Help a SLR Newbie to Take Good Pix

Point the camera in the right direction at the right time.

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When you're getting started, work first on framing. Try to get the subject to fill the frame as much as possible. Put the camera in full auto or Program AE and concentrate on capturing the best image possible in the frame. Don't worry about settings at first, worry about filling the frame. Concentrate on getting used to the patterns of motorsport and the best angles at which to capture cars.

After a couple of years' experience, you'll have advanced to the point that you can develop different techniques, but it's too early for a beginner to move in that direction. Start with the basics of framing action for a while, and find as many events to photograph as you can find. After experience with the basics, you'll be ready to try something more advanced.

Sound advice ^^
... whilst you are at it, maybe also learn about panning with moving objects to keep them sharp whilst everything else starts to blurr ... this goes hand in hand with what DC Fan said, and helps you gain more "subject isolation" - you don't need to be at a track to do this, stood (safely) by the side of a road shooting will be good start for learning.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/leedownham/5105​516290/
Lola T70 #27 by Lee Downham, on Flickr

Once you are happy with framing shots nicely (read up about the rule of thirds whilst you are at it) and panning, your next steps should probably be in to learning about exposure and the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, and the effects these two factors have on your images (for subject isolation, etc) ...

Slow shutter speeds bring with them more motion blur (as in the shot above), whereas fast shutter freezes the action like everything is stood totally still ... learn when to use slow and fast shutter speeds to get more evocative shots (do this in Tv mode)

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/leedownham/4882​151736/
Noriyuki Haga passing Michel Fabrizio by Lee Downham, on Flickr

Learn about apertures and depth of field too (Av mode) ... big apertures (the ones with smaller f numbers ) will give you more background blur ...

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Blue eyes and his bear by Lee Downham, on Flickr

... whereas small apertures (big f numbers) will bring everything up sharp. Uses for this again are for subject isolation (big apertures) or to bring everything sharp and into focus (such as landscapes, foreground and background objects).

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/leedownham/5041​127231/
Tonel Beach at Sunset - Sagres, Portugal by Lee Downham, on Flickr

... most importantly ... take it slow and steady and enjoy it