RaceNewYork
RaceNewYork Discussion => Racing Discussion => Topic started by: laffman on August 20, 2010, 06:31:49 PM
-
I thought i was gonna be done racing, but dam it is hard to get away. I find my self wanting it more and more. Why????????? Should i jump back in or stay out? Tell me what you think even if you don't know who i am. I am sure you know someone in my spot.
-
It's addictive! The struggle to get the perfect setup, the perfect lap......... I'm thinking about cutting back to a partial season next year and I can't imagine knowing the races are running and I'm not there--we'll see how that works out. I guess when you're not racing, you remember the fun and the thrill and forget the HOURS of work that it takes. When you're at this point in the season and you are racing, you just tend to remember the HOURS of work and forget the fun.....That's my opinion, for whatever it's worth. You just have to decide if the 12 minutes of fun each week are worth all of the time and effort and if you have the time to devote to it to do it right.
-
As I've told people before, racing is worse than any drug addiction you could think of. I "got out" twice before.. first from Micro Sprints, only to get back in again in 2001 to run Street Stocks and Sportsman. In 2007 I sold out with no intentions of getting back in. In the mean time I have been working for a Grand-Am team, working on and even driving the cars. Unfortunately this year, after finally being happy with the decision to not race (after 2 years struggling with it) someone gave me the opportunity to go racing again and needless to say there is a new Bicknell sitting in my shop, despite my better judgement. moral of the story, don't argue with it, don't deny it, don't fight it. No matter what, in the end your going to be racing anyway.
-
It truly is an addiction. I was active for 30+ years and 'retired' when it got to not being fun anymore. I stayed away from the track for all of 10 years then last week my daughter said we're going to the races. I figured after being away that long, it wouldn't be too bad. Well, as soon as the cars got on the track, all those feelings came back in an instant!!!! I guess the good thing is, I'm too crippled up to climb into a car again!
The best advice I can give you if you want to get out of racing is, find something else to do! It's hard and it takes a long time to get over it!!! Almost like being an alcoholic is the way I treat it. It's not fun to get over and will always be there!!! Good luck!
-
dont know ya but just a thought for what its worth...did you have a Heart to Heart w/your 5 Biggest Fans(top 5 knows best)....cuz it sounds to me like you KNOW what you want to do ;D i been addicted for over 25 yrs & im just a fan ~ i KNOW i cant live w/o it...eat breath & sleep it ~ is there 12 steps fur this ? lol if so i'll avoid it "RACEoholic for LIFE !" 8)
RACE ON !
-
I would say that until you can't imagine what else you would be doing on race day, you're still hooked on racing... When it gets less like fun and more like work, than maybe it's time to start imagining... I'm not at that point in my life yet... Will I get there eventually? Who knows... I do know this- If I quit racing, I'll do it "cold turkey"... There won't be any occasional visits to the race track to see how my old buddies are making out... I'll be on a big ol' boat somewhere and you'll never see my checkered shorts again... ;)
-
;D.......LOL COLD TURKEY !....thats how its dun ~ there aint no question
RACE ON !
*& the top 5 best fans are usually always the closest ppl to ya
-
I love the smell of the racing fuel LOL and the thrill of a first time winner taking the checkers. Honestly, the last race of the year at Holland when you had 3 sst mods going for the championship 60 10 and 91.
The drama of not knowing who will be the champ.
60 and 10 get together then the 91 is in the points lead. Then the 91 had issues and then the 10 takes over and the 2nd last lap the 10 spins and the 60 wins the championship. As a non driver, Man I was hooked since. In the LAMOT division you had the 2, 0 and 99 going at it every week last year was cool to.
One day I will race.
Sorry Fiebs Jr and Evans for that memory but that got me hooked.
-
Its easy to quit i've done it a 100 times.
-
It is an addition I've only been doing g it for ten years and even when you work on car as much a full.time job I still love it it makes it worthwhile when you have that good run
-
I thought i was gonna be done racing, but dam it is hard to get away. I find my self wanting it more and more. Why?????????
LOL that happens
-
best way to get out of racing is to never get in it
-
I'm not really sure what keeps us all coming back week after week. Once, after destroying my car two week in a row my wife offered to buy me a new boat AND a new Harley if I quit racing. Let's just say she saved a lot of money.
