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HUNT: Rolling With The Changes
Written by: James Hunt   
06/27/2009
Simi Valley, CA
 
Change is a constant in life that no one can escape. The pursuit of my dream to race professionally that started back in November 2007 has resulted in plenty of life changes since then. Over the past three months I have encountered some pretty big ones. Working for BMW of North America really is a dream job and I love it. But, with a real job comes real responsibilities and a serious time commitment.
With his recent life focused on the office rather than the track, Hunt's looking forward to turning some laps. (JHR) ยป More Photos

Several months ago I took a new position on BMW’s Electric MINI Cooper project, which means I have been working my little tail off to launch a unique product in a tumultuous auto industry. Amidst all the changes juggling job and racing can be a tall order. I’ll be the first to admit, it’s not easy. Despite daily challenges encountered at work and missing the race track more than life itself, I am “staying alive” via occasional stints in my euphoria, which equates to a steering wheel and a six point harness synched down like a fighter pilot getting locked in for battle.

Recently, there have been some welcome opportunities to get trackside which are keeping me sane. Last month I did my second sponsor visit to Road America, did some driver coaching, tested a new race car with my teammate, shipped my club race car out to California to have fun between pro rides, and am now back on a plane flying to Summit Point to race in an SCCA 12 hour with family and friends. While I’m not in a car every day, things could be worse; I’m still smiling and grateful for the opportunities I have.

With my inaugural visit to Road America as their official Ambassador and off-site personality a success, round two further evolved the relationship. For several days I was happily at the rev limiter doing interviews, giving presentations at local area schools, and helping fit kids for helmets so they could participate in the Road America Family Tailgate Party Big Wheel Race (my only complaint is that there were no adult Big Wheels on tap, as I used to bomb down my driveway at full tilt boogie and get a rather satisfying three wheel drift going thanks to the plastic tires).

The opportunity to give something back and help future motorsports fans and participants is something really important to me. The kids I met represent the future of motorsports as potential fans, drivers, sponsors, team owners, fuel guys, engineers, mechanics, tire changers, or all of the above. For all I know, I could be presenting to the next Roger Penske, Henry Ford, Ayrton Senna, or corner worker that pulls me from a burning car. What better way to build excitement and enthusiasm for racing than to suit up and go hang out with some students. Nomex on and helmet in hand I had fun taking racing to a range of class rooms. The trip really covered all ages, from grade school to a high school auditorium.

Getting back on track myself, there was the pleasure of coaching as well as ripping some hot laps during a testing weekend. Working with the Barber Driving Experience at Fontana raceway for a Volkswagen R32 event, my experience racing in the GTI last year for APR Motorsport came in handy. It was a great event and run by some truly wonderful people.
The Barber Driving Experience is cost effective for top notch instruction, which provides real value in these recessionary times. For $50 per driver participants receive professional coaching that ranges from on track and chalk talk sessions all the way to seat position and car setup. The instructors have a wide range of racing experience that really offers students a full gambit of technical guidance.

From coaching to curiosity: what I was testing? Well, it’s time to let the cat out of the bag. Drum roll please…. It was a Porsche Boxster being prepared for the Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge ST class. A friend found while competing on “Setup” (SPEED’s racing reality show aimed at discovering up and coming drivers), Chris Prey, is the team owner and my co-driver. The team is called Prey Racing. For those of you that watched the show, Chris took first place while I took second. This has been in the works for quite some time and we brought the newly built machine out to Willow Springs Raceway a few weeks back (fitting that the first test for the team is at the track where it all started for Chris and I during the filming of the show).

The car is phenomenal to drive and we look forward to our virgin race later in the season. While I would love to go into specifics on the car, the competitive racer in me won’t allow it. We have realistic expectations as it is a new car and team, but there is a lot of potential and we look forward to turning some heads.

When not in my office working for “the man” including weekends lately, yours truly is happily immersed in resurrecting my 1990 Acura Integra club racing car that I built back in college. I just brought it out to California and look forward to doing some club racing for fun to supplement the professional rides. Speaking of club racing, I’m back in a familiar place crammed on a plane headed to Summit Point Raceway to compete in a 12 hour endurance race with the West Philly Racing Team. I will be co-driving with Andrew Zimmerman, Will Fox (my brother), and Jon Kofod. It’s a formidable line up and we are going to have a blast. Last time we all ran together we took 2nd in class during a 13 hour race at VIR. Hopefully my next installment will bring stories of champagne and a podium!

Thank you to all the motorsports fans out there. If you have a passion for speed, enjoy the smell of race fuel and brakes, or you simply enjoy a great race, I salute you and look forward to sharing years of memories to come. I hope to see you and some of your offspring trackside. Until then, full throttle and live the dream!

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.

For more information about Road America vist their website at www.roadamerica.com. I also really enjoy getting your emails, keep them coming with hellos, suggestions, news and views ().


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