|
You know you're a Race if... |
| 1. |
You think the primary purpose of wings is to PREVENT flight. |
| 2. |
You take your helmet along when you go to a car dealership for a test-drive. |
| 3. |
Every time you go to the grocery store you feel compelled to beat your previous best time. |
| 4. |
When something falls off of your car, you wonder how much weight you just saved. |
| 5. |
When you hear 'overcooked it,' instead of food you think 'off the track.' |
| 6. |
You change engine oil every other week. You check tire pressures every other day. |
| 7. |
You thoroughly enjoy showing the tailgater behind how to drive around a highway off-ramp. |
| 8. |
You once had an argument with your wife over whether you should pay the mortgage on time or get those new heads while they were on sale. |
| 9. |
You push your cart through a proper line in the grocery store. |
| 10. |
You've paid $5.00 a gallon for gas without complaining. |
| 11. |
You bought a tow vehicle instead of braces for your kid. |
| 12. |
You and your wife go house hunting and you never actually get inside the house because you're checking out the garage for 220v. |
| 13. |
You sit in your race car in a dark garage and make car noises and shift and practice your heel and toe, while waiting for your motor to get back from the machine shop. |
| 14. |
Your wife doesn't understand why you need three sets of tires for your car. |
| 15. |
Your garage holds more cars than your house has bedrooms. |
| 16. |
You have car parts in your cubicle at work. |
| 17. |
You think the last line of the Star Spangled Banner is: "Gentlemen, start your engines!" |
| 18. |
You're registered for wedding gifts with Edelbrock and Griggs. |
| 19. |
Your Christmas list begins with another set of BFG R1s and aluminum rack bushings and your 'significant other' knows what these are. |
| 20. |
Your home library consists of auto parts catalogs, books written by F1 drivers, anything about Carroll Shelby, and 400 car magazines. |
| 21. |
People know you by your car number or your "offs" -- "Oh, you were the one stuck in the mud in Turn 5 last weekend!" |
| 22. |
Your first date involves asking her to crew for you. |
| 23. |
Your friends have never seen your hair actually combed. They only know it's color as "greasy." |
| 24. |
Your family brings the couch into the garage so they can spend some time with you. |
| 25. |
You complain when cars in front of you on highway off-ramps don't stay on the line, causing your exit speed to drop. |
| 26. |
A neighbor asks if you have any oil, to which you query, "Synthetic or organic?" and they reply, "Corn." |
| 27. |
You refer to the corner down the street from your house as "Turn One." |
| 28. |
You always late apex the intersection and try to pass a few cars coming out. |
| 29. |
You can't stand anyone telling others how to drive. Of course, you are the best. |
| 30. |
You can't stand understeer. |
| 31. |
You will gladly pay up to $8 for a quart of engine oil. |
| 32. |
You hate long distance driving vacations, but you will gladly drive 800 miles to the race track. |
| 33. |
You think that traction control and ABS are for those who can't drive. |
| 34. |
You save broken car parts as "mementos." |
| 35. |
You've tried synthetic oil and racing gas in your lawn mower. |
| 36. |
You've tweaked your riding lawn mower trying to improve its cornering ability. |
| 37. |
Instead of pictures in your wallet, you have time slips. |
| 38. |
You would choose a rollbar over air conditioning if it were an option. |
| 39. |
You enjoy driving through wet, empty parking lots using the Emergency Brake to turn. |
| 40. |
You spend more on insurance premiums than on food. |
| 41. |
When someone asks where you went to school, you reply, "Skip Barber". |
| 42. |
You have racing shops programmed on your speed dialer. |
| 43. |
You own five cars and only one of them is street legal. |
| 44. |
You know the "racing line" of every turn in your daily commute. |
| 45. |
You've slalomed in a construction zone, and counted your penalty time in the rearview mirror afterwards. |
| 46. |
After you tell your wife where you'd like to go on your vacation she answers: "Why, is there a race there?" |
| 47. |
Grass IS a racing surface. |
| 48. |
You believe anyone can drive in a straight line. |
| 49. |
You don't wait for the red light to go green - you wait for the red light to go out. |
| 50. |
You know the "Line" of your office parking lot. |
| 51. |
If it is a fair race, you forgot to change your tires. |
