Thrill of a Lifetime

UberDrive Magazine

Racing… just the thought of it sets y’er blood pounding. The competition, the strategy, the speed. Ultimately, it’s like a game of chess played at 1000x speed. The quick and the dead. Heh! If you’re not quick, you’re dead. Yes, there are connotations of this that are less than savory these days. The popular media is rife with stories of ‘street racing’… of those simple idiots that think with their little heads instead of their big ones. Regardless of the shame brought upon the rest of us by those adolescents that couldn’t make it in a 4-H club, we search to find an outlet for our impulses. These are certainly not anti-social tendencies, because whether the venue be Formula 1, World Rally Championship, National Hot Rod Association or simple parking lot competitions, there always remains the thrill of victory and the "I’ll be back next time" repartee of defeat.

Are we villains for tangibly expressing this most fundamental of human traits? Far from it. I can tell you from personal experience that the individual most likely to resist a street racing challenge, or a road rage encounter, is someone that has just been through a high performance driving event. On the way home, the highway antics of society’s most maladjusted individuals are simply beyond ridicule—they remain only to be pitied. If they could only understand that you have been to the top of the mountain and seen all there is to see, they would not dare to mess with you. Alas, that is not to be so. It is a burden you will bear until the end of time. Continue reading at UberDrive Magazine

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Posted at 8:40 am in UberDrive Magazine

Comments

Gary Faules
Dec 11, 2008 at 4:31 am

GT,

What area are you from?

GTwildfire
Dec 11, 2008 at 4:21 am

I wish there were a closed track or winding roadway like the Nurburgring that was close to where I live.
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No joining anything or complications, just a place to come, drop down a few bucks in exchange for not worrying about cops or grocery getters on parade or the rat race.
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Just me, the car and a tangle of roadway with no restrictions.

Gary Faules
Dec 11, 2008 at 3:59 am

I must agree with Steve, it is indeed very well written and the two parts I appreciated most were, “I can tell you from personal experience that the individual most likely to resist a street racing challenge, or a road rage encounter, is someone that has just been through a high performance driving event. On the way home, the highway antics of society’s most maladjusted individuals are simply beyond ridicule—they remain only to be pitied.” and the part where he said, “simple parking lot competitions, there always remains the thrill of victory and the “I’ll be back next time” repartee of defeat.

With all due respect, at the same time I would have liked to have seen something in Don’s article explaining that not everyone has to be shot in the ass with diamonds to get involved. I know he didn’t mean to be disrespectful but with so many young people under the huge misconception that only the well-to-do can afford to get involved at track events I would hope all good writers like Don would make an attempt to let them know they too can get involved even with little or no money. Granted, they won’t be sliding into a formula car or a sling shot on the first weekend but none the less there and MANY good ways to get started. Too many in fact to list but there out there if only they were made aware of them.

I don’t know of a grassroots team that wouldn’t appreciate some extra help around the paddock and that’s a great place to get started learning and usually leads to many doors of opportunity. Over the years I have even given a few race cars to people who have been of great help to me in and effort to help get them started. It feels good to give back to the sport that has given me so much and I’m not alone. Even if you don’t own a car most racing organizations have plenty of volunteer positions available which in turn can lead to free track time and even instruction. After all you have to learn to crawl before you walk so helping in the pits is as good a place as any to learn to go fast. It’s all about getting yourself into the right place at the right time and that parts free.

More than a few guys and gals who thought they couldn’t afford to get involved got their beginnings by attending auto cross events. Don’t laugh if you haven’t tried it. It’s a hell of lot more challenging than it looks and the fact is it’s one of the best ways to learn to drive including how to heel & toe, brake, find exit and apexs and more all of which come in very handy when you finally do get on the track.

The point is, too many young people believe all the schools are out of their reach and honestly many of them will tell you they get the impression many racers who have been to these schools look down at them with a snubbed up nose as if to say, “I’m better than you.” Honestly it’s hard not to give that impression when you see them acting like fools on public highways Right or wrong, nonetheless that’s the general feeling amongst many of them and one of the biggest reasons they find it difficult to get more involved. We owe it to both them as well as the sport of automotive racing to help get each and everyone of them involved, off the street and on the track.

Steve
Dec 11, 2008 at 1:41 am

I can tell you this.

1. This blog post deserves a comment, because it’s very well written. Good work.

And 2. I have seen street racing in Japan. It’s very different than in America.. VERY different.

I don’t condone it, but overseas in Japan, I see no problem in it.