Confessions of an Addict (Track Edition)

"WRXforScience" (WRXforScience) 01/27/2020 at 11:32 • Filed to: Track Day

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Hello, my name is WRXforScience and I’m a track addict. It’s been 9 days since I last went to the track and 19 days before I head back (I’m already getting antsy but there’s an autox in between which should help with the withdrawals).

For the last couple of years I’ve averaged going to the track every other weekend and I’m scheduled for 40 days this year (and 10 autocrosses just for good measure). My neighbors and the UPS guy know me as “the guy with all the tires”. I have 4 sets of wheels and tires and a spare set of unmounted tires for emergencies (2 sets of mounted track tires, 1 set of mounted autox tires, the oem wheels and tires, and a set of unmounted track tires). A full third (nearly 4k) of the miles I drove last year were either on the track or to and from the track.

My addiction started about 11 years ago when I got hooked on autocross. A friend convinced me to try it with him, neither of us had much experience with the seedy world of motorsports aside from its overly glamorous depiction on tv and in movies. I was hooked from the start. The rush I got from driving at the limit and pushing myself to continuously improve and get faster i s a high that I’ve been chasing since the start. The costs of my addiction have been high; all my friends are car friends, my family has to endure tales from the track that they have little interest in, and I spend hundreds of dollars and countless hours at the track and planning, theory crafting, and preparing myself and car for the track.

And all for what? Hundreds of hours of youtube videos, dozens of t-shirts, a few jackets, and a handful of trophies in exchange for countless hours and thousands of dollars. I know I cannot or at least will not change, but maybe my cautionary tale can dissuade the youths from following my line and reaching the apex of addiction. I might be a lost cause but don’t forget the loved ones you lose on the weekends to the track, keep them in your thoughts, and don’t just ignore the smell of brake dust and rubber baked into their very skin. Brake pads aren’t the only thing that can help someone to stop.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > WRXforScience 01/27/2020 at 11:41

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There are some itches that must be scratched.

It’s been way too long... I’m jonesing pretty hard!

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > WRXforScience 01/27/2020 at 11:50

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I’m getting into Time Trials this year after running a couple years of autocross an a couple Track Night in America events.

I have a feeling my STS  Miata is gonna be woefully underpowered in Time Trials.

WRXforScience > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 01/27/2020 at 12:00

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In my region (Texas Region) we have multiple groups filled with classes that run similar times/speeds. We usually have a group of instructors (from multiple classes but all fast drivers so the times are relatively close) a faster TT group, a slower TT group, and a non-timed student group for people.

Our region also grids the groups based on times (after the first session) so that you only have overtaking if there is a change in the standings or when the lead cars lap the slowest cars (we have the cars clump at the end of the out lap to delay lapping the slowest cars as much as possible).

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > WRXforScience 01/27/2020 at 15:07

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I’m going to try to make the Eagles Canyon National SCCA TT Tour event down that way. Have to see if it fits into our hectic AutoX schedule.

WRXforScience > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 01/27/2020 at 15:21

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I’ll be there, I run our Novice Classroom sessions. Eagles Canyon is a fantastic track and a ton of fun, that weekend should be a ton of fun. If I had to choose between the TT and an autox, I’d pick the Time Trial every time (well, or at least as many times as the number of dropped events).

M.T. Blake > WRXforScience 01/27/2020 at 15:35

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I feel like I attended an AA meeting now.

Hi, my name is BlakeMT and I’m a track addict. It’s been around 8 years so my recovery is going well. I might be relapsing next month as I can’t take it anymore. 

WRXforScience > M.T. Blake 01/27/2020 at 15:37

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Welcome BlakeMT.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > WRXforScience 01/27/2020 at 16:19

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Definitely want to make it down there (it’s just a little harder to miss AutoX events when you’re your regions Solo Chair)

WRXforScience > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 01/27/2020 at 16:28

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That’s true, but it should make it easier to set the schedule and we’re far enough out that you could find ‘reasons’ to move a date.

Our Solo Chair and RE both compete in Time Trials (like half of the club officers are TT competitors).

Here’s my latest outing to Eagles Canyon for some motivation :