So, ummm, I own a Motor Racing team [updated].

I own a Motor Racing team since a few weeks ago.

No, seriously, I do. It’s called CiCoDa Racing and it’s very entry-level, very unglamourous and very affordable. We race in the Formula Vee championship (#FormulaVeeIRL). I set it up this year with the help of JB Farrell (who will be driving) and Gary Baitson (who, like me, won’t be driving!).

Why did I do such a silly thing (other than that my earlier mid-life crisis of owning a Mazda MX5 wasn’t a proper mid-life crisis)…? Well… it all comes down to my ‘philosophy’ (for want of a less pretentious word!) for life. I’ve always had a bit of a thing about taking opportunities, best summed up like this:

If there’s something I want to do, and all it will take is my time and/or money, and I can spare the time and/or money… why wouldn’t I do it?

So I usually do…

I’ve been to the office of Stephen King (my absolute favorite Author) and sat in his office chair (he was away on Vacation) – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

I’ve flown 2-seater airplanes (beside licensed Trainers!) – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

I’ve jumped out of a perfectly good airplane over the Florida Keys (strapped to an expert parachutist!) – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

I’ve done SCUBA Diving (including Open Water certification in Mauritius!) – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

I’ve started up a Record Label and learned how the Music Industry works (then put a Compilation of Irish Artists in the Charts) – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

I’ve gone back to College and got a Degree – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

I went back to College again later to do some Research and got a Masters – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

I invented a few different things and started a few different Businesses over the years – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

For our 25th Wedding Anniversary, I hired a Recording Studio, Producer & Musician / Singer to professionally record a song I had written for my wife nearly 30 years earlier because I wanted to and the opportunity came along (it’s HERE, if you’re interested – I even did the backing vocals!).

There’s a bunch of other, more routine things that I’ve done – because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

And now I’ve set up a very amateur, very informal Motor Racing team (with some others) for the fun of it… because I wanted to and the opportunity came along.

We had a car built from scratch. We tested it recently (it was raining when I drove it at speeds over 100mph – scaryfun) and we enter our first race this weekend. Fingers & toes (but not eyes) will be crossed.

Incidentally, the name – CiCoDa – is also the name of the Company that I set up when I quit Lecturing to ‘go solo’ as a Consultant Business Analyst. It’s a reference to my 3 kids: Ciara, Conor and Darren. We raised them to look at every opportunity that presents itself and ask “Why shouldn’t I..?” Instead of “Why should I..?”, even if (actually, especially if) its a little bit scary.

CiCoDa Racing is just a bit of fun. But, then again, it’s quite serious. In general, I try to make my ‘serious’ and my ‘fun’ one and the same. Makes life more enjoyable.

I want to have a whole load of strange and interesting memories on my death-bed. I don’t plan to spend my last years regretting the things I didn’t try… because I don’t want to!

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Update: first race weekend was at Kirkistown on March 30. JB Qualified 6th of 15 in his first ever official event before drving two superb racs. The Formula Vee championship (here on FaceBook) is split into different Classes. JB finished ‘First in Class’ in both! The only cars ahead of us in the two races were in the advanced (‘A’) class. In other words, we won both our opening races in our Class… Delighted.

Photo courtesy @CregorNews
https://twitter.com/CregorNews/status/1112110312357068801