An observation Options

[natedogg]

Over the years on different car forums, I have noticed (and this is generalized) that there are two extremes to car enthusiasts. There are the mechanic/tuner types on one end of the spectrum and the pure racer types on the other end of the spectrum. Then there is a nearly infinite gray area in between.

The extreme mechanic/tuner type would be someone who could care less about actually racing the car just as long as he can get it to run optimally in race-type or street-type conditions. He's happy as long as he can tune the perfect dyno run out of the engine that he is currently working on or he can tune the suspension/chassis to turn-in, rotate, and exit every corner perfectly. Someone like that skinny sickly-lookin dude from the first F&F. (I know...F&F , but it was the best, easily recognizeable example that I could think of.)

The pure racer type may not even know what a piston or con-rod looks like and doesn't care. He does little to no work on the car himself. All he knows is that he is more comfortable behind the wheel of a car than anywhere else in the universe. He's not happy until he can prove to the extreme tuner that he can break the laws of physics and make the car do things which it shouldn't be able. Someone like Cole Trickle from Days of Thunder for example (I know NASCAR , but again, it was the best example I could think of).

Then there is the infinite gray are in between. A perfect compromise between the two, aka a 5, IMO would be someone like...Marty (RacerX11). (Hope you don't mind me using you as an example, buddy) From what I've seen he like's to work on, build up, and tune stuff, like his Citation or the Pike's Peak climber semi-truck. But he's also all about racing in auto-x events or at the drag strip.

1 being the mechanic/tuner type and 9 being the pure racer type, where would you classify yourself?

I put myself at a 3 because while I really enjoy racing my cars, I enjoy tuning more performance out of them even more.

Disclaimer:
The basic purpose of this post is to give the people who lean more toward pure racing and the people who lean more toward pure tuning to have some common ground to work off of. I see a lot of strange looks get passed between the two when a racer-type says something like,"Don't put that on your car, it'll bump you to a higher auto-x class." to a tuner-type. Or when a tuner-type who just got done uprading his suspension says,"Auto-x? What's that?" to a racer-type. Some of you may not like my generalizations and that's fine. These are based on my personal observations and opinions. But any attempt at keeping the flammage and off-topic banter to a minimum would be much appreciated.

I'm posting the same poll on CII to compare the two forums just out of curiosity's sake. If you post in both forums feel free to vote in both polls.

[awd4kicks]

I'm impressed with the diplomatic and flattering way that 'Racer' discribes the majority of sport compact car owners. Very interesting....I personaly think 'Racer' describes someone more like Spy, who actually senses a car as an extension of himself. (Don't go there Spy ).

I also think there is a further end to this spectrum beyond racer and away from tuner. Hence 'Over the Top'. My personal definition would read something like: Wants to be a racer, have fame, fortune and respect for his/her skills on the street while at the same time having no mechanichal inclination or the patience to learn. Not to mention a kean sense of color clashing and a taste for cheap add on parts.