scuzeme

I just wanted to touch on the club racing scene from my limited perspective in the very short time ive been involved.
Just let me start by saying im an older rider by many racers point of view and considered still a young one by a few others, at 40 years of age married with three kids ill let you form your own conclusion.

I really hate driving down the road only to have some beautiful red Porsce Carrera pull up next to me with a geriatric Abe Simpson type charactor sitting behind the steering wheel, i mean what is the guys problm, did his 100 year old wife just die and hes collected the life insurnace and is splurging out on his third midlife crisis? i think to myself what a waste of a great piece of machinery it should be me driving that. Then i pause and look within myself and think, it may have been his life long dream to own a car like that, he may have worked his arse off for many years to have the priviledge to drive that Porsce.

The truth is ,it is a rare thing when an individual can in some definitive way utilize some natural talent mixed with the vitality, beauty and passion of youth and also have the material means available to gather round them the technology machinery and external expertise that would allow them to rise out of the masses and become what we would call extrordinary, a freak, a universal Champion.

Its such a pity that there is an amazing mass of young talent out there in the racing scene that will probably miss the train in regards to meshing natural talent with the superior technological means to be able to nuture that seed of greatness.

Im sure some of those guys and girls would look at people like me and think look at Homer Simpson in his nice shiny leathers on that tricked out bike what a waste.
Well the great thing about passion is you can have it at 20 and it can still be there at 40 at 60 and even at 80!
Im sure youll still be able to kick my arse on that old VFR400 anyway!

Back to the racing scene, i just want to encourage anyone at any age or disposition that there is a place for you, i was considering racing but thinking i was just being stupid cause i was 39, when a chat with a 60+ guy at the top of the Rimatakas one Sunday afternoon conviced me that if he could do it at that time in his life, then i could, and i tell you what, im glad i did.

Ok some of us didnt focus the strength of our youth on the passion we have now but i know now that what i did focus on 20 years back has allowed me to be where im at today, the important thing is the passion for speed and competition is still alive in me so im gunna go for it and i encourage you young or old to do it to.

I dont look at the old codger in the red carrera quite the same way anymore instead of bagging him rolling my eyes and shaking my head i might give him a cheeky grin and the big thumbs up next time he pulls up beside me.

Cheers and Peace out.