How to become a stunt driver?

Booner! · 26 Mar 2007 at 23:35

Me and my friend were wondering..

How DO you become a stuntdriver?

My friend is a nutty driver and pretty much scares the cack out of me even in his previous Matiz 800cc!

We were discussing the best path to becoming the next stig!

Any experience, help or links?

Booner! · 26 Mar 2007 at 23:40

MNuTz said:
Go and do some serious track days and get tutored in race tracks and rally driving. Then its a case of applying to manufacturers as a test driver, get into racing, start apply to TV companies for work.

You can also go to stunt man school.

Stuntman school sounds interesting, any info on this?

I am not a nutty driver. My friend doesnt perform stunts on the road, but really wants to get into test driving and stunts with cars.

Booner! · 26 Mar 2007 at 23:52

The_Dark_Side said:
where exactly does he scare the cack out of you then?

the fact that he can straight line a roundabout at 50-60mph (at night,open road!) in a Matiz...

Booner! · 26 Mar 2007 at 23:56

The_Dark_Side said:
everyone thinks they're fanastic behind the wheel.
few really are.
and even fewer make a living out of it.

Im not saying he is fantastic and he also doesnt think that. however he can shift gears pretty quick and has some skills that most dont.

All i am saying is this guy has his heart set on it..to be a racer, a stuntdriver where he can safely exploit his talent.

He doesnt have a very rich upbringing and so isnt used to riches either, its not about the money for him, its hard to understand

Booner! · 26 Mar 2007 at 23:59

MNuTz said:
Booner! wasnt in that conversation was he???

im confused!

Nope.. not me :confused:

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:09

The_Dark_Side said:
sorry to rain on your parade but...

you're simply not qualified to accurately say that.

that he supposedly has.

how long has he been driving?
what cars has he driven anywhere near a period of time resembling something extensive?

sorry to sound harsh but a kid in a corsa (matiz i know) does not demonstrate the coming of the next Russell Swift.

Look, I didnt ask for you to determine:
A.) if I am qualified to judge peoples skills
B.) Tell my friend is a "kid" in a corsa
C.) Comment on what skills my friend might possess

All i asked for was help to find somewhere or information on how to become his dream.

I didnt say he was the next coming of the stig, but thats his role model and boy do i want to help him reach that

This guy hasn't got anything to loose and his one passion in life is to make use of what talent he has at the moment.

Did people tear your dreams apart when you were a "kid"...

Im sorry but that is just the way you have come across...not constructive to this thread at all

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:16

Tom|Nbk said:
There's your answer/s, cut the attitude.

Attitude?

Yes, im looking for a broad range of people to offer what experience they may have in this field. Who knows how many people are stuntdrivers here or know of drivers with racing experience.

al123 said:
Try something like THIS.

Perfect! This all really helps!

I am putting together a nice present for him seeing as he been through some tough times and need a pick me up

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:22

The_Dark_Side said:
a reality check is the most contructive reply of all.

now i can change my opinion if you can honestly tell me your friend has years of experience, has driven a multitude of different cars, can handle 4wd as well as rwd/fwd (they all require very different techniques) and has extensive experience with powerful cars...otherwise it's all pie in the sky for him.

No, this is why i am trying to set him up on the right path, rather than turn 50years old and realise he can drive a 4x4 up a hill *quite well*

This guy has luck.

This guy can drive.

He also has a motive, which provides his enthusiam for cars and driving. I am just making sure he does put these skills to safe and most like rewarding path to success.

Age is not the factor here, nor experience, he has it all ahead of him, so why not start now

and when (if) you stop treating it as fun and get competitive

Surely that defies the whole point in doing it..as if you want to become good at something you should enjoy it..

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:28

MNuTz said:
no offence but that was a bad thing to say, people will now use that against you!

Id rather have skill than luck, luck runs out!

why would they want to use it against me?

You can gain skill...Luck is something which can be hard to come by as its hard to find!

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:43

its got nothing to do with me, he just wants to be a stunt driver. His passion to cars will lead him great places eventually.

He has great reactions and timing, he is a pretty good go karter too..

But he wants to learn further skills to add to his already growing knowledge.

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:45

The_Dark_Side said:
you can gain SOME skill, not necessarily enough though.
you're born with certain inherant abilities and if you don't have the right stuff then no amount of experience/practise will let you go the last mile.

you could take a thousand schoolboys and have them play footie all day everyday...do you think you'll get 1000 Beckhams at the end of it all?
no, probably not even one.

yet i have lots of friends and not exactly new to being in a car with someone, my dad raced at silverstone etc a while back and used to ride with him.

all im saying is he wants to become a stuntdriver and ASPIRES to become his idle the stig.

For instance, you see gareth gates and will young become famous and they all had idles and made it there in the end

I am not comparing his skills to the stig though, just trying to help him wher ei can to get him as close to that as possible!

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:48

I know im treading on your "turf" as a racing driver, i was just expecting more support in the area of actually getting answers and experience from a positive side of things that actually provides some benefit to read.

Not being funny, but I dont want a debate, just answers so Im not going to bicker further as your missing the point of the thread, sorry

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:56

The_Dark_Side said:
^
becoming involved in motorsport is the best way to go.
the stopwatch doesn't lie, you're either quick or you're not.

To be a stuntdriver? I would have thought speed helps to a certain degree but speed comes with accuracy and car.

Im talking about actually Stunts and tricks

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 01:02

The_Dark_Side said:
do you know what autotesting is?

Driving the car to its limits pretty much

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 01:39

Akira said:
At least we agree on something.

Let me elaborate. You want to help your mate out, get him a gift voucher for a trackday or something, then he'll see if he really CAN handle a car as well as you think. Coming on here and saying your mate wants to be a stunt driver because he can change gear really quick and scares the crap out of you by 'straightlining roundabouts' in his Daewoo Matiz (ffs) does you no favours whatsoever. Tell him to slow down and channel his energies, when he hits something in that car it's going to kill you both, trust me.

He hasnt got a matiz, if you re-read the OP i said his previous car. He is now on his 3rd i think, never crashed, but that is why i am scared that he will become too "streetwise" for his own good. Trying to make him aim for something more reasonable.

I dont want lessons in life nor motors, i will come knocking on your door for wisdom when i need it thanks, im doing just fine as a "Kid".

I am merely here to get him the best possible chance of at least attempting to reach his goal.

And yes i have been looking at it and suggested it already, why would i disregard the information presented to me, i took his term and researched it. it was very helpful

Booner! · 27 Mar 2007 at 13:36

ThomP said:
Hi. My advise is:-

+ Join a karting school, go weekly. obtain a membership pass, Making karting cheap!

+ If he can afford buy something like a 205 GTi, XR2 or similar and do at least one trackday per month. Road trip + camping + trackday weekend = a lot of fun

+ Think about using said car ^^ in competition, Hill Climbs/Sprints is fairly cheap, or rally school or similar. My area has tonnes of said ^^ clubs, who will help you get started and provide free advise.

+ Good luck & its good for him to have a mate like you. Just drive safe bud.

That really helped cheers,

I am looking into something maybe I could buy and we work on it together to make a trackday car.

A.) I would gain valuable experience with cars and how they work!
B.) he could then put some effort into driving in a more suitable environment.