Questions & Answers

Kart to Car is LeadFoot Racing's all-inclusive driver development program. It's built for racers ready to step up from karts, quarter midgets, or sim racing into a full-size race car. We provide the car, the crew, on-track coaching, sim training, fitness guidance, and sponsorship support — everything you need to compete in NASA Spec Miata without buying and building your own car first.

A race-prepared Spec Miata, full crew at every event, on-track coaching and data review, sim training between events, fitness and preparation plans, sponsorship acquisition coaching, and hospitality at the track. You focus on driving and getting faster — we handle the car, the logistics, and the mechanical risk.

The program is primarily built for young drivers ages 13 to 25 making the transition from karts or sim racing into cars. That said, age isn't a hard cutoff — anyone serious about developing as a driver can talk to us about a fit.

Some background helps — karting, quarter midgets, autocross, or serious sim racing all count. But you don't need a competition license or prior wheel-to-wheel experience. Part of what the program does is get you licensed and race-ready. If you're a total beginner, reach out and we'll talk about the right starting point.

Yes. Sim racers are one of the groups the program is built for. Years on iRacing or other sims build real skills — racing lines, race craft, throttle and brake modulation. The program bridges the gap between the screen and the seat. We have a full blog post on the sim-to-real transition if you want to read more first.

A Spec Miata — a 1990s Mazda Miata built to a tightly controlled spec class. Spec Miata is one of the most popular and competitive classes in club racing because the cars are equal, so driver skill decides the result. It's the ideal car to learn real wheel-to-wheel racing in.

We race with NASA in the Rocky Mountain region — primarily at High Plains Raceway near Byers, Colorado, and Pueblo Motorsports Park in Pueblo, Colorado. The 2026 season includes six race weekends across those two tracks.

The 2026 season is six NASA Rocky Mountain race weekends, spread from spring through fall across High Plains Raceway and Pueblo Motorsports Park.

Our standalone Spec 7 arrive-and-drive rental program has wrapped up — we've focused everything into the Kart to Car program and Spec Miata. The all-inclusive philosophy is the same: show up, get coached, drive. It's just now part of a structured development pathway rather than a one-off rental.

Full-season packages start around $30,000 and scale based on the tier and what's included. Because it's all-inclusive — car, crew, coaching, tires, fuel, entries, sim training — that number covers what would otherwise be a much larger DIY budget once you account for buying and running your own car. We also build custom packages. The application is the best way to get exact numbers for your situation.

Owning and running a Spec Miata yourself runs $25,000 to $45,000 all-in for a serious season once you account for the car, trailer, tow vehicle, tires, entries, and the inevitable surprises — and that's before coaching. The program bundles all of that, removes the mechanical risk, and adds professional coaching and sim training. You're paying for a complete development system, not just a car rental.

The LeadFoot Racing scholarship funds a Kart to Car season for a deserving driver — fully funded, no cost to the driver or their family. It's funded through merchandise profits and direct sponsor commitments. The goal is to make belief, not budget, the thing that decides who gets to race.

The scholarship is aimed at young drivers transitioning from karts to full-size cars. The ideal candidate is eager to learn, a genuinely good person, and serious about the opportunity — it is not awarded purely on raw speed. We review every application personally.

If we hit our funding goal, applications open in December 2026, with the scholarship awarded in March 2027. The best move right now is to join the scholarship waitlist — it puts you in line for notification and helps us show sponsors that real drivers want this.

Motorsports carry inherent risk — we never pretend otherwise. What we control, we control tightly: every driver wears full current-spec safety gear (helmet, suit, gloves, shoes, head-and-neck restraint), the cars are prepared and inspected to class safety standards, and drivers progress at their own pace with professional coaching rather than getting thrown into the deep end. Detailed waivers and safety briefings are part of every event.

A current-spec helmet, racing suit, gloves, shoes, and a head-and-neck restraint. We can guide you through exactly what to buy — and through our partner OG Racing, drivers in the program have access to quality safety equipment. Budget roughly $2,000 to $5,000 for a complete first gear kit depending on the brands you choose.

You should know that we treat driver development as a long-term, structured process — not a thrill ride. Drivers wear full safety gear, progress at their own pace, and get real coaching. We're transparent about cost, safety, and what a race weekend looks like. The best thing to do is reach out and talk to us directly — we'd rather answer every question up front.

It's a set of free and paid resources that teach racers how to find sponsors, prove ROI, pitch effectively, and build a personal brand. It includes a free pack of 25 sponsorship email templates, The Ultimate Sponsorship Blueprint ebook, and more resources in development. It exists because the cost barrier to racing is real, and sponsorship is one of the most powerful ways to offset it.

Yes. Sponsorship acquisition coaching is part of the Kart to Car program. We teach drivers how to identify the right sponsors, build a pitch, prove ROI, and manage the relationship. Landing sponsors is a learnable skill — and for an active driver, it can offset a meaningful chunk of a season.

No. All digital product sales — ebooks, courses, templates, bundles — are final. Because digital content is delivered instantly and can't be returned, we don't offer refunds on it. If you have questions about a product before buying, reach out and we'll help you decide if it's right for you.

Fill out the Kart to Car application on our website. It asks about your racing background, your goals, and what you're looking for. We personally review every application — there's no automated filter — and we'll be in touch to talk about whether the program is a fit.

We read your application personally and reach out to start a conversation. From there we talk through your goals, the right tier or custom package for your situation, and what a season would actually look like for you. Applying doesn't lock you into anything — it starts a real conversation.