Michael Beard 2015

[Mark Yacavone]

Any plan for S/SS event(s) next year ?

(there's a lead in opening for ya, buddy)

[Michael Beard]

Yes, we'll be doing it again, just haven't been in a hurry to announce. More than likely it will be the same date and location. We have had several major sponsors approach *us* and say they were interested in doing it again.

Every NHRA race I've gone to this year, racers are still talking about the race. There's been a huge number of people who have admitted that they didn't come this year, but sat at home and watched the live video coverage, and said they'd come next year.

The race will actually run more smoothly with another 50+ cars, as we can still be running one class while generating ladders and doing pairings for the other class. Historically, it was one of the coldest first weekends in May for the region, so the law of averages says that it will likely be warmer next year.

I'm currently working on the summer issue of our online Loose Rocker Magazine, which will include race coverage from our St. Patrick's Classic and the Auto Meter Northern Class Nationals. In the meantime, you can read the winter issue that covered a couple of our big money bracket races from last fall, to get an idea of what it'll look like: www.looserocker.com/?page_id=17

I was just pulling pictures yesterday for the mag as well as for our champions' collector cards. I do baseball-card sized trading cards for the winners of all our Loose Rocker events. Just think what kind of collection there will be after a few years!


You can find archived coverage from the Auto Meter Northern Class Nationals here:
RESULTS: http://dragstory.com/forum/index.php?board=129.0
VIDEO: http://motormaniatv.com/?page_id=3105

[Kevin Panzino]

Didnt have my engine together in time to go last year, so I probably dont get to comment...

But, I will anyway .......

Norwalk would be a much better facility for it this year......

[Mike Carr]

I can't imagine the cost of renting Norwalk for four days would be cheap. Michael alluded to this in posts about the planning for the inaugural Northern Class Nationals, that certain facilities would not work due to high rent costs. Bristol being one (any Bruton track would be high, I bet).

[Billy Nees]

Mark, you don't have to give Michael a "lead in opening" to get him to talk about himself!

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Kevin Panzino

Norwalk would be a much better facility for it this year......

Norwalk is indeed a great facility -- one of the very best in the country. There are actually a number of facilities that have expressed an interest in hosting the event, but it comes down to costs, location, scheduling, and weather. Historically, Stock and Super Stock car counts have been the same if not higher at Columbus than at Norwalk. We have to walk before we can run.

Redman and Bradley had the track working outstanding at Columbus, using 3x the expected amount of VHT. With no other classes contested at the Class Nationals, all of the asphalt parking is for S/SS, which can accommodate over 200 rigs. Behind the scenes, Chris Stilwell in the tower, coordinating with Nitro Joe, did an absolutely PHENOMENAL job handling ladders (including individual ladders for Class Eliminations), and other specialty things like our different classes, indexes, CIC races, etc. When the national anthem failed to play, Chris calmly took the mic and SANG it. Dude does it all. Nitro Joe is part of the Loose Rocker crew, but NTR probably won't let us steal Stilwell.

Got the fronts of the Class Nats cards done...

Mark, you don't have to give Michael a "lead in opening" to get him to talk about himself!

FYI, the Auto Meter Class Nationals is about Stock, Super Stock, its racers, fans, and supporters. Thanks for attending. Bring a car next time!

[Ed Carpenter]

I really would rather not win the longest pull award again. Bowling Green or Memphis maybe???? ☺

[barnca2010]

me and the cameras will be there..

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by deuces wild

I really would rather not win the longest pull award again. Bowling Green or Memphis maybe???? ☺

Memphis is a non-starter due to location, as it never draws cars. Bowling Green would not work in May due to weather, which leaves either a mid-summer date ("It's too hot to race / too many races back to back") or October (I pulled my motor after Indy). I'm inclined to stick with what we know for another year to isolate variables, as we are already looking at picking up 50+ cars next year based on feedback. If we make a significant move in date, location, or both, we will have no way of knowing what did and did not work. If we'd had more cars at the inaugural event, we'd be more apt to take various risks, but reality dictates we make measured decisions in order to grow.

Thanks for ALL of your incredible efforts both on and off the track, Ed. You were a major part of the inaugural event, and we appreciate you!

[Superfan1]

Michael, I will be there again; had an absolute blast this year, and expect the same next year!