[trackbird]

This is going to be a bit strange (and probably too long). I sold my 2002 Z28 street/autocross car last year and bought a truck and a track car (2007 C3500 and 1992 Z28). At the time, I joked that if I bought that car, I'd wind up divorced. Well, I'm now divorced, but I have a car and a truck (and some other cars).

My local SCCA registration people pretty well irritated me at the last event to the point that I don't think I'm likely to run with them too much this year (if at all). And my current budget (and collective pile of cars) is not looking like much HPDE or wheel to wheel time is in my future. All of this means that I have a pretty fast, fairly sorted Camaro that I drive less than 100 miles a year (and now maybe not at all since it's not insured for street use right now) and I'm starting to miss driving a car that I enjoy. And, if I'm not autocrossing it, and not tracking it, I don't guess I really need to own it.

So, I'm starting to consider cleaning out my stable and finding a street car to drive again. Racerdad916 and I recently completed the work on the 2002 Taurus I have so it can be sold. That should let me buy my way out of the Mazdaspeed 6. I could sell the Camaro, use a bit of that cash to sell off my truck, pay off a few bills with some of the rest and go buy "something" fun to drive on a more regular basis (Corvette maybe? another 4th gen F-body?).

So, if I were to go car shopping, what should I go look at? I really want a 1991 C4 (updated body, 6 speed, non-lt1 car). I have had thoughts of a C5 Z06 (though I'm not a fan of what it takes to change a clutch in one of those). Or, I keep reading about Patreds f-body for sale (and others). Or, maybe I'll change directions, find a used truck and a kart? Or, I'm just off my rocker....

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[slowTA]

So you've stopped autocrossing because one person gave you attitude about a mistake on their part. I've seen arguments that have almost turned into fights and everyone involved is back the next week.

Seriously I would blow off this incident and move on with the season. I wouldn't let one person's problem ruin my fun for good.

[trackbird]

So you've stopped autocrossing because one person gave you attitude about a mistake on their part. I've seen arguments that have almost turned into fights and everyone involved is back the next week.

Seriously I would blow off this incident and move on with the season. I wouldn't let one person's problem ruin my fun for good.

I won't say it was a mistake on their part. The rules are the rules. My co driver put in for a "credit" for us both since I didn't make it with the car (since it rained, I wasn't going to get any useful testing done so I was swapping a diesel in a Ford F250 that day). I understand him getting a credit and me not (since I didn't show up with the car). This would have been easy enough to explain since I know what the rules are and such, but that's not the approach that was taken. I was basically yelled at and told that this is how it's going to be, get over it (in so many words) and I owe $35 for the day. If I hadn't had a co-driver that day, I'd have hopped in the truck and gone home, unloaded and gone back to bed. I have better things to do with my time, or at least different things (I'd have probably spent the day relaxing with a benchrest rifle in my hand at the 100 yard range while testing various handloads for accuracy).

I've become increasingly disenchanted with autocrossing as our region has grown (230 cars at an event). You spend 6 hours out in the sun to drive the car 3-5 minutes (if you're lucky)... I may as well take up drag racing. This is not to berate autocross, I've enjoyed it and learned a lot, but I spend all day for 3 minutes of seat time. With the current entry fees (and the requirement to buy weekend memberships to the scca, I'm paying about $8 a minute for seat time, plus gas, towing and consumables, which probably makes it closer to $30 a minute...or even far more). This is the same registration person who's rubbed many people the wrong way, and when both of our registration people are just evil and nasty to deal with (both of them gave me attitude in sufficient quantity that I no longer care), you really don't find yourself wanting to go back. I'm a pretty customer service oriented guy and I believe in being nice to people. I don't give instant attitude from the first word out of my mouth...

And, I don't want to become an SCCA member (which will save me $10 per event) since I hate the junk mail I get from them. I don't feel that I get much benefit from being a member (which someone will argue with me about the events I wouldn't be attending if they didn't exist, but I'm not really planning to attend them anyway...).

Yes, Mark, I'm trying to trim expenses and find ways to have fun. With the price of fuel, I have very ineffecient daily drivers (either of them) and my 2002 Z28 did far better for daily use. I'm back to thinking something fun might be the answer and get rid of the ton of cars that I have right now. I could buy one Corvette for all the payments and bills I have. Or, I could dump it all, buy a used truck and a Kart. Or anywhere in between. That's what I'm trying to decide. I'm looking for ways to maximize my fun and minimize my expenses (I'd sell the house and move, but I can't give that away in todays market).

On top of that, someone hit the Mazda yesterday. I saw it this morning. They drove into the front passengers side door and left white paint and two small dents. So, I'm back dealing with insurance companies for the 4th (or so) time in the last few months (September, uninsured illegal ailens hit the back of the Mazda while I was sitting in a drive through and scratched it, a few months ago a girl smashed her firebird into my truck tire, I had two windshields put in the mazda in a week, the first one was the wrong one, and now I get to have the door fixed and painted).

Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I need to go research the Solstice/Sky twins and maybe go drive one.

[axoid]

I need to go research the Solstice/Sky twins and maybe go drive one.

Keep in mind that next year there will be a Solstice coupe with a targa top roof.

[SStrokerAce]

I need to go research the Solstice/Sky twins and maybe go drive one.

Keep in mind that next year there will be a Solstice coupe with a targa top roof.

Yeah that's the one I want!


I agree with mark about the kart. If I was in your spot I would find the closest kart tracks and see what class is competitive and get one. You can also AutoX the thing (even though I hate them at events!) and you can wheel to wheel the thing for cheap, really cheap. Now team that up with the G8 "sport truck" and you might have a winner on all counts.

I hear what you are saying about nasty registration members and too many cars at an event. One of our local regions reminds me of exactly what you are talking about. I don't understand why they are so nasty all the time and why they can't just limit the number of racers to a certain amount? There is no fun in getting 50-60% of the runs of other regions, being treated like crap and having to watch 50 novices go out and plow over cones just so you can race 10 good drivers at the same event........

Bret

This post has been edited by SStrokerAce: May 2 2008, 09:07 PM