Your heart beating fast, knuckles turn white as you grip the wheel, all you hear is the sound of the engine rev held at six-thousand revolutions per minute. The seconds are moving in slow motion. The light turns green, your quick reaction slips the clutch. All four wheels spin for a brief moment, then all of a sudden no more slip. Your body is thrown back into the seat and you start moving forward. The time is no longer moving so slow. You watch the RPM gauge climb higher and higher, just before redline, pushing the clutch and shifting into second, third, fourth, and finally fifth. You cross the finish line and start slowing down, not the heart, its still beating fast. All you want to do is get back and do it again.
This was the first time I took my Subaru WRX to a drag strip. I have always had a passion for cars. I have always wanted to get out and start racing, but for so long I kept myself from doing it. My entire adult life has revolved around automobiles one way or another. From working for a Chevrolet and Kia dealership, to running multiple stores for the top automotive parts retail company in the United States, to transitioning into my own company, my passion for the automotive industry has been my money maker. It is often said that if you do what you’re passionate about, you will become successful.
It’s not just the modern cars. I love them all. Hodrods, tuners, classics, and even rat rods. I also love the history of racing, and how the automobile shaped the world we live in today. Above the couch in my old apartment hung a blueprint of an old wooden board track that stood right behind where the apartment building stands today. Going to museums and reading about historic events really drives that passion. A passion we need to preserve.
With so many regulations on automobiles these days, younger generations are losing interest in such a great pastime. The automotive scene has and can really bring communities together. From racing, to car shows, and even car cruises, the automotive world has given people a way to be creative, promote team work, and even reminded us of great times we had when we were younger.
The automotive world has always been a great way to express your creativeness. It has kept many people out of trouble, but at the same time has got many into trouble and even killed. Illegal street racing has been around for a very long time. Auto racing alone has been around since the very second automobile was created. Many communities have a large following for these street machines but not as many safe places that they can test them. This causes many to take to public streets, putting drivers and innocent bystanders in harms way.
There are many different ways to keep people safe with motorsports. By providing areas where they are able to let loose, it could save many people from getting into trouble or even getting hurt. Car clubs like the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) provide an entire community of workers, racers, and spectators alike. There are many clubs and racing series like the SCCA, but there doesn’t seem to be enough to encourage the passion there once was.
Being an advent automotive enthusiast, I want to see the community grow larger, I want to see racing events full of spectators, I want to see people having fun with cars. With the impact the automotive industry has had on the natural world I know it will probably never be as big as it once was. So at this point, I would just love to see it all get preserved and shared for what it once was. Let us keep what we have now, so the future generations can see our glory.
