Grassroots Motorsports
Issue link: http://grassrootsmotorsports.epubxp.com/i/501675
E veryone knows how to go racing, right? Buy or build a car, grab some tools, some friends and some drinks, head to the track and boom, you're racing. The truth is a little more–or a little less–complicated than that. There are lots of ways to get on track, and some of them are even easier than the steps outlined above. This issue we show you how and where you can step in front of the grandstands and actually track your daily driver, while last issue we discussed the chal- lenges of moving into wheel-to-wheel competition with an honest-to-goodness endurance team effort. But let me start more toward the beginning here. As I said, last issue we outlined how we have been pur- suing low-buck endurance racing with a vengeance. After what I would admit was a pretty embarrassing misstep last year, I huddled the troops, we made some team changes, and we got down to business. My policy on magazine staff members going racing is pretty basic: I believe we just can't produce this publication without genuinely participating in the sports that we cover. That doesn't mean we don't face our own chal- lenges, although our racing efforts are under pres- sure from different outside forces than those facing a more typical racer. The compromises began the frst week we started the magazine: I was at the starting line at an auto- cross when a guy came up to me and said, "Hey, tell me about your new magazine." As a racer, my frst instinct was to tell him to piss off, but I quickly gath- ered my composure and told him all about my plan for a great new magazine. I think I hit at least three cones on that run due to my lost focus, but I did the right thing for the business. That was the day I decided that the magazine would come frst, and any racing we did would be in support of our efforts at the magazine. We also have to dabble in as many forms and regions of our covered motorsports as we can. Sure, like many of you, I would love to run the same car year after year, hone my skills, and win a regional or national championship. However, our travel schedule and commitments to different projects and venues make this nearly impos- sible. The last few months alone have seen me at a 24 Hours of LeMons race, a vintage race and a ral- lycross. That is about as varied as it gets in the world of grassroots motorsports. Yes, it's fun, but this variety does make it hard to concentrate and to really hone skills and car prep. This brings me to another rule about our racing: Anything we do, we put in the magazine. This means we don't do anything to a car that we wouldn't tell everyone about–so no cheating, and no question- able rules interpretations, since we will get called on it. No trophy is worth the embarrassment of getting caught cheating. That said, there are still times when it all comes together, as it did when our low-buck endurance racing team ran Barber Motorsports Park a couple of months ago–times when we almost get to forget we're running a magazine, and are able to enjoy the pure sweetness of competition. We did our home- work (and garage work) beforehand, we installed a calm, capable leader in the form of Wayne Presley, who we got to know during the Factory Five 818 project, and we made a plan and executed it. We ended up with a better car, better crewing and better driving, and were able to turn our back-of-the-pack Miata into a front-runner when we got back out on track a few weeks ago. Since that weekend at Barber in February, we have done some baselining at our test facility at the FIRM and made further improvements to the car. The three seconds a lap we've picked up would have put us in the top fve at that Barber race. (Look for details in our upcoming issues.) I'm thrilled on every level. The moral to the story here is that no matter what path you choose to get yourself out on track, we will try to be there with the information you need. But we are still racers at heart, and although our frst mission will be to serve you, the reader, that doesn't mean that we won't also be trying to beat you. We're only human, after all. by tim suddard • tim@grassrootsmotorsports.com "HOW TO GO RACING" STARTING LINE Grassroots Motorsports 10