Well, I'm still caught up in the off-season gloom, waiting for the snow to melt and the local tracks to open. My car is currently a useless hunk of metal sleeping for the winter, an expensive toy I can't use until the season begins. I therefore can't help but look to the past and the future because race-wise, now is boring as hell.

At lunch I was thinking yet again how cool it will be to get the car out to a race event this spring (looks like May 8th will be my first race of '05). It got me thinking about the best parts of a race weekend. There are several, like the feeling that you're starting to string together some good laps after a practice session, the euphoric feeling after a race that went at least as well as you had hoped, the restaurant after the race, etc.

However, when remeniscing about past events, I realize that I'm not taken back to battles on track or my best laps... In fact, my favourite part of the weekend is when I first arrive at the track, usually on the Saturday morning... you're scoping out a paddock spot, checking out how many guys in your class showed up, waving or nodding as you slowly drive by the drivers and teams you know... The feeling of anticipation is not unlike the feeling you get between the moment your steak is set on the table by the waiter and the moment you take your first bite. That totally does it for me. The feeling is even stronger if it's my first ever visit to the track in question.

What do the other drivers here have to say on this topic?

 

When working the event:
- "bookler flagging"
- running around trying to find the best place to watch the races.
- interacting with ALL the HC people, reteching after contact, fire, anything.
- Lunch with the MM crew, aka widowmakers, and the family feel of the younger members.

When in HPDE:
- Getting feed back from MM instructors in other cars in front or behind you
- Interacting with all the guys, learning from each other and talking with all the instructors.
- SATURDAY NIGHT in car video night at the hotel when 3 beers makes me want to pass out at 8pm.

EDIT: no real order above... just high points of the weekend.

the thing i dread... opening event at VIR when we end up anual teching ALL night... but the rest of the weekend ALWAYS makes up for it!

 

oh, so many things. The start of the race season 'round here usually marks good weather so it's nice having the sun shining on your face and warm weather outside.

-the roar of race motors
-seeing people and catching up
-getting on grid for the first time of the season is like no else. It's the best feeling and then after a warmup lap or 2 just letting it rip is awesome.

man, i can't wait.

s

 

" That one guitar - - - felt good in his hand - - - didn't take long - - - to understand"

Scott, who also likes to smell a hint of bean oil now and then...

 

1. Waking up walking out of my tent and seeing all the people and cars.
2. Friends that I haven't seen
3. Getting on the track and forgetting about everthing else that exists in the entire world
4. Waking up to the sounds of cars starting
5. Making instructors wonder if my CRX will ever make it around the track

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">3. Getting on the track and forgetting about everthing else that exists in the entire world
</TD></TR></TABLE>

+1

I have to say my favorite part is being on grid waiting to run for the first time (even if its an autoX) before the times start coming in, knowing that at this point and time, anyone can win the event and that nothing is set in stone beyond what you've brought to the race. I'd imagine winning is pretty special too, but I've yet to experience that particular joy yet.

 

i miss the friends!!!

 

As crew cheif..

After being nervous for the past hour on if a last minute change to the car was the right choice ( even though changes should not be made before the race). Watching your driver go out on the first lap and pick up 5 placesl, because you know the driver loves the new car he is driving.

As Driver...
Being out on a track having a great time, chasing down a car.

 

Dinner with everyone after the Raceday.

 

Quite often for me it's dinner after the day is done. Some of the best stories...anyone who knows Bryan Shugg, ask him to tell you the one about the BMW that smelled like a library and was full of bees...

 

I like the start of the race...all the adrenaline...going four wide into turn one...yeah, that is what i like...

 

How exhausted you are after battling with someone for 30 mins, and how good icey cold gatorade tastes as you sit around with your teammates talking about the awesome race day, going over moves and passes made while going over lap times.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Toad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
3. Getting on the track and forgetting about everthing else that exists in the entire world
</TD></TR></TABLE>

There are many things so it's hard to pick one. Hanging out with other people who love motorsports (it's like a club), the mental preperation, and other things.

But your one statement above is so true. It's the only time where one focuses 100% on the task at hand without distraction. When I in the car I am using 100% of my physical and mental ability to do one thing..............GO FAST and wring every last drop out of the car.

When doing other tasks I tend to let my mind wander. Sometimes on raod trips I literally go into deep thought and never remember visually going through a town or area.

This simply doesn't happen when you are taking turn 2 at Pocono at 130 +.

It's great to get out of the race car after a race and being totally exhausted. I experienced this feeling of exhileration and sheer exhaustion the last couple of race weekends battling Carpenter for the H4 title.

Most people who know me, know that I am always the last one at the track on Sunday packing up and usually the last one to take off my nomex suit after a race. I simply don't want it to end.

Nothing comes close

Regards,

Jon P. Kofod

 

sprint races-
saturday night incar video's, on the side of the lock's RV.
getting your first good lap in.


enduro race-
doing the first pit stop and having it go good
the early morning sun IS WARM and makes for a nice time to nap

 

Being with racing friends, and soon to be racing friends.

The standing starts.

The Saturday night awards, with all the enthusiasm and support.

Sunday afternoon, being able to drive the car onto the trailer.

 

Anything that happens at VIR - getting a Drumstick after lunch, flat-footing Southbend, sitting on the deck drinking a beer after the last race, being able to use a clean, grown-up crapper rather than a plastic box...

K

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CRX Toad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">3. Getting on the track and forgetting about everthing else that exists in the entire world </TD></TR></TABLE>

This is it totally for me, to be able to feel like I live in a world where this could be what I do for a living, where nothing from the usual daily gring even comes close to enterring my mind.

The people and the comraderie of the whole Honda Challenge crowd runs a close 2nd.

Sam

 

This is easy, the best part for me is the following Monday when I can brag on the interent about who I beat.


Ok, seriously, I LOVE STARTS! I live for them - there, I said it. Now if I could only stop sucking at them...

I also really love impound after a race - everyone's on a huge high, either good or bad. You relive the race, the passes, etc of the race you just had and sometimes get to see some pretty hot heads (sometimes directed at you). I always have a really good time at the Saturday night party too. This is when everyone's pretty relaxed, you get to catch up with all of your racing friends, they all have stories to tell of the days races, and all have plans for the next days races.

Of course all of that goes to the wayside if you find yourself in this postition

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krbobcat &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Ok, seriously, I LOVE STARTS! I live for them - there, I said it. Now if I could only stop sucking at them...
</TD></TR></TABLE>

You took the words right out of my mouth. Good God that's a rush.

 

Spending every cent I have on the car/weekend. Oh wait that is why I am going to kill myself.