As the official owner of a midlife crisis, I’ve been investing a lot of time into trying to figure out what’s important, what matters, what is bringing me joy and imparting quality and good into my life.
I’m doing this with my automotive addiction as well.
I’ve been all over the map with cars for my whole life. At this point, I do a lot of what I’ve been doing just based on momentum, or because I don’t know what else to do with myself. This is no longer a good enough reason to do it. I’m 44. My daughter is almost 17, and I missed most of her growing up by being at work or in the garage. I’ve got a couple years left with her, and only a couple decades left on this earth. I want to make the best of them.
So what with cars do I WANT to do and ENJOY doing? I didn’t have an answer for that. I have discovered, over the past few months of intensive self reflection, that making them pretty (restoration and detailing), fixing the broken (not daily drivers. Just fixing what I want to when I want to), and the stories/people are really at the top. I love the adventure of getting parts, the thrill of the hunt at the swap meet, meeting people at events. Swapping stories, sharing joy. Driving a cool car somewhere and getting random people digging it. Making something better than it was.
I haven’t been on track or in a competitive driving scenario in years. I used to love it. was building a street legal stock car specifically to do more, and harder. And then I stopped. Stopped doing events. Stopped thinking about it. stopped playing racing video games. I honestly don’t remember why. I know I picked up a few district service commitments, and changed jobs, and broke the track car, and money got tight, and my folks health shifted all at the same time. Was that why I quit? Did I stop having fun? Both?
The stock car was thousands in time and money away from on track. Same with the Miata. And being honest with myself, too nice to put on track again in the Miata’s case. And the stock car was going to be too expensive to run at my current financial levels.
20251005_095230 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20250927_084224 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
Talking it over with my wife, we decided that the path forward was to sell the stock car. Which we did. And then buy a car I could run on track right out of the gate, and buy it cheap enough that I could break even easily of it’s something that doesn’t bring me joy in doing.
TB and I had briefly discussed buying the fiesta for challenge money at the 2025 challenge. i didn’t even really look at the car then, and told him id be interested when the time came. When GRM announced that they were going to do something challenge related at pitt race, I reached out to tb to see if the offer was still on the table. We agreed to a price, and the delivery of the car the week after the challenge deal, as that would be the end of his season. I had him send me a few pictures, and some details. Being a car from a fellow GRM member, that’s all I really needed to be comfortable. Enough to get me excited, and looking forward to another toy. Again, thrill of the hunt, adventure and story. But with a purpose this time of seeing if track is still a goal and desire.
So, shortly before the challenge, things came up. We moved date back a few weeks, which was fine for everyone involved. At tb’s last event, however, car developed a mystery noise from the engine. Louder on startup, gets somewhat quieter as it warms up. Sounds like it comes from valve cover area, towards timing belt. Tb was worried by the noise, and discounted the package heavily due to it. hearing the noise in person, I’m still undetermined as to its cause and severity at this time. But I’ve only had the car since Saturday morning.
Before leaving for Pennsylvania to pick it up, I signed up for the local autocross on November 16th with CCRSCCA just to get my feet wet again. No time like the present to see what my soul likes.
Yesterday I got the car legal, street tires (not 200tw)put on the 15fiftytwo wheels because its getting below freezing and the car is parked outside, the street tires swapped on,and the car on the lift to begin assessment of what I bought.
Car is a 2014 fiesta st. 6 speed, synch audio, auto climate control, all the airbags, abs, suroof.
Came equipped with: whoosh coilovers, whiteline rear sway bar, adjustable front sway bar links, front and rear chassis braces, drilled and slotted rotors, hawk hps pads, braided brake lines, thermal r&d catback exhaust, cobb tuner, drop in air filter, brake cooling ducts, trunk mounted battery, autopower bolt in roll bar, corbou seat on sliders, wolfbox rearview monitor, ram phone mount, driver cooling ducting, oz racing wheels with 25 date code kumho730s, front and rear tow points, whoosh short shifter, extinguisher, in date 5 point harness, and a box of suspension bushings, mudflaps, etc.
20251025_090744 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
Screenshot_20251025_165005_Messages by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_124638 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_124651 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_124654 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_124706 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_124939 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_125012 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_125209 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_125219 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_125232 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_125237 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_125355 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_125833 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_130214 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20251027_132325 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
Since it is getting cold, I put the white wheels on it(not in current challenge budget) after putting some all seasons on them.
20251027_140008 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
recent service was axles, fluids, alignment, brakes. No record of valve cleaning, timing belt, plugs, or coils. I know it needs AC repair, as well as a blend door so it can have defrost. Rear windows don’t work. Rust needs addressed before it becomes something more. Battery cables need tidied up. Cosmetic attention. Autocross. 2026 grassroots motorsports $2000 challenge as a half budget competitor.
The big struggle for me will be breaking my history of putting a lot of effort and money into the new car before actually seeing if it needs the time and money to be better for hat I want to do. I have all sorts of ideas on how to “improve” the car, but need to make myself wait until I see if it’s one I actually want to keep and use for its intended purpose after the challenge. That’s very, very tough for me. I’ve never actually done it before, if I’m honest.
For those of you unfamiliar with the grassroots motorsports $2000 challenge, you essentially buy, build, and run a car for $2000 in an autocross/drag/show event.
