Second Quarter Trackchasing Goals Status Update
Period ending June 30, 2013
I think it’s important to set goals in life. This is especially true if you’re focusing on some form of self-improvement or where others are depending upon your success. There’s a great book on this subject entitled, “If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going You’ll Probably End Up Somewhere Else” (You can buy this book on Amazon). I have successfully used goals for my entire life. Goal-setting has allowed me to have a wonderful family, retire early and stay healthy so that I can enjoy the rewards of establishing and meeting all kinds of future goals.
Trackchasing is one of my main hobbies in life as you might have guessed by now. Years ago, I decided what aspects of the trackchasing hobby were most important to me. Then I set about putting in place a set of goals that focused my trackchasing attention in those areas. It is impossible to predict the future. However, it is not impossible or even that difficult to set small goals that when achieved again and again will allow me to be in the places I want to be within the hobby of trackchasing and elsewhere in life.
Below is an update of my progress against my 2013 trackchasing goals. My goals are both quantitative and qualitative.
Lifetime trackchaser totals
Stay within 10 tracks of my nearest fellow competitor, Guy Smith. At that rate it will take him more than thirty years to catch up. He’ll be in his mid-80s by then!
Current results through June 30, 2013
Through the end of the second quarter I have seen racing at 39 new tracks. I had a very soft second quarter but should more than make up for it in the third quarter. Guy Smith, my nearest fellow competitor has seen 34 tracks during this time. I’m well on my way to achieving this goal.
Foreign country trackchasing
Add, at a minimum, four or more new countries to my trackchasing list. This will bring my lifetime “trackchasing countries” total to at least sixty-seven.
Current results through June 30, 2013
I’m off to a good start here with the addition of Russia and Lithuania, my 64th and 65th different trackchasing country. Believe it or not I have a minimum of two more foreign countries in the “active planning stage” for the remainder of 2013. Adding countries will be difficult from this point. However, I still expect to add more countries for many seasons to come.
Lifetime National Geographic Diversity results
Maintain my leadership position in the NGD lifetime category.
Current results through June 30, 2013
My 2012 lifetime NGD score of 5.10 topped the list for the fourth consecutive year. At this stage it will be difficult but not impossible for anyone to beat this score in the near future. Staying on top of the lifetime NGD rankings is one of the three most important trackchasing statistical categories to me.
Why is that? Because the NGD stats measure both numbers of tracks and numbers of states where a chaser has trackchased. You can’t be a “regional” trackchaser and do well in the National Geographic Diversity rankings. You can’t be a foreign trackchaser and do well in the NGD results. The NGD category rewards American trackchasers who pursue the hobby frequently all over the United States.
Far Western states lifetime rankings
Maintain leadership position in 12 of the 13 Far Western states (x California).
Current results through June 30, 2013
I have an advantage with this goal. I live in the Far West. Virtually all other leading trackchasers live in the east. They won’t come out to the Far West to trackchase very often because the pickings are so slim.
There isn’t all that much happening in the Far West for me trackchasing wise now either. I’ve already seen the majority of tracks in this vast region. However, during the second quarter I trackchased in Montana and California.
I must report that the racing Eckels, Bruce and Pat, added two new tracks in Arizona giving them a total of thirty. That beats my results of twenty-nine. Carol and I elected to vacation in Maui, Hawaii rather than add to my Arizona track total. I now have six months to scare up a new track in Arizona or risk missing out on this goal.
Exercise
Exercise at least 45 minutes per day on three times as many days as I trackchase. As an example if I trackchase on 60 days I will need a minimum of 180 days of strong aerobic exercise in order to meet this goal.
Current results through June 30, 2013
During the second quarter I only trackchased 12 days. I exercised for a minimum of 45 minutes 44 times! I’m very pleased with that result. However, it doesn’t offset my poor first quarter performance.
Cumulatively (for the first two quarters!) I trackchased 31 days and exercised 67 times. That gives me a score of 2.16 still short of my 3.0 goal. I expect to do a good deal of trackchasing during the third quarter. Given that expectation I will likely fall further behind against this goal.
However, I won’t trackchase as much during the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, I may still go trackchasing about 80 days during 2013. That number sends shivers up the necks of my fellow competitors. If I do trackchase that often then I will have to exercise 240 times to meet my goal! Ouch. However I have begun to experiment with “two a days”. We’ll see how that goes.
First quarter score – 1.21
Second quarter score – 2.16
Trackchasing Tourist Attractions
Continue to be the leader in the trackchasing hobby when it comes to Trackchasing Tourist Attractions. Strive to see all kinds of “fun stuff” when I’m away from home trackchasing.
Current results through June 30, 2013
Just touring Moscow, Russia for five days satisfied my goal with Trackchasing Tourist Attractions for the first quarter. During the second quarter our 10-day trip to Europe (which included trackchasing in Lithuania) helped us visit lots of first class Trackchasing Tourist Attractions.
TTA’s at this stage are hard to get. Yes, it’s difficult to fly on a plane or two everyday, drive 100-300 miles and still go to Disneyland for the day. However, I will strive to “see and do” as much as possible because there is simply so much to “see and do” on the trackchasing trail.
Racechasing
Go to 3-5 major race shows for the year without regard to existing trackchasing opportunities. Go to at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup show.
Current results through June 30, 2013
I did very well against this goal in the second quarter. I tacked on two track re-visits at the end of personal non-trackchasing vacations.
RESULTS
February – Lucas Oil Late Models – East Bay Raceway – Florida
March – World of Outlaws Sprints – Silver Dollar Speedway – California
June – Wingless Sprints – Placerville Speedway – California
June – Stock cars – Sycamore Speedway – Illinois
Take a look at my leading fellow competitors. You will see them making almost no attempt at racechasing (that’s returning to tracks they have already visited) on a national basis at tracks beyond their backyard. It’s a tough balancing act but this is a good goal to have.
Free time diversification
This is my most revolutionary goal for 2013. Pursuing any one hobby to the exclusion of others is a bad idea in my opinion. I plan to take off a minimum of 23 weekends (a complete weekend is Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from trackchasing in 2013.
Current results through June 30, 2013
Through the second quarter of the year I’ve taken eleven weekends away from trackchasing. I’m well on my way to meeting this goal. At this time, I expect to meet and/or exceed this goal by the end of the year.
Have Fun
I saved the most important goal for last. I plan to see as many new tracks in 2013 as I want too. If I don’t go trackchasing, it won’t be because of bad weather, a lack of tracks to see or any other form of restraint on my part. It will be because I found something more fun and interesting to do not because I couldn’t find a place to go trackchasing.
Current results through June 30, 2013
If you get time check out the guestbook tab of my website at www.randylewis.org. I get lots of comments like this one from race fans and travelers, “You are living my dream”. Heck, I’m living my dream as well. Trackchasing is OPTIONAL for me. If I didn’t want to do it I wouldn’t do it. On the other hand, despite my “love for the road” it’s never a good idea to do anything too much. Right now I’m very happy with the frequency of my trackchasing. My current pace is one I would be comfortable with for many years to come.