Racing: Why do you do it? Just curious

[trackdog]

You all spend ALOT of money racing. Now I for one know that ifn you wanna play you gotta pay....but actually racing is expensive. I'm looking back at ripping up the trails on the dirtbike with all my buds, even making a track in the woods, and having alot of fun. Costs was minmal. Now I'm not comparing roadracing to dirt. We are all gown up and some of us are earning a decent paycheck....but come on..between entry fees, tires, repairs, etc, not to mention the bike and trailer, bike set-up, and a vehicle to haul everything, were taliking some serious cake here! On any given weekend there has got to be 100 of you guys out there. Where is all the money going(quote from Jay)? If you take all that money you spent on racing and invested it......? ...or put it into your homes.....all of you are there pretty much every weekend!

*side note: I picked up a spanking new Haga Replica Mille out of T6 last weekend...no.. the bike wasn't paid for! And now he's spending money on repairs as well as making a monthly payment!

Honestly, ifn I could afford to race, I would love to be banging bars out there with all of you...OK....so I'm a hypocrit on the money issue...

Getting back to my original question, I'd really like to know why you all are willing to spend thousands on just having a good time, while risking serious injury. Do you believe that someday you'll get sponsered and not have to pay for all of this? And if its just for fun, why not just do trackdays or open practices?

Or is racing just a temporary thing to past the time? Giving to the old adage " You only live once" , might as well enjoy it!?




I am an adrenaline junkie

I have been attending LRRS events since the late 80's and only recently got involved this Spring via cornerworking( been there every weekend thus far) and just started doing trackdays.....so.....




and yes ........ I am.....

[WebCrush]

You start racing cuz its fun

After the first season, you do it cuz you're addicted

Seriously, i think its a disease. After spending 3 months out of racing with a bum shoulder i actually got to pay bills and take care of real priorities.

Not many people manage to make it out without going bankrupt first. Somehow, Degsy found a way to get the monkey off his back.

I think we should have a RoadRacers Annonymous support group

[Stoneman]

I'm utterly fuckin' amazed at how much $$ people put into this. I don't really see it as much of a choice though. You gotta drop the cake TO have fun, from what I've witnessed first hand...

People get incredibly addicted to it too. That's just as amazing to watch. Ya see 'em all giddy & nervous their first coupla weekends, then BAM! They're hooked...

Money became an issue for me, and I spent peanuts compared to what I see people spend. Some people just can't get it out of their system though. It gets to the point where some of 'em simply can't NOT race...

That 'bug' never really hit me like that, plain & simple. The risk factor wasn't really much of an issue for me. It just didn't do for me what I thought it would. I personally couldn't justify the expense or the time needed to devote to really enjoy it...

Me, I'm good with track days & practice sessions for now. I plan on trying the racing thing again, maybe it'll hit me next time around. Lord only knows I can't get any slower!

Oh, the other thing is MOST people that race and put a lot into it don't ride on the street. These races are their weekends for riding. They just take to it a different way...

[trackdog]

I have lost a ltitle interest in riding the street now ..for alot of obvious reasons. But to give it up entirely...no..regulate it ..yes...exploring New England ...and further on a bike is just plain fun. I feel it is the way we should all travel...there is just something about being on a bike that seems natural.

[Collision pro]

I rode like and ass on the street, so before I got killed I went racing! When I crash on the track you guys are there to get me, unlike the street I could be there for hours before someone finds me.

The money end of it sucks!! You find way to overlook it.........I guess!!

[R7]

I hate to even think about the cash being spent and what i "could" have gotten with it. When i started i never imagined it could/would cost as much as it does.

Why do i do it? I guess mostly because it's a lot of fun and i feel MUCH safer at the track than i did riding around on the streets every weekend 9 race weekends, it's like 9 fun filled vacations being around bikes and cool friends

I'd like to be able to do some trackdays but it's to expensive with the cost of the day, missing a day of work, and lodging for the night. A race weekend (not including tires) cost me quite a bit less than a trackday and i'm getting 2 full days of fun for less money

[Kip]

If you don't have the money don't race it's that simple. Or try and do it as cheap as possible. I spend a lot less then most people do. It's like going to the casino how many of the people there really belong there? If spending every $ you make on racing makes you happy then so be it. Other wise do what Jay and Degsy do and watch.
Sorry guys I have a couple drinks tonight.

[LM954RR]

Sorry guys I have a couple drinks tonight.

You drink too much....and jeagermeister at that..

<------That was me sat night.


I race because I love to ride the way racing requires me to....

It's the same way I rode on the street, only no cops, traffic and an ambulance on standby.

Expensive??...Hell fucking yeah it is!...But so are all the tickets and insurance I would otherwise be risking.

[Kip]

I'm just glad to see I was out again while Lew sits at home wishing he was me.

