I was saddened to hear about the fatal incident this past weekend.I am
just getting started in vintage racing, and this news has made me wonder
wether I am going in the right direction.
>From the people I have spoken with,I have been under the impression that
vintage was for having fun, being around some good people and savoring
the sights and sounds , and enjoying the feel of the older cars on the
track. A sport and hobby where fun and enjoyment are the order of the
day.
I find that I have some anger over all this. I am sure that all of us
have experienced the feeling when you see your favorite hobby or
pasttime become full of participants who just do not give a shit. Who
believe that this or that particular rule just does'nt apply to them.
People who have no manners or sportsmanship and continually act up, and
then holler the loudest when someone else acts up like they do.
I am considering joining VARA, and attended the Pomona event this past
weekend to see how their events were run and to get a feel for the
people involved. For the most part I was impressed with what I saw,but I
did see some overly agressive driving by more than a few participants.
One of the most obvious was watching a group of six cars try to
negotiate the tight chicane two by two with only a few feet between
groups. I could not tell if any contact was made ....but why take the
chance. It is supposed to be for fun !
Some people may call me a pussy, but I think that if you want to drive
that aggressivly then you need to be in a different type of racing.
Spending my hard earned and difficult to come by funds on my car and
equipment and then to have to worry about those few who don't care makes
me wonder.
Peer pressure works. Let people know how you feel. Let your organization
know how you feel.This is our chosen and worked for activity and we
should not let those few take away or diminish our fun !
Michael Begley
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