my parents were enormously generous in saying they'll pay for the opportunity. I shopped around for a little while, looking for BMW teams to join up with (you best race what you know). After speaking with a few B-rated (often C-rated... does Q-rated exist?) teams, I was surprised to get a call from the gentleman that we bought our touring car from. He said that he had been paying attention to my previous season in BMW CR and that he'd love to see me try out his Grand-Am ST-class 330i-- a car that had won the ST championship the precious year! He also said that he would match the price that the other teams were offering!

The first season wasn't great, unfortunately. I was more excited just to be at the track, in a professional environment, seeing things happen from behind the curtain. I was also excited to be on a team with one of my racing heroes, Bill Auberlen, a factory BMW driver. The highest we finished a race in the 2008 ST season was 2nd, but the lessons I learned about pro racing were priceless.



We had mixed results the 2008 ST season, but once again, the highlight was a conversation, but this time with Bill Auberlen himself. He said that he'd like to share a car the next year, that he liked what he had seen throughout the season... You can imagine my excitement!

The upgrade to the more powerful GS-class M3 was an easy transition for me. With enough power to loosen up almost any situation, the car was easy to place wherever you wanted. I learned volumes on how a race car driver that would like to get paid is to ask, as well as how to set up a car from Bill. The season turned out fairly well. I took a number of lap records, a record five consecutive pole positions, and two wins. We ended up 3rd in the championship by year's end.



That same year was my first time trying a "real race car", testing a Rolex GT car for Turner Motorsport, as well as competing in Petit LeMans in Lou Giglotti's ALMS GT2 Corvette.

The following year (last year) I joined up with a factory GM GS team, Stevenson Motorsport driving in the classic looking #6 Sunoco Camaro. The season wasn't record-breaking, but I did learn a lot about a developmental series.



I also got to play around with the Stevenson Motorsport Rolex GT car at the 24 Hour of Daytona as well as the Doran Racing Daytona Prototype in New Jersey and Utah. Once again, the lessons learned were incredible. The DP race also set my record for the fastest progression through the Grand-Am series: ST to GS to GT to DP in just three years.





This year has been exciting so far. I was joined with John Edwards back in the Stevenson Camaro GS.R, this time minus the Sunoco livery. John is an incredible driver that did complete the classical path to professional racing, being a karting champion in Europe, the youngest person to hold an FIA license, the youngest Star Mazda champion, youngest Atlantic champion, etc. We have had more mixed success but did take the first laps lead, the first pole, and the first two wins for the new Camaro. I've also had a couple good stints in the Doran DP as well as the MSR Riley DP.







So as I said, just introducing myself here. Also showing that you can take an odd route and make it to a pro level. Don't let anything deter you-- just make whatever you'd like happen!

P.S.
Yes, that is Juan Pablo Montoya in the 10th picture. He's not as mean as people make him out to be!

[Paul D]

Welcome to the forum Mike.

May I be the first to congratulate you on what appears to be a very interesting career so far. You've certainly been lucky enough to race some pretty impressive machinery to date. How many on this forum would love to get behind the wheel of some of those? Me for one!

I found myself nodding in agreement (and having a little laugh to myself!) when I read the part about how you learnt car control the hard way - that's exactly how I did it too. And it did result in a fair few wrecks, not all of them belonging to me either. Oops! Some of that took a bit of explaining at the time...

[JohnD]

Welcome, Mike.
I've raced for twenty years. No one has ever paid me to get in a car, I've never won anything (except a class win in a field of one!).
And I have had so much fun!

THAT's what racing is about. The people you meet, the problems you surmount with what you have, the personal achievement. Glad you're doing well, and congratulations. Keep on doing it, even if things go flat!

John

[Peat]

Hey Matt,

Welcome to 10/10ths. Quite a CV you have there!

I shall keep my eye out for you're results.

Cheers

Pete

[Paul D]

Oops, sorry Matt - just realised I called you Mike in my original post!

Apologies for that, the sentiments remain the same...

[MBellRacing]

Thanks for the kind words! What John said is always true. I think the true test of who makes it and who doesn't is all about their attitude. Regardless of what happens, their outlook, needs, and wants are what will make a universal impact on their career. If they're looking for the money, they'll often make hasty decisions which will send them in odd paths. I've done this for passion of the sport, passion of speed, and I've been rewarded so far.

A word on the differences in racing cultures around the world:

First off, I REALLY want to race in Europe. I grew up less like the conventional "good ol' boy" from America and was born into a very Euro-friendly family, buying only BMWs (usually old, ugly ones...) and the like, rarely cheering for the muscle brands. Over the last few years I've worked with people that have had enormous success in Europe and they've given me some insight in the the differences. It seems there are more teams (or team owners) that realize racing is going to cost some money, and they hand out more free rides or even pay slightly more often. The true "pros" are usually kept in a much more sterile environment and not peppered in to amateur ranks as is the case out here with our Grand-Am and World Challenge series. I've also been told that it is hard to be considered one of the "pros" without having the classical upbringing in motorsport-- often karting followed by formula followed by the ultimate career choice. That all said, there are still hundreds (thousands?) of people in America and Europe that would love to race professionally but did not start out as a toddler.

The solution: a manager. No, I'm not talking about some Hollywood open-shirt, big sunglasses, gold chain fellow-- I mean someone who has contacts and can get a budding driver their "in". My manager, Eric Burch of P1 Groupe, has been incredible for me. Moving me from a paying position at Turner Motorsport, to a paid position (only 0.5% of the industry here in the U.S.) at Stevenson Motorsports. He's also just recently found a way to put me in contact with NASCAR and get me my Nationwide Series license as a road course "ringer". He has also been the biggest source of sponsorships, working mostly on a percentage of what he brings me to go racing.

