My "Other" Job
#1
What's up MM,

I wasn't sure how this would pan out at first so I kept it quiet. Now that it's going well I thought I'd share. I still have my main job at WildWires, but I've found something pretty fun to do once or twice a month for roughly 6 days.

That's me in the Baklava holding the extinguisher:


[Image: img_6219.jpg]

Blackforest Motorsports has brought me on for the rest of the season to crew with them as they campaign their five Mustang FR500C's in the Grand Am Cup races. That pic was at VIR and since then I've been to LimeRock and just got back from Mid-Ohio. That was my first race so I got all the newbie jobs (like being the E-man) but now that I've been with them I get cooler jobs. It looks like my roll on pits for now is jack man. On the paddock I do everything from pad changes to an engine swap last week. It's fun to work on $130,000.00 race cars with pro race mechanics. I can hold my own on the mechanics so they let me have quite a bit of freedom. The most frustrating part is working with people that refer to one type of tool by five different names, or they give you conflicting requests.

I think what I enjoy most is the atmosphere of the Rolex/GrandAm series. The owner is good to discuss strategy with me as well as let me tag along to some meetings and such. I enjoy the business side more anyhow. I also get to converse with the Ford engineers that support the program.

It's exhausting and there's no way I could crew 365 days/year, but once/twice a month for 6 days is pretty darn cool.

For those of you interested, the VIR 12 hour is the final event of the season. Look up some teams and shoot them an email to see if they need help. They just might!

Just wanted to share.

Pete
http://www.85xr.com

1985 Merkur XR4Ti Track Car
2013 Ford F-150 FX4 Ecoboost
E46 BMW 330Ci Sport 5spd
1973 Honda CL125S
1985 Honda CX500
2013 Arctic Cat 700 ATV
2017 Onewheel +
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#2
cool!
job = get paid? Smile
SM #55 | 06 Titan | 12 Focus | 06 Exige | 14 CX-5
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#3
oh noes! pete is in the baklava!

[Image: baklava.jpg]

sorry, i had to Wink it is balaclava btw...

new "job" looks very cool. keep us up to date!
I Am Mike
4 wheels:  '01 RAV4 (Formerly '93 Civic CX, '01 S2000, '10 GTI, '09 A4 Avant)
2 wheels: '12 Surly Cross-Check Custom | '14 Trek Madone 2.1 105 | '17 Norco Threshold SL Force 1 | '17 Norco Revolver 9.2 FS | '18 BMC Roadmachine 02 Two | '19 Norco Search XR Steel (Formerly '97 Honda VFR750F, '05 Giant TCR 2, '15 WeThePeople Atlas 24, '10 Scott Scale 29er XT, '11 Cervelo R3 Rival, '12 Ridley X-Fire Red)

No longer onyachin.
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#4
Pete you sneaky bastard, sweet! Big Grin
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a van is a good guy with a van
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#5
Congrats Pete, I had no idea you were doing this as well ;-)
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#6
Free transportation to the tracks I assume? I would be all in if that was was the case.
2017 Mineral White BMW M240i Cabriolet
2014 White Platinum Pearl Explorer Sport

Living in the Alamo City.
210
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#7
Glad it all panned out for you man Smile.
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#8
Feersty Wrote:Free transportation to the tracks I assume? I would be all in if that was was the case.

because we all know you don't drive anywhere.
I Am Mike
4 wheels:  '01 RAV4 (Formerly '93 Civic CX, '01 S2000, '10 GTI, '09 A4 Avant)
2 wheels: '12 Surly Cross-Check Custom | '14 Trek Madone 2.1 105 | '17 Norco Threshold SL Force 1 | '17 Norco Revolver 9.2 FS | '18 BMC Roadmachine 02 Two | '19 Norco Search XR Steel (Formerly '97 Honda VFR750F, '05 Giant TCR 2, '15 WeThePeople Atlas 24, '10 Scott Scale 29er XT, '11 Cervelo R3 Rival, '12 Ridley X-Fire Red)

No longer onyachin.
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#9
Thanks guys.

I do get paid. Nothing to write home about but I am not going to complain about getting paid to play with race cars.

Feersty, if all you are looking for is free transportation become a hooker.
http://www.85xr.com

1985 Merkur XR4Ti Track Car
2013 Ford F-150 FX4 Ecoboost
E46 BMW 330Ci Sport 5spd
1973 Honda CL125S
1985 Honda CX500
2013 Arctic Cat 700 ATV
2017 Onewheel +
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#10
PDenbigh Wrote:Feersty, if all you are looking for is free transportation become a hooker.

LOL :!: :!: :!: :!:

hi-larious!

i really wanna crew for some team at a grand-am race. i know G has done it before at VIR, and i think some other fools have gone to other tracks. time to shoot out some emails
1994 Ford Ranger
2004 Honda S2000
2007 BMW X3
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#11
Mike Wrote:
Feersty Wrote:Free transportation to the tracks I assume? I would be all in if that was was the case.

because we all know you don't drive anywhere.

eh, driving 230 miles a week for work, causes that.


PDenbigh Wrote:Feersty, if all you are looking for is free transportation become a hooker.

Mikey almost worked that with the tranvesitite. But yeah leaving the track late on Sunday night with work the next day would be FTL in my book ,but when you own your own company I guess you can arrive to the office at 10 or 11am Monday and still be making as much bank as you would if you were there at 6am.

