Ross McConnell

Writing & Inquiry 1103-026

9/17/15

I Wanna Go Fast!

The passion I have that I cannot possibly ignore would be best summed up by two

quotes from the great Ricky Bobby (fictitious), “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” and “I wanna go

fast!” (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby). I happen to have a similar mind set as that

world famous race car driver from the movies. Racing is something that I have always loved

since I was a little kid, driving any type of vehicle I could get my hands on. I didn’t care what I

was driving as long as I was going fast. Today, I channel that need for speed into high intensity

competitive kart racing.

Kart racing is basically strapping a motorcycle motor onto a two hundred pound

machine made of steel frame and tires; it is the equivalent of amusement park go karts but on

steroids. You race these metal monsters on high speed tracks that were purpose built for the

sport of karting, allowing you to reach It involves the need for physical stamina, special

awareness, and the same type of mental capacity that a football (or even chess) player would

have. In order to be successful, you must be able to anticipate your competition’s next move at

every turn of the track. When planning every move, you have to adapt to current conditions on

track such as, grip level (how well does your kart stick to the track or maintain traction), other

competitors around you, and even weather. Weather, believe it or not, is a factor due to the

fact that we race in the rain. It amazes me that people seem to look down on motorsports as

not as difficult as more popular sports (such as football, baseball, etc.). In racing, we compete,

rain or shine. No other form of competition other than football or rugby, compete in inclement

weather. Not only does weather add another level of difficulty, but in every turn of a race, I am

faced with life or death decisions. One mistake and I can be in the hospital or even dead. I

learned this lesson the hard way from an incident I had at a race in May of 2015. During this

race, I was battling intensively for position when all of the sudden my brakes go out going right

into a turn at 65 mph. After cart-wheeling, and flipping end-over-end, I landed upside down on

a tire barrier. To the amazement of spectators, I walked away from this severe incident with

only some soreness, and a few scrapes. I didn’t face the worst consequences I could have faced,

but I gained a new respect for the risk that I assume in this sport. Beyond the danger, when

things are going well, karting is an exhilarating sport that gives you a very similar experience to

professional racing. It is such an involved sport, especially if you do it from the level that I do it

where you have to work on the kart yourself, haul everything to the track, and try out different

setup adjustments to make sure the vehicle is well adapted to the current track conditions.

Karting has a way to make people fall in love with sport just by the sound of the engines or the

smell of race fuel exhaust. It is a sensation that has to be experienced to be understood.

When I am racing in a club race at GoPro Motorplex in Mooresville, I love the physical

thrill of the driving due to the high G-Forces and high speeds achieved. I love the challenge it

presents as well because every day and every hour, the track changes. It changes by different

levels of grip on the track caused by temperature, weather, and the amount of rubber on the

track that has been put down by other competitors. Another benefit from this sport is that a lot

of your competitors are your friends so it is all friendly competition and all in good fun.

Besides racing competitively, I enjoy watching many different forms of racing such as

Formula One, Sports Car racing, and Motorcycle racing. Some of my favorite books to read

focus on the mental and physical aspects that helps drivers improve their overall skills. I enjoy

being totally immersed in motorsports and I don’t think that I could ever get sick of it.