Saturday, March 20, 2010

Year of the Tiger









January 1, 2010
5:30 am
The new decade came in with the clear-minded feeling that I could change anything. Anything that needs to change can be changed and I can let go of whatever needs to go. This is how this year, this decade began, strong in my Buddhist faith and Zen practice. Born in the year of the Tiger - 1950, now 6 decades later, this is the year of the Tiger, my year.

So what does this have to do with Racing? Everything! It has always been about racing for me, not about the cars. The car(s) have always demanded the attention, time and always money. After learning in early January that the #55’s 3.8 engine needed new cylinders ($8k+) and that I would not make the first, and possibly the second, race of the season, it was time to revisit what results I was after. Marty, my relentlessly supportive spouse, reminded me that our business is Managing for Results (www.weidnerinc.com) and that’s what I should do with Racing.

Conclusion: Let go of the race car, let go of the idea of owning a race car. Just go racing. What an idea!

Amazing things happen when we let go. In January I had the opportunity of a lifetime to drive at the PCA race at Sebring with The Racer’s Group in February. Because of a scheduling conflict I couldn’t make the race but it was the start of new day for Leaping Tiger and this racer. No doubt I’ll be racing with them at some point.

February 2010
Following that, as well as Marty’s advice and my incredible other business partner and friend, Raechel Barnes (http://raechelbarnes.blogspot.com/), I signed up for 3 days of the Advance Road Racing (ARR) at the Bob Bondurant School in Chandler, AZ. Mike McGovern is the Chief Driving Instructor and a long time Grand Am driver. Mike is a great guy and a great instructor. He rated my performance 3.3 out of 5.0. Mike gave Jimmy Johnson and Tony Stewart 4.5. I was good with that!

March 2010
Following the ARR, Mike referred me to Karl Thomson with Compass 360 Racing, the Honda team out of Toronto. When I called Karl, he said Mike had already called him. Compass 360 Racing won the ST Grand Am Championship last season. Check them out at http://www.grand-am.com/teams/team.cfm?series=k&tid=1374.


The upshot is that I’m driving with Compass 360 in the Grand Am race at Barber April 10. I can’t wait! In the mean time, I’m going back to Bondurant for 1-day ARR on March 30.

Check out my exceptionally-talented teammate and co-driver, Alex Kirby, http://www.alexkirbyracing.com/. We are the Intergenerational Team!