Ken,
You are soooo "In the right place" about all of this. Can't wait to meet you.
I'll happily retract the "middle aged" comment. Most of us habitate in a blissfull state of arrested development when it comes to racing. I don't think there's ever been a day at the track when I haven't been humbled by the challenge of doing it well.
Upon reflection there are probably more youthful offenders who get all bound up about being fast and winning because they (and/or their parents) have pressing visions of a professional racing career. That's particularly true in the National Race Series because it's the first serious ladder rung for young men and woman who want to be pros. The regional series is less pressured but no less hard fought and a great place to learn to race at any age.
I see great potential for smiles in your future Ken. Both given and received.
BTW Jim Pace, Bruce MacInnes and Nick Nicholson are all master racer/instructors who also fly their own planes.
After the racing stops... Rob Slonaker, Mark Hamilton Peters, Jason Holehouse, Keith Watts, Phil Lombardi and a gaggle of other instructors almost always fill the skies around race weekend tracks with the joyful noise and aerobatics of both gas and electric powered model planes.
So Ken, the table's set and we've been waiting for you. Grab your knife and fork and dig in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kbalch
Great advice throughout this post. Thanks! I'll try to keep my enthusiasm from putting the proverbial cart before the horse. Or is that CART? :-)
As a member in good standing of the Order of the Follicly Challenged, I entirely agree with you about not squeezing the joy out of the experience by being overly results oriented. That said, I resent the 'middle-aged' comment. I can't be in the middle; I haven't done 10% of the stuff I want to. :-)
The only thing I can remember wanting to do longer than auto racing is flying (and air racing). I've been fortunate to have gotten more out of aviation than I ever hoped (though I still want to race a Corsair at Reno), and I'll absolutely try to enjoy the journey for its own sake.
I'll report progress as it happens and I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go forward.
Ken
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