Anyone else trying to compete with a life?

[Forcednduckshn]

Nice, man - that sounds fast. You sound a bit better than me...you should be on my team for an endurance race or something, lol.

IIRC I thought the fastest 9hp times were JUST under 38s, and I think I remember either a 38.100 or 38.200. I don't remember which, but I remember it was close and an even number. That was like a week or 2 after it opened - I'm sure now 37.x is common.

On the old track (pre fall 2009) I ran 0.55 under the "qualifying" time w/ the 6hp karts for my weight (152lbs). I think that was a 36.450...I do remember that. On the new track I think I remember a low 40 (like 40.2 or something like that)...I think that makes sense because I remember the new track was just under 4s slower than the old track.

My name (and racing name at OTK) is Nick. I was pumped that there were no other "Nick's" registered. I wonder if they'll still respect the "super license" or if I'll have to earn it again... Either way, I haven't been back there since November 2009 or so, but whenever I travel through going to NYC I have an urge to hop off the highway and get into a kart.

I only got to go a couple times a month over about an 8 month period when I was working out of Hartford, but OTK is way > F1 Boston. I've just done a couple BMW club events at F1, but the corner workers are OK at best. I'm signed up for my first league ever, so hopefully that goes well - I was looking at times and they aren't the best. I ran a 19.40 at Track 1 in a kart weighted to 200lbs during a BMW club tournament (FTD by 0.3s), and most times are right around 20-flat for the first timers league...probably because it's so damn expensive that no one can afford to go there and practice, including me.

I've only run there once, but BMW club had an outdoor enduro at F1 Outdoor in Bridgewater, MA. I loved the track, and they had nice 9hp karts. I got the pole during the 10 minute practice for our team, and we were doing really well the entire race (passing slower karts on the grass was fun), but they messed up the scoring and timing. They said we came in last, when we were obviously on the lead lap (I know, right - if you can't win, blame it on the refs...but I'm serious).

Well nice to meet you Nick. My name is Nick too, as you know. I'd love to do an endurance event with you some time! I'm sure due to the tightly knit nature of motorsport in the Northeast that we have some mutual friends or acquaintances. You're from NY? Know GJ Dixon or any SCCA AutoX'rs down there? GJ and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the past few years.

Sounds like you're already wayyy ahead of the pellaton in a go-kart, which is no surprise given your GT5 speed and real life circuit time trial prowess! You'll like F1 Boston, I did a league a while back there and it was great fun and practice. I feel if you can be fast in a go kart you can be fast in anything. The ballasted nature of it makes it hyper competitive so if you can shine there (which clearly you will) no one will have any excuses when you beat em up by a few tenths or more!

I know what you mean by poor officiating...I had a nearly identical thing to me happen at GPNY. I was winning the race...90 minute ironman. There was 5 mandatory pit stops. Somehow they called me in for "6." I got past by a local guy because of it.... lol. It's all good though, when that happens, I just take joy knowing that I did well and won, regardless of what the results say. I'm sure you did the same!

 

[Tommy_861]

Well nice to meet you Nick. My name is Nick too, as you know. I'd love to do an endurance event with you some time! I'm sure due to the tightly knit nature of motorsport in the Northeast that we have some mutual friends or acquaintances. You're from NY? Know GJ Dixon or any SCCA AutoX'rs down there? GJ and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the past few years.

Sounds like you're already wayyy ahead of the pellaton in a go-kart, which is no surprise given your GT5 speed and real life circuit time trial prowess! You'll like F1 Boston, I did a league a while back there and it was great fun and practice. I feel if you can be fast in a go kart you can be fast in anything. The ballasted nature of it makes it hyper competitive so if you can shine there (which clearly you will) no one will have any excuses when you beat em up by a few tenths or more!

I know what you mean by poor officiating...I had a nearly identical thing to me happen at GPNY. I was winning the race...90 minute ironman. There was 5 mandatory pit stops. Somehow they called me in for "6." I got past by a local guy because of it.... lol. It's all good though, when that happens, I just take joy knowing that I did well and won, regardless of what the results say. I'm sure you did the same!

Ok, so I hear the name GJ Dixon and I have to jump in. My name is Tom, and GJ is a good friend of mine and drives for my Lemons team! We go to GPNY all the time as well (him far more often than me). he is also probably the fastest driver you will ever meet, hes one of those guys that should be a winning pro right now but its all about the sponsorship cash and stuff. As for the SCCA, I have been autoxing down here for 10 years, I was the Chief technical inspector from 2001 or so till about 2007. I don't autox much anymore but all my racing buddies do, I focus more on the Lemons team, and also GPNY karting events and stuff. Who else do you know from around here?

