EDITORIAL
All-In, All-Out; Then Out
Author: Bret Dorman
Sometime you have to stay home…
Writer’s forward: For a fortunate few, the words below will hold little meaning. You are the envy of those like me. We long to return to the sport we love but refuse to sacrifice everything to make it happen. What follows is not a critique of anyone, save me. Nor is it a how-to guide. I’m not so arrogant as to think that I’m in a position to decide what is best for anyone else and I hope it is not interpreted as such. Rather, I hope you’ll simply enjoy the words on the page. Maybe you now find yourself in a similar position to what is outlined below, and this will be an affirmation that you are not alone. “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” -Leonardo Da Vinci
 The Cost
As we well know, addiction is expensive. That is the one undeniable, unchanging truth of this sport. The measurable costs can include travel, lodging, food, fuel, tires, entry fees, gate fees and time off at work. Don’t forget your helmet, leathers, boots, gloves, chest protector and back protector. That’s the short list. You want to race? Better include health and life insurance and another lid. Who could forget spare parts? You’ll need enough to completely rebuild your machine in the event that you experience the dreaded “yard sale”. Remember that these are just the measurable. There are also potentially severe personal costs associated, especially if your addiction is severe. See our article titled, “Making the Jump from Trackdays to Racing,” in the event you are not already acquainted with “The Dark Side”. Let me be the first to say that I don’t have all the answers. Even so, there are a few facts that we must acknowledge: the unemployment rate is as high as it has been since 1983, the value of the U.S. dollar is down and our cost of living continues its steady rise. These are the concrete facts of life outside of the trackday and racing scene and they are truths we all face to one degree or another. They are also out of our control.
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