The Club Racing Experience: A Day at the Races
After unpacking your car, it is time to go get your gear teched. At this point your racecar has already gone through the annual tech inspection (as outlined in the Technical Inspections section of this site). You get to the tech “shed” with your helmet, the racecar’s logbook, pen and a smile. The tech scrutinizers verify that you have an up-to-date logbook and that there are no outstanding issues with your racecar noted in the book. They also verify that your helmet meets the club’s requirements. Not that you mind standing in line while you have a million other things to do, but you make a mental note to delegate this task to one of your “crew” next time. After the scrutinizer signs off on your log book for the event, you then put the sticker he gave you on the car to show you passed the tech inspection. This is nothing compared to the much more intensive annual tech inspection, but you know it is your responsibility to ensure that the car is in good working order.
the sounds of race engines and your heart begins to beat even faster. As you drive into the track’s entrance you see some very impressive rigs and racecars. Now your mind begins to wonder if you are really ready. This is it.
When you arrive at the track, the first step is for you and your “crew” to go to registration. You walk up to registration prepared with a check (if you did not already prepay) and your racing license (or novice permit and log book). Your crew members are here with you, so they also register. The registration area is typically open for only a few hours in the morning – at least today you don’t have to worry about making sure your crew gets there on time to sign-in. Now it’s time to go down to the paddock and find a spot for your racecar and gear. When driving around, you are blown away by all of the expensive cars and equipment some people have! It is hard not to wonder how you will be able to compete against them.
So, you’re wondering what club racing is really like? It’s hard to fully explain the feeling that you get from racing. Basically, it is like a portal into another world. No, not exactly like in a science fiction movie, but it does bring you to a place far away from the typical daily stresses you face. When at the track, you won’t be thinking about work or things that need to get done at home. Don’t get me wrong, racing does create a new set of stresses, but somehow race-related stress feels very different. Before I had ever participated in an event, I had envisioned what a race weekend would be like. I will admit it turned out to be different than what I had originally pictured, but for the better. People often ask, “How fast do you go when racing?” or “What are your ¼ mile times in that car?” Errr, about 110 mph and really, really slow. In all seriousness, it does not matter very much whether you drive 110 mph or 160 mph on a straightaway. The rush comes when you’re pushing the car to its limit around a corner at 80 mph with another car mere inches from your driver’s side door. It comes when you’re going down the straight with another car right on your side and trying to out brake them going into a turn, wondering who will give in first. Who would ever guess how big of a thrill braking to the car’s limit could be? Sounds a little strange, but it’s true. A good analogy is when you drive down a highway at 70 mph; in itself it is pretty boring. Now imagine going 70 mph around some very twisty roads. Even at the same speed, it is a bit different isn’t it? The same thing happens when driving on a track. The straights are typically a place where you can regain your composure and take a deep breath before you get to the twisty stuff again, even if you are going 160 mph.
Your Race Day Begins the Night Before
The night before the race, you decide to go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep, primarily because you need to get up very early in the morning. You can’t help but wonder if you forgot something and how things will go tomorrow in the race. All right, stop thinking about it! You have gone through the car and made sure everything is in working order. You even used a checklist to ensure that everything is packed. There can’t be anything that you missed. Or is there? Did you pack the car’s logbook? Hmm. Yeah, it is in the bag with the driver’s suit. Do you have your novice permit? You tell yourself to stop worrying and begin to fall asleep but during the night you anxiously wake up. You begin to wonder what would happen if the alarm does not go off? Funny how on workdays that isn’t a big concern. Finally, you are awoken by what is normally a horrible beeping sound, but not today! Today it is a beautiful, almost musical, monotonous, beeping. As you begin to get ready for the day you start feeling more anxious. As you drive toward the track the pit in your stomach begins to grow the closer you get. There it is, the entrance to the track. You hear