In 2006, a nearly fifty-year-old Russ Rosenberg, a successful entrepreneur, had an epiphany. For years, he had been searching for a hobby that would hold his interest. After trying guitar lessons, shooting sports and fly fishing, Russ tapped into his lifelong passion for cool cars. A short time later, he bought a used Mazda Miata, signed up for autocross school, and eventually began road and vintage car racing.

His journey and advice for making a similar leap is chronicled in his book Racing under the Illusion of Grandeur: A Guide for Men and Women over Forty Who Want to Drive like Mario. 

In this comprehensive guide, Russ relies on his experiences as an amateur racer to provide a roadmap for beginners that offers time-tested wisdom on how to start in the sport, avoid costly mistakes, and secure a logical path to success. He includes valuable insight into how to choose the right car and the true cost of racing as well as entertaining racing stories for the over-forty crowd.

In this episode, we talk about how Russ scratched his racing itch, how to get started and how to get better faster without breaking the bank, and how racing cars has changed his life.