THSCC Forums

So here I am at work. Sicker then a dog, drugged to all hell, half asleep and unable to do any actual "coherent" thinking.......

So I was thinking about "hmm what to do for next year" *again*

After talking with Miranda, the Sti is becoming more and more not the thing to do nationally next year. She doesn't want to run nationally yet and with school and work, doesn't even know if she will have the time to even go. I honestly just don't want to spend the $3K on tires to try to win nationally next year and she doesn't want to drive the car all over the nation (hence the tow car thread).....Plus I want to get into road racing in the near future......

So here are 4 ideas I came up with.
1) Buy the tow truck and sell my car. Tow the STi to events, spend the damn $$ on tires and build my spec miata over the next year (medium $$)
2) Autox my car nationally and my car/sti locally. My car will take some "maintenance" $$ and then $500 in tires to make it a (possible) winner for next year. Stock shocks on the STi and some wide azenis for miranda and her and I autox it locally. Buy the tow truck and sell my car (or come back to these same options ) at the end of the year and build the spec miata over the next year. (lowest $$)
3) Trade my car on a nice tow car. Get a 2002 or so Explodition instead of the 99 I was planning on, and then sell the miata donor car and get a small loan to buy a prebuild spec miata. Autox that or the STi locally and run the driver eds/time trials and get my comp license. (most $$)
4) Trade my car on a nice tow car etc etc. Take the year off national autox and run the STi locally on azenis and build my donor car into a spec miata. I could throw a cage + suspension on there very cheaply and still run a few driver ed/time trials and finish it into a nice spec miata by the end of the year (lower $$)

Any input on which choice would be the best?

I need more drugs and to quit changing my damn mind all the time
-Tom

Not that you'll be able to think about this coherently, but add these into the mix:

- Which option(s) get you out of debt more quickly?
- Which options get you the most seat time for the least $$$ ?
- Which options get you sponsorship $ most easily?
- Will you be happy taking they year off from national competetion?

If not going to national stuff next year won't drive you insane, #4 seems like the most prudent choice.

...but that's me right now, in money-miser-since-the-wife's-in-school mode

TF

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Tom Freeman
'98 M3/4/5 | '93 Spec3 325i | '12 TSX sport wagon | '03 Tahoe
Team Silver Bullets '91 240SX

And not one of these is rally???? *confused*

Anders

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Lina Racing: As Seen On Radio

How about option 5.

Let your old national co-driver use your car again for Nationals . He'll tow it and chip in some bucks for tires and maintanence. You can go along and save a bunch of cash. Thus you still get to do national events but in a cheaper way and with putting less miles on your car.

You could also still drive the STI locally on Azenis and kick all them Corvette's in their collective booty. This will make you feel god like and all will be right with the world.

Shawn

ps. I'll even promise to do my best this year not to mess up your shot at the National championship. Unless of course I can beat you consistantly and then all bets are off.

What do you really want to do? Road race? Autocross?

What level? Top national level in either will take real $$$ and you likely won't be able to be national level at both at the same time. Is racing just fun for you or is competition a major factor? (I think I know your answer) Are other things going to happen in your life that would make a high debt load really bad? (Best not answer this question on your own! ) Do you have a realistic chance at serious sponsorship that could make several of the worries above go away?

I'm facing a similar thing for the next few seasons, which is why people have seen my cars go on and off the market so often in the last few months. Final decision here: save/regroup/sell and make this upcoming season fun but cheap with no real race tires and regional events only. Try to run nationally again (first time seriously) in 2005 in a car/class that won't be as expensive as the WRX in DS. $760 sets of tires were an eye opener, particularly when they only lasted 30-40 runs and were great for only about 15.

Given what I know about your situation, something like #4 just might be the deal.

--Kevin H.

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2003 WRX (again!)

So I thought about it some more and decided to "sort of" take the year off national autoxing and run local events while prepping the miatarrrr.

I will try to take shawn up on the offer to codrive at national events, so I will still run the 3 closest pros and the finale if I'm in the hunt

Thanks for the advice

-Tom

Tom,

Also think about what options will allow you to buy a house within a few years. It's one of the best long-term investments you can make. And, in the long-run will allow you to race more when you get to be an old uncoordinated guy like me It may mean not being able to race quite as much or being able to do exactly what you want. You just don't want to look back and see that you threw away a great opportunity to build a lot of equity in a house. I made that mistake by waiting too long and kick myself in the ass every week for it. It's not that I'm trying to dissuade you from coming out and kicking my ass quite as much or anything like that

Hope you're feeling better,
Eric