Yeah Chris I think the point is to take it slow and steady to improve your driving skills over time. What you're saying is that you want to take a bunch of HPDE's in a short period of time and then just become an amazing driver. If you take one HPDE, you can use what you learn there and practice it somewhere like an AutoX session. Those are like $40 each and you can sit with instructor as well. You can learn basics at the HPDE and then sharpen your skills with AutoX, which will save you a lot of time and money. This way, by the time you are ready to do several HPDE's a year your skills will be way higher than if you just wait and do nothing till then.

:iagree:

You can have aspirations of wheel-to-wheel competition. That's fine. But right now your goal needs to be getting on track to learn and gain experience. That means doing HPDEs as you can afford them, regardless of whether or not you know you will want more. Of course you'll want more! And like everyone else you'll have to wait until you can afford to have it.

What you're doing right now is saying, "until I can afford to go after wheel-to-wheel competition I'm going to stay completely off track. I'm not even going to bother with getting an HPDE or two under my belt, however infrequently, so I can start gaining experience NOW. Even though I understand this experience will likely help me shape my ultimate goals for the future, which most likely include some form of wheel-to-wheel competition, I still choose to postpone all track activity until I am able to go after it all at once."

That's unrealistic and foolish, IMO.

Then let's go to the track then. I have no problem doing it. If it is expensive, screw it. At least then I can be moved from the Talkers column to the Walkers column.

This is the damn problem. THAT IS WHERE YOU START.

You want so much you are unwilling to pass "GO."

It's not an unwillingness Steve. I have no problem DOING it. It's FUNDING it. That's the hindrance man...

I'd hate to go do 1 HDPE knowing it would be the Only time I'd be able to ever do it, and get that close.

Would it be better to never go?

HPDE's are like $200-300 for a day and like $300-400 for a full weekend I think. Might take a little time to save up for each one, but it's not like a once in a lifetime kind of price.

This seems so hopeless dude. You have the completely wrong mentality.

Your thought process should be: "Ok, I can afford to do one HPDE right now. Let's do it! I'll have so much fun I'll start saving for the next one and go when I can!."

It's a lot easier wondering what it would be like, and not having it. Then to have had it, know what it's like and know you won't be able to again. I've already tasted that bitterness in other areas of life. I'd really rather to not have it in this one.

I understand this, and on your guy's income, thats doable. Not so much for mine I'm sorry to admit. But one day, hopefully with enough time and effort that won't be the case and I'll be able to afford that.

It's better to HPDE once and then HPDE again a year later than to never have HPDE'd at all.

You're getting defensive, and its making you sound silly. Would you prefer I sugar coat it, or tell you how it looks? You DO realize the best of friends tell you the truth in things, and dont just dance around it?

And if you did that, you'd probably change your tune about your goals.

:icon17: Because you know you'll do it again.

:iagree: That's exactly where I am right now (or will be once I finish school). I just want to get one done sometime this summer since it will probably be all I can afford after buying the supporting mods. I know I can do a lot more next year, but I would like to get at least one this year.

Boy, you guys seem to care a lot about whether or not Chris tracks his car :rofl2:

Chris, here's my advice. Do what you want with the car that you own. :D

I'm getting pissed because of how much I want to do it and I can't. I'd like to be right there with you on the track going lap for lap, but I can't.