-
I'm not really sure what keeps us all coming back week after week. Once, after destroying my car two week in a row my wife offered to buy me a new boat AND a new Harley if I quit racing. Let's just say she saved a lot of money.
I bet by time you get out she wouldn't have and she knows it lol ! n
Thanks for all the advice!
-
Getting out of racing is easy. Just go completely broke doing it and you'll be out in a jiffy. ;)
-
Quiting is for losers. You dont ever see the guy winning every other week quit. I've got out of racing a few times and once again going back next year. It does make you look at racing with both eyes wide open. I knew I didnt want to race in the same class any more and after watching this year I'm going to finally move up. Id rather be a back marker and have fun then to play second fiddle to anyone.
-
“P-s-s-t. Hey kid c’mere for a second. How ya doin’. I got somethin’ here I want you to try. Take a couple of these. No go on, take ‘em. Here, take a couple more for your friends.”
He was smooth and he should be. He had been pushing for close to twenty years. For the purposes of this interview we’ll call him Mr. X. He spoke with me only with the stipulation that I would not reveal his true identity.
“Ya gotta start ‘em young, the younger the better”, X grinned, revealing a gap toothed smile. “What better way than free tickets. Get ‘em to the track where they really FEEL the vibrations from 8 cylinders pumping out horsepower and they’ll keep coming back for years, maybe for their entire lives.” He paused and sneered with malice, “Or worse yet, become drivers or car owners themselves.”
I asked X what role NASCAR plays in the scheme of things. “The Organization? Yeah, back in the day they was important. But now? They hurt the cause more than help it. Just the other day I was tryin’ to impress this doll and told her I was involved with racing. You know what she said? ‘Oh you mean that stuff on TV...it’s boring.’ Boring. Can you believe it?” There was fire in his eyes now. “I told her if she only knew what it was like to get out there on the track with 20 other people, all going expletive deleted to the wall she’d change her mind real quick.”
I sensed an opening and pushed. “X. The truth. Have you raced before?”
His breathing slowed and his head dropped a bit. “Track champion in Street Stocks 10 years ago at ---- Speedway.” He was gazing off into the distance. “Long time ago. It’s over now. I tried it for a few years and quit it. Cold turkey. I ain’t never goin’ back behind the wheel.”
I knew a little bit more about Mr. X than I had let on to him at the beginning... I went for the jugular. “Maybe you’re not going racing again X, but what about your son? Your very own flesh and blood.”
His head snapped up and he glared at me. “What d-d-do you mean?”
“You know very well what I mean Mr. X. Your son races go-karts every Saturday and has been for 2 years now.”
He stammered, “I-I-I-.” But the truth was too much for him and he broke down sobbing.
Now it was my turn to smile. As an agent for the Anti-Race Quitting League of America (AKA RaceNY) it was my job to search out “the quitters”, break them and get them back out on the track. Mr. X was right on the edge. A little corporate sponsorship from my friend and benefactor, Mr. Rodjers, CEO of K&M Filters would be all that it take to send X over the brink. As Mr. Roggers was fond of saying, “I seen a lot quit but I seen a lot come back to it to thou.”
-
“P-s-s-t. Hey kid c’mere for a second. How ya doin’. I got somethin’ here I want you to try. Take a couple of these. No go on, take ‘em. Here, take a couple more for your friends.”
He was smooth and he should be. He had been pushing for close to twenty years. For the purposes of this interview we’ll call him Mr. X. He spoke with me only with the stipulation that I would not reveal his true identity.
“Ya gotta start ‘em young, the younger the better”, X grinned, revealing a gap toothed smile. “What better way than free tickets. Get ‘em to the track where they really FEEL the vibrations from 8 cylinders pumping out horsepower and they’ll keep coming back for years, maybe for their entire lives.” He paused and sneered with malice, “Or worse yet, become drivers or car owners themselves.”
I asked X what role NASCAR plays in the scheme of things. “The Organization? Yeah, back in the day they was important. But now? They hurt the cause more than help it. Just the other day I was tryin’ to impress this doll and told her I was involved with racing. You know what she said? ‘Oh you mean that stuff on TV...it’s boring.’ Boring. Can you believe it?” There was fire in his eyes now. “I told her if she only knew what it was like to get out there on the track with 20 other people, all going expletive deleted to the wall she’d change her mind real quick.”
