I do not race my boat at all. No way, nada, never, not even messing about against another cruising boat.
If one wants to race, then one obviously wants to win and that means pushing the boat and the equipment to, and in some cases, over the limit. That means broken gear. Broken gear means money out the window for nothing more than a cup or bragging rights, which is all one receives in sailboat racing. Been there and done that as crew and found it was a ball to be on a winning boat 5 out of 7 seasons, but I wasn't paying the bills.
Not to say I wouldn't race someone else's boat, and make every effort to win, or that I in any way look down on those who do. I just do not see it as good value for the cost, on our boat.