The Off Season

Cora Ringwell
Oct 24, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Mar 13

What does this break mean for you and your family?

First: Celebrate

Congratulations! Your racer has finished their race season. This can be an exciting time skewed with mixed emotions like sadness, envy, and appreciation all rolled into one. But don't fret, just because there is no more racing, this doesn't mean that the love of the sport gets hung up like one of their suits!

Leave it to the off season to shed light on some of the other fun activities racing has to offer.

Whether they race for the trophies, medals, cash prizes or just the internal drive it brings them, there should always be some form of recognition for all of the hard work that goes into everything. We personally love the banquet that our local racetrack puts on for our racers. By bringing the racers and their families together to have a catered meal, cocktails, trophies, and giveaways reminds us closest to them that they are what keeps this sport alive!

Second: Organize

From the ratchet straps to the gas cans, every piece of equipment that must be brought along to the racetrack must also be put away until next season. Now is the perfect time to clean out the vehicles, the bikes, or the trailers so that everything is prepped for spring! You will probably make trips to the auto part or hardware stores to replace all of the items that were either used up or worn down, so be prepared to make lists while cleaning so that you can keep everything straight.

Some items to think about buying or replacing over fall/winter:

Zip Ties
Shop Rags/Paper Products
Motor Oil
Spark Plugs
Tires
Various Spare Nuts/Bolts/Screws
Electronic Components like Tire Pressure Gauges, Sensors, etc.
Gear that needs replacing due to accidents
Tools that have gone missing from the set

Goodluck cleaning and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment once you're finished!

Third: Fix

Oof... the step we have all been waiting for- fixing all of the problems that arose throughout the season. Without this step, no one would be doing anything in spring! Knowing what you need to fix will help make ordering/buying new parts easier but sometimes it goes deeper than you being able to fix it at home and so a call to the local mechanic will be the best option.

Though this is the costliest part of the off season process- it will be worth it in the long run. Fixing issues now will prevent accidents next time which is beneficial to everyone! Being supportive is the best thing to do right now but so is communication when it comes to the family budget. You don't want to be fighting over something that is supposed to be enjoyable for the whole family.