CLASS RACER FORUM - Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

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Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

After reading some more. It would be very easy for the track to keep track of who paid for one or two. Different color wrist bands.
As Jim Wahl said. I went to a 3 race IHRA race weekend last year. I paid for one race at a time. I just raced 2 of the races (it was too darned hot).

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Beard (Post 371281)

I've done exactly that before, and more than once I'm afraid. I probably shouldn't even tell these stories... :o Kids: DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME (or anywhere else).

One was a double-header Pro-Am at Carolina Dragway. After being on the road for several weeks, I came home to realize I had forgotten my truck payment. I paid two months on that to catch up, and after paying the first day's entry fee and Jill's crew ticket for the weekend, I had like $16 in my checking account (and more bills due in the next week). I was R/U Saturday night, and they paid in cash. "Hey, we're racing tomorrow!" I bought Sunday's tech card, and won the second race. "...and we're paying the bills!"

Another one was the first weekend out on a fresh motor. Wish list: Piedmont Pro-Am, race fuel, Pageland points race. I only had enough cash for two out of the three. Some idiot :p told me "Just write a check, win the race, and then deposit the winnings. It'll cover the check!" Wrote a check for the Pro-Am entry, paid cash for everything else. Made my two qualifying runs at Piedmont, loaded up and drove to South Carolina for the bracket race, R/U