| 52. |
Your friend comes over to take you for a drive in his new car and you run inside to get your helmet. |
| 53. |
You've driven to work in Nomex driving shoes and changed when you got there. |
| 54. |
You have four complete sets of sockets, two rolling tool boxes and not a single hammer. |
| 55. |
If you drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol |
| 56. |
You removed your car stereo and horn because they weighed too much. |
| 57. |
You've watched COPS and critiqued the suspect's driving line. |
| 58. |
Your garden hose holder is an old wheel. |
| 59. |
You've put on a three-point belt and felt naked. |
| 60. |
You've ever made a small fortune racing by starting off with a big one. |
| 61. |
You've ever had to explain the difference between a wheel and a tire. |
| 62. |
If you wax your daily driver but toss tools on top of your more expensive race car. |
| 63. |
You take your helmet to the eyeglasses store to make sure the new ones fit thru the eyeport. |
| 64. |
You walk the "line" in your office hallways. |
| 65. |
You aim for the apex when walking around corners. |
| 66. |
You measure tire wear in number of events instead of miles. |
| 67. |
You've been asked the year of your car and you say Which Part? |
| 68. |
If you pack a torque wrench and extra oil to travel 100 miles to visit your in-laws. |
| 69. |
Your air gauge is in a koozie. |
| 70. |
If someone asks if you drove there and you say "No, I trailered it." |
| 71. |
If your wife has ever said, "Just go" and you held back a smile. |
| 72. |
You've ever been pulled over and considered losing the Cop on the next three turns. |
| 73. |
You've ever stopped to help a stranded motorist just to use your new portable impact drill. |
| 74. |
You are behind on bills but your mechanic is paid up. |
| 75. |
You've ever complimented someone's tires. |
| 76. |
You've ever argued that worn street tires on your minivan are the same as slicks. |
| 77. |
You've ever debated to buy a house or fix your cars. |
| 78. |
Your co-workers all know to call you with car issues. |
| 79. |
You've ever met another car nut and became instant life long friends. |
| 80. |
Picking out tires for your daily driver requires a lot thought. |
| 81. |
You've ever used an impact drill to remove a children's bicycle wheel. |
| 82. |
You keep old brakes pads from six changes ago "just in case." |
| 83. |
Your tools are clean, oil is changed, brake fluid is flushed but the car is dirty. |
| 84. |
You know how to override the governors on the rental golf carts. |
| 85. |
You go through cars more often than helmets. |
| 86. |
You've ever turned off the radio and listened to your engine instead. |
| 87. |
You've ever measured tire temps on a daily driver. |
| 88. |
You've ever forgotten you owned an extra motor. |
| 89. |
You've ever had your wheels stolen and didn't worry because you had another set. |
| 90. |
You've ever see a co-worker's new car and advised them to get new rubber. |
| 91. |
You've ever beaten a young punk's hot rod with your minivan. |
| 92. |
You could have paid off your house by now…and your neighbor's. |
| 93. |
You've ever asked someone how their car is doing before inquiring about their recent surgery. |
| 94. |
You've trashed your stock car jack in favor of a much larger aluminium one because "it is better." |
| 95. |
Your two year old has sockets for building blocks instead of actual blocks. |
| 96. |
Your child's toy cars match yours with the same paint scheme. |
| 97. |
You've broken up with someone over Automatic vs. Manual. |
| 98. |
You won't date someone who doesn't know when their next oil change is due. |
| 99. |
You have tire marks on your hood. |
| 100. |
You've ever forgotten your hood pins…and paid the price for it. |
| 101. |
You hear about the Bus Stop and think Daytona's road course. |
| 102. |
You see pool noodles and remember your roll cage. |
| 103. |
You see a cone marking the apex and turn in. Only to remember you are on your street and it is marking a missing drain cover. |
| 104. |
If you don't include your tow vehicle in your car count. |
| 105. |
You pack floor jacks and an air compressor for family vacations. |
| 106. |
You have more pictures of your car than of your kids. |
| 107. |
You still have engines for cars you no longer own. |
| 108. |
You have dents all around and honestly don't care. |
| 109. |
You have Debusman's address memorized. |
| 110. |
You're trying to shave seconds off each time you rotate your tires. |
| 111. |
