Resolutions

[John DiBartolomeo]

Welcome to 2022! It’s around this time of year when people tend to make New Year’s Resolutions. Me? Not really. I don’t know what the stats are but I’ll bet that a huge percentage of resolutions usually don’t make it past the first month of the year and maybe begin dropping off in the first week.

But it’s always a good time now to come up with plans for the new year; things which maybe you slipped up on last year, plans which didn’t seem to work out, or maybe something you’ve been putting off for several years.

Once again, me? I’m first looking forward to getting back healthy, something which on most days I feel I’m getting ahead with. As most know, last year for me was pretty rough on me getting sidelined as far as racing was concerned. I’m thinking I’m coming out on the other side of this and praying that the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train. So far, it looks good, but as far as those “resolutions…”

I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel and truthfully while I enjoy attending NHRA national and divisional events, I’d like to do more bracket racing as that’s the arena I grew up in. I spent a considerable amount of time back in the ‘70s bracket racing all over the place. It was what I could afford at time and I did pretty good at it before I got bit chasing the NHRA tour (and maybe at times today thinking not in a good way). But I’ve had a great experience running all types of events for which I thank God I’ve been able to be somewhat successful.

Several years ago, I had a young person show up in my office; a person who has done considerably well winning a number of big money bracket races; and after viewing some of my Wallys on the shelves, he expressed, “Man, I’d love to win one of those.”

“Why don’t you try? You have a dragster that’s capable of winning… why not run some NHRA events?”

His answer: “I don’t think I’d have to patience to sit for four or five days and race only one race.” Good point.

I think that’s what I like about bracket racing. Time runs and eliminations all in one day. If you’re at a three-four-five day race, chances are there are three-four-five days of separate races. Lose one day and wake up the next day ready for another race. For some, that may not be appealing, but I like it. Naturally, there’s more to the racing aspect of it than just going up and down the track. There’s the concept of making your car better than it can be along with the many friendships made along the way, but we all tend to live for those special seconds we spend on the track itself.

So maybe that’s my “resolution” for the new year: Do more bracket racing. Of course though, critics may say that a resolution often fails because it’s not specific enough or lacks proper planning. Maybe my “Do more bracket racing” thinking may fall into that category, Lord knows it has failed somewhat the past couple of years, but at least it’s a goal. Maybe it’s even a “resolution” which I won’t fail at in the first month of the year, seeing as it’s little to chilly now for me to even think about taking a car out of the trailer now. I have this sort of minimum temperature at which I’ll go racing. It’s sort of like when I play golf, I’ll shoot in the 70s… Of course, if it’s any colder than that, forget it, I’m out… or staying in as it may be.

What are some of your “resolutions” and what are your serious chances of following through on them?

[Larry Hill]

Our goal is to spend our child’s inheritance while we can. We know that we only have a few more Saturday’s to do that. After our competitive days are over we will have a wealth of great friends and the memories to accompany them.

So until that day arrives I will have one reoccurring question “What lane do you want ?”

[Carguy49]

My resolution for 2022 is to be a positive influence on my friends and any new people that I might meet this year. I plan on having as much fun as I can with family and friends.

When the time comes for my funeral I pray that people say I was a great friend. Not because of who I was, but because of how I treated them. I think if we ALL do this, the world might be just a little bit better for all of us.