Why do you do it? Race

People often ask "why do you do it, race." all that effort, money, time for a few seconds.

Drag Racing gets under your skin. is it the rush? the speed, fear of what is about to happen, why?

Having been around Racing from the early 90's in Adelaide, I"ve seen much change. Performance and professionalism has increased massively across all classes.

Racers are still racers. they drink, eat, hang rubbish on and spend ridiculous amounts of time, money, emotion and their soul to the gods of speed. somewhere in among that at is also racing.

For me its the emotion. raw pure stop your heart emotion. the last post at the MCG ANZAC day game 90000 silent, 16 sprint cars in the knoxville salute is very close, but two nitro funny cars bumping into full stage, Doorslammers on the limiter edging in, Nitro gladiators on two wheels, - the switch to the high side of nitro the non calm before all hell breaks loose. visceral anticipation,

But for all that, inside the helmet, it is another level. you see the startline crew celebrating after a pass, you share the moment out of context. The cameras now show much more. Kelly Betts losing it completely after winning the top fuel championship comes very close. Ben Bray watching his dad finally make another pass, every race team captured on film or not are very similar. It is standing on top of Everest, against all odds, the set backs, self doubt, the 20cent mechanical part failures, the errors, mistakes, the lucky breaks, late nights early mornings. its not a trailer full of new $$ spares but ratting though the skip bin for enough parts to make the next round. your damaged and hurt, crew chief says its safe - send it.

Zap vs Moits in Darwin. never surrender. always fight. this is a team sport make no mistake. and it takes everything to win. it is the ultimate game of poker, you can win,$$ help but bring everything you got, and go all in. it just maybe enough. egotistical? just a bit..(cough)

but still in the helmet - its more. Dobbo describes a fuel car run for 20 min, and thats just a half track lift. the glazed wild eyes give a glimpse of the fire inside. the enthusiasm is infectious. now yes not all are as articulate as others, the world can only take so many John Force / Al McClure characters,... gold interviews always.

I enjoy the engineering war, design, fabrication, and roll the dice at the tree. the heart break and frustration when the details fall short, not so much. but when it comes together - two stepped 9000+ @12 psi throw the clutch,visceral hit, clawing hard under power, 30psi in .9 of a second, 2nd and it pulls harder than ever, as the tyre shake slides her sideways here comes the wall,starts to turn the tyre out the grove tip the bars to the wall hard on the outer peg to lift the rear tyre body hanging off the other way front still not on the ground, pull the bars against the steering damper, feeling the pivot around the c of g somewhere near your ass, she starts to come back straightening front touches badly crossed up still shaking short shift punch top gear load the motor again fully on the wastegate and holy hell its going hard on the wheelie bars assaulting the laws of physics, time stops, and the stripe flashes past - oh the noise, full boost - take a breath you fool then stoooop you bastard. screaming, laughing crying in the helmet cos it all worked. raw unadulterated emotion. nothing comes close. Hail ridiculous motorcycles

And then there is nitro.... x everything by 10. at least.

racing get some

Scott Wilson 3547 CC/CB