How have you grown as an enthusiast this year?

"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
12/25/2018 at 00:17 • Filed to: None

This year has been immense. The first time my tires from any car have set tires on a track was during last winter, then I stuffed it into a snow bank. It bit me. I wanted more. I needed more, the drug has been put in me. I need the speed, & need the adrenaline.

Last year it was baby steps with big car shows, then it was a big leap. It’s known here that I do things with a stock Juke, that no stock Juke should ever do. It’s probably the worst car to do it in, but a funny thing happen. Everyone loved it, even with its questionable looks. With those people who loved, there where lots of did not. Those who did not pushed me do more, & be a better (performance driver) so I can show them how its done.

I used way too much brake & took it way too slow.

It’s not just the driving part that was good. Equally and/or better where the people I have met along the way of this stupid adventure. Some have taught me lots, some have gave me terrible (or great) advice. It could be saying that I’m turning into to late, or my steering input is too much.

This year was just dipping my toes in the water, next year I’m going skinny dipping. Not looking back. Get on more tracks/more seat time. Hopefully sign for full season of Auto-X. If I never went to that winter lapping day all of this would have never happen. There is also one part I never touched on farther up, this silly group called Oppositelock. Seeing you guys laugh at my idiocy, then support it helps lots.

With out all this I would have never been given the chance to ride in 488GTB around a track, & do all the things that I have done. Sure the cost of it hurts, but I could careless about the cost. It makes me feel really good.

Doing this has also reignited a hobby of mine have not done for a few years. Photography. It’s fun getting shots, & it’s a learning tool. You can see what the car is doing, how its reacting.

Next year will be a season of sending. Thanks guys & gals & cats & dogs, or what ever the hell you identify as.

Now for some pretty pictures (that are all mine).

This guy just sold this Exige & will run an Evora 400 next year.

I real 914-6.

A M2 at max attack.

Why would I not shoot a Huracan on a track.

Never lift.

Have a good night.

DISCUSSION (19)

Wagon Guy drives a Boostang > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 00:31

Yes! A full season of sending it!

My current growth as an enthusiast began last year and has simply continued into 2018 (and now into 2019). in ‘17 I started trying autocross, with a partial season in the Novice group and one track session. This year was a full season of AX, in two different autocross clubs. I even bought a set of Bridgestone RE71Rs for use on course. I also hit up three track sessions.

I’m going to try for yet more in 2019!

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Wagon Guy drives a Boostang
12/25/2018 at 00:37

At my 1st Auto-X they offer free instruction, so took it. The 1st thing I was asked was when he got in my car was “What is your goal?”, I replied with “I just wanna send it.” That has been my motto since.

PowderHound > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 00:41

I realized I can’t spend as much as I want to on one vehicle and subsequently, one vehicle does not really rule them all.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > PowderHound
12/25/2018 at 00:42

Any extra money goes to fun, but bills always come first.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 01:01

Well I got a historic military vehicle and joined the MVPA/MVCC, discovered a whole new army of vehicle enthusiasts and it’s a very different group with other vets. So I quite like it and it may take over everything else!

Spamfeller Loves Nazi Clicks > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 01:27

I realized I never should have stepped away from racing. It was a mistake. It was always a mistake. I knew it in my heart, I knew it in my mind, but I did it anyways.

I’ve known that I can’t do everything myself for a long time, and that there’s a lot of stuff I shouldn’t do myself. But I realized there’s a lot of stuff I can that I should pay someone else to do when I can. There are better ways to spend my time.

I got a lot more car finance literate, specifically in the area of exotics, and spent months learning how to invest in cars that truly will appreciate in value.

I realized that just because I insist I won’t do any build for a client I don’t enjoy, I’m not building for myself enough. I see the SSJ maybe 2-3 times a year tops, and I love it, but I never really get to drive it. I see the RD’s and RD2's even more infrequently, but I never built a true RD or RD2 for myself - I tooled around in the cut-rate mule. I like engineering challenges, but when they’re for somebody else to enjoy, I just... the passion to solve the problem is there. But it doesn’t make me deliriously happy. And part of that is having to work out of somebody else’s shop all the time.
So I halved my build slots for 2019. Going to focus on getting the deal closed on a new job. Going to dig in and buy myself a goddamn house that will support a proper shop, with two lifts. While that’s going on, take care of the simple bolt-up stuff on Onyxia and Innae*. And once it’s ready? It’s time to actually build specifically for me again .

