"racing is life..." quote

[John Merriman]

Okay, who knows where in McQueen's masterpiece does Michael Delaney say "Racing is life. Everything else is just waiting" ?? I watched it yet again tonight and somehow I missed that line. By the way, if you Google "racing is life" you get treated to a mountain of fascinating sites.

[dc]

I haven't seen it in a while but wasn't it the scene when he was talking to Lisa in the motorhome? She's asking him about people risking their lives for something important...

[dc]

Found it... IMDB.com


Lisa Belgetti: When people risk their lives, shouldn't it be for something very important?

Michael Delaney: Well, it better be.

Lisa Belgetti: But what is so important about driving faster than anyone else?

Michael Delaney: Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.

[Frank C]

I think the writer's source or inspiration may have been Karl Wallenda of the highwire walking family. From the Wallenda web site -

Karl once said, "Life is being on the wire, everything else is just waiting."
http://www.wallenda.com/history.html

- Frank C

[dalz]

Lisa Belgetti: But what is so important about driving faster than anyone else?

If ya gotta ask, you'll never know.

Dale V.

[captaineddie1975]

Found it... IMDB.com




Michael Delaney: Lotta people go through life doing things badly. Racing's important to men who do it well. When you're racing, it's life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting.

Note the prevalent attitude of the era. Men? I wonder what all the lady racers would think of that statement now?

[Larry]

Good question, and politically correct, too! Why don't you poll all the women racers in the country and get back to us with the results. You should be able to do it in about 20 minutes.

Larry Oliver

[Dave Harmison]

Larry, you bring up an interesting question which I'll admit I didn't have the nerve to ask until now. I will now have to put on my Nomex...

For your consideration: Why does Solo have Lady's classes and wheel to wheel not? Either sex does matter or sex doesn't matter. Are we so sexist to say that the poor frail little things can't go wheel to wheel with us over a grueling 30 minute race?

Imagine telling a female in wheel to wheel racing like Danica that she can race against girls, but not us men. Or the opposite, tell a ladies solo champ that it's a lesser championship because it's only against other women.

Just an observation. Not saying any of the above is true or represents the opinion of the driver, sponsors or station management.

[dc]

Factually, though, motor racing is one of the few physical sports where women CAN compete on a very level playing field, so to speak. In an autocross, I would also argue that because women have faster reaction times, they would tend to have more of an advantage than men.

I always found it ridiculous that women have different classes and championships in Solo II.

I find no reason why they should be separated out in motorsports.

[stonebridge20]

I always found it ridiculous that women have different classes and championships in Solo II.

I find no reason why they should be separated out in motorsports.

More trophys ?

[ghoneycutt]

I'm involved in a group that puts on autocross events. Although we use SCCA classes, I have been very adimate about not having ladies classes. As has been stated here, solo can be a level playing field for men and women. Karen Rafferty proved that point at the first event we orginized. I see girls and women in Karts proving the same point.

[Matt King]

Reading through the Solo Nationals coverage in Sports Car I was struck by how highly lightly subscribed some of the Ladies classes were. There were several with just 2 or 3 cars entered. Is that really a good use of everyone's time?

[mblanc]

For your consideration: Why does Solo have Lady's classes .........?

Tire Warmers

[mblanc]

follow up question:

CAN a lady also enter the regular 'guys' class? and win both?

[ghoneycutt]

No because your first set of runs counts as your official times. that means only one class.

[TimW]

Regardless of anyone here opinions of the merit of how they started or whether they're still useful, would YOU as a guy want stand up there at the convention and suggest the classes be removed? Good luck with that...

Tim

[Mark_Silverberg]

Ladies classes in Solo II have existed since the first National championship in 1973. The purpose was to increase entries and make Solo II more welcoming to women. It was primarily a marketing ploy.

There was one catch all ladies class in 73 and 74

Four ladies classes in 75 and five ladies classes in 76-78.

In 1979 the present system of parallel ladies classes for all open classes was created. Women are encouraged to participate in the open classes and in at least one instance have won at nationals.

At nationals, ladies classes run at a different time than the open classes so it is not an instance of tire warming.

Yes, some of the classes are poorly subscribed but Solo II has even more classes than club racing. There is a formula for trophies awarded per number of entries in class so some poorly subcribed classes at nationals only give away a few trophies.

[Tom Maycock]

One important note: Women are most certainly allowed to compete in the regular (open) solo classes if they choose. Running in Ladies classes is entirely optional.

And, as noted, at least one woman has won an open class Solo II National Championship (against stout competition as I recall). I was there the year it happened, it was pretty damn cool.

While the presence of Ladies classes does bring with it some issues, including diluteed class counts and more "overhead" (extra trophies, more time required to present trophies at banquets, etc.), it helps encourage family participation, which is one of the nice aspects of Solo. It also helps encourage some women to participate who might not otherwise.

Finally, it allows up to 4 people to compete in the same car at national level events: 2 in open class, 2 in ladies class (even more if you have a car that can compete in multiple classes). That makes trips to national events a lot more viable and/or fun for many couples and families.

So, a lot of upside for not much downside.

Tom

[Matt King]

Regardless of anyone here opinions of the merit of how they started or whether they're still useful, would YOU as a guy want stand up there at the convention and suggest the classes be removed? Good luck with that...

Tim

Good point, especially as I noticed thoughout the Solo coverage, it appears many of the lady competitors are spouses of male competitors.

[DanW]

Good point, especially as I noticed thoughout the Solo coverage, it appears many of the lady competitors are spouses of male competitors.

Barbara McKee SF Region won two national Solo championships in A Stock, beating the men.

[Mark_Silverberg]

Barbara McKee won A Stock Ladies class in 82 and 83. I do think that her times would have put her near or at the front of the AS open class. I do not know if the classes ran at the same time those years so the conditions may not be equivalent.

Shawna Marinus did win A Street Prepared Open in 1998 -