Your daughter in law is about to deliver you a grandson... and you are more concerned about the delivery of your new race car! |
| 112. |
You make suspension adjustments on your lunch hour to correct the oversteer you experienced on the commute to work. |
| 113. |
You're asked how the weather is outside and you respond, "at which track?" |
| 114. |
You have rats nest in your race car because you hardly ever start it off track. |
| 115. |
Every time you change your oil you change your tires. |
| 116. |
When you care more about your car's self apearence than your own. |
| 117. |
You've actually forgotten where you keep all your cars. |
| 118. |
You have more spare tires than your wife has shoes. |
| 119. |
You can't remember which one of your cars you left your helmet in. |
| 120. |
Your coworkers are baffled by you owning more than one car. |
| 121. |
You have more cars than drivers in your family. |
| 122. |
You have car parts for cars you no longer own. |
| 123. |
Your shelves have more car parts than boxes. |
| 124. |
Shiny new sports cars don't impress you. |
| 125. |
You measure a tire's life in weekends instead of miles. |
| 126. |
You've ever fallen for a girl who not only bought a sports car but could tell you all about it. |
| 127. |
You've taken your kid to the garage to get tools to build an Erector set. |
| 128. |
You have racing games on your phone. |
| 129. |
Near misses during rush hour don't phase you. |
| 130. |
Your car is awesome but getting in and out of it just sucks. |
| 131. |
Everyone laughs at you for buying a Miata and you just grin. |
| 132. |
You can't remember the type of tow vehicle you have except that is has an "engine." |
| 133. |
You have walked back into your house twice because you keep picking up the wrong keys. |
| 134. |
You've gotten in your family car and tried to insert the keys in the wrong side of the dash. |
| 135. |
You fold your shop towels but won't lift a finger to help fold the laundry. |
| 136. |
You have more shop towels than bath towels. |
| 137. |
Nothing in your garage has anything to do with lawn work or carpentry. |
| 138. |
Every time you gas up, you yell to your spouse to time you. |
| 139. |
Only the driver's side of your windshield gets cleaned. |
| 140. |
The word Bank has nothing to do with money. |
| 141. |
When you have an accident, the first thing you try to do is pull off the steering wheel. |
| 142. |
You consider slower cars in the left lane as 'lapped traffic'. |
| 143. |
You go to a stock car race and don't need a program |
| 144. |
You know the back way to Talledega. |
| 145. |
You make engine noises while watching racing on TV. |
| 146. |
You make sure to stay under 55 as you leave the gas pumps. |
| 147. |
You think the first car at a stoplight is 'on the pole'. |
| 148. |
You time yourself on your wrist watch when you pull up to a self serve gas pump. |
| 149. |
Your mechanic tells you to stop referring to him as 'your crew chief'. |
| 150. |
Despite of all the time and trouble, you're anxious for the season to start. |
| 151. |
Everywhere you go, you try to find the fastest line through the turn. |
| 152. |
The car gets waxed more often than your floor. |
| 153. |
The police have a picture of your car taped to their dashboard. |
| 154. |
The tire shop won't honor the tread-life warranty on any car you've been anywhere near. |
| 155. |
You bought a race car before buying a house. |
| 156. |
You buy cheap tires for your street car, to save money for your race tires. |
| 157. |
You buy new parts because you don't know where you put the spares. |
| 158. |
You came back early from your honeymoon in order to attend driver's school. |
| 159. |
You can't remember when you last worked on weekdays and rested on weekends. |
| 160. |
You complain the seat belts in the family car aren't tight enough. |
| 161. |
You critique the way people wave the flags at a parade. |
| 162. |
You do more catalog shopping than your wife. |
| 163. |
You feel compelled to beat your previous best time when you go on a trip. |
| 164. |
You get your first racing tee shirt and you are really excited. |
| 165. |
You have enough spare parts to build another car. |
| 166. |
You have more pictures of race cars on you desk than of your family. |
| 167. |
You have more than one roll of duct tape around the house. |
| 168. |
You paid more for your race car than for your house. |
| 169. |
You plan your social life around the race schedule. |
| 170. |
