Thanks for the warm welcome, what a great group!

I’ve been checking out the classifieds here, but I don’t think I’m ready to buy a car right now. It really surprises me that everyone seems to be encouraging me to go ahead and buy a car. I had expected the opposite…”rent for a while, especially for the schools, so you won’t have to worry about the car, just the driving”.

After the Hallett school, I think I’ll be ready to think about it more seriously. The exception would be if I could find something that is still street legal. That really appeals to me now. I know Donald Carl, from Sand Springs, OK. He has a Dodge Neon in ITA at SCCA races. I’ve visited with him and his wife at a participant party one night. He’s the one that really got me interested in IT because he is able to do it so reasonably. At that time he was racing the same car he drove to work each day. If I get heavily into racing, I’m going to have to do it at the same time I’m trying to put three daughters through college.

What is being run around here? From what I can tell, it’s pretty good mixture. Seems like Miatas and RX7’s more than anything else, but nothing else stands out. I’ll look more closely at the next races.

It’s great that some of you are going to be at Hallett for the SCCA races. I’ll likely be working the grid or hot pits. I’m the overweight (but working on it) 48 year old guy. If there are a lot of grid workers, I might go to a corner. I love working; if I start driving I’ll really miss it.

Gary, I know you! I’ve met and visited with you before in the paddock. I doubt you remember, but I was asking you if you ever ran the CVAR races and we talked about that shortly.

Mac, I’m sure I’ve seen you at TMS. I’ve been working there for a few years in Timing with Kim and Reb. I always make the participant party at TMS, but not always at Hallett since I have a sister I visit in Tulsa. I’m not much of a mechanic. I’ve owned 4 MGs in my life, which is enough mechanical frustration for anyone. I still have two that are suffering from major neglect and I hate working on them.

Thanks again for your welcome and comments.

Joe Freeland
Pauls Valley OK