Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and other NASCAR leaders better start looking in their rear-view mirrors a bit more…

That’s because Mike “Speedy” Scharnow just might be coming up on their tails any second now.

I’ve never been a “car guy” or much of a race fan, but that’s about to change because now I’m a seasoned autocross expert.

“Autocross,” for all you racing neophytes out there, is the generic term for taking your own car to a special racing event where it’s you against the clock and a bunch of orange cones.

My 19-year-old son Zac heard about this sub-culture that I never even knew existed – a modern-day organized and safe alternative to the decades-old tradition where guys with muscle cars meet for a drag race.

The Sports Car Club of America – billing itself as the “largest amateur motorsports club in the U.S.” – organizes a variety of events on a regional and national basis for those guys (and a few women) who still feel the need to pump up their testosterone levels, test their driving skills and show off their pride and joy.

My son is the proud owner of a Ford Focus (oh, excuse me, Ford Focus “ST”) that screams tangerine as it cruises the town and autocross courses.

So for some unique father-and-son bonding time, I went along with him to a solo race adjacent to the Firebird International Raceway.

Never mind that I haven’t driven clutch in decades or actively sought out car races where you’re gunning it around corners and pumping the brakes in hopes of not spinning out and getting booted from the competition.

The adrenaline flowed as I got behind the wheel in my first heat with Zac riding shotgun.

Wearing mandatory helmets, we were motioned up to the starting line. Ready, set, go!

Crap. DNF.

My first race of 70 seconds around the obstacle course didn’t officially count because I missed a series of three slalom cones. Minor details…

My next heat came in at 5 seconds less (no cones missed). From 65 seconds I pared it down to 63 and eventually my lowest time of the day was 57 seconds – not bad for an old conservative newbie at the amateur track.

My son’s best time was 51 seconds, and the fastest time came in at 44 seconds (not sure how that was even possible).

But, I’ve discovered that early in the morning there’s nothing like the smell of burning tire rubber, overheated engines and brake pads turning into toast…

Some of these “amateurs” take this stuff quite seriously, however, trailering in their precious babies and checking the tire pressure after each run. It’s their all-consuming hobby, I suppose, topping those folks who choose to collect salt and paper shakers.

So now the big question is – should I buy a Mustang GT for future autocross events or a Harley for my own idea of fun? Hmmm…