You put all the race car receipts you can under 'Auto Repair Expense' on your budget. |
| 171. |
You remember the details of every race you've been in, but can't remember your phone number. |
| 172. |
You select pets based on their ability to survive a weekend alone. |
| 173. |
You stick your arm out the window and raise it straight up before turning into your driveway. |
| 174. |
You used to have money. |
| 175. |
Your 2-year-old knows the meanings of all the flags. |
| 176. |
Your criteria for selecting a 'significant other' includes auto repair skills. Air tools are a plus. |
| 177. |
Your daughter was an SCCA member when she was 1 day old. |
| 178. |
Your wife can never find enough hangers because you've used all the wire ones as welding rods. |
| 179. |
Your wife decides to become a race official so she'll see more of you during the season. |
| 180. |
You've started looking for sponsors for your daily commute. |
| 181. |
You believe straights are for fast cars and corners are for fast drivers. |
| 182. |
When you have dead weeds on the rear deck of the inside of your car. |
| 183. |
You are reading these at 03:00 AM. In January. |
| 184. |
You put your helmet in the front of your Porsche and then worry that you should have put it inside in case you read-ended another car. |
| 185. |
You look at your bank account and begin to cry. |
| 186. |
You scheduled a race the day before you get married; and you're the bride. |
| 187. |
You refer to Bott's Dots as "Gators." |
| 188. |
You adjust the tire pressures on your trailer because it understeers. |
| 189. |
You've ever measured your pool temperature with an infrared temp sensor. |
| 190. |
You've ever needed a vacation from the track because you are there so much. |
| 191. |
You go months before spending a weekend at home. |
| 192. |
You don't count your tow vehicle in the list of cars you own. |
| 193. |
Your car isn't ready but you still go to the track and just walk around. |
| 194. |
You honestly do not know the year your track car was built. |
| 195. |
You detail your engine to look for possible oil leaks but could care less about the interior. |
| 196. |
You take your kids to the track to spend more time with them. |
| 197. |
Your iPhone has timing software on it. |
| 198. |
You've mounted a race seat and harness to your riding lawn mower. |
| 199. |
You have a car inside your home as a piece of art - and I'm not talking about the garage. |
| 200. |
You mixup ROSTER with ROADSTER |
| 201. |
You always wear your seatbelt not because it's the law but because you take spirited corners. |
| 202. |
Your a/c vent smells like the socks in your helmet bag. |
| 203. |
Your trailer has its own tire budget. |
| 204. |
All your tools are in your trailer and not your garage. |
| 205. |
You have a near miss on a public road and don't flub the words in the song you're singing. |
| 206. |
You come across a six car pile up and you first look for the line. |
| 207. |
You come across a wreck and say "God bless attrition." |
| 208. |
Your childrens names are:SEBRING, DAYTONA, ROEBLING and HOMESTEAD |
| 209. |
You wear a Hans on your bicycle. |
| 210. |
You consider a flat tire a "mechanical." |
| 211. |
You consider 10,000 RPM as mid range. |
| 212. |
You are happiest when your street car's tires are worn to racing depth and the wear bars are showing. |
| 213. |
You thoroughly enjoy showing the tailgater behind how to drive around a highway off-ramp. |
| 214. |
Your racing budget is one of the big three -- mortgage, car payments and maintenance/modifications. |
| 215. |
Your email address refers to your race car rather than to you. |
| 216. |
You bought a race car before buying furniture for the new house. |
| 217. |
You're looking for a tow vehicle and still haven't bought furniture! |
| 218. |
You know well that Orthodontic work is the equivalant of three sets of tires. |
| 219. |
You look at the purchase of tools as a long term investment. |
| 220. |
Your GF says, "If you buy another car, we are breaking up." |
| 221. |
You own more race cars than children. |
| 222. |
More than one race parts supply house recognizes your voice and greets you by name when you call. |
| 223. |
You install upgrades on your car at your work. |
| 224. |
After your answer to "What did you do this weekend?" the next question is always: "And you do this for fun?" |
| 225. |
You have a separate drawer for 'garage clothes'. |
| 226. |
You talk to other cars on the road, calling them by the manufacturer's name. |
| 227. |
