I can understand why your leaving, I have burned myself out a few times in other games (modding them that was) I have had times when I myself wanted to drop out of this and the TNC league due to not been competitive and you helped me change my mind more times than I can count. I no I always say as long as I have a great battle I'm happy, but it still hard to swallow the lack of speed I have compared to the top 10 drivers, I no mostly this is down to not having the time to practise much and in all honesty I have gone into many races with no practise at all. I no I always look at my setup after a race and start picking it apart in my mind looking for what I could change to help improve the pace for the next time I visit that track, I even have a text document with my best q and r times, the best q and r times posted and the name of my saved setup (I have so many, normally all 5 slots) and then a comment about what I could change to improve the setup and corners I need to be more aggressive in etc. This has obviously helped me out on some occasions and I'm sure it will continue to do so, but in all honesty my biggest thing is lack of practise. I no I am to fair and give room when room isn't needed or let people past for things that wasn't my fault. If I cause an accident in a race it plays on my mind all race and can even take my focus away, I have started to change my mentality in the races and focus on things that matter without been to aggressive, 2 races in a row I hit someone into turn 1 at the start and in both of those races I was well off my pace due to been so annoyed with myself. Its not easy to change your mentality yet I see so many have done so very quickly and is something that has to be done each year, maybe its age or maybe its because I'm not practising enough who knows, but one thing is for sure. You have helped me out many times, advice you have given after a race or to others on the forum.
We are always learning and the older you get the longer it takes for things to stick, I don't feel like I have hit my prime but at the same time i question maybe i haven't hit it because it might have already passed me by. You said you feel that i haven't reached my full potential yet which was one of those times where i was ready to walk away till you said that. I thank you for all your kind words and help you have given and the sprit races we use to do after races or on days when there was no races. I may never win a championship or get close to doing so, but i can say in all honesty that i have had many great moments in each championship which will always make me feel like i didn't fail in getting something out of those seasons.
So I say goodbye to someone i looked at as person who proved age doesn't mean the end (yes i no your younger than me, but most are much younger than me). I say goodbye to someone who will forever be missed (at least till you return one day? maybe?). Most of all I say goodbye to a friend who has done more for me than any other person around here, some times without ever knowing it himself.
You will be missed by many, you are a great driver, friend and for some team mate. I wish you all the best in the future and hope that one day you do come back to league racing, even if its as a reserve driver or on special races like brands hatch kind of tracks that are unique to the championships this year. Before this end up been over a million characters long i better stop typing, but before i do i would just like to say thank you for everything. Have a good one bud and hope to one day see you name on one of the starting 16 just like i would say to anyone who leave now or ever.