They say comparison to others is the thief of joy. I find that tough to embrace–after all, the fundamental essence of motorsport is comparison.
The assertion that “I’m faster than you” is how this sport started back when the second horseless carriage was built. (Okay, perhaps that’s a bit of hyperbole, but it wasn’t too far away from that–maybe the fourth carriage?)
Competition fuels the spirit of motorsport, yet “winning” might not mean the same for everyone. Well, isn’t the winner the winner? Not for everyone. Let me explain.
Speaking of horseless carriages, let’s use one of the first recognized motorsport competitions as an example: Concours du Petit Journal Les Voitures sans Chevaux in 1894. The 78-mile event from Paris to Rouen in France attracted 102 entries. Only 24 showed up. In this case, winning meant just making it to the event.
To qualify for the main, you had to run a 31-mile event in under 3 hours. A total of 21 met that mark. In this case, winning meant just qualifying.
Then came the race. Just 17 cars finished. In this case, winning meant merely completing the full race.
In the end, the De Dion-Bouton of Jules-Albert de Dion crossed the line first–yet he didn’t win the first prize of 5000 francs. The event organizers awarded it to “the competitor whose car comes closest to the ideal.”
What was the ideal? Vehicles that were “not dangerous, easy to drive and cheap during the journey.” Since de Dion’s car required a stoker for its steam-powered engine, it was deemed not “easy to drive.” Instead, the first prize was split between two automakers of gas-powered machines, Panhard et Levassor (finished fourth) and Peugeot (finished second and third). In this case, winning meant understanding the rules the best.
My biggest takeaway from this competition? Make it to the race, make it into the race, finish in one piece and make sure you’re compliant with the rules. All those are big wins–and most of them involve little to no comparison.
But again, isn’t the winner the winner? Well, I suppose that’s what the record books will say, but does it really matter to you? Heck, does it matter who won this competition in 1894? All the Panhard et Levassor and Peugeot fans here raise their hand. (Drop your hand, Colin, I’m proving a point here.)
Ultimately, we determine our wins because we fight our own battles.
Let’s use an example from this century: yours truly at a PCA autocross.
How did I define a win? Show up, pass tech, do my best, have fun–and don’t be last. Yes, “don’t be last” involves comparison, but I felt if I hit my other goals, I’d make that one.
Why such humble goals? It was my first autocross in my Jaguar F-type. It is bone stock. The Jag wears Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 rubber, not the hottest of 200tw options, but one that offers flexibility for its planned usage. Furthermore, I’m not a seasoned autocrosser, so I’m realistic about my abilities.
With all those factors in mind, “not last” seemed quite reasonable.
So did I show up? Yes. I was late, but I was there.
Did I pass tech? Yes, with flying colors.
Did I do my best? Yes, I gave it my all.
Did I have fun? Absolutely, and I made a few new friends.
And was I last? Not at all. I beat four other entries–including another F-type, albeit one with all-wheel drive and a V8.
Winning!
I enjoyed it so much that I tried it again the next weekend–same site, different group: the ETRSCCA. Checked off all those goals once again.
Winning!
So what’s the ultimate moral of the story? Run your own race. Don’t focus too heavily on others–it’ll kill your joy.
Let’s hope as I move my targets to finishing not in the bottom 25% that I don’t lose sight of that focus.
Comments
All the Panhard et Levassor and Peugeot fans here raise their hand. (Drop your hand, Colin, I’m proving a point here.)
Well, I was going to say something nice, but now I’m not so sure. 
(You can pry my love of weird French cars from my cold, dead hands.)
Tom1200
UltimaDork
4/23/26 1:54 p.m.
When it comes to this kind of winning I am hands down champion of the universe.
As we all know my Datsun 1200 is dog slow but man is it fun to drive and we have a good time.
in 1991 I was doing my first full season of SCCA club racing and a local autocrosser who was spectating saw me run and said:
“I’d never race anything that slow”
To which I replied:
“It’s faster than a set of bleachers”
This has been our mantra ever since. That poor guy that made the comment, despite really wanting to, never did go road racing.
Had I worried about being 1st winner all the time I wouldn’t have had as much fun as I am. I have so many great memories and have made so many great friends via our little Datsun.
Ironically I think I’ve gotten more notoriety by being the guy who drives the wheels of a slow car than I every got driving a front running car. I’ve set two different class lap records, one of them in a really fast car, yet people always talk about how much they love watching my flog the Datsun.
