r/NASCAR • u/BuschGuidoFan1821 Larson • 1d ago
For the racing drivers who participate in this sub I have a question.
Whenever you had a lengthy winless streak how did it impact you both psychologically and emotionally? And how did you learn to manage the emotions and stress of not winning? Thanks!
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u/DisastrousDance7372 1d ago
As a local racer I realize I'm just out to have fun. I don't stress about it, I just like being competitive and going fast.
On the flip side I won a points championship without winning a race the entire season and honestly I'd trade the championship for a couple wins.
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u/stevelover 1d ago
Won lots of kart races, took a few years off due to divorce. Started racing SpecMiata, tough class. A few top 5s but no wins. It makes you appreciate the decent days much more. The really bad races still sucked.
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u/mriforgot 1d ago
Not a driver, but grew up in a family of race car drivers, and the reality is that unless you're willing to outspend almost everyone, you're probably not going to win the big races very often. I spent a decade going to the race track with my dad, and he won the feature race maybe once the entire time until he dropped into a lower division.
You try to win your heat races, and other than that, do it for the love of the game.
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u/RealKidd213 1d ago
Yeah, after going on a long losing streak, we go through a deep depression. That’s what happened to me after winning the Daytona 500 and then going months without another win.
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u/thegreatcarraway 1d ago
I raced 7 race weekends, 8 mains in a legends car. In the grand scheme of things never even got going, but even then didn't care much about winning. I was mainly in it for a good time.
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u/wreck720 1d ago
I'm going into my 5th season in karting. I have run around 40 races, have never won and have 6 or 7 2nd place finishes. I'm hoping it changes this season. I've been slowly moving up the running order, and should be competing for some wins this season.
I get frustrated when my lap time is not within a tenth or two of the front runners. I've been working a lot on consistency. I will sometimes run a lap that is just as fast as the leader's, then the next lap will be 3 tenths off.
Just keep your confidence up, run good laps, and you'll find yourself at the front.
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u/TSNAnnotates Kyle Busch 1d ago
I went 3 years without winning. It sucked and it made me question my abilities. Even when I had some bad luck (there was one time where I started 18th and made my way to 3rd and got a flat) I would contemplate about how much was my fault. However, that sort of thinking stopped once I hit the track, and once I finally broke the winless streak, I felt like I was myself again
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u/circleracer91 15h ago
Unless you’re getting paid a good amount to race, there isn’t any stress when you’re in the losing streak, just thoughts of, “what am I missing?” “What could I have done better?” “Maybe, I’m not as good as I thought I was.” “I need to spend more time in the shop.” All of that can be true, or none of that can be true, and that’s what plays with your head. I went through it in 2024, I had moved up a class, to our top division, and just couldn’t figure out what I was lacking, then about race 12, we clicked on something and we found speed, but I got wrecked like 5 of the next 6 races, most times just the innocent victim, and one time just a racing deal. Our season ended with some new knowledge, and ideas for 2025. Our season starts practice in a week, and the actual season starts at the end of April, I’m excited to see how the new changes work out. That’s part of the deal, figuring out new ways to go fast!
Every other sport, there is a 50% chance you will be victorious! In racing, your chance of being the winning team, is greatly reduced, in my situation, usually 30-35 late models show up weekly, that’s roughly a 3% shot at victory. Every single team there is trying to do the exact same thing you are-take home that trophy! You’re going to lose a lot more than you’re going to win! When you lose, move on and try again the next race. You can’t dwell on your loss, it will happen again. Appreciate the good finishes more, but once that pit area closes, the next race, it doesn’t matter what you did yesterday, the next race is a fresh start. All you can do is prepare yourself and the car as best you can, put yourself to position to succeed, don’t take shortcuts, you never know when it’s going to be your night!
Good luck! Races are won in the shop!
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u/potatocross Hamlin 1d ago
Well I have maybe 50 races experience and zero wins, but that top 5 felt like a win.
My emotion and stress since? I’m sad that it’s been so long since I have raced and my friends and family are tired of me talking about my 1 top 5 finish in a rookie class at the local short track.