C.J. Wilson pitched 11 seasons in the big leagues. He went to a couple World Series and All-Star games, and made more than $88 million in his career.
But the best starter on the Texas Rangers' best team (2011) isn't overjoyed with his career. Wilson, 36, walked away from the game after last season and is now pursuing his dreams of being a professional race car driver.
"No, I'm not happy with how my [baseball] career turned out," Wilson said. "That gives me a little drive to get the most out of my racing life. I really regret not being able to win the World Series in Texas and wish I could've got a couple more years out of my arm."
Wilson returns to Texas this weekend for the Advance Auto Parts Sportscar Showdown at the Circuit of the Americas track in Austin. He'll drive the No. 33 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in a pair of IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama events Friday and Saturday.
Wilson talked about his baseball days and racing career last week with the Star-Telegram.
Wilson last pitched in 2015, sitting out last season after undergoing shoulder surgery. It was the fifth surgery of his career and he feels he "pitched until his arm fell off." He has no interest in trying to pitch again.
Wilson fondly recalled his time with the Rangers, particularly his final two years in which he played a key role on their 2010 and 2011 World Series teams. But Wilson also knows he rubbed some fans the wrong way, bolting for the rival Los Angeles Angels in free agency.
"I put three really good years together in '09, '10 and '11," Wilson said. "If you look at that snapshot, definitely the best pitcher [on the Rangers] at the time. But I don't really know how fans are going to react to certain things.
"At the beginning of my career, they saw me as a weird California kid, then I was a traitor because I went to the Angels. But Texas never made me a contract offer. I understand if people were upset, that makes sense, but that's also where I'm from. It's not like I went to the A's or Mariners or something like that. I went to a team that I thought had a chance to do big things.
"But I enjoyed my time there [in Texas], and that 2011 team is the best I ever played on. At the same time, we didn't close the deal."
Wilson was the Game 1 starter in that World Series, and took the loss. But he started Game 5, a 4-2 win for the Rangers that gave them a 3-2 lead in the series. After a heartbreaking Game 6 loss in which the Rangers were twice a strike away from winning, Wilson pitched in relief in Game 7.
Wilson entered with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, and hit the first batter he faced, which brought in a run. He retired four straight after that, but the Rangers lost the series-deciding game 6-2 to the Cardinals.
Wilson wishes it would have turned out different, but it didn't. He's now all-in on his racing career, something he dabbled in during his baseball days.
Wilson has his own racing team, Austin-based C.J. Wilson Racing, and is driving the No. 33 Porsche Fresno 911 GT3 Cup car. He's excited about running at Austin, a track he tested at in early April.
"Despite living in California, this will qualify as our home race," said Wilson, who spends much of his time as general manager of Porsche Fresno [Calif.]. "I expect to have my best showing of the year so far. I know the COTA track pretty well, having driven there for a couple days.
"COTA is pretty incredible. It's kind of like running the bases of Yankee Stadium. ... When you're driving down the straightaway in Austin and see the grandstands _ I don't know how many people will be at our race _ but it's like a Formula One weekend. You get amped up when you know people are watching, people are cheering."
Wilson has made strides behind the wheel, finishing a career-best ninth in his previous race at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. He expects to have his best showing yet in Austin.
Wilson's long-term goal is to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, part of what's known as the "Triple Crown of Motorsport" with the Indianapolis 500 and Monaco Grand Prix.
Wilson will attend Le Mans as a spectator next month, and is hopeful he'll be able to realistically race it in 2018. But, much like in baseball, he understands he has to climb the ladder of racing's minor leagues.
"I don't know. I was really optimistic I could get there next June," Wilson said. "It's just really going to depend on my performance as a driver. If I'm not able to perform well enough, no reason for me to rush it."
As stated, Wilson has no interest in being a token driver in a signature race.
"My goal is to win Le Mans. I think that's a reasonable goal," Wilson said. "There's a good chance if I get with a really good team and have a really good teammate, it can really work out."
Maybe even better than his baseball career.
