THSCC Forums

A co-driver will help a ton with costs, that's for sure.

Or you can read chapter 9 of my new book: "How to do national events for less than $300 a pop including tire wear."

If I can win some cash at the DoubleX, I may actually come out ahead on expenses.

Of course, you have to forgo any chance of a decent ride to and from the event in 90+ degree weather but I figure that's just a head start on a weight loss program.

Jim

Burnout happens Aaron. It's a large part of why I stepped away from wheel to wheel racing - too stressful, too expensive (combined with my genuine hatred for Spec Miatas). When it stops being fun taking a step back and spending time doing something different is absolutely the right thing to do.

BTW, anyone else ever notice that Feinberg looks *just like* Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine?

_________________
Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

All you do is end up with a cracked helmet or broken watch (right Eric?)



I have heard you say that before. I can not believe you will step away and take up golf. After my first HPDE, I thought it was a lot of fun and had so much to learn. Still have a bunch to learn. Then at last year's DC Pro, I was wanting to go home shortly after getting there. I knew it was time to move on. Six years was a long and expensive time for me.



A national championship would have been cool. I can always say I gave it a shot. But there is another shot waiting on the horizon for me ...Mid_Ohio in September.

_________________
Jim Pastorius
2008 Silverado VortecMax
1992 Camaro CMC#92
2002 BMW R1150R

2009 3rd Place CMC Mid-Atlantic Championship
2009 CMC Hyperfest Winner

I agree. I've known I was a little burned out for the last year or so. - AB

_________________
'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

I am right there with you Aaron.

adamb

_________________
Adam Breakey
Founder - www.autocrossforum.com
SS 75 Red(isfasterthanyellow) Z06

Well this has become interesting in an altogether different way than I thought.

Do you guys (Aaron, the Jims, Adam) think I'm at risk of burning out early as a result of trying to do too many events? Thus far I've only run the THSCC schedule, plus the Super Regional in Danville a couple months ago. Obviously Atlanta is next on the radar, and I've discussed the possibility of going to Nationals as well.

However, this is getting really expensive all of a sudden, and I don't want to start showing up at National events, getting my clock cleaned (or not), and growing to hate it.

Casting the finances aside, I'm having a lot of fun this year, more than I've had in a long time. I just don't want to overdo it, I guess.

_________________
Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Karl, each person is different. I started my first year doing something like 26 events with Eric and I got my clock cleaned plenty. I suppose it helped that I was at least competitive with the few "local" types that showed up at the big events. That said, I probably wasn't really outdriving them as much as I had access to better equipment, but I was too dumb to know that.

Last year and this year I have cut back the Solo some, and this year it's been in favor of more road racing. But in the last couple years I've also been able to race a lot more different cars in Solo, which I think has helped me both as a driver and in the burnout department.

The strange thing is the main reason for my cutbacks in Solo have had more to do with the problems of the ProSolo schedule than my own desire. I learned pretty early on that I didn't care nearly as much for normal Solo as I did ProSolo, but I needed to do normal Solo stuff in prep for ProSolos (and in particular those double National weekends we used to have helped a lot). Now that there's hardly any ProSolo worth doing my overall Solo desire is way down, hence my added involvement in MX-5 Cup. I'm sitting on Hatteras Island right now or I would have been at that Cleveland double this past weekend, dangit.

I'm also still building a car for the 13 Hour, which is the most important date of my personal motorsports schedule. Pretty much has been since running the first 8 Hour at VIR. I guess variety helps me, but obviously it's far too expensive for most to do what I do. The funny part is all the road racers I still hang around with who look at you like you have two heads when you say you *like* Solo at all. *sigh*


--Donnie

I think you'll be ok as long as you keep your expectations in check. I've been doing the National schedule for 5 years now, averaging 6 events each year including Nationals.

When I had the Celica prepped for ST*, had a 5 figure amount dumped in it and that didn't include the price of the car, or the engine that let loose at VIR.

