People often ask me why I race. I often ask myself. Especially when the bills come due. I often second guess myself and say, "I shoulda..." but there isn't much point in that beyond perhaps learning for the next time. The trick is walking that fine line between self knowledge and self flagellation.
At any rate, enough about that. Today was practice at Laguna Seca. It has been a bit of a break since the last track event (early June at Streets of Willow), and 2 years since the first time I ran Laguna. I was all set to run last year, but a coyote intervened. A lot has happened in those two years, but that is another blog post(s).
Some nerves in the first run session. I was lucky enough to find a place to pit with some of my friends (they moved stuff around to make a slot for me), and we actually had 4 cars in the same class next to each other. In other words, we're all competitors. And boys will be boys...but these are *great* guys, so it was only some very good natured ribbing that went on. At Laguna we end up running 3 race groups instead of 2, which makes for a very fun time as there isn't much of a speed differential. And our little sub group is very evenly matched.
Anywho, I was taking things slow and easy, just wanting to relearn the track and have some fun. And fun I did have. After the first run session I needed to make some seat adjustments (too low...could barely see over the front of the car) and I was slow but getting back into the groove. The second session after lunch was much quicker and a lot more fun as we began to dice a bit. Well, except for when Walter hacked me off at turn one (if I hadn't gotten out of it he would have pushed me right into the wall), but evidently that is what Walter does. So you know the next time and adjust accordingly. I had a brief bit of red mist after that, but settled down and was back to laughing and having fun trying to get around people.
The third session was especially festive as the four of us were gridded nose to tail, and proceeded to try and pass each other for the entire session. Of course boys being boys, no one likes to get passed. But boys also make mistakes, and that's when you can take advantage. Unless you make one right afterwards. Yes, I had a few. There was two wheels off in the corkscrew when I followed the guy in front of me instead of the right line (doh!). Then two wheels off in turn 11 onto the grass. Then two wheels off in turn 11 again when I tried to give Mike enough room on the inside. But never put four off, and that's a good thing.
But back to why I do it. It really isn't about speed, as I'm a bit of a chicken. No, really. It is more about two very different things. The first is being able to put everything out of my mind (a challenge for me) and just feel the car and the track and the movement. The second is the camaraderie. There are some really nice guys who race with POC, and I'm lucky to have fallen in with a few in particular who love to compete, but more importantly, care more about friendship than winning. I swear we have almost as much fun in the paddock talking about the last session as we do out on the track. But there also is no substitute for getting out there and doing it. Not thinking about it. Not talking about it. But doing it.
I could go on about the verbal jousting and little bits of mental fun and games (like me getting Don to go out in the 4th run session with a few lighthearted comments even though he had his car jacked up and was going to let it sit...) but it is time for some sleep. Even when we were talking with two fellow racers who had their "book reports" in hand (they had contact in turn 11 and had to write up their versions of what happened...messed up Don's brand new paint job but both cars weren't damaged very much luckily), there was a great sense of family. We're all in it together. You're trusting your fellow competitor and trusting yourself and your car. Trust has always been a challenge for me, but I'm getting better at it. For a lot of reasons.
