Zee0hh6ix

A friend and I each have C6Z06’s and we’ve done some HPDE. The interest of this new found hobby has really gotten to me. It’s almost as if it consumes my days thinking of the next time and what I can do to attend more events. We both agreed this is the most fun one can have with clothes on, but after two events my friend has decided the risk is too great for him, which I can respect. However, his decision to walk way has me puzzled. He’s always been a dare devil. If he feels threaten for sure something is wrong with me… right? We are pretty much in the same situation, early 30’s, married about 3 years ago, 1st baby about 1 year ago, established business owners, etc. In our circle of friends I’m known as the responsible one, so is this too dangerous for guys in our position? I welcome stories of experiences and advise.
Thanks in advance!

2000BSME

HPDE's have been the sole source of my financial ruin. He may be referring to the exhorbitant amounts of cash he visualized burning up into thin air when he backed out.

Aardwolf

Maybe his wife told him no. Mine has no problem with HPDE but has said she will leave me if I go W2W.

Same age and such here.

Zee0hh6ix

He's in better shape then I. That can't be it.

Jeffvette

Something changed his mind. First name "Ball" last name "Chain"

Zee0hh6ix

I don't think that's it either. She's cool like that, even when he almost killed himself on a bike, he then turned around and bought another.

63Corvette

Not everyone is cut out to be a racing driver. Unfortunately, many purchase a racecar before they find that out. It's cheaper in the long run to do several driver's schools before making any rash decisions.

Zee0hh6ix

Perhaps, I did attend Spring Mt and he didn't. I still intend to do other driving schools.

John Shiels

Boat racing consumed 15 years of my life and bundles and bundles of money. We won a major percentage of the races and got some money but nothing compared to the expenses. The last year was 98.

Bought the GS for God knows what reason mid life crisis
I always sat in them through the years and said too small and to slow. Then I was at the Vette Doctors one day and said what happen to this guys white paint? They said brake dust melted in at the track road racing That was it went to run but it was advanced only Nov 98 end of season. I was left wanting to run all winter. Spring 99 I take my 99 and the first session is advanced only again .

Next event I run and install 4 point and harness. Helmet and long sleeve shirt as required and I was done and ready. That was the last simple time I went. From then on more mods, money, and time. Car was still a lease and I was modding the crap out of it. Got faster as I went along with the money which went even faster. I did 30-40 days some years or even more if I really look.

I could easily drop another 60 grand in the car if I completed my wish list. The more you know the more you find reasons to spend. When I started Corvettes were not the fast cars at the track and got no respect. Times have changed and now I smoke the Porsche's that would blow by me in earlier years. Corvettes have just rocked the last 4-5 years.

Due to people redoing the bottom half of the house after the floor sunk (house on water) and not having the garage to work on the car. Then slow at work, then real busy, then parties deaths, sick pets, and anything else you could imagine I didn't run this year once.

One attempt the last time weekend of the season I screwed the car up on the trailer with out removing it by managing to drop the clutch. I was leaning into the car and I started it with my hand on the clutch depressed. I was in a rush so I popped my hand off at 2200 RPM and zoom burn out into the tool boxes and wrecked my splitter and nose. Not meant to be this year.

Talk about someone who needs to run BAD I need a serious fix soon.
I can't even fathom want I have spent on the car, mods and events in the last 9 years. I think the only original moving parts are radio and AC I feel sick thinking about it

MungoZ06

I don't got the sickness as bad as John ^
I'm just a rookie at this ... what I've figured out in 4 years and 21 track days, plus 8 days of Time Trials, plus countless parking lot AutoX's is:

• I don't have enough time or money to get the track time I WANT
• My stock powertrain C5Z is fast enough for me; and still more capable than I am. My mods have been for cooling and safety, and will continue so until I believe I have improved to the level where the car is the limiting factor (if ever)
• I don't have the cojones to drive 10/10 and "look over the edge"
• I expect to be involved in an "incident" some day ... I just want to be sure I have enough safety equipment to give me an even chance at it.

When I got my '94 cpe, wife said "cheaper than another woman"
Now that I'm "into" this addiction with the C5Z she says she was wrong ... it's not cheaper ...

linutux

First: Yes we are crazy.

I think of several reasons he would consider it "too risky", in no particular order:

• Risk of personal injury
• Fear of injuring someone else
• Financial Loss (losing the car, or liability costs)
• Damaging his beloved car, or someone elses

Since you say he's a daredevil, I'm guessing it's not personal injury that he's thinking of.

Perhaps he would be interested in attending driving schools instead for a while. He may feel more comfortable after that.

0Randy@DRM

This is the way I think of it.

Highway 55 in MN, inbetween Rockford and Buffalo. Kills about 5-9 people every year. Then on the same highway inbetween Buffalo and Maple Lake kills a few more every year. So in the total of 12 miles there is over 10 deaths a year. I drive on these roads 2-4 times a day.

Does the track have more danger??? Well not really the way I see it.

Randy

Hans Delbruck

If you can't afford the physical risks, get a cage and all the other driver protections you can.

If you can't afford the financial risks, buy a cheaper car.

What other risks are there? Is he afraid to lose? Is that why he bought the fastest street car for the buck as his first track car?

Bink

Sometimes an individual might choose not to participate in an activity - based on their known personality type and personal responsiblities at the time. That's not fear.

Lancer033

It's either in you blood or it isn't. If it's in your blood to do it, none of the negatives matter, you'll end up back at the track at some point, even if you have to take a break for several years. If you're wife puts a stop to it, you'll be back after the divorse. When you wreck your car, you'll blow your retirement to fix it. It's worse than any drug out there, so yes we're crazy.

rustyguns

rustyguns

rustyguns

who the hell can road race with 1.5 G forces when their 80! screw retiring! i'm going to be working at the track at 80!

black flag!!!! black flag!!!!!!!

Z Fast

Are we crazy? I started in this sport 12 years ago in formula cars-WTW for several years. Now I got the Z06, and I do few track days to go fast and push the limits. I don't want to trash the Z06, so I only run HPDE's in red and black groups. So to fullfill my need for WTW, I started racing Spec Miata. Slow-Yes, but the racing is tight and highly competitive. Literally(or nearly) rubbing fenders and bumpers in nearly every turn. The good thing, I can total 7 Spec Miatas for the cost of one Z06. So I get speed in the Z, and competition in the Spec Miata.
Are we crazy? NO
Obsessed-YES
The bug doesn't bite us all the same. Your friend may have found out hanging it all out and being on the edge isn't what he really enjoys. Be careful ZeeOhh6ix, you may just find yourself in the same boat the rest of us are in. Working our way to broke-smiling all the way. Next thing you know, you will want to go WTW

Tom

undertaker

of course we're all sick and we can all relate..

hell july I had hernia surgery....out patient, but a good 3 inch incision, 2 days later I'm at my regular dr (not the surgeon) he's having fun making me drop my pants with two young female med students (I'm 27 they're early 20's) and they're blushing getting nervous etc. so we get to talking and he mentions my vette. I said oh yeah doc, by the way, I'm going racing monday and tuesday, do I need to take any precautions......he got grimly serious and said I strongly advise against that. I looked at him adn smiled and said okay, but if i were to go racing what should I do? he just rolled his eyes and said get off the pain killers, wear support briefs, wear some girdle thing to keep my guts from popping etc.

Then he stops and says are you seriously gonna drive 5 hours each way and go racing? or are you just screwing with me?

I said doc you bet your *** I am. He said I know.....thats why I'm worried.