I sensed an opening and pushed. “X. The truth. Have you raced before?”
His breathing slowed and his head dropped a bit. “Track champion in Street Stocks 10 years ago at ---- Speedway.” He was gazing off into the distance. “Long time ago. It’s over now. I tried it for a few years and quit it. Cold turkey. I ain’t never goin’ back behind the wheel.”
I knew a little bit more about Mr. X than I had let on to him at the beginning... I went for the jugular. “Maybe you’re not going racing again X, but what about your son? Your very own flesh and blood.”
His head snapped up and he glared at me. “What d-d-do you mean?”
“You know very well what I mean Mr. X. Your son races go-karts every Saturday and has been for 2 years now.”
He stammered, “I-I-I-.” But the truth was too much for him and he broke down sobbing.
Now it was my turn to smile. As an agent for the Anti-Race Quitting League of America (AKA RaceNY) it was my job to search out “the quitters”, break them and get them back out on the track. Mr. X was right on the edge. A little corporate sponsorship from my friend and benefactor, Mr. Rodjers, CEO of K&M Filters would be all that it take to send X over the brink. As Mr. Roggers was fond of saying, “I seen a lot quit but I seen a lot come back to it to thou.”
Yo dog you cray-zay!!!
-
LMAO... Bob, that was brilliant. I loved the dig at the end! Nice, very nice.
-
...just going for the laugh...glad you liked it.
-
I would have to say it would be hard to quit because we are all 1 huge family ,from the Sportman cars on 1 side of me or the streetstock on the otherside ,how about another team , we all work and help each other do what we love "RACEL my wife actualy told me to buy the car I run , her and my boys have helped work on it when I've had a bad week or 2 , I'm hooked for life and I owe it to quite a few people ,look 4 that post after our season is finished. Go with what your heart says.
-
Dude im not addicted......I just do it for fun........sometimes.......I have quit before and can do it again.But don't choose to.When its time to quit it will be a sinch.....LOL!!!Now i have heard that before!
I think if i didn't race i would be chasing some other high.Thinking about it and geting butterflys in the belly when i think i might be doing it.Spending what i would consider "my play" money on it.Just barely swinging the bills some weeks but antisipating on a future side job or check cause i had to buy some engine parts."It all works out in the end" i tell the wife.She agrees.Some weeks are bad.Some are good.Some i wish i had never even built a car.Some weeks i get so high of even thinking of racing i think of it more than sex.Sometimes i even compare racing to sex.But sex doesn't hold a candle to the rush of racing.LOL.(kinda kidding)
The smell of high test,the roar of the big blocks,the smell of grinded rubber,Impact wrenches clicking away,The franticness of geting everthing right for the heat.the fans looking through the fence,the looks of my kids when they point at me showing other kids "thats my daddy" on line up.The fans in the stands watching you while the announcer says your name.The clay balls that hits your face sheild,The chase of the car ahead of you and the.........FOCUS.....This is what really gets us.The driving part.I mean drive a car in traffic then drive one on the track.Definatly two differant worlds.On the track there is nothing there.NO problems from home,no problems from work,just you and the car.How it's handeling and how you are making it handle.You are so focused on it because you need to be.You have to focus so you can think and adjust for the track situation.This is what is our addicton.The "ZONE".Addrennline at its finnest.
I have had other addictions.One that had me loose everything i had.In the hospital for 30 days to get out to being homeless with a baby and step children.I moved from florida to here because of it and i was lost for months after moving here.I built mud trucks there.Trucks that just went through mud.Nothing glorious.But i built,and i drove,and i lost.Lots of mony worth of parts and lets not forget about the time it takes to build something.I live 5 miles from a race track.The 4 cyls was a place i knew was my home.Something i could do myself and teach my kids.never even owned a 4 cyl.Now its all a own but my family/car hauler.Big a$$ van.
I am glad for my addiction to racing.If it wasn't for that i may resort to other things to get my rush.My step children and daughter get everything they need,Play sports,practicly spoiled.I still get my fix and momma loves the fix she gets too.Watching me buzz around a track.Seeing all my free time that i spend on my car paying off when i finnish top 5 in a field of cars that have 3 times the money in them i do.
Sorry for the rant...but racing is addicting but it isn't bad for your health.Just enjoy it if god has giving you the chance to enjooy the rush of it.