I get 26 days of vacation a year at Wachovia and it never seems like enough, due in large part to 8 days at Nationals and days off for all of the travel for events.

After well over 150 autocrosses in the last 7 years, I think I've hit the point of saturation.

Some time off may light a fire again, but the my plan is to bag anymore autocrossing in '07. Sure, I'll be sad missing Nationals and the local THSCC events, but the weekends I gain back might be just what the doctor ordered. - AB

_________________
'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

I did 36 'solo' weekends last year (5 ProSolos, 4 Tours and Nationals - plus many local and regional events)... I think that is the reason for my burnout!

Don't go nuts and you will be fine.

Of course, having a club race car now and my competition license maybe has something to do with the less than enthusiastic involvement in solo this year. Oh, and also selling the z06 for a street tire miata. Oh, and no points in the ProSolo series this year. Yeah, there are a few reasons.

adamb

_________________
Adam Breakey
Founder - www.autocrossforum.com
SS 75 Red(isfasterthanyellow) Z06

So....let me get this straight.....you set up Team Cheating Bastards (or whatever the name is this week) for the July team challenge, trash talk us into looking pretty darn stupid if we don't win and NOW you're bailing? Is somebody going yeller? I'm just saying......

It has nothing to do with that event of course. Bryan is planning on going, so you can get about any FWD hack and win - AB

_________________
'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

For 5 or 6 years, I was doing over 20 events a year. I can not recall how many pros or nationals were involved. But I have a lot of expensive kindling to show for it

I ran with THSCC, Triad, CCR, NASA and VMSC along with regional events and then the national stuff. I put probably 75,000 miles on my truck and trailer traveling all over.

That is what leads to the burnout...I took the seat time mantra to the utmost.

My burnout had nothing to do with getting my butt kicked. Actually, very seldom did that happen. As the years went on I was always in contention. I got my butt kicked early on, but that fueled the drive to get better. Try showing up in ES with a clapped out 92 Miata against the likes of Roberts, Piccone, et all....ouch.

Moderation would be my word to you. Decide what you want to do and then set your schedule in January to accomplish that. If you want to have fun, stick to the local stuff and budget your tires accordingly. If you want to run with the big dogs, set your schedule to run against them as much as possible and see what your budget and time can support.

I do not think your schedule is very daunting. I do question running Hoosiers locally with co-drivers. Unless those co-drivers are running nationally with you, there is a lot of money being lost.

_________________
Jim Pastorius
2008 Silverado VortecMax
1992 Camaro CMC#92
2002 BMW R1150R

2009 3rd Place CMC Mid-Atlantic Championship
2009 CMC Hyperfest Winner

I can fill in for Buckley, I'm faster anyhow

Trust me Jim, I find myself questioning that decision a lot here lately. Those guys have been giving me tire money in exchange for the ride, so theoretically that helps, but it tends to get blown on four dollar coffees before Tire Rack ever gets its hands on it.

My rationale ended up being a few things. One, I wanted to improve quickly, and I've managed that to a degree. Two, I didn't want to be chasing the setup all over the place by being on street tires one weekend and Hoosiers the next. Driving that car in anger can be a pretty eye opening experience on those tires. Finally, after years of club racing, I've come to the firm decision that I'm not bringing any excuses with me on the equipment. Already got the fancy revalved shocks, got the right tires, the right everything. That way when Eric or Mike takes me to the shed, I can say "yep...it's not the car."

I"m less worried about it now that you guys have posted, so thanks for that. I am however leaning, at this time, against doing Nationals. The amount of expense incurred doing events like this was not what I expected and I"m just not sure I can justify it twice in a year. Besides, I'm anticipating Topeka would be a lot more expensive to do "right" than Atlanta, and I'm already looking at roughly $1750, casting aside the long term purchases like the hitch and the trailer.

_________________
Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

I don't think there were too many people who thought this was the best move for someone. But you seemed committed.


--Donnie