Hello everyone! This is my first post on my DriverDB blog. First, I am going to introduce myself.
My name is Rodrigo Marb?n, and I am a 21-year old driver from Mexico. I am currently competing in the NASCAR Mexico T4 Series, and also in the Mexican Pick-up Truck series.
Both series are quite different to each other, which is great because as a driver starting your career, it’s good to get your hands on as many types of cars as you can.
The T4 Series is organized and sanctioned by NASCAR Mexico, which is a regional branch of NASCAR that operates in my country. Almost all the races are held on oval tracks, except one or two every year that are held on road courses. As you probably know, NASCAR racing is quite popular in North America.
The cars we run in the T4 Series are 4-cylinder “mini stock cars” that are built using several of the original components of ordinary road cars. As a result, the series is relatively inexpensive in comparison to others, while there is a very high level of competitiveness on the track. The series uses 2-liter engines, and there are three different car models participating: the Dodge Neon (or Plymouth Neon as it is called in some countries), the Mazda 3, and the Chevrolet Astra (known as Opel Astra in some places).
Our races are 1-hour long and serve as the opening of double-header events that also include the NASCAR Corona Series, which is the premier racing series in Mexico.
To enhance my racing experience, this year I made my debut in the Pick-up Truck Series. The trucks are very powerful (V8, 300 HP), and it is quite difficult to drive them at the limit, so it is a good place to learn. I am enjoying the challenge so far!
With the trucks, this year I had the chance to drive in the support races for the A1 Grand Prix event in Mexico City, and the WTCC at Puebla. It was unbelievable to be racing on the same track, on the same weekend as some of the greatest drivers in the world!!
So this is it for now; in my next blog post I will talk about how racing is in my country, and how we use racing as a way to help disadvantaged people. If you want to share your thoughts, please be sure to drop me a line: rodrigo@rodrigomarban.com
Have a nice week!
Rodrigo
