Ok...what's your story, how'd you get started?

[Chris]

I've been meaning to read this thread for a while but haven't had the time... here's my story:

When I was young I always liked things on wheels. I remember the hot wheels at first, sliding around the driveway and locking the pedals so the front plastic wheels would slide (the early years of "locking dem' shits up"). Next I moved up to bicycles, and rode all the time. I remember saving up $150 and splitting the $300 price with my parents of the trek mt. bike (I still have) before I started driving. It was a process, looking through the brochure and drooling over it at the store whenever possible.

As I approached age 16 I had met my good friend eric. We talked cars all the time and went to as many dealerships as we could collecting brochues and reading magazines. I used to know almost every detail of every car on the road. Then we would find ways to drive anything. His parents had this old dodge caravan that was just sitting rotting away. We would start it and fill the garage with black smoke. haha then drive around the neighborhood and aroudn cul-de-sacs at speeds that were pretty stupid. this was before we had a license... not the brightest idea.

Then I got my license. I was told I would never get a car from my parents so I stuck to driving their cars when I could. My dad always was into cars and had the "German car disease" as my mom called it. He had an 88 Audi 5000 cs turbo for a long time (11 years I think?) and I thought it was the coolest thing, even being automatic. I probably beat it up more than it could handle, but it handled well and got me really interested in driving.

Then one day I found out we were moving. This was just before my junior year of high school. I asked again for a car since the Richmond area was so much bigger and I would need transportation to school and work. I had learned to drive manual from Eric on his protege so I knew I had to have a manual. I just wanted somethign "sporty" and looked at cheap hondas, vw's, etc. I found a red del sol in the ghetto of Richmond which became my favorite thing. As many others, I thought I was hot shit and would drive like a maniac after school and race other guys at the stop light leaving school... wow.

I never had an accident (somehow) but almost lost it on a backroad one day. I think I realized I had to tone it down. I also kept looking to buy rimz and do all these mods, but luckily I didn't have the money.

Then I started at JMU. First semester of my freshman year my roommate came into our room from SON and said he saw a car club. I ran straight out of the room and right up to the table to meet Gerald. From then on my knowledge, interest, addiction, and money spending have soared. I went to a track event at the Jefferson Circuit and had some rides on track and was hooked. Then I worked as many events as I could so I would be able to drive on track eventually. I was VP Junior year and President Senior year, enjoying every minute more and more. I saved some money and bought the basics to get on track (wheels, tires, and brake pads). I've done several autox's and 4 track events and recently was signed up to group 2.

Now I've decided not to put my DD on track anymore and have fallen into the E30 family. Within a week I bought one E30 and then another one for parts! I have a list of shit to buy for it, but have to pace my spending. I know I'm hooked as almost every one of my friends has an interest in cars. I also know my future career will have somethign to do with motorsports, or at least club racing as I get older. I owe this all to MM, so thanks for everything.