Your criteria for selecting a significant other include auto repair skills, air tools optional. |
| 228. |
Your friends don't recognize you without a helmet and driver's suit. |
| 229. |
You remember the dates and details of every race you've ever been in, but can't remember your own cell phone number. |
| 230. |
You give out Summit Racing's number when a friend asks for the best hardware store. |
| 231. |
You always do a toe & heel downshift while whoever might be your passenger gives you a real funny look. |
| 232. |
Understeer makes you want to throw up a little. |
| 233. |
You've found your lawnmower runs pretty good on 108 octane gas. |
| 234. |
The local police and state Highway Patrol have a picture of your car taped to their dashboard. |
| 235. |
You spend more time polishing your exhaust tips every day than you do bathing. |
| 236. |
White smoke coming out from under your tires is a common sight. |
| 237. |
You consider the redline a "conservative suggestion" and the rev limiter "a fun limiter." |
| 238. |
Your idea of a good time is sitting around figuring out gear ratios and the ideal final drive ratio for given situations. |
| 239. |
When someone refers to "The Good Book", you think of "The Auto Math Handbook" |
| 240. |
You know the 1/4 mile times and skid pad numbers of your riding mower and want to improve them. |
| 241. |
You've embarrassed your significant other at least once by insisting on wearing your full face helmet while driving. |
| 242. |
When a girl asks if you are single and you pop your hood. |
| 243. |
You have started to only race crotch rockets b/c they're the only competition. |
| 244. |
When someone asks you to sell your car for the blue book you just laugh at their stupidity. |
| 245. |
When you no longer snore, but make boost and blow-off-valve noises in your sleep. |
| 246. |
You go through tires almost as fast as gas |
| 247. |
You're sick of the fast and the furious. |
| 248. |
You have a brand new set of tires, but you keep looking at the tire ads, anyway. |
| 249. |
You can quote all of your cars specs, but can't remember your anniversary. |
| 250. |
You take the long way everywhere and still get there first. |
| 251. |
You talk about your car like it was made by God. |
| 252. |
When you spend 90 hours within a week and a half looking for a 1/2 psi boost leak. |
| 253. |
You have 10K in mods, but the stock stereo system. |
| 254. |
You look at your boost gauge more than your speedometer. |
| 255. |
E-bay loves you. |
| 256. |
As you're washing the car, you take your jacket off so it won't scratch the paint. |
| 257. |
The last one doesn’t bother you, because your car likes it harder and faster anyway. |
| 258. |
When you hear the term “pump gas” you think of $4+ a gallon an 100+ octane. |
| 259. |
You make more power with one liter than most cars do total. |
| 260. |
You get your roomates girlfriend cause she likes your car better. |
| 261. |
You have another car that costs less than the tires on the race car that you drive when it rains. |
| 262. |
People crap their pants when you tell them how much boost you run daily. |
| 263. |
People start to chase you on the highway to follow you. |
| 264. |
You dont even look at the price of regular gas any more. |
| 265. |
You are more worried about hurting your car in a wreck than yourself. |
| 266. |
Your GF threatens to break up with you if you don't spend more time with her. |
| 267. |
Cops stop you to talk about your car. |
| 268. |
You smirk at people in their slow, $60,000 M3's |
| 269. |
Your upgrades are worth more than most peoples cars. |
| 270. |
Your your neighbor asks how his new exhaust sounds and you say, "stock." |
| 271. |
People tell you an auto is slow, and you laugh at their ignorance. |
| 272. |
You take pride in knowing your only 15 min. from anywhere. |
| 273. |
When you don’t like to answer how much you really have invested in your car around your father. |
| 274. |
When you wake up from a nightmare and your safe place is the inside of your car. |
| 275. |
When you're walking and you hear an exhaust note from far away and know exactly what car model and brand it is. |
| 276. |
When you stomp it through every tunnel and rev it under every bridge to hear the wicked exhaust note. |
| 277. |
When traction doesn't exist until third gear. |
| 278. |
You'd rather dream about your car than girls. |
| 279. |
When you get your pay check, and the only thing you think about it what mod to do next. |
| 280. |
