Dirty Racing

I’d always thought car racing was a competition of the drivers’ skill.  Then I found out it’s not that simple.  The car matters.  The team matters.  The strategies and tactic matter.  Luck matters.  “That’s racing,”  I was told.  That, I understand.

What I don’t understand:

Sabotaging

An experienced racer asked me about my race, and gave me valuable advice.  He asked, “Who checked your tyre pressure?”

I said, “Our mechanics.”

“No, do it yourself!”

“Why?”

“Because, people might sabotage you.  All they need to do is to alter your pressure by a few psi.”

My fellow competitors in our Series will never do that.  But this experienced racer advised so for a reason — he’s experienced.  He must have seen it happen.  I wonder what sort of low-life loser would resort to sabotaging other drivers’ cars in order to win.

Cheating

In a recent one-make race, (definitely not Lotus-related) there were rumors that a few drivers secretly remapped their ECUs, giving their car more power.  The organizer apparently did not bother to check.  One of the cheaters probably slipped onto podium, but still defeated by an honest, more capable driver.

It’s just rumors.  But it got me thinking, if that’s true, where’s the glory and pride?  When some guy found out that I was participating in a one-make race, the very first advice he volunteered was to secretly mod the car.  WTF.  Where’s the honor?  If I am to win, I win with my own capabilities as a driver.  If better drivers beat me, so be it.  I will train and improve, and I will compete again.

And for those who cheat and still lose, they elevate the word “loser” to a whole new level of meaning.

Boss Fight

Boss fight should only happen in shoot’em-up computer games.  In some recent autocross and race events, the principal or people directly related competed in their own event too.  Some even won their own race.  Well, I can’t say this is “wrong” as long as nobody is cheating.  But if I were a paying participant, I wouldn’t feel comfortable about it.  

I voiced the concern on their Facebook page.  My comment was promptly deleted.

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