Details here:
https://2000challenge.com/
I’m doing this with my automotive addiction as well.
I’ve been all over the map with cars for my whole life. At this point, I do a lot of what I’ve been doing just based on momentum, or because I don’t know what else to do with myself. This is no longer a good enough reason to do it. I’m 44. My daughter is almost 17, and I missed most of her growing up by being at work or in the garage. I’ve got a couple years left with her, and only a couple decades left on this earth. I want to make the best of them.
So what with cars do I WANT to do and ENJOY doing? I didn’t have an answer for that. I have discovered, over the past few months of intensive self reflection, that making them pretty (restoration and detailing), fixing the broken (not daily drivers. Just fixing what I want to when I want to), and the stories/people are really at the top. I love the adventure of getting parts, the thrill of the hunt at the swap meet, meeting people at events. Swapping stories, sharing joy. Driving a cool car somewhere and getting random people digging it. Making something better than it was.
I haven’t been on track or in a competitive driving scenario in years. I used to love it. was building a street legal stock car specifically to do more, and harder. And then I stopped. Stopped doing events. Stopped thinking about it. stopped playing racing video games. I honestly don’t remember why. I know I picked up a few district service commitments, and changed jobs, and broke the track car, and money got tight, and my folks health shifted all at the same time. Was that why I quit? Did I stop having fun? Both?
The stock car was thousands in time and money away from on track. Same with the Miata. And being honest with myself, too nice to put on track again in the Miata’s case. And the stock car was going to be too expensive to run at my current financial levels.
20251005_095230 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20250927_084224 by Michael Crawford, on FlickrTalking it over with my wife, we decided that the path forward was to sell the stock car. Which we did. And then buy a car I could run on track right out of the gate, and buy it cheap enough that I could break even easily of it’s something that doesn’t bring me joy in doing.
TB and I had briefly discussed buying the fiesta for challenge money at the 2025 challenge. i didn’t even really look at the car then, and told him id be interested when the time came. When GRM announced that they were going to do something challenge related at pitt race, I reached out to tb to see if the offer was still on the table. We agreed to a price, and the delivery of the car the week after the challenge deal, as that would be the end of his season. I had him send me a few pictures, and some details. Being a car from a fellow GRM member, that’s all I really needed to be comfortable. Enough to get me excited, and looking forward to another toy. Again, thrill of the hunt, adventure and story. But with a purpose this time of seeing if track is still a goal and desire.
So, shortly before the challenge, things came up. We moved date back a few weeks, which was fine for everyone involved. At tb’s last event, however, car developed a mystery noise from the engine. Louder on startup, gets somewhat quieter as it warms up. Sounds like it comes from valve cover area, towards timing belt. Tb was worried by the noise, and discounted the package heavily due to it. hearing the noise in person, I’m still undetermined as to its cause and severity at this time. But I’ve only had the car since Saturday morning.
Before leaving for Pennsylvania to pick it up, I signed up for the local autocross on November 16th with CCRSCCA just to get my feet wet again. No time like the present to see what my soul likes.
Yesterday I got the car legal, street tires (not 200tw)put on the 15fiftytwo wheels because its getting below freezing and the car is parked outside, the street tires swapped on,and the car on the lift to begin assessment of what I bought.
Car is a 2014 fiesta st. 6 speed, synch audio, auto climate control, all the airbags, abs, suroof.
Came equipped with: whoosh coilovers, whiteline rear sway bar, adjustable front sway bar links, front and rear chassis braces, drilled and slotted rotors, hawk hps pads, braided brake lines, thermal r&d catback exhaust, cobb tuner, drop in air filter, brake cooling ducts, trunk mounted battery, autopower bolt in roll bar, corbou seat on sliders, wolfbox rearview monitor, ram phone mount, driver cooling ducting, oz racing wheels with 25 date code kumho730s, front and rear tow points, whoosh short shifter, extinguisher, in date 5 point harness, and a box of suspension bushings, mudflaps, etc.
20251025_090744 by Michael Crawford, on FlickrScreenshot_20251025_165005_Messages by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_124638 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_124651 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_124654 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_124706 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_124939 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_125012 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_125209 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_125219 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_125232 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_125237 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_125355 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_125833 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_130214 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr20251027_132325 by Michael Crawford, on FlickrSince it is getting cold, I put the white wheels on it(not in current challenge budget) after putting some all seasons on them.
20251027_140008 by Michael Crawford, on Flickrrecent service was axles, fluids, alignment, brakes. No record of valve cleaning, timing belt, plugs, or coils. I know it needs AC repair, as well as a blend door so it can have defrost. Rear windows don’t work. Rust needs addressed before it becomes something more. Battery cables need tidied up. Cosmetic attention. Autocross. 2026 grassroots motorsports $2000 challenge as a half budget competitor.
The big struggle for me will be breaking my history of putting a lot of effort and money into the new car before actually seeing if it needs the time and money to be better for hat I want to do. I have all sorts of ideas on how to “improve” the car, but need to make myself wait until I see if it’s one I actually want to keep and use for its intended purpose after the challenge. That’s very, very tough for me. I’ve never actually done it before, if I’m honest.
For those of you unfamiliar with the grassroots motorsports $2000 challenge, you essentially buy, build, and run a car for $2000 in an autocross/drag/show event.
Details here:
https://2000challenge.com/