 

[Forcednduckshn]

Ok, so I hear the name GJ Dixon and I have to jump in. My name is Tom, and GJ is a good friend of mine and drives for my Lemons team! We go to GPNY all the time as well (him far more often than me). he is also probably the fastest driver you will ever meet, hes one of those guys that should be a winning pro right now but its all about the sponsorship cash and stuff. As for the SCCA, I have been autoxing down here for 10 years, I was the Chief technical inspector from 2001 or so till about 2007. I don't autox much anymore but all my racing buddies do, I focus more on the Lemons team, and also GPNY karting events and stuff. Who else do you know from around here?

Hi Tom! Yes GJ is very quick! He's worked hard and deserves a Pro-Drive, that's for sure and I wish him the best. I aspire to achieve the level of success he has had thus far, and so far my track record is going in the right direction. Above all he's a really cool guy and a good person. Tell him I said hi. I hung out with him for a little at the SCCA Nationals this year. He did well in a GT3 Porsche in Super Stock this year.

The one time we raced against each other at GPNY about 3 years back, I took fast lap in the uptown and he took fast lap in the downtown in the pre-race qualifiers. That was the day we first met (I nipped him by a tenth on the former and he got me by a tenth on the latter.) We had discussed differences in driving styles that day. We are both more oversteery/agressive trail brakers, but he was using a "slide the rear end at entry technique" where as I was using more of a smooth "get the back a little light" technique to rotate, which was less dramatic but netted us identical times. Too bad we couldn't race against each other on the Super-Track (my cart broke in the race!) as it would have been a great battle! He ended up dominating the rest of the field in the race, many of which were very talented drivers in their own right. I'll never forget that day- it was a lot of fun. Since then, we have raced together at local autox's, where he managed to nip me in PAX by a tenth for the 1-2 finish! (his corvette vs my s2000) I really hope GJ makes it as a Pro - as he has the rare combination of hyper talent, mechanical expertise and sheer determination necessary to make it. Only a few guys I've met have all 3 of these qualities. I have a ton of respect for him.

Chris Travis? S2000 CR? Talks alot of smack, u know him?

 

[Tommy_861]

Hi Tom! Yes GJ is very quick! He's worked hard and deserves a Pro-Drive, that's for sure and I wish him the best. I aspire to achieve the level of success he has had thus far, and so far my track record is going in the right direction. Above all he's a really cool guy and a good person. Tell him I said hi. I hung out with him for a little at the SCCA Nationals this year. He did well in a GT3 Porsche in Super Stock this year.

The one time we raced against each other at GPNY about 3 years back, I took fast lap in the uptown and he took fast lap in the downtown in the pre-race qualifiers. That was the day we first met (I nipped him by a tenth on the former and he got me by a tenth on the latter.) We had discussed differences in driving styles that day. We are both more oversteery/agressive trail brakers, but he was using a "slide the rear end at entry technique" where as I was using more of a smooth "get the back a little light" technique to rotate, which was less dramatic but netted us identical times. Too bad we couldn't race against each other on the Super-Track (my cart broke in the race!) as it would have been a great battle! He ended up dominating the rest of the field in the race, many of which were very talented drivers in their own right. I'll never forget that day- it was a lot of fun. Since then, we have raced together at local autox's, where he managed to nip me in PAX by a tenth for the 1-2 finish! (his corvette vs my s2000) I really hope GJ makes it as a Pro - as he has the rare combination of hyper talent, mechanical expertise and sheer determination necessary to make it. Only a few guys I've met have all 3 of these qualities. I have a ton of respect for him.

Chris Travis? S2000 CR? Talks alot of smack, u know him?

I know the name but I don't know Chris personally. GJ has a lot of stuff in motion these days, we are really hoping it works out for him. I try and do what I can to help him (so far I haven't done much of anything but I talk him up everywhere and he knows whatever he needs I am in for). As for racing with him he generally wipes the floor with me lol but I always chase him and learn a lot. Last time we ran we were on uptown I was only about a second off of him sometimes.

We did an outdoor Kart race with GPNY on the streets of downtown Stamford, CT in early November, it was an absolute blast, you should come down next time they have it.

 

[GasolineJunkie]

I feel ya. I got the whole wife, kid on the way, and a demanding job, too. Heck, I haven't even got to try it yet. I'm waiting until after CHristmas when things at work will slow down a little.

But the whole moving to Europe thing while just starting a family, I don't know, there would be a big sit down with the wife for that one. But a sit down that I would like to be in!