I'm not saying Eric is the right guy for everybody, but the truth is that European young racers often rely on teams, parents, themselves to find rides, make connections. This skill is excellent and even necessary for a starting racer, but if you're serious about succeeding, a manager can be very helpful. Managers are not extremely popular out here either, but they are taking hold. The whole industry is becoming more efficient. Each driver is becoming a business, not an employee of the larger industry itself.

Anyway, that's just my two cents. Take it for what it's worth. If anybody is interested in talking to Eric Burch of P1 Groupe, let me know, I'll make the introduction myself. I love seeing new talent make it big in this sport, and you never know, a contact is a contact and I want to race in Europe!

[MBellRacing]

Sorry for the delayed response! I tried to write one a little while ago and the forum decided it wasn't worth posting I guess. This is after typing for about 15 minutes... let's try this again...

Thanks for all the kind words, everyone! What John said is particularly true. Nobody that has joined this sport for money has ever made much from behind the wheel. The success stories are of people that took every step in their career for the passion of the sport and stopped at nothing to be the very best they could be. The pay check is just a bonus.

A word on cultural differences in motorsport between the U.S. and Europe (or the rest of the world):

First off, I REALLY want to go racing in Europe. It's been a dream of mine for a long time. I've always been that American rooting against the "home team". That said, after speaking with a number of career racers from both ends of the planet, I've come to realize a few things. European race teams and owners understand that racing is a lifestyle, and not always a place to bring in a ton of money-- at least not from drivers. Due to this, it is common to see more free/cheap/paying rides at a moderate competition level in Europe than over here. Another interesting thing I've found is that "pros" in Europe (or people considered to be pros) almost always had the classical upbringing and are never peppered in with amateurs in the field as is the case here with our Grand-Am and World Challenge series. The better way to put this is that the top series in Europe are nearly devoid of drivers we call "Pro-Am" which is to say they are amateurs racing in a pro series and are paying their way in.

Another thing I've learned, one that can illuminate a means to enter a more professional level and, indeed, become a paid pro is that managers are rare in European racing below the top professional level. To be honest, managers are rare in America, but they are popping up all over and severely increasing the efficiency of the sport by turning every driver into a sustainable business in the industry, not just a nomadic shoe for hire. Now when I first heard of one of my teammates having a manager, I thought of some chubby Hollywood guy with an open shirt, gold chains, and big sunglasses. This wasn't the case. Soon after I met him, I hired him for myself! Eric Burch of P1 Groupe has been the largest source of rides, sponsorship money, and PR opportunities in my career. He was able to take me from a paying position at Turner Motorsport and put me in a paid position (just 0.5% of the industry in the U.S.) just one year after he began working with me. He has brought me such a diversity of rides through his enormous contact list that I have a still-standing record of competing in every class in Grand-Am in just three years. Recently he has even found a way to put me in contact with NASCAR to get my Nationwide Series license as a road course ringer.

I'm not intentionally boasting, just showing what can be done with a manager that knows how to make connections. I'm not implying that Eric is everyone's ideal manager, either. All I'm trying to say is that it may be useful to hook up with someone that has a thick book of contacts, especially while it seems few others in Europe are attempting this route. Many books I've read from European race car drivers, especially older ones, speak of always "putting yourself out there", making connections yourself. While this is a useful talent, often a driver is busy figuring out how to drive, especially with the work-intensive, computer-oriented modern race teams.

I'd love to race in Europe myself, again, something I've wanted to do since I was very young. I'm already working with Eric to get a ride out there. So far the only issues have been scheduling and licensing-- again, with the classic karting background missing, I'm not taken seriously very often. If anybody is interested in speak to Eric Burch, contact me. He is a good friend and and incredible asset to my business of racing.

[JohnD]

Matt, sorry, not Mike,

Depends what level you are at. With a UK race licence, it is only possible to race in the UK in event on the FIA International Calendar, or where the organisers have entered their race with their respective National Sporting Authority (ASN - in the UK, the MSA) on their "National Events with Authorised Foreign participartion Calendar". Most race organsisers don't do this, as it is expensive!
For a UK driver in Europe, in the second type of race, your licence must be a National 'A' licence - club racers usually have a 'B', but the 'A' only requires a little more experience and of course a bigger fee. I don't know about International licences, except that there are A, B and C grades, the first two being governed by FIA regs, not the MSA.

Having said that, I have tried to enable US friends to have a race in the UK while they have been on a visit. The MSA insist that Americans apply for a UK licence, take the usual one day training course (£3-400) and "surrender their US licence". Helpful, they are not. Friends have found that the opposite, UK racers visiting the US, has been a 'breeze'. They have been welcomed, y the club(s) and had their licencing process eased.
Maybe this is one example where Good Old American Competition works - there is (I believe) more than one motorsport licencing organisation.

The UK has some superb race circuits (as does the US, of course) and is the home of circuit racing, so lots of heritage and history. I know Americans who dream of racing here one day, but they dream on. So I wish you the best of luck.

JOhn

[Gerry Taylor]

Really interesting post. How the modern way differs from the sixties and seventies. Thank you Matt.

[MBellRacing]

I know a number of UK drivers who have made decent careers out here. I raced with Ross Kaiser at the 24H of Daytona this year and have been on a team with Robin Liddel for quite some time now. There has to be a reason why more Europeans come here to race than Americans go to Europe. As I said, I feel much of this can just be the view taken on help versus being helped.... Still want to race out there!