Why aren't more Black and Red run group drivers.........
06-26-2010, 09:52 AM
#121
There's a great Peter Egan column from 20+ years where he and a few SCCA racers meet a guy with an expensive daily driver who tells them "I've always wanted to race."
Egan's friend (somewhat rudely) replies "no you haven't." After an awkward silence Egan's friend takes the guy through how selling his expensive daily driver could easily fund a tow vehicle, trailer and competitive SCCA car.
Maybe it's an abbreviated schedule, a spec series or a kart, but if you've always wanted to race, you will.
Egan's friend (somewhat rudely) replies "no you haven't." After an awkward silence Egan's friend takes the guy through how selling his expensive daily driver could easily fund a tow vehicle, trailer and competitive SCCA car.
Maybe it's an abbreviated schedule, a spec series or a kart, but if you've always wanted to race, you will.
06-26-2010, 06:29 PM
#122
Burning Brakes
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"If you drive a 944 to the track AND race it, now that's commitment."
Did that and _still_ couldn't make it work. I will admit that for me, at least, racing was a much bigger kick in the pants.
I instruct now, and that is truely fullfilling on it's own level, but I rarely even go out in the Instructor run groups as without a full prepped car, I just don't feel comfortable in a stock street car.
Did that and _still_ couldn't make it work. I will admit that for me, at least, racing was a much bigger kick in the pants.
I instruct now, and that is truely fullfilling on it's own level, but I rarely even go out in the Instructor run groups as without a full prepped car, I just don't feel comfortable in a stock street car.
06-27-2010, 12:07 PM
#123
Rennlist Member
I remember my father telling us, "you can never afford to race... You race because you love it! If you love it... You will find a way to afford it!"
06-27-2010, 03:04 PM
#124
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06-27-2010, 03:56 PM
#125
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How many times do I have to mention I have a near-zero budget for extraneous activities like this at the moment? It's nice you've got seemingly unlimited funds to run whatever, wherever at your whim. I don't. Maybe good fortune will shine on me again. In this economy, with who is running it, and what they want to do to anyone who gets even a couple of bucks ahead, I don't see it. Those of you who do have it, enjoy it to your fullest.
06-27-2010, 05:07 PM
#126
Nordschleife Master
How many times do I have to mention I have a near-zero budget for extraneous activities like this at the moment? It's nice you've got seemingly unlimited funds to run whatever, wherever at your whim. I don't. Maybe good fortune will shine on me again. In this economy, with who is running it, and what they want to do to anyone who gets even a couple of bucks ahead, I don't see it. Those of you who do have it, enjoy it to your fullest.
06-27-2010, 05:48 PM
#127
Burning Brakes
06-28-2010, 11:12 AM
#129
GT3 player par excellence
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06-28-2010, 11:41 AM
#130
Burning Brakes
Here we intermingle the DE run groups with the race practices, can't do both.
All the stuff about racing costing more misses the point of why many of us race. I race because it is exponentially more fun than running around the track with cars that aren't close to mine in either power or skill. I'm currently on a tight budget and only race when I can scrape enough cash together to do so. That doesn't include a $1200.00 set of R6's (last ones I bought were WGI race 6/09). I'm relatively competitive on tires someone thought were used up and truly feel it's ME, not the tires, that are holding back a win from me. If I got to a point where racing my 911 just became impossible I would sell it and race a 944 until things changed or I die.
Why don't people race? It's WAY more that "it's too expensive", which is a joke if you look at the cars some people track. New GT3's, CUP Cars, GT2s, $100K 911s, and on and on. If you drive a 944 to the track AND race it, now that's commitment.
All the stuff about racing costing more misses the point of why many of us race. I race because it is exponentially more fun than running around the track with cars that aren't close to mine in either power or skill. I'm currently on a tight budget and only race when I can scrape enough cash together to do so. That doesn't include a $1200.00 set of R6's (last ones I bought were WGI race 6/09). I'm relatively competitive on tires someone thought were used up and truly feel it's ME, not the tires, that are holding back a win from me. If I got to a point where racing my 911 just became impossible I would sell it and race a 944 until things changed or I die.
Why don't people race? It's WAY more that "it's too expensive", which is a joke if you look at the cars some people track. New GT3's, CUP Cars, GT2s, $100K 911s, and on and on. If you drive a 944 to the track AND race it, now that's commitment.
I have tracked 88, 97, and 2008 Carreras in DE until starting Club Racing this year in D class. The cost of the car is way less than each of my last two DE cars and fun quotieint is way more. Granted the per event cost for just consumables is double or more, but so worth the extra cash. As far as having to win to have fun, it is nice to be competitive but not required, because there is usually someone you can race within the race.
Even when things go wrong, like yesterday's black sprint at VIR that was red flagged then black flagged due to incidents at the front and the back of the field on the first lap, the ensuing five lap race when we got back underway was the most fun I have ever had on the track.
06-28-2010, 11:55 PM
#131
LOL, I took a year off between DE and racing and at the time, I told my friends that DEs were starting to feel like masturbation where you don't even finish the job.
By comparison, racing is like sex with a **** star.
However, to complete the analogy, sometimes (like the LRP race) that has meant that I finished the event before the real action started.
By comparison, racing is like sex with a **** star.
However, to complete the analogy, sometimes (like the LRP race) that has meant that I finished the event before the real action started.
06-29-2010, 07:30 AM
#132
Nordschleife Master
LOL, I took a year off between DE and racing and at the time, I told my friends that DEs were starting to feel like masturbation where you don't even finish the job.
By comparison, racing is like sex with a **** star.
However, to complete the analogy, sometimes (like the LRP race) that has meant that I finished the event before the real action started.
By comparison, racing is like sex with a **** star.
However, to complete the analogy, sometimes (like the LRP race) that has meant that I finished the event before the real action started.
06-30-2010, 07:50 AM
#133
I race both a SM and a open wheeler. I usually have a lot more fun in the SM just because of the competition. No matter your talent level or budget, you will have at least two cars at your pace to battle with an entire SM race. If you're not smiling ear to ear after a SM race, you either crashed or need to bump up your prozac dose.
06-30-2010, 08:23 AM
#134
Rennlist Member
Absolutely agree! That's the easiest excuse in racing. Almost anyone that already races can take their budget (initial capital cost and recurring variable/consumables expenses) and pick a class where they can afford a competitive winner car.
Why don't just they do that? It's the only way to find out how far are you as a driver from the the front (but it is always more comfortable to have an excuse)
Why don't just they do that? It's the only way to find out how far are you as a driver from the the front (but it is always more comfortable to have an excuse)
06-30-2010, 11:35 AM
#135
Drifting
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I race both a SM and a open wheeler. I usually have a lot more fun in the SM just because of the competition. No matter your talent level or budget, you will have at least two cars at your pace to battle with an entire SM race. If you're not smiling ear to ear after a SM race, you either crashed or need to bump up your prozac dose.