My son and I are having a grand time in the Foxbody, way more fun then we had in the F500 in which I routinely finished in the top 3 at autocross. Currently the endurance 200TW tires mean we don’t have a prayer of winning but it’s fun trying.
My advice to people is just get out there and have fun; it’s a glorious hobby with really great people.
Hold up, so just getting Panhandler to the Challenge would count as a win because Colin and I will it so?
In reply to Tom1200 :
Your story reminds me of a friend who had raced in the late 70s, early 80s. GT5 1200, tub car, Ford cantilever slicks. He was constantly whining about how much he missed racing, so I suggested he buy a fire suit and helmet, go to school to get his race license back, and he could drive my twincam Neon ITA car.
“Oh, I could never race something that slow.”
Dude.
For my first few races taking checker after 14.5hrs on track was the biggest win. In my first ever race we cooked the brakes with 15 minutes to go. After that we really focused on making it to the end.
The next definition of a win was making it into the top half of the standings. When you come in 49th out of 100 it feels pretty good.
Then we hit a streak and were being competitive in our class. Felt pretty good getting a few class wins especially after bribing our way into the lower class. We bartered a 42 lap penalty to get into C Class and we won after the car we were chasing threw a rod sunday afternoon. Taking home $500 in nickles is pretty special feeling, but at that race the other class winners donated their winnings to charity so we did the same.
Now I’m going to define a win as finally racing in my original race car after it blew up in 2016. That will be the biggest win for me.
Tom1200 said:
When it comes to this kind of winning I am hands down champion of the universe.
I dunno, a I’ve got like 7 OneLap threads documented on here about “not being first”. I feel like I’ve been preaching the “compete against yourself, not against ‘winning’ ethos so prevalently opined by National Champion types” pretty consistently over the years”. Although, certainly I reckon you’ve been racing longer than I have been.
Colin Wood said:
All the Panhard et Levassor and Peugeot fans here raise their hand. (Drop your hand, Colin, I’m proving a point here.)
Well, I was going to say something nice, but now I’m not so sure.
(You can pry my love of weird French cars from my cold, dead hands.)
I’d suggest everyone take a gander at the first ~10 years of 24 Heures de Le Mans reports on Wikipedia. Lots of evidence of “just going fastest isn’t the best/ideal” in there (and that continued into the ~60s).
Tom1200
UltimaDork
4/23/26 5:30 p.m.
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
So here are my highlights that my Ego remembers:
1987 Won my first race; 125cc Gran Prix class at Willow Springs. I beat a former Japanese national champ.
1991 SCCA drivers school weekend & race the next day. I won my class.
1996 set a new lap record for Showroom Stock C in a NA meeting. I even beat the SSB Runoffs winning car driven by a Mazda employee (it might have been Robert Davis)
1998 set the D-Sports Racer lap record, which was only 1 second off Mike Lewis in his ex-Roush Trans-Am Car.
What everyone else remembers:
My girlfriend’s cooking (now my wife of 35 years). she’d grill steaks, baked potatoes & fresh veggies. All the other motorcycle racers were eating cold sandwiches.
The cool old Datsun 1200 that slides through every corner.
Following me around to watch my lines and shaving 3-4 seconds of their best lap times. (note my ego doesn’t always like this one).
What I remember:
The car being features in a Road & Track magazine feature about getting an SCCA license. My being mentioned in the Rim of the World Pro Rally official program and my motto “it’s faster than a set of bleachers” being quoted. Having the car in a article in the Japanese magazine Daytona .The number of professional drivers I’ve worked with and or spent time with discussing racing.
Mostly it’s been all the crazy spontaneous fun we’ve had by simply showing up to events. People love our little car and it’s been a fantastic way to meet people.
When I was 5 years old I’d declared “I want to be a racing driver when I grow up”. I may not have grown up but I am a racer driver; albeit a no name amateur.
Mid-pack glory may not feed the ego but it’s an awful lot of fun.
Tom1200
UltimaDork
4/23/26 5:32 p.m.
sleepyhead the buffalo said:
Tom1200 said:
When it comes to this kind of winning I am hands down champion of the universe.
I dunno, a I’ve got like 7 OneLap threads documented on here about “not being first”. I feel like I’ve been preaching the “compete against yourself, not against ‘winning’ ethos so prevalently opined by National Champion types” pretty consistently over the years”. Although, certainly I reckon you’ve been racing longer than I have been.
There is no second place when it comes to competing for fun so we can both have the title. LOL
“If ya ain’t first, yer last”
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