I wonder...

In reply to Curmudgeon:

Smart ask.

JoeyM wrote: Worry and deadlines take the fun out of this.

Oh, agreed! That's why I want to win the lottery and just "arrive and drive" for the rest of my life!!

In reply to Toyman:

I love technical things. I got deep into racing R/C because in no small part that stuff was (and still is) on the bleeding edge of technology. Reworking and improving something like that just grabbed the part of my brain that needs stimulation.

I raced dirt bikes because of the adrenalin rush but also because I had a monstrous plaything to disassemble, maintain and improve.

I race cars now because I still get that adrenalin buzz but don't hit trees as much.

I got a kick out of reworking this house because at the end I had a solid feeling of accomplishment; I could look at solid evidence of my work. And yes it was a PITA while I was doing it.

When I'm 'done' with a project on the race car or the bike or the Jensen or etc, I get that same feeling. I can't imagine I would ever feel the same doing something else. I suppose the great composers felt that same way when done with their masterpieces. Or big game hunters when they bag that elk. Whatever. Twirling wrenches is my way.

I'm heavily into racing, as most of you know. It's what I dreamed about since I was about 14.

Mechanical things have always interested me, especially in the way they work, but in a more practical manner of why they usually WEREN'T working.

I equate if I wasn't a gearhead that I'd just be another ignorant, blissful 24 year old with a nice house, nice clothes, and probably hang out a lot with friends drinking beer on weekends and cruising around in any car I wanted that'd cost below $60k.

The memories and achievements are worth it though. I got to admit, cars and racing go hand in hand, for myself, there isn't one without the other. I do like having a nice car, and reading about all things cars, but I wouldn't be in as deep as I am without the racing bit. I'd also rather race then wrench, but when you are po' like me, you gotta do what you gotta do

Toyman01 wrote: I'm not sure I am a gearhead. I'm more of a design/build person.

That's exactly how I feel. I'm certainly not a traditional car guy....I'm just a DIY guy who took on the biggest project I thought I could handle; fabricating an entire car from scratch. I told someone last night that fabricating body panels makes sense to me. Engines still scare me....I don't know how to do most of the things that are traditional "car guy" stuff. I'll learn it when I get there, but right now, that stuff bothers me.

I think of the chassis and body panels as being like an art project....panel bashing as a form of sculpture. Yeah, I'm definitely more of a DIY project person. I've already told several people that when this is done the next project is probably an acoustic guitar.

HiTempguy wrote: The memories and achievements are worth it though. I got to admit, cars and racing go hand in hand, for myself, there isn't one without the other. I do like having a nice car, and reading about all things cars, but I wouldn't be in as deep as I am without the racing bit. I'd also rather race then wrench, but when you are po' like me, you gotta do what you gotta do

This is the kind of thing I was talking about yesterday. I think it's one of the reasons I still enjoy flagging, especially a club race on a track that still lets us respond to accidents. Yeah, I don't get to drive anymore, but I'm still a part of it somehow. Weird thing, though..racing w2w screwed me up for autoX. I only got to do it about 7 or 8 times before the marriage went belly-up, but that's still the benchmark for me. AutoX is fun, but just doesn't give me the same thrill.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong?

friedgreencorrado wrote:

HiTempguy wrote: The memories and achievements are worth it though. I got to admit, cars and racing go hand in hand, for myself, there isn't one without the other. I do like having a nice car, and reading about all things cars, but I wouldn't be in as deep as I am without the racing bit. I'd also rather race then wrench, but when you are po' like me, you gotta do what you gotta do

This is the kind of thing I was talking about yesterday. I think it's one of the reasons I still enjoy flagging, especially a club race on a track that still lets us respond to accidents. Yeah, I don't get to drive anymore, but I'm still a part of it somehow. Weird thing, though..racing w2w screwed me up for autoX. I only got to do it about 7 or 8 times before the marriage went belly-up, but that's still the benchmark for me. AutoX is fun, but just doesn't give me the same thrill. Maybe I'm doing it wrong?

See I'm the opposite, if I'm near a racetrack I get sick to my stomach from wanting to race so bad. Years ago I got hooked up with guy who ran late models at a local circle track. I helped him for maybe half a season before the overwhelming desire to race took hold. I just had to stop going. A couple years later he started running a regional touring series running midgets. He called and asked if I wanted to go with him to race in three different states over the weekend. We hit a small paved track in Columbus, OH, a very small dirt track in the middle of nowhere, IN. and then finished up at the Michigan Ideal Raceway. It was the most awesome trip in my life. I haven't been to a race track since. I knew there was no way I'd ever be able to race and I just can't be exposed to it.

'Racing is an addiction which makes heroin look like a vague longing for something salty'.

That's a lot of it for me, I am never so alive as when I am on the ragged edge of traction. Like nicsta43, if I get near racing it drives me batty if I am not competing. Autocross is cool, but W2W and hillclimb offer bigger thrills.

But I also get a big charge out of fixing something, or coming up with a solution in my head and seeing it work.