Here’s my dilemma. Scott “Catch” decided to come down and race the Daytona ECR in May. Scott asked me for some in car footage of Daytona. So, I find my 03 run at Daytona that I had Dave Junkins co-drive with me. Did I mention we finished 3rd that year Well, before I start burning a copy of the video, I watched the first few laps of the race and start talking to myself of what I should have done and what things I did do right. Now, I’m getting all exited. I’m not going to be able do the Daytona ECR because both GBRacing families are going on a Disney Cruise that weekend. I’ve worked so much over the last couple of years that this cruise is long over due. Anyway, I looked at what’s ahead on the schedule for Daytona and see both an August event and a September event. GREAT! …. And this is where the dilemma starts. I don’t know why. Well, I do but it’s more of a stupid thing that anything but I decided to sell my current ITA/H4 CRX and started building a new racecar. Yup, a perfectly good car for the “hey, there is hope to race for my favorite Honda of all times.” This was last year. So here I am 6 months later. My CRX hasn’t sold and now I have a rolling chassis with a cage it. So, what do I do?

A. Continue to race the CRX until it sells with the off change on spending money on repairs
B. Use my home line of credit to finish building the new racecar so I can race it


I was dreading being in this position but here I am. I’m not really sure why I decide to post this but I’m feeling kinda low right now. I sometimes wish I hadn’t committed to building another car, seeing how I’m taking such a dive my CRX. Anyway, you don’t have respond but thanks for hearing me out.

 

Assuming you don't wreck it...

Having a race car out in public and doing well in it is a great way to sell it IMO. Put some "For Sale" decals on it and go racing.
That way you get to race and rationalize that its helping to sell the car.
I'm a jeenious!!!

Assuming you don't wreck it...

Scott, who assumes no blame if he wrecks it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Having a race car out in public and doing well in it is a great way to sell it IMO.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes it is.

Then again, once it's gone, you start having cravings...

...which is bad news.

 

I'm with Scott.

Race it with great big for sale signs on it. The way I see it, there are 3 things that can happen in this scenario.

1) You sell it because you are kicking butt.

2) You wreck it and sell the parts.

3) You fall back in love with the car and take it off the market. (Happened to me)

Either way, you get to have fun, which is the reason you built the car in the first place!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITACRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... B. Use my home line of credit to finish building the new racecar so I can race it...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Seriously. OMG, no.

This is the point at which the risk to other things in life - home, family, relationships - are way too great. Most divorces are over financial issues, and a large proportion of racing activities end with money problems.

K

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Seriously. OMG, no.

This is the point at which the risk to other things in life - home, family, relationships - are way too great. Most divorces are over financial issues, and a large proportion of racing activities end with money problems.

K</TD></TR></TABLE>

I agree 100%!

Richy,
I sold my race car thinking I could build something better but it didnt happen as planned. The reality is I would be a better and happier racer if I had kept the old car and worked on it and myself.

But what happened was I sold my car, had cash sitting for a few months waiting and watching and eventually IRA contribution time came and byebye race car money. I will probably regret it UNTIL i retire but right now its a pretty irritating fact.

My advice to you is DO NOT GO INTO DEBT FOR RACING! A heloc is a pretty safe bet but in my mind racing doesnt warrant debt that you cant crush at a moments notice!

So as others have said, run what you got because it works, and yours works damn well! and when a buyer comes along pounce! But the reality is your probably going to sell the car at a time you do not want to! IE your winning, your winning the season or you are just satisfied with the car.

But the ***** in your court! If you want to go to the new car have your brother race this one for the PR or maybe try ebay ?

Best of luck and hope the family is well

~Jonathan

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Knestis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Seriously. OMG, no.

This is the point at which the risk to other things in life - home, family, relationships - are way too great. Most divorces are over financial issues, and a large proportion of racing activities end with money problems.

K</TD></TR></TABLE>

Um, yep. How bad do you want to race that new car? Enough to be doing it while living in a van down by the river?
Race the CRX. The more races you drive it to (and finish well in) the more you are advertising it.

Be thankful that you have a family that will support your racing activities and that will tolerate having 2 cars sitting around that you can't drive to work.

If something happens and the car needs extensive repair, start parting it out if you don't want to put the money back into it. And cheer up. having choices is not a bad thing.

 

"A" is the only answer.

Add my name to the list of guys who sold their perfectly good racecar in order to build another and lived to highly regret it. I can unequivocably say that selling my winning, nice ITA CRX was the single worst decision of my life and started off a seven year retirement/sabbatical that I am only now nearly climbing out of. I sold my ITA car for what was at the time a record price for one and had a specific plan and in theory almost all the money to build the new car but now years later I am still technically an ex-racer who has been kicking himself for years.

If you like racing and have a good racecar currently, especially if finances may be a bit tight on building another, use what you have and do what you enjoy now. Your dream is a new car, your reality is that you have a good one now.

 

Alright. Thanks to everyone for pointing out the obvious. Since I'm not willing to simply hold and wait until it sells, I'll be racing CRX again. Now, this doesn't mean that the CRX is coming off the market but it will mean that I will be racing. Again, thanks!

...and for any that might be considering the CRX, make an offer. The "firm" is off.