You spend 6 hours in cold finding and solving the 2 lb boost leak because “Its just not right like that” |
| 281. |
You laugh when some dude at your work is talking about how scary driving at 140mph is. |
| 282. |
When 13mpg is a new record! |
| 283. |
When you step on the gas and you can see your gas needle actually go down. |
| 284. |
When you refer to everything in life unmodified as "stock" or “factory." |
| 285. |
You find earplugs in almost every pocket of pants you wear. |
| 286. |
After a long family road trip you get out and chaulk the tires as another heat cycle. |
| 287. |
Your event registrar knows you are coming home from China before your wife does. |
| 288. |
You regret your spa day because you should have spent the money on rotors and brakes. |
| 289. |
The only shirts you own that are less than 10 years old are all track event T shirts. |
| 290. |
You've gone to a Halloween party dressed as a racecar driver because you already have the "costume" at home. |
| 291. |
You adjust the camber and toe on your lawn mower. |
| 292. |
When you are stuck in traffic you keep track of what cars around you might be in your class. |
| 293. |
Your dog's names are Porsche and Enzo |
| 294. |
Your wife is jealous of your car. |
| 295. |
Your choice for a wedding band was based on which one was lighter. |
| 296. |
You have to hold back the urge to ask about the local tracks when a potential employer asks you to relocate. |
| 297. |
More than one racer supply house recognizes your voice and greets you by name when you call. |
| 298. |
Your calendar has track dates but not birthdays or anniversaries. |
| 299. |
You like the bare metal floor of your car better than the floor mats. |
| 300. |
You can use a brake rotor as a mirror in a pinch |
| 301. |
You come upon a debris field and can identify the car parts by Order No. |
| 302. |
You'd rather have a new tow vehicle than a new street car. |
| 303. |
You have the turns in your lawn numbered and you warm up the brakes on your mower. |
| 304. |
You do an installation lap in the parking lot before leaving work. |
| 305. |
You are considering "losing a few lbs" is to shave a second or two off your lap times. |
| 306. |
You protect the inside line entering an intersection. |
| 307. |
You plan losing weight so you can fit in you're new racing seats. |
| 308. |
You use your car VIN number intead of you Social security to file you taxes. |
| 309. |
You try to throttle steer your riding mower because it pushes too much. |
| 310. |
You have pictures of your race car instead of kids on your Christmas cards. |
| 311. |
Carrillo has your con rod serial numbers ready when you need to order a replacement. |
| 312. |
You build a car for your wife... and then realize it has more HP than yours. |
| 313. |
You've put a pizza in your Boxster rear trunk to keep it warm. |
| 314. |
You clothes shop only at the track. |
| 315. |
F.E.A.R. = Forget Everything And Race |
| 316. |
You say every turn is a throw away turn just to intimidate other drivers. |
| 317. |
Your car broke on the first lap and you were happy to have made the trip. |
| 318. |
You've thanked an Official. |
| 319. |
You've thanked a Corner Worker. |
| 320. |
You've thanked Rescue. |
| 321. |
You've stood next to your crew at awards. |
| 322. |
You've ever manned up and apologized for hitting another racer. |
| 323. |
You've ever helped a competing team win. |
| 324. |
You know how to sign a Corner Worker you are okay. |
| 325. |
Your car blew up and you stayed for the whole race. |
| 326. |
You think the perfect anniversary trip is a weekend at the F1 race in Austin, Texas. |
| 327. |
You have more old car photos on your office desk than of your wife and kids. |
| 328. |
You were late to your Bridal Shower because you were driving at a race and couldn't tear yourself away in time. |
| 329. |
The only pictures that you have of yourself are of you with a helmet on. |
| 330. |
You've ever seen a minivan veer off into the mud and thought…Attrition. |
| 331. |
You take a bottle of white shoe polish to the track for marking your black sneakers. |
| 332. |
You run racing brake fluid in your SUV. |
| 333. |
You exit toll booths like it's a restart. |
| 334. |
You see a "Caution Curve Ahead" sign you speed up. |
| 335. |
When your OEM dealer parts department knows you by your telephone number. |
| 336. |
You only brake when you see God. |
| 337. |
After a weekend at the track, you are driving to work the next day and suddenly panic because you must have forgotten to fasten your harness. |