But that is awesome Pete, and your ass can probably turn wrenches with the best of em.
2017 Mineral White BMW M240i Cabriolet
2014 White Platinum Pearl Explorer Sport

Living in the Alamo City.
210
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#12
Owning your own company has nothing to do with it Feersty, I crew for another team from time to time and I make it back to work on time Monday mornings.
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#13
It's all about the dedication Rob! Like, I am such a dedicated drinker that I will get wasted until 11 or 12pm, wake up at 5:45 to go to work, work a 12 hour day, then come home and do it again on occasion!

If you really want to do something, you'll do it and make it to work on time. Only slackers can't do this effectively, or people who get too complacent and lazy with their cush desk jobs =p
Posting in the banalist of threads since 2004

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT AWD Premium

Past: 2016 GMC Canyon All Terrain Crew Cab / 2010 Jaguar XFR / 2012 Acura RDX AWD Tech / 2008 Cadillac CTS / 2007 Acura TL-S / 1966 5.0 HO Mustang Coupe
2001 Lexus IS300 / 2004 2.8L big turbo WRX STI / 2004 Subaru WRX / A couple of old trucks
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#14
^

What the rest of them said. And if you think the amount of time that you spend at work in incongruent with the amount of money you make then you're sorely mistaken. Pete's a very, very hard working guy and I really respect that. You've only got so much time on the table if you can really commit yourself to something it shows dedication and maturity.


... oh, and my commute is two hundred 265 miles, or so, a week and every time the weather's good I put about 200 miles on the bike that weekend for leisure. Smile

Pete - that's an awesome new job! I really got to see how important a pit crew is over the weekend at 12 Hours at the Point. I've got to say, I really appreciate the guys on that side of the wall a lot more now.
When it comes to Ryan Jenkins, the story ends with me putting him in the wall.

2009 Speed Triple | 2006 DR-Z400SM | 1999 CBR600F4 | 1998 Jeep Cherokee

-Ginger
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#15
Feersty Wrote:
PDenbigh Wrote:Feersty, if all you are looking for is free transportation become a hooker.

Mikey almost worked that with the tranvesitite. But yeah leaving the track late on Sunday night with work the next day would be FTL in my book ,but when you own your own company I guess you can arrive to the office at 10 or 11am Monday and still be making as much bank as you would if you were there at 6am.

Please Rob, to suggest somehow Pete can crew because he can slack at his job is ludicrous. Pete works far harder for more hours than probably anyone on this board. I lived with him for 5 years and he almost NEVER sleeps in and gets more done in the morning than most do all day.

Bottom line is if you wanna do something, you'll make the time and you'll make it happen. People in motorsport get it done with little or no sleep all the time and a lot of them manage to still go to work the next day and get on with business as usual.
2018 Ducati Panigale V4

Past: 2018 Honda Civic Type-R, 2015 Yamaha R1, 2009 BMW M3, 2013 Aprilia RSV4R, 2006 Honda Ridgeline, 2006 Porsche Cayman S, 2012 Ducati 1199, 2009 Subaru WRX, 2008 CBR1000RR, 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2000 Toyota Tundra, 2005 Honda CBR600RR, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1997 Honda Civic EX

http://www.aclr8.com
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#16
Anywayz, that's badass that you're getting responsibilities and actually getting to interface with the Ford engineers. I've been absolutely tickled anytime I get to talk to Honda engineers at the track.
2018 Ducati Panigale V4

Past: 2018 Honda Civic Type-R, 2015 Yamaha R1, 2009 BMW M3, 2013 Aprilia RSV4R, 2006 Honda Ridgeline, 2006 Porsche Cayman S, 2012 Ducati 1199, 2009 Subaru WRX, 2008 CBR1000RR, 2009 Kawasaki ZX-6R, 2000 Toyota Tundra, 2005 Honda CBR600RR, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1996 Acura Integra GS-R, 1997 Honda Civic EX

http://www.aclr8.com
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#17
Thanks Guys... That's a whole lot of complements to me, I really appreciate it!

Its a fun job in a fun environment. I'm sure Rob didn't mean it the way it came out... To most the idea of owning your own company is easy ;-). For the record though, I was at the office today at 7:30am!

Pete
http://www.85xr.com

1985 Merkur XR4Ti Track Car
2013 Ford F-150 FX4 Ecoboost
E46 BMW 330Ci Sport 5spd
1973 Honda CL125S
1985 Honda CX500
2013 Arctic Cat 700 ATV
2017 Onewheel +
  Reply
#18
PDenbigh Wrote:I'm sure Rob didn't mean it the way it came out...

I know you work your ass off. Just look at your car, gah damn, and I am sure WildWires is very successful. I guess if need be you would have the leeway to arrive to the office later, but you're dedicated, so that wouldn't apply Wink.
2017 Mineral White BMW M240i Cabriolet
2014 White Platinum Pearl Explorer Sport

Living in the Alamo City.
210
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#19
Feersty Wrote:eh, driving 230 miles a week for work, causes that.

Dont complain about driving 20 miles a day to work...... thats really not bad. If you are dedicated to do something, then you will do it. Big props to pete for putting this in your schedule, we all know how busy you are Smile Keep us updated with more pics, that kicks a lot of ass!
(09-25-2019, 03:18 PM)V1GiLaNtE Wrote: I think you need to see a mental health professional.
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#20
G.Irish Wrote:Anywayz, that's badass that you're getting responsibilities and actually getting to interface with the Ford engineers. I've been absolutely tickled anytime I get to talk to Honda engineers at the track.

He's working w/ blackforest, the Ford team is Rehagen.
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