Racer's blues

[Lowgear]

I was in the hobby for 15 years and never took any sort of discernible break. I was so burnt out that I wanted nothing to do with any part of it any longer and was just about get out for good. What completely renewed my interest was this place for a number of reasons. Now here I am 6 additional years later and my interest hasn't waned again.

I mentioned before on here in the past month or two that I'm moving as well which accounts for my lack of activity. I've also decided to try and spend money more wisely when it comes to R/C. Instead of constantly buying and thus starting more projects I think I need, I'm trying to just focus on one or two at a time until they're completed.

[Hcp22]

I started racing at the local track in 86 and ended up attending European Championship’s, and even a World Championship. But in 95 I got the same thoughts you have now and in 97 I left the RC world completely and boxed up all the gear. Then I was elected to the district/state board for motorsports, I was in the board for 8 years before resigning (all motorsport are organized in Sweden under a national federation-districts-clubs). Over the years I always paid my yearly fee to my club.
Then in 2009 I stumble over my old gear and found my first RC, a Kyosho Turbo Scorpion. I was thinking if I should sell the whole lot, but I never did. So I start to renovate my cars, sold some and ending up buying twice as many…
I started to visit my club to drive around a few laps with my vintage cars now and then. Then a club member popped the question: asking if couldn’t begin to race again. But no, I know what it takes to get to the A-final and I was done with that. A vintage race a few times a year is more than enough for me. But the yearn is still there for making it to the A-final and the winners circle.

What I’m trying to say: This is life for you; it constantly shifts to new horizons.

[DerbyDan]

I think I can empathise with your situation...

I started racing in the late 80s when I was about 12-13.... I've been racing almost non-stop since, my only real break came the first club I raced at closed & it was about a year until I started again at another local club (I also ended up running this club) - since then I have raced at all levels of off-road 1-10th buggy & 1-10th electric touring car racing - at one point I was sponsored by Schumacher & travelled up & down the country doing many of the larger series & National meetings etc - some weekends driving to one venue to do a 2wd meeting & then jumping in my car & driving somewhere else to do a National TC meeting (few racers do both classes so they often clashed) During this time my enjoyment waned & my driving deteriated too.... during this time I had stopped attending my local club as the 'serious' racing took up all of my spare time.

Eventually I realised that I was never going to be good enough to achieve the good results that I had dreamed of & gave up the travelling to big meetings & vowed that my racing should be more enjoyable. I returned back to my old local club & apart from doing the odd off road event at other local clubs - KetteringMCC is the only place that I race on a weekly basis. I've made some great friends along the way throughout my racing career but I think its the comaradere' between us club members now that is really keeping me interested, going on a Friday for the club night is more a chance to meet up with friends & socialise - not just race... the fact that the racing between us is very close & competitive helps keep the interest & of course add fuel for the banter down the pub afterwards!! Recently, as a club we've got involved with various events including a 24hr endurance team race & putting on a display at a car show... we run regular Autumn & Spring championships & have run a caravan race evening at Christmas. Many of the club members are now doing Off Road aswell, so when we do race at the other (off road) clubs locally we pit together...

It must be said, i'm now enjoying my racing more than ever!

[Russ Winn]

I understand fully. I started racing back in the mid-80's, in my early 20's. I was single at the time, and it was nothing to spend $300-400 a month on parts to go racing twice a week. I lived and breathed RC cars. Then life took me a different direction, and I stopped for several years. About 13 years ago, I tried to get into carpet pan car racing, and found it frustrating, along with the same type of "whine and cheese" carpet drivers carried over from the 80's. I was more of the good ol' boy dirt tracker. I figured dirt oval was finally dead, but I couldn't give up the hobby I love, so I started doing restos, and just becoming an old hot rodder/casual cruiser, instead.
Just when I thought RC as I knew it was finally dead, and decided to give up the ghost, a new shop and dirt oval track opens up down the road from me... Funny how things work out.

All that being said, my suggestion is to find a different niche, to keep your passion alive, until something else comes along to pique your interest again.

Keep the faith, bro.