So via the local BMW chapter, I was invited to go "racing" this weekend at Utah Motorsports, fka Miller. I had planned to take my Coupe, but it wasn't finished, so I took my Cayenne Turbo S instead. I posted this to Facebook and wanted to share it here. Sure glad I didn't take my coupe....
https://www.facebook.com/SCOTTeVESTceo/posts/10211426933015891
Everything seems to be going my way lately.
Even today when it seemed as though the damage to my Porsche done in the third lap would necessitate me spending several additional days in Salt Lake City with no vehicle while waiting to get it fixed, it ultimately turned out to be one of the top 10 best days of my life.
The best case scenario was that the car would ok but need a part that wouldn’t arrive until Monday.
The likely scenario was that my 11-year-old SUV was going to require major mechanical work due to severe overheating and perhaps a new car.
I was getting my head wrapped around spending a weekend in Salt Lake City without a vehicle waiting for a Porsche dealer to hopefully find time Monday morning to fix my car and get me back on the road. Again, that was what I thought was the best case scenario with the more likely scenario me being stuck in Salt Lake City several days with a poodle and no car trying to get the car sorted out.
I was OK with that outcome although bummed that I was not going to be able continue racing which I was really enjoying in the three laps I had.
Such is life. It throws you curve balls and how you respond defines you.
Rather than getting pissy about this outcome, I decided to roll with the punches. As a result, not only did I meet a super nice group of guys that race cars for fun and for a living in some cases, one of the guys was able to overnight Saturday delivery the needed part for my car and promises me that he will be able to fix my car without any problems.
It could’ve been much much much worse. The engine could’ve blown or any number of things costing a fortune and taking a lot of time. Turns out it was just a simple radiator hose.
As if that wasn’t enough, the day went on to be even more awesome. The same group of really great guys happen to have a spare race car sitting around that was available to rent. So rather than racing a SUV around the race track I was able to raise a Porsche Boxster set up specifically for a race track instead.
I was a little uncomfortable racing a car like that so I was assigned a instructor. He turned out to be the nicest guy ever. He taught me again how to drive a sports car around the track.
I found my happy place again.
When you are driving around a track at over 100 miles an hour heading directly into a turn, you cannot think about any of your problems other than getting through that turn, alive and preferably not dead or mangled
as Laura would say.
To say the least, it was a blast. I got to meet a really interesting and fun group of guys. Everyone had something in common, their love of cars. The Smalltalk was fun. And, it led to more interesting talk. Everyone of these guys has an interesting story. None of the same. So I made a whole bunch of new friends.
To make it even better, Rhonda had an amazing time and learned finally not only how to catch frisbee but how to return frisbee as well.
I made a lot of friends just by introducing her to people asking them if they would watch her during my race. She loved it. And, they loved her.
As a result of this experience, I have decided to do much more racing. Unfortunately, Idaho does not have a single track but Salt Lake City is only 4 1/2 hours away and they have events every month during the good weather.
So on a day that started out possibly really badly, I have shifted the groove in my life to begin a new hobby, or take up an old hobby that I had forgotten about and really loved.
It’s really a lifestyle as well. I can see a SCOTTeVEST race car in my future
I will be talking with my accountants about that on Monday
.
In all seriousness, although I don’t believe in God, if there was one, I believe that she would be smiling on me right now.
Everything seems to be in the right grove, with wind at my back.
Oh yeah, I got great “phone“ from Laura. Laura is not a really big phone person but I called her in between races and she seemed really relaxed and we had some great conversations. That might be the highlight.
Tomorrow, I get to do the same thing again and I expect my Porsche wil be repaired by noon or one and I will be on the road to see Laura and Rhonda’s sisters.
Yea, Life is good. Sometimes thinking outside the box and doing things that you haven’t done in a long time can open up your mind and change your life.
https://www.facebook.com/SCOTTeVESTceo/posts/10211426933015891
Everything seems to be going my way lately.
Even today when it seemed as though the damage to my Porsche done in the third lap would necessitate me spending several additional days in Salt Lake City with no vehicle while waiting to get it fixed, it ultimately turned out to be one of the top 10 best days of my life.
The best case scenario was that the car would ok but need a part that wouldn’t arrive until Monday.
The likely scenario was that my 11-year-old SUV was going to require major mechanical work due to severe overheating and perhaps a new car.
I was getting my head wrapped around spending a weekend in Salt Lake City without a vehicle waiting for a Porsche dealer to hopefully find time Monday morning to fix my car and get me back on the road. Again, that was what I thought was the best case scenario with the more likely scenario me being stuck in Salt Lake City several days with a poodle and no car trying to get the car sorted out.
I was OK with that outcome although bummed that I was not going to be able continue racing which I was really enjoying in the three laps I had.
Such is life. It throws you curve balls and how you respond defines you.
Rather than getting pissy about this outcome, I decided to roll with the punches. As a result, not only did I meet a super nice group of guys that race cars for fun and for a living in some cases, one of the guys was able to overnight Saturday delivery the needed part for my car and promises me that he will be able to fix my car without any problems.
It could’ve been much much much worse. The engine could’ve blown or any number of things costing a fortune and taking a lot of time. Turns out it was just a simple radiator hose.
As if that wasn’t enough, the day went on to be even more awesome. The same group of really great guys happen to have a spare race car sitting around that was available to rent. So rather than racing a SUV around the race track I was able to raise a Porsche Boxster set up specifically for a race track instead.
I was a little uncomfortable racing a car like that so I was assigned a instructor. He turned out to be the nicest guy ever. He taught me again how to drive a sports car around the track.
I found my happy place again.
When you are driving around a track at over 100 miles an hour heading directly into a turn, you cannot think about any of your problems other than getting through that turn, alive and preferably not dead or mangled
To say the least, it was a blast. I got to meet a really interesting and fun group of guys. Everyone had something in common, their love of cars. The Smalltalk was fun. And, it led to more interesting talk. Everyone of these guys has an interesting story. None of the same. So I made a whole bunch of new friends.
To make it even better, Rhonda had an amazing time and learned finally not only how to catch frisbee but how to return frisbee as well.
I made a lot of friends just by introducing her to people asking them if they would watch her during my race. She loved it. And, they loved her.
As a result of this experience, I have decided to do much more racing. Unfortunately, Idaho does not have a single track but Salt Lake City is only 4 1/2 hours away and they have events every month during the good weather.
So on a day that started out possibly really badly, I have shifted the groove in my life to begin a new hobby, or take up an old hobby that I had forgotten about and really loved.
It’s really a lifestyle as well. I can see a SCOTTeVEST race car in my future
In all seriousness, although I don’t believe in God, if there was one, I believe that she would be smiling on me right now.
Everything seems to be in the right grove, with wind at my back.
Oh yeah, I got great “phone“ from Laura. Laura is not a really big phone person but I called her in between races and she seemed really relaxed and we had some great conversations. That might be the highlight.
Tomorrow, I get to do the same thing again and I expect my Porsche wil be repaired by noon or one and I will be on the road to see Laura and Rhonda’s sisters.
Yea, Life is good. Sometimes thinking outside the box and doing things that you haven’t done in a long time can open up your mind and change your life.
Better yet, get yourself a prepped mx-5 and join SCCA. I'm sure that Idaho has plenty of large parking lots.