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by Kip
...Other wise do what Jay and Degsy do and watch.

This from the guy that's too much of a bitch to tell his wife he races...

[Kip]

To you I might be racing to myself I'm just out there practicing and having fun.

[davegsxrold929r]

i spend so much on this it is not even funny... but you have to spend it somewhere., i could be at the Bar 5 nights a week and spend $400-500 there ., or i can go to the track and spend $700-1000 a weekend.., i love it and have stopped riding on the street ., the street now scares me. as to what and how i used to ride on the street ,. ugggg.... plus like said ., it is like mini vacations., and with alot of GOOD people to be with., it is ending my 3rd year now., and i do not dare add up how much i have spent on this sport., but i would do it again in a heart beat... everyone has there hobbies and this is ours...

[gixxer6]

I'm with Webcrush, I started out just trying to get off the street cuz I was a maniac. Then once i got into it, I became addicted. It truly is a disease...an uncureable virus even, like the ones you get on your computer and can't get rid of without formatting the entire machine. Then you can't help spending every nickel on race related things. Then...just when you are really in your groove, the damn season ends and you find yourself wallowing in self pitty and every day seems to suck because you have to wait 6 fokin months to race again, knowing full well that you are gonna be slower than you were before for the first couple weekends, which causes you to go and spend more money to get out there more to get faster. Are you seeing the filthy rotten viscious circle yet TD? It's a beautiful thing isn't it!?!?

[davegsxrold929r]

i think i should take up doing drugs. it would be cheaper .. and less travel...

[WebCrush]

heroin would definitely be cheaper, easier, prolly safer as well.

[legalspeed]

I just like to go fast. Do it on the street and you pay a lot of fines.

Do it on the track and the fines are paid up front; more managable.

It can be fun diceing it up for last, or first. I think the addiciton part comes from the adrenalin rush.

[Ken C]

Racing is the epitome of riding skill (at least the physical skill) and I race to develop that skill to my fullest potential.

I still ride on the street, but not particularly fast. Once I started racing I realize that fast is relative and it's crazy to ride even 70% of my potential.

I raced in the mid-eighties, again in 2000 and yet again beginning in 2003 to present. I'm amazed just how deep the learning goes, which is addicting to me. I also do it for the competition, but that's less important. Additionally, the friendship factor is huge. The Sliderule racing team is a bunch of brothers and sisters who I love hanging out with.

As far as cost, I race as cheap as it gets. My MZ is stock so reliability is not an issue. The light weight of the MZ means tires last more than half the season, a whole season if you are running slower than 1:26s. And so far, I haven't crashed it, knock on wood.

I pre-enter, so race entries are $50.00 per race for sprints (I do 3), which is all I do. It's $20.00 to walk in the gate and gas for the weekend is about $10.00 for the bike (95 pump gas) and about that for the car. I camp in the infield- $0.00 and I bring most of my food.

Totals about $200.00 for event expenses.

My trailer is a late 70s 3 rail unit towed by my Forester.

Things I've spent extra money on: tire warmers $400, lap timer $200.00, race stands $200.00.

It doesn't have to be that expensive.

[Paul_E_D]

Why do people buy boats, fly planes, ski, skydive, surf, buy cars they can't afford, ...???

Because they love it. You already hve some idea how good it feels to rip it up at a trackday. It just gets better and better as you learn new skills.

The addiction is real. Extreme is a word I hate because it's played out, but this is an extreme sport. The rewards are only available to those with the nads to keep at it.

[Degsy]

I starting racing here in the states because I had done a little back in the UK. I have had motorcycles since I was 16 and I did a few track days at Donnignton, then I took the school and did the equivalent of my rookie race and a couple of sprints all in one weekend there.

About 7 years later I started racing up at Loudon because I had enjoyed track days there and wanted to see just how fast (slow) I really was. I have always raced in the superbike races and GP races, probably the most packed and intense racing at Loudon. This year, I crashed twice in the Nationals in one race after qualifying 11th. I was doing 17's at the time and was starting to feel like I was as fast as I will ever get (there aren't that many people over 35 doing 17's and under). I am 38 this year and you just change priorities I guess. An injury takes longer to heal, I have more responsibilities (mortgage, car payments, planning a family soon). I have had one serious wreck on the street (my fault). I have seen 5 friends killed on the street over the last 8 years, and one who is now a quadraplegic. I thought I had seen another death last race weekend and it just hit me how that could be me through no fault of my own. I have seen just what can happen in the blink of an eye and I have to admit that stuff is on my mind when I race or ride on the street. When my race bike is completely back together I will maybe do a race practice or two and maybe a GT race occasionally just for the experience but I won't be racing 4 or 5 races a weekend anymore. There are a few people out there this year who are very dangerous. There are a few who i have overheard talking about grouping up on the track to do stunts during a race etc etc, that scares me.