If getting out.....well,see around.Or send pics of the bungee jump.LOL.
BTW.I am totaly drunk so don't yell at me.
-
You might pose this question to KT or Racerdad.
-
uticamike ...that is a easy one to answer. The joke around my house when anyone ask where I'm at.the answer was always the same...he is working. Because in order for us to Field a race car I had to work to pay for it. some days I may work 3 or 4 different jobs. I take vacation from working the firehouse job so I can work at another job. I work the Fire house, drive school bus, U.S. Coast Guard, Home repairs, painting, car dealer delivery, really if you have a job needing to be done i don't turn any work down. So my wife has had to go to events alone,or with my sister or daughter filling in for me. because someone called and needed work done that day. same old story....work first everything else when I have time. Race car work time came in when everyone else was home sleeping.. I would get started working on the race car around 8pm to 10 pm until the list of what needs doing is done if that is 2am or 4am then get some sleep and back to work could be 7am to 9am depending on that days work. Ben had a work list and he worked on the car when his work day finshed. So the job of racing became more of a job than it was for fun. We are a good family who loves the time spent at the race track hoping to do our best. and for what. I have taken one vacation for 8 days to Walt Disney world for Deb and my 25 wedding anniversary. When I work nights at the fire house I'm gone from home for 2 nights and 3 days get home late that evening. that happens every week. so my wife sits home alone 90% of the time. but she lets it happen and supports our racing so I can do it. Well since we stopped racing I'm not under so much stress anymore. I don't have the weekly dead line and I'm enjoying life a little more. If the track never came out with that stupider yellow line bull$hit chances are we would still be there. I talked to anyone who would listen at the track that that yellow line just makes the racing suck. was told don't like it hit the road. our fans people we know said they would not go to the track if they keep up with the yellow line $hit. I passed that all onto Amy. they felt like keeping the line. what ever. not my call. I told Amy over the winter my racing days we coming to a end it was getting to be to much work and not as much fun. trust me nothing I would like more that to still be racing but I want a tire that will last more than one 30 lap race. 2 out of the 3 weeks we blister the hell out of the tires. one had a big chuck missing maybe it is not the tire maybe it is our set up or our driver but last year we never had any trouble with the tires. and I don't race yellow lines. I emailed Amy told her we would try to get back and asked what the rules were now for that yellow line...she replied back but nothing on the rules for the line....So I'll wait. Maybe next year we will try again but I would really like to sell out and do some thing else. Maybe we will head to SCCA and do the Watkins Glen road racing for fun. I'm home at night and still working my a$$ off but the wife and I are having more fun than we have in the past 10 years so she is happy...and you know when the wife is happy everyone is happy. Now I sit in the stands and watch enjoy the show just like others. I'm not hard to find and will be glad to talk to anyone look me up.
Don Reynolds
-
Wasn't hard, the hard part is STAYING out.................
-
most of the time folks just hang around the same place to long. you know what i mean. once you know how the play goes and who the players are its time to move on. much like the sport of politics. the only difference between the two is sometimes the politicians get punished instead of rewarded. :-X
-
No matter how long you have raced...or how long you have been idol from racing you are always going to have that itch to do it just 1 more time...lol ive been a flagger for 21 years..retired at the end of 2007..said to myself..thats it No more im done. lol yeah right. I still. get that itch to see if i still have it in me just 1 more time!!! probably never happen but it will still be there for years to come...WHY? because after awhile you respect what you have done and ya Love the sport .... so to answer that question do i or dont i.. (Follow your heart) there within lyes the answer. gl no matter which way you choose . aslong as YOU know youve made that right descision.
-
I tried motorcycles, I tried boats, I tried all sort of outdoorsy things, I tried living life the way normal people do.
Guess what, I ended up back at the track racing again. There aren't many things in this world that can feed the competitive nature of a racer. Its part of what makes us very unique. If you don't find anything to replace the craving, it will never go away....
Now quit mopping around and get back to work on your damn race car!!!
-
The thing is that when you quit you get rid of everything. Then when you get the itch you upgrade, after you do this a few times your youngest wants to race. BANG big smile, make Dad happy buy go cart then street stock, late model, SST. Son getsmarried, same old ----. Thereis no getting out!!!!