Welcome to my blog! Whether you were directed to it or stumbled upon it, thanks for stopping by. My name is Michael. I created Point-by Points for two main reasons: to document my own progress and to give beginners like me a chance to learn by following along. While many racing-oriented sites offer a wealth of great information, they are often managed by someone who is already very experienced in
the sport. I know when I’m searching for something, these sites don’t often answer some of the most basic questions I have.
My goal is to give readers a place to find that kind of information. Teachers always told us if you have a question chances are someone else has the same thought, so I’m taking that to heart here. Admittedly, I have not conducted an exhaustive search of all motorsport blogs to know for sure that mine is unique. If it is, that’s great. If it’s not, hopefully mine offers a slightly different perspective.
Another confession: I’m not a complete beginner. I drove my first HPDE (High Performance Driving Event) in 2012. It was a 2-day event at historic Lime Rock in Connecticut and I was driving this beauty:
This is Katsumi, a 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (Evo X for those in the know). It was the first car I ever bought myself. I performed a few low-key mods, had some snow-fun in the Boston winters, and ran 2 DEs at Lime Rock and one at Watkins Glen in upstate New York. In 2014 I moved to Philadelphia for business school and could not justify keeping Katsumi, so I had to sell it. That forced a 3-year hiatus from the track.
In the summer of 2017 I bought a new track toy:
This is Mimi, a 1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata (NA Miata for the enthusiasts). I ran one DE that summer at Summit Point in West Virginia and another two weeks ago. For those keeping count, that’s 5 DEs for a total of 10 track days over 6 years, or an average of 1.7 days per year. Thus, I consider myself a beginner. In fact, I still register in the novice group when I sign up for an event.
I haven’t yet determined what my goals are for the sport. Do I stick with DEs? Do I become an instructor? Do I aim for a competition license? That’s what I plan to unfold within this blog. As I move through each stage of my hobby (career?), I plan to lay out all the questions and decision points that I encounter. I’ll be shamelessly basic and realistic to show that you don’t have to have motor oil in your veins or an inherent ability to heel-toe in order to enjoy this sport. This is Point-by Points and I hope you’ll continue to follow along as you progress, too.