When to stop racing?

Glad to hear you are recovering! I hate to see that chopper and it's such awesome news when the guy who was in it is back posting right away.

I took a nasty spill at Barber in 2003, broke my neck and shattered my arm. 2004 did 1 race weekend at MAM, just to prove I could get back on the horse. Hung it up.

Now, here I am in my 2nd season after almost a decade off. I don't regret sitting out, and I love being back. My point? Come back when you are ready it will always be here for you. In the meantime try other things. If it keeps calling you back and that call becomes irresistible, you'll know its time.

The deciding factors for me was getting back to the racing family, achieving some goals which I had not achieved the first time around, and having a chance to "pay it forward" to those entering the sport by getting more involved with our local race org.

 

Damn, sorry to hear that... Been forever since I've seen or talked to you. I still remember patching your bike up the first time you crashed at Road America...

All I can say is give it time, then do what you think is right.

 

Get well soon. Sounds like you are very lucky.

 

My decision was easy. When you have cancer and can no longer turn the throttle.

 

When we heard "rider down, rider down, maybe we should stop this" on the radio it sounded serious. Then came the silence, which is never good, then the call for med-flight.

Damned glad you're OK. Thanks for posting.

 

Give it time

2002 I tucked the front end on the first lap of practice and went backwards into an unprotected (read no air fence) tire wall at T8 at Summit Point snapping apart all the rib bones to the left of my spine
Punctured lung plus miscellaneous damage
I was 51 , self employed contractor with two teenage kids
I will fast forward to 2007 where I was doing a "come back" track day and ran into the back of a guy while making a track day etiquette outside pass when he hit the brakes when he saw somebody run off track
Broke the six ribs on the other side and snapped the collar bone apart
Fast forward again to 2013
After a few track days I renew my licenses
A CCS race in August, WERA in October and November and now a few events in 2014
I will be 63 in September
I am way slower than I was
I came back slowly and thoughtfully with a different mindset and goals
Your choice. Take your time. Let the fire come back to you

 

I stopped racing when my available funds changed. I swore when I started I would never go in debt doing it, and I never did. I also managed to never crash, which I count myself lucky for.

as for you, I would heal and then think about it. I knew it would never be a living for me, and it was an expensive hobby. I made sure to treat it as such and not get over my head - money wise or injury wise.

 

This seems like great advice. My last big track day ended in a crash that gave me a concussion, broken wrist, foot, etc. and I was in and out of consiousness 3-4 times, repeating the exact same thing everytime I came back. Someday I think I will race a big bike again, but I've raced many other things during that off time.

Based on my parking lot performance, TDUB thinks I should stay off the big tracks.

 

Seeing that bird come in to Road America while in the upper paddock sucked. Was hoping it was a business bird just flying by until I seen it was a medivac bird.

Nathan, just let yourself heal up 100% then think about what you want to do in regards to racing. Only you can make that decision. I stopped racing bikes in 2004 (started in 99)after a highside in T4 at Blackhawk. Wasn't the reason I quit though, lost job and insurance. I cornerworked all CCS races there from 04-11 when I decided to come back for the 12 season. For me coming back was so I could 'end my racing career' on my terms and not other circumstances.

But if you don't want to race afterwards but still be involved with it, CCS could use more regular cornerworkers for the Midwest region.

 

My factors on when to stop are pretty simple.

1. When injury impact my ability to work or live my life the way I want.
2. When it' not fun anymore.
3. When the finds won't allow for it.
4. When/if I ever have to live for someone besides myself and my wife.

Good luck with your decision, and heal fast.

 

And don't forget being an awesome Race teammate! You Rock man.

 

I heard about that crash while at RA .. really odd one, and glad you made it out alive.

many have already posted things along these lines.. We see these kinds of threads often. One reason (i think) they can't be answered by anyone but the thread poster, is nobody can know the person making the decision inside and out. And one rider may ride well within them self, and a crash was a total freak thing. Another rider could continually ride above their ability (or has enough brain injury they can't think right), and is a danger to not only them self, but others.. that would be the case where an "intervention" might be the right decision by friends and family.

as others stated already, when it isn't fun, you are overly apprehensive before and during an event, and you are no longer smiling and saying in your helmet while riding "This is the coolest thing ever" .. it might be time to stop.

 

Well said Greg!!

 

62 in November. Stories are so similar... Hope to meet up with you down the road!

 

Thanks for the support guys! A week later and I still don't have vision in my left eye. I have a procedure scheduled for monday, so I hope that helps. I'm thinking I'm going to have to take some time off to figure things out. Luckily we don't have kids, but I also do want to leave my wife with a vegetable. The discussions with neuro sugery about ct scan results with several issue areas were a wake up call. I love this sport, but riding might not be the right roll for me for a bit.

 

i quit when i didn't want to do it anymore, it just wasn't fun, i made up my mind driving to the race that day, went out, rode, drove home, put an add in the paper shop to sell eveyrthing

 

You were truly concussed if you repeat yourself on the forum!
Serious, take it from Jethro.
And further more: You were truly concussed if you repeat yourself on the forum!

 

I have those thoughts to and at the races. I don't have a bunch of cash, I'm not really talented and I've seen a lot of people walk away burnt out. But some of the people I meet and the feeling I get during a race and on my drive home keep me coming back.

 

What tracks do you frequent? I will be at VIR and probably Pittsburg and most definitely the GNF.

 

Making new friends every time I go to the track was what I missed most during my 11 year layoff.
But waiting until I just couldn't watch any more without getting my turn made coming back something I did enthusiastically and not with trepidation.
Wait it out. You will know when to come back. Or not.
Sounds like you have a lot of recovery ahead before you need to consider it so good luck with your healing and be patient.