Getting a Partner Interested in Motorsport

[SouthAussie94]

I love motorsport.. My Girlfriend on the other hand has very little interest and knowledge of the sport. She has expressed a desire to learn things and to attend events however I fear that she could be put off completely if the event isn't the right sort.

Does anyone have any tips for how I could introduce her to the sport from their own past experience? Or do people believe it could be a lost cause?

Cheers

[Peat]

My intuition tells me it's a lost cause, and i know that i don't have the patience to teach someone from scratch what i have picked-up in the last 20 years.

I prefer to keep it as 'my thing' anyway.

Picking the event will be key. A friend of a friend brought his girlfriend along to Silverstone with us for the WEC 6hr. That was a bit much for someone who'd never seen a racing car before. They split up shortly afterwards. True story....

[Tim Falce]

What is there to learn, she'll either like watching cars race or she wont. If she's interested she'll get to know what's going on, if not buy her a horse it's easier.

[bella]

peat's right, the event choice is key. also, make sure you pick someone to support together in each race during the day, easy way to engage with the race. an event with lots of sprint races is probably better than half an hour or longer. the big events are good for the lots of people, lots of shiny wealthy things around. that can be pretty addictive. smaller events are good if she's a social creature and will talk to people about their cars in the paddock.

if she's keen to go and give it a go then you've already won half the battle to be honest

[johngee]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

What is there to learn, she'll either like watching cars race or she wont. If she's interested she'll get to know what's going on.

You never know what happens when you let the 'genie out of the bottle'. I took 'somebody' (known to some on here) to Snetterton about 7 years ago.
She's ended up holding a clerk of the course licence and being chairman (chairperson if you want to be politically correct) of a motor racing club.
Be careful what you wish for ..... it may come true!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by johngee

You never know what happens when you let the 'genie out of the bottle'. I took 'somebody' (known to some on here) to Snetterton about 7 years ago.
She's ended up holding a clerk of the course licence and being chairman (chairperson if you want to be politically correct) of a motor racing club.
Be careful what you wish for ..... it may come true!

So It's all your bloody fault.

[garcon]

I'm sure John has frequently wondered exactly what he unleashed that fateful day....

[GORDON STREETER]

You will find that if she has a girlfriend that goes along as well things will be a bit smoother !

[Al Weyman]

The ladies like the social side more and meeting with other drivers wifes and girl friends so it important to make sure she gets to meet the regulars even better it you are racing with a club so the same people turn up and make sure you take her to the end of season awards ball! My other half knew absolutely nothing about the sport and if truth be known probably doesnt know that much now but she enjoys going and meeting up with the other racers and their partners.

[Tim Falce]

Al, I could be wrong but I get the impression that SouthAussie is not a racer and more likely a keen spectator.

[Al Weyman]

Ah right may be a bit more of a problem although I have always found the ladies to be reasonably keen on the sport. Gotta be better than a soccer match for them surely!

[TWRv12]

A spot of karting or circuit drive day might help get the adrenaline pumping

A friend with little or no interest got a corporate ticket for the British GP, came away loving it.

[GORDON STREETER]

As long as there is an escape like shops or a market nearby my other half loves giving her credit card an airing along with her mate

[Tim Falce]

Why would anyone want their partners coming racing with them anyway. My wife came to my first race and we both agreed after that she'd never go again.

[Chigley]

Some good close exciting races that thrill and are easy to follow i.e. a well supported club meeting. Definitely not 4 cars spread equally round a circuit churning round lap after lap for an eternity.

[Chigley]

Why would anyone want their partners coming racing with them anyway.

So they can do the driving home while we have a snooze...... isn't that what partners are for?

[GORDON STREETER]

My other half moans like hell if I drive fast on the road but screams and shouts her head off to egg me on at the circuit, no pleasing them !

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

My other half moans like hell if I drive fast on the road but screams and shouts her head off to egg me on at the circuit, no pleasing them !

My wife moaned at me that I drove too fast and too close to the bloke in front, that was at Brands.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

So It's all your bloody fault.

Genie???????

[formerf1champ]

Originally Posted by SouthAussie94

I love motorsport.. My Girlfriend on the other hand has very little interest and knowledge of the sport. She has expressed a desire to learn things and to attend events however I fear that she could be put off completely if the event isn't the right sort.

Does anyone have any tips for how I could introduce her to the sport from their own past experience? Or do people believe it could be a lost cause?

Cheers

Your best chance are the bigger historics meets, I think. They're easily the best events to attend as a spectator. They are only events a person not interested in motorsport has the faintest chance of having a decent time.

[Down F0rce]

You could try and combine it with a larger holiday. She might be more interested in coming along if she knows for sure that she'll have some fun of her own, and if she likes the race it's a bonus. Monza is a fairly short train ride away from Milan, for instance.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

Your best chance are the bigger historics meets, I think. They're easily the best events to attend as a spectator. They are only events a person not interested in motorsport has the faintest chance of having a decent time.

Errr, that's a rather sweeping statement - personally I don't particularly enjoy the historic meetings and they would bore my other half senseless (loads of cars she doesn't recognise driven by people she's never heard of). The most important thing is to give them something to relate to - be that cars they recognise (BTCC or maybe historics if they're historic ) or drivers they know or at least have heard of.

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

You could try and combine it with a larger holiday. She might be more interested in coming along if she knows for sure that she'll have some fun of her own, and if she likes the race it's a bonus. Monza is a fairly short train ride away from Milan, for instance.

I've done that one (not as exotic though - combined Norfolk with Snetterton BTCC ).

[formerf1champ]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Errr, that's a rather sweeping statement - personally I don't particularly enjoy the historic meetings and they would bore my other half senseless (loads of cars she doesn't recognise driven by people she's never heard of). The most important thing is to give them something to relate to - be that cars they recognise (BTCC or maybe historics if they're historic ) or drivers they know or at least have heard of.

So over there, you've got Goodwood and the Silverstone classic, but you're going to take your partner to see the BTCC because Jason Plato is there?...Alrighty then...

[Paradise City]

I thought the OP was about getting a business colleague to sponsor motorracing or something. That's hard.

Getting the other half to like it..well, that's nigh on impossible!

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

So over there, you've got Goodwood and the Silverstone classic, but you're going to take your partner to see the BTCC because Jason Plato is there?...Alrighty then...

Yes. Goodwood and the silverstone classic generally feature cars that are older than we are (although the Super Tourer race at the Silverstone classic would be worth a look - particularly if it was at a better circuit). Historics really are of little to no interest.