 

[blindsidefive0]

Well nice to meet you Nick. My name is Nick too, as you know. I'd love to do an endurance event with you some time! I'm sure due to the tightly knit nature of motorsport in the Northeast that we have some mutual friends or acquaintances. You're from NY? Know GJ Dixon or any SCCA AutoX'rs down there? GJ and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the past few years.

Sounds like you're already wayyy ahead of the pellaton in a go-kart, which is no surprise given your GT5 speed and real life circuit time trial prowess! You'll like F1 Boston, I did a league a while back there and it was great fun and practice. I feel if you can be fast in a go kart you can be fast in anything. The ballasted nature of it makes it hyper competitive so if you can shine there (which clearly you will) no one will have any excuses when you beat em up by a few tenths or more!

I know what you mean by poor officiating...I had a nearly identical thing to me happen at GPNY. I was winning the race...90 minute ironman. There was 5 mandatory pit stops. Somehow they called me in for "6." I got past by a local guy because of it.... lol. It's all good though, when that happens, I just take joy knowing that I did well and won, regardless of what the results say. I'm sure you did the same!

I'm actually from Boston. Unfortunately the most popular autox site for me is a good ways away; pretty much just as far as NHMS - so I don't know a ton of autocross drivers. I do know a good bunch of past or present SCCA ITA and SPEC Miata drivers...also some guys who compete regularly in Lemons. Carl Fossum and Kevin Adams are two guys that come to mind from CT. Carl was actually the chief instructor of COMSCC when I showed up in my sister's Miata for my first track day - best day of my life (don't tell my wife).

You might appreciate this - I need to rant... BMWCCA has a multi-even tournament at F1 each year - 6hp karts weighted to 200lbs. Format was 3 qualifying events with the top 6 from each going to the finals. Each qual event had 3 10 minute sessions. Top 12 (out of 35-40ish total) best avg lap times from the 3 sessions go to finals of the qualifying event. I did the last of the 3 qual events and ended up winning the finals by about 4s. So now I go to the "championship" against the top 6 from each of the 3 events. Format is a little different - 2 qualifying races and a final. Race 1 is same seeding as your best time from the finals race of the original qualifying event...so I have top seed. I win race 1 pole to pole...end up getting sideways after a DIRTY hit under the tunnel (a-hole) but passed him FTW. Next race is inverse order of the first race, so I start 18th. I am blowing through the field like it's the Sunday Cup (these are casual HPDE types, not hardcore kart racing types...except the top few, who are hardcore shifter karters). I am about to make the cleanest pass in the world to take 7th place after moving up from 18th. I am 100% established on the inside of this tool who squeezes me into the wall and I get the penalty - so I end up getting 10th in that round. This pushes me back to 3rd overall for the final final event. Sure enough there is a restart lap in, but they F up the restart and put 18th place first. So now things are all messed up, and I end up getting passed on the restart - 4th now for those following at home. 3rd place guy slams into a wall in the fastest corner, bouncing off and spinning me. This corner is blind so I helplessly watch as I get hit head on and then t-boned by 4 karts going full speed because don't know I'm there. My kart is literally trashed. So they give me one of the extras that's a solid 1s slower than the rest of the field, AND I restart 18th. I ended up like 11th. So let's recap - officiating error #1, giving me the penalty; officiating error #2 improper procedure on the restart; officiating error #3 wave the EFFING yellow flag! I was furious and sore for days.

Oh...and in the 2 enduros I've done, they've missed MULTIPLE pit stops. You might ask - how hard is it to count to 5?

 

[algibraic]

im in the same boat, 2 jobs and a girlfriend is pretty fed up with gt5. fortunately for me i couldnt give a hoot about winning, just want to stay in the running toward driving a car on a real track, its a dream of mine

 

[luskiiimj]

Well, hello there real life. I've just been informed by my better half that 8th regionally is plenty good to get me through Christmas. I will have to sneak in seat time until round 2.

On that note, does anybody know when this round ends and the next begins?

 

[Jason_B]

I'm 31 so these days I kind of have to consider myself one of the old guys. I've got a full time job 9-5 5 days a week then working at night 6-12 4 Nights a week. I was ecstatic that my lap at the Cape the 2nd night was 128th with only 5 laps. It's since been crushed, lol.

 

[blindsidefive0]

Well, hello there real life. I've just been informed by my better half that 8th regionally is plenty good to get me through Christmas. I will have to sneak in seat time until round 2.

On that note, does anybody know when this round ends and the next begins?

Right now I'm 9th regionally (probably right behind you 👍), but I informed my wife that I need to stay sharp or I'll drop.