I'm feeling good about being able to use the $1000 a month I save during the summer months to pay off some bills and save a little. I plan on doing a trackday at least every month next year.

I also get a real kick out of helping new riders to start racing and get them through the first few weekends and watching them break, the 1:30 mark, then the 1:25 mark etc etc. That gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing that I helped them in a small way.

I will probably return to racing when I am 40 and do some formula 40 races. I wouldn't mind trying some vintage racing also.

I went for my first real street ride in a couple of years last weekend and while the pace was a little fast for my linking, I had no problem keeping up with the R1's and CBRs on the street on my 96 triumph behemoth. That makes me feel good, like racing has helped me home my skills and reactions to the point where I don't have the "stand it up and brake" reactions most street riders have when they go into a corner too hot.

Anyway, I'm rambling.

derek

[Kip]

I thought you said you were DONE racing Degsy. Now I have to go tell Kevin.

[gixxer6]

Originally posted by Kip
I thought you said you were DONE racing Degsy. Now I have to go tell Kevin.

He'll never be DONE...He doesn't have the nads to quit!!!

[RSVMILLE661]

I have been racing since I was 19 years old starting out racing cars with the local chapter of the SCCA and a regional Club known as ComSCC. I had always been a bit of a gear head as a child and love anything with an engine. For what ever reason I was drawn to the sport and growing up always wanted to do more than just spectate.

In 9 years I have gone from very successful car racing career to Motorcycle racing. I started riding motorcycles about 4 years ago with the premise of street riding only. * I won't race bikes I kept telling myself* Yeah right. That idea lasted about a season. With the support of my friends and local Aprilia dealer that idea quickly vanished.

After a very bad crash last year I almost walked away from racing all together. I did muster up the courage to grab the final race weekend at NHIS and then was brave enough to take on Daytona. After Daytona and being present while a fellow rider died on track I thought to myself "thats it. I'm done."

I ended up at NHIS as spectator for the first time in years this past June and as I left the track I thought to myself.. "its not so bad being a spectator" I then went up again a few weeks later. The drive at that point started to kick in again and I began to realize how much I missed being on track. Well a few short weeks later, sure enough, I was back on track.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I am slow compared to most. Yet I still feel the thrill of speed, the excitment of being wheel to wheel with someone in a corner and more over the feeling of family while in the pits. Where else can you be willing to kill the person next to you for a 3.00 trophy during a few laps and then immediately following in the pits be willing to lend a helping hand to a rider who has had a slight mis-hap or needs help loading or un-loading a bike.

The past few weeks that I have been back at the track I have seen involvment of all kinds from fellow riders and friends who just want to be involved in something some have loosly known as racing. They have helped with corner work and again in the pits. It amazes me how quickly people like to be involved and are willing to contribute their time. What suprises me the most is that once they do it they come back to do it again and again.

As an organization the LRRS raised just under 40,000.00 for the family of a fallen rider. How can you not be completely blown away by such an act of kindness, compassion and comeradere. I guess the reason this all comes up is I was asked at the track this past weekend why I decided to come back to racing. I thought about it for a while and have come up with the following:

Racing means so much more to me than just beating or being beat by the guy next to you. Its about challenging yourself to over come fear. Its about having fun and making new friends and memories. Its about family and most importantly its about being part of something that is so much bigger than yourself.

[davegsxrold929r]

After a very bad crash last year I almost walked away from racing all together. I did muster up the courage to grab the final race weekend at NHIS and then was brave enough to take on Daytona. After Daytona and being present while a fellow rider died on track I thought to myself "thats it. I'm done."

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I am slow compared to most. Yet I still feel the thrill of speed, the excitment of being wheel to wheel with someone in a corner and more over the feeling of family while in the pits. Where else can you be willing to kill the person next to you for a 3.00 trophy during a few laps and then immediately following in the pits be willing to lend a helping hand to a rider who has had a slight mis-hap or needs help loading or un-loading a bike.
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wow now that was very thought out., and well said. , it was a sad day last year at Daytona when that happened , and was hard to ride the track after hearing that ...,

I was the one that proposed to his girl at the riders meeting that weekend in Daytona...


and i hev always said , the dicing with soemone durring a race , wether for 1st or 15th place , is what makes this sport so much fun !!! and always will., and like you said then coming off the track and bullshitting with the person you were trying so hard to beat out there and even giving them advise as to where they can make themselves faster ..


it is so much like a big family when you are at the track., sure there are ass's [like Kip ] but the real ass's never seem to last long in this sport ., there is no room for it..

[Paul_E_D]

nice post.

It's a bad question becuase it has too many answers!

It's like asking why I hiked from Georgia to Maine... (blank stare)

If you have to ask, you won't likely understand the answer.

[Kip]

David doesn't like me.