* - Name preliminary. The WK really hasn’t shown me her true character yet.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 08:16

This year was the first time I got on a real track instead of just doing autocross. Really opened up my world as a driver and taught me how much fun higher speeds could be. More importantly it proved to be far far cheaper for the $ per seat time. And seeing as maximum seat time was the only thing that matters to me, it has become an excellent new hobby. Also this year, is the first time I’ve driven something other than my Miata as my primary vehicle and it’s definitely a different experience. My STi is a much better daily car but I do kind of miss the Miata now that it’s broken. Definitely looking forward to shopping for another just to add some Miata back into my life!

Anyways, my growth has been becoming a better driver and expanding my Horizons to more than just Miata is life.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 09:04

I ditched my manual for an automatic yet somehow didn’t combust

Poor_Sh > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 09:15

Quick question before I answer yours, do you get track insurance for your Juke? I’ve got all the costs mapped out to do next year’s autocross season and 2 track events, but then the insurance just tips it over reasonable costs.

Anyway:

1) traded mustang for Cayman

2) participated in 11 events in the Cayman (shows, meetups, autocross, oppo rally)

3) lots of little road trips

4) drove more fun cars than any year before

5) started doing my own wrenching!!!

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
12/25/2018 at 09:42

Track for sure has a better $:seat time. It's more the upfront cost of the track, I'm not lined with gold so that whst holding me back from doing more track stuff.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Poor_Sh
12/25/2018 at 09:45

I don’t bother with track insurance. It ’s the cost of it, & my car value is too l ow to qualify for it.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 09:56

I got out of my comfort zone and bought a German car, and liked it so much I did it again!

I finally bought a car that’s older than me and am still learning about carb tuning. The Rabbit is also my first dedicated project car so that’s pretty cool.

Next year will be all about overhauling that car. New wiring harnes, and rebuilding the stock engine, then working on the interior resto-modding.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 09:59

In the last year? Not much the first half, but since May, I’ve bought a car I didn’t know how to drive, learned stick so I could drive it, dailied stick, broke the same car in multipl e ways, fixed said cars wrenching in the street, learned better car control (mostly in the fall when roads got hairy, no more ABS, traction control, or ESC!) and overall just drove a lot. I've also learned something about myself- I hate having a loud as fuck car. No resonator means loud all the time. I have to shift by 2000 or I feel like a tool.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 13:05

I was spending the same money on autocross though since I was going every weekend, to the tune of about $60 a pop. Then instead I do a track day for $200 once a month. Car is setup the same way either way because Miata and my tire usage has been the same as well. But in the end one track day is more seat time than the entire season of autox so I'm doing well with that! Except now the Miata has a rod knock which could potentially be attributed to tracking a Miata with 200k miles on it lol. So I'm saving even more money not doing any racing the last couple of months :-(

Longtime Lurker > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 14:13

Oppositelock

Left the shadows, made an account started commenting and posting. Fully participating in this wonderful community.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
12/25/2018 at 14:15

A few years ago I realized I also don’t like driving loud cars. I rode in an Integra with some aftermarket exhaust and it was horrible. Mind you have had modified Honda’s before a 97 GSR with a headers and exhuast, but a twin loop muffler.

But you can have a nice sound without making a tone on noise, especially on a car that really isn’t that fast. I also drove a co-workers Chevy pick up once that was straightpiped no cats, no mufflers. It was loud and soooo slow. All the noise it made almost made it feel slower.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
12/25/2018 at 14:20

I mean, I like to hear it wail when I ring it out to redline through 1 and 2 as I get on the highway. It's the subsequent 3 hour drone that gets me. If I could maybe plumb up a butterfly in there, it would be all good.

Poor_Sh > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
12/25/2018 at 18:49

I’m guessing it's not your only car?

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Poor_Sh
12/25/2018 at 21:31

Nope, my only car.