I believe this round goes until 1/24 when round 2 will begin.

 

[kmac540]

My wife to be knows exactly what would happen. Break the lease on the apt, sell the car, heck sell everything I can. Get 2 plane tickets and head out west! This is an opportunity of a life time. I slept in my car to intern with race teams in college. I will sacrifice more to actually drive. The best part is, my fiance totally supports me 'cause she's a racer too.

A wife AND a fiance!?!?! Wow! That is living the life!

This thread made me join the forums- lot of complaining and moaning about "my real life takes away from my gaming" Well guess what, its YOUR life, you pick what you want to do, don't complain about it. And if you DO complain - well, why don't you make some changes?

Last time I checked you are the one who picked your job, to have a wife, to have kids, to buy a ps3 and to buy GT5. Either do something about it, or just stop complaining! GEEEZUS! And for all of you adding to this poor guys whine and cheese party - someone will ALWAYS Have a bigger commitment than the next guy - if you have one kid and a wife, someone has two kids and wife - and then theres the guy with three kids, a wife and a 60/hr a week job!! But wait, theres a guy with a 80hr work week!!!

Bottom line; stop complaining!

2 things...

1. Choate51 clearly states wife to be in his entry - same thing as a fiancee...

2. Totally agree with the stop complaining bit - I've had little time to spend hot lapping. I've spent about a total of a half an hour on Tsukuba and last I checked I was like 97th in my region - still getting used to the car at this point. My fiancee (wife to be!) totally supports me, but it is because I prioritize my real life now due to the holidays....

On the other hand I can sympathize with the complaining so my view is not quite that harsh. In my opinion if you are to actually make it as a race car driver than you shouldn't need 8 hours a day for a month to get one of the top times. Just block off some actual time out of your week and treat it like it is REAL practice. I'm thinking that 16 to 32 hours of work should produce some pretty competitive times if you've naturally got what it takes...


Hoping to get some serious sessions in after the end of the year...
Thanks to PD for making round 1 a month long...

 

[Stanley145]

Does anyone else wish the kids were still in school? What's with this week off before AND after christmas? I can't seem to get that great lap in my sights without a smiling 6 year old face jumping in front of the screen while her 8 year old sister is laughing her *** off as I slam in to wall on turn 9...... Oh well I love them more than my game. That's what I'm suppose to say right?

 

[TRC BlackIce]

Sounds like we are mostly in the same boat here...

I'm 30, married, have a home, and self-employed...60+hrs/week working for the last 4-5 months, except for the last week or so when I was fortunate enough to have a rental copy of GT5 in my hands occupying too much of my time LOL.

Didn't get a chance to run any laps for the GT Academy contest, but confident I could at least clear the first regional round fairly easily.

 

[Choate51]

2 things...

1. Choate51 clearly states wife to be in his entry - same thing as a fiancee...

Heck we've lived together for 7 years and we are getting married May 5. So she's both wife/fiance in my book hehe!

 

[Forcednduckshn]

@ Randum311:

Who was complaining? I think this is a thread to simply inquire who has a life outside of GT5, sharing their stories with limited time available vs. the guy who sits in his basement 24/7 doing laps. I just think that all of us wish we had "more time" to put down some hot laps. This is hardly whining or complaining...

 

[blindsidefive0]

@Choate - lol, you really didn't have to explain yourself like that on this forum...but congratulations.

@Forcednduckshn - +1; if anything I started this forum to bring back the "human" element to gaming. The stories about how a father is about to set a best lap until daughter crawls in front of the TV, or someone laying down a hot lap with your dog barking don't really get captured in the technical discussion threads or the leader board.

 

[Choate51]

I couldn't imagine how difficult it is with kids getting the way. That's why it will be even more heroic when a couple dads with smaller kids get to the finals. Their stories are made for TV, not the out of shape 26 year old who thinks he has a fiance and a wife lol!

 

[kmac540]

Heck we've lived together for 7 years and we are getting married May 5. So she's both wife/fiance in my book hehe!

Congrats! Sounds similar to my own story - lived with my fiancee for the last 7 years as well, just haven't set a date yet...

Nice driving so far - best of luck - maybe I'll see you as the rounds progress *fingers crossed*.


(random thought - does anyone else think that the "nervous" smiley with the santa hat just looks like he's sad and cold?) ()

 

[Choate51]

(random thought - does anyone else think that the "nervous" smiley with the santa hat just looks like he's sad and cold?) ()

I think it looks like the old pedophile from Family guy when Chris doesn't want to open presents in the old guy's house.