“How fast do you go?”
You: Erm, well, I don’t really know. There’s no speedo. Maybe a hundred and ten at the end of the straight?
Them: My brother did a hundred and thirty between Dead Squaw, Arizona and Coleslaw, Nevada
You: Uh-huh?
“How long do you each drive for?”
You: The serious teams can put a driver in for a whole tank of fuel, which is usually about two hours.
Them: I drove from San Francisco to Los Angeles once without stopping.
You: Mmm.
Them: Also I only used two tanks of fuel the whole way.
“Do you all have to be in the car at once?”
You: No. It only has one seat.
Them: But how do you get to the race?
You: I think this is a more involved procedure than you’re imagining.
“Do you wear your costumes when you’re driving?”
You: That would be kind of dangerous.
“What do you do if the car breaks down?”
You: It doesn’t.
Them: Really?
You: Sorry, that was a joke. Actually we call AAA.
Them: Really?
You: That was a joke too.
“I love driving. I might get a team together!”
You: Great! Do you love reading instructions, filling in forms, looking after children, organising other people’s vacations or taking days off work to drive around fire extinguisher companies looking for a metal mounting bracket?
Them: No.
You: You probably won’t like it then.
Them: Then why do you do it?
You: By the time I realised what it actually involved, I had a car that couldn’t be used for anything else.
How much do your drivers get paid?
“Your telling me it is gonna cost $4000 to put a $500 car on a track?” That’s a lot!”
Me: Try it with a $150 000 Ferrari.
Them: “Is it like NASCAR?”
Me: No, it’s road racing.
Them: “You race on the STREET??!
Me: No, a road course.
Them: “So, an oval, then? Like NASCAR?”
Me: (bangs head against wall)
You drive for 24 hours straight?
Them: Do you ever win the race?
Me: No, its really hard to win. And our car breaks down often- its a cheap car, remember?