***Life * In * The * Fast * Lane*** - Lets Go Racin'

This is one of the most important tips from Larryjack's Auto Racing Tips for new folks getting into stock car racing.

LIFE * IN * THE * FAST * LANE

Okay.
You've worked all winter building a beautiful race car. You've studied car building tips, engine building tips, and all of the auto racing history you could get your hands on. You've got a hundred pictures and you've bored your friends to death talking about it. You've bought a brand new drivers suit personalized with your very own name on it.Your custom painted helmet is a work of art second to none. Man, you are really styling.

The first race of the season is here and you're at the front of the line at the pit gate with your truck, trailer, and race car shining like new money. You get pitted and unload your car and equipment while people are coming by telling you how good and fast the car looks. You're riding on such a high that Robin Hood couldn't burst your balloon with his best laser sharpened arrow.

FINALLY!
It seems like you've waited forever for this moment.You're on the track and lined up for your very first heat race, circling around for the green flag. You are wound like a pretzel with excitement and, why not. You've watched races for years. You've studied 10 years of your favorite racing magazines. The racing magazines taught you about car building technology, engine building modifications, along with countless driver interviews. Nothing could possibly go wrong. RIGHT?

Guess what.

The green flag drops and you are instantly passed by four or five cars while being bumped in the rear by the car you are holding back. What the devil is happening? You finally reach the end of the front chute and turn the wheel. The car doesn't turn, goes up, bounces off the wall, comes back across the track, getting tagged by another car causing you to spin out in turn two. You are sitting backwards on the track and someone plows into you head-on.

By the time the bells quit ringing, you realize that you are hooked to a wrecker getting towed to the pits. You've gone from the highest point in your life to the lowest in a matter of a few seconds. That beautiful car that you hand-crafted is now a crumpled heap. Your body feels like you just went three rounds with a professional wrestler and your head's crying for a couple of headache powders.

How could this have happened after all you've done?

After all of your study? Instead of enjoying success during the most exciting night of your life, you feel like crawling in a hole and dying from embarrassment. You are positive that all of your friends are laughing at you after all your bragging. The car wouldn't turn in a 40 acre field and the engine wouldn't pull a greasy string out of a cat's derriere.

Hopefully, this didn't happen to those of you that currently race. We've all seen it time and time again, or, at least, a similar situation with about the same outcome. A lot of good people that could have become great competitors with the proper help, quit after experiencing this kind of decimation and financial loss. Others that continued, usually became "back-of-the-packers" experiencing a lot of broken parts, along with more wrecks, spending money hand over fist and going nowhere. A choice few, through hard work, determination, and the willingness to try to learn more, eventually work past the so-called break-in period, becoming as successful as their god-given abilities would allow. For most, this takes several seasons and, you guessed it, a lot more money.

Racing, even in the novice classes, has become ridiculously expensive. Nobody can afford to be knocked into the wall very often and when it's caused by a new up-and-comer, the feeling is that it probably wouldn't have happened if the rookie had known what he was doing to begin with.

Two things cause more accidents than anything else; lack of driving experience and ill-handling cars.

I may be able to help. Drop me a comment or a question.
Also, I know this can help!

"Best Kept Secrets in Auto Racing"

Check it out!

Thanks,
Larryjack