Hi All,
I thought it would be a good time to talk about one of my passions: Racing. What Jimmy Johnson just accomplished is astounding! He won his FIFTH! Drivers Championship IN A ROW! Wow! What a driver and what a team! How can anyone not worry next year what he will do again in NASCAR.
My racing experiences are just a tad down below those of Mr. Johnson. But the things Richard Uzelac and Jimmy Johnson must have in common are more important than the differences: We both must love it!
My first racing was with my two legs, ran track in Jr. High and High School. I ran 100 yard dash, 440 relay, 220 and quarter mile.
It was always fun to go fast. At age 12 or so I got a mini-bike with a 3.5 hp briggs and stratton motor. Then a 50cc Benelli (piece of junk!), Hodaka Super Rat 100, Suzuki TM125 Motocrosser, Maico 250 GP, Suzuki RM370.
After breaking 12 bones on the big Suzuki in the desert, I decided four wheels were better.
I started with an 85 Toyota MR2 and autocrossed it. Then my current car, 1982 Porsche 911SC, modified for the track.
That 911 has garnered me about 40 class wins in the POC, and two championships.
The think about racing is this: The moments you spend on the track going all out. That’s it. Everything else is very hard and expensive work. Is it worth it? No way! It’s just stupid money to spend so much money and time on a think like racing.
But, oh, the moments on the track where you are doing your 100% best, passing other cars and getting great times are, ahhhhhh, wild and sublime. The addiction must stem from the fact that at 120 mph in turn nine at Willow, you don’t have time to think about the taxes or the yard, if you do, you may die. Your entire being is distilled down to that fine line between exhilaration and disaster.
There in lies the attraction.
Cheers,
Richard Uzelac
