Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

Chuck,
You have put so much into your car to made it run so good, just Don't sell it for almost nothing and quit.like you said DON'T give it away.
If you can at least run 2 NHRA races, a IHRA at Martin and some comb. races like Nitro Joes you' ll have a good time & if you slow down a little at a time
it's not like quiting cold turkey.

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

Exactly why I have never considered selling my AMX. I've always said it will be my last race car because if it's gone, then that means I'll never go back racing. There's no way I'll go through the building stage again. I had no kids when I started class racing and now all my time and money is in the wife and 4 kids. I'll be lucky to make a couple divisional races and a National when I get it back, but that's OK with me.
I am pleased that my kids (who haven't seen much of the car in 4 years), do ask me if I'm ever going to get the car back. I like that they show some interest (they're 8 & 11 years old).

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

Jeff, I am so glad to hear you haven't sold the AMX. A person we both know told me you sold it a couple years ago at Barrett-Jackson. Bring that beautiful and fast wheelstander out to SIR on 3/25 and 3/26! Does Mark still own the Challenger stocker?

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

Same issue here. 2 teenagers and a horrible vacation schedule= I don't get to race much.

But, if I sold everything, I could never afford to come back. I would start another hobby. like Golf.

I want to race so bad it hurts, but would not even consider selling out at this point. I will just wait it out-it costs me nothing to have the car sitting. Things always get better.

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

Chuck, the biggest question is, are you healthy. Hopefully you are and don't feel you need to sell and/or quit because the end is near. Some of the folks on this thread seam to be in the same boat. It seams to me that it would be very tough to walk away from a part of life that you loved that long. Drag racing, just like life ain't what it used to be. A competitor has something special deep in his core. It's called the heart of a champion, and most of the folks on here have that. I would'nt sell anything, unless I needed the money for my family to eat. Now if you were making payments to race, and needed to get out from under them OK. That stuff brought you alot of happiness, and still can!

I build my own cars, and they are a part of me! As I build my stuff, I am thinking of some details that will be needed should I retire the car from racing. I then build the car with enhancements to provide a relationship between us after racing

Would Ben Cartwright walk away from the Ponderosa? When a man loves something, he stays with it till the end!

Good luck Chuck and the others thinking about quiting. Remember you guys (veteran racers) built Drag Racing....and I sure thank you for that!

Wade Mahaffey

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

very well said
all of my things are for sale
but
nobody will buy anything
because i will not take a .01 on a $100

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

I'm sitting out 2011,due to lack of funds.Despite my less than optimistic view of what the
NHRA is doing i still would be out this year.I sat out 2004 for the same reason.Found out it wasn't the end of the world.Came back in 2005 with a brighter outlook.
I do have a project car to occupy my time this year though http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...090900PM-1.jpg

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

If you're near southern Ont. this summer, give the Can Am S/SS series a try. Very reasonable entry fees, great payouts, excellent racing. Most races are 2 day events. Not uncommon to have 40 to 50+ cars. Great series. S/SS associations have a lot to offer. No downsides to this series. Pat.

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

Myself Ive been racing cars since the 80s. I took a break for 6 years to get my life in order all the while thinking about the next 4 wheel fix. I however sold my pride and joy of 13 years for less than I thought I ever would. Trailer, parts, xtras, etc etc. Well I finally got back into it and jumped head first to Stock Elim.(dumb *** ) Now I am currently and slowly building another Stocker for what? I keep truly wondering why. I am willing to bet Ive spent about a 1/4 of a million dollars over the years on this 4 wheel crack ****.That being said Ive met a lot of great people and made alot of friends in doing this. Now that I can finally afford to do it I am ready to quit again. Im not really sure if anything else makes me as happy. As long as I have something to show for it I guess. Anyway, I promised myself not to sell out this time due to the fact my 4 yr old son cant wait to take the helm. God help me this expense is just the beginning. Time for a 2nd part time job and maybe I can walk there due to the (soon to be) 4 dollars a gallon gas. Its a vicious cycle aint it? For now Im staying close to the home front
as the big storm is coming and the snow blower is ready for some un used c12 .

Re: It is very difficult to just walk away
 

Not really.