Pre-season Budget…or lack thereof
March 10th, 2008So here it is the start of March, and without sugar coating it, my racing season is already in jeopardy. Ah, the wonders of the American economy.
I’m gonna give some random thoughts on the subject, because I know from talking with other racers, that I am not the first to have reasons to choose between racing and eating (figuratively speaking). I’ve been making calls for the MRA on behalf of our fundraising campaign, and many racers have said they are not racing this season or racing an abreviated season because of money issues.
My situation is one of almost a perfect storm of events, some really good, some not so good. On the not so good front, my business has been undergoing some transition as my art director and friend since 13 years old has been moving in a slightly different direction than purely client driven design. It is incredibly difficult to replace somebody like that, not only from a purely talent standpoint, but also as a working partner. Not all biz partners are created equal, and we have been lucky to have a great friendship as well as a great business relationship. However, I had no idea how much my buisness would miss his strategy and vision, elements that have never been my strengths.
So I found myself having a much harder time closing deals and basically bringing in the work, which under any circumstances is always a challenge. But I have other circumstances as well…
I happened to finish building my house about 18 months ago, and being lucky enough to do it myself and save an incredible amount of money, my budget still went over of course and I covered those costs basically any way I could, thanks to the generous credit of companies that really care about the consumer…like Chase, and Bank of America. Real consumer advocates those companies. So it is safe to say, i am still working my way out of that hole. Sort of like that old riddle…What gets bigger as you take more away? A hole of course. Or in this case, My debt vs. my available credit.
So those are the bad things…but there are good things to, and of course as the logic goes, good things cost money. In this case, it’s getting married. Blinded by the bliss of love of course, one tends to gloss over things like oh, say, my mortgage, or my bills, silly stuff like that. Actually, that’s not the case, i’m not glossing over them, I’m just ignoring them and reading “The Secret” knowing that i’ll take care of them that way. , I’m employing the same highly successful strategy as i’m re realizing there are just a few important items one must have at the wedding. Starting of course with a ring. And though i’m not a diamond kind of guy, i didn’t think my fiance would like the Superman mood ring i got the other day while enjoying my crackerjack. (Why do they have to ruin perfectly good carmel corn with peanuts?) And guess what, there’s not just one, but two rings, as there’s the wedding band to match the ring of course….Er wait, I mean there’s three bands, because I get one too. The best thing about the rings is when the future husband can actually contribute to the funding of said rings. You can turn 1:30’s at Pueblo and still feel like a midget of a man when you can’t even pay for your own wedding ring. Since I can’t yet turn 1:30’s at pueblo, or in my dreams for that matter, I’m reduced to something between reptile and invertebrate. Slug of the earth.
Sprinkle in a honeymoon here a new suit there, and you have some sort of equation that says “N = race_season_over.”
Having never been one to dabble in the harder side of drugs, i can’t say what it is like to withdraw from anything like cocaine or heroin or meth, though i’ve seen friends go through it. But i think i am experiencing the beginning of it now. Why is it any different really? At some level, there’s a combination of the mental and physical in motorcycle racing that fires those neurons in the same way… that perfect frequency of time and space and motion and physics that releases a surge of chemicals through litterally every cell in your being as you hurdle through the short-term time warp that is motorcycle racing. Not unlike the meth user cranking up and feeling some unreal rush of pleasure and clarity, always at the edge of utter destruction with just a small mistep in the wrong direction. Yet drawn to that rush, the feeling that you can only get from that one thing. But that’s the thing about racing. It IS that intense. It DOES fire those same neurons. If you could quantify it, I’d put the rush of a few laps on a tight race bike, in the zone, totally in the pocket and dialed, over the rush from any drug, any day.
And then there’s the money. They both come down to the damn money. Don’t have the cash? Can’t buy the rush.
So which would you rather be addicted to?
My hope is to actually salvage some of my fix with some supermoto this summer. So much cheaper, and arguably just as fun from what i can tell. I’ve always felt this about motorcycles, and motorcycling in general: It transcends the bikes completely. I don’t care if your on a XR50 zooming around your yard or a fat-ass hog, or a dialed race machine, you’ll have a smile on your face while you are riding. If my old and slow but smooth F4i has to sit a season, even if i can’t supermoto either, It will be there waiting next year. I’ve contributed what i can to the track and tried to be active in helping get the word out. If it helps keeps clubs like the MRA viable, i’ll support them in any way i can even if i’m not racing. Because sure as shit, I’m gonna race next year if i can’t this year. It’s in my blood. I’ve been an addict since my first ride on Wynn Knox’s old Yamaha and watching speed racer since i was 5 years old. Thanks to Dustin Pauls too and his dad’s motorcycle shop that also happened to sell lawnboys. Thank god my dad knew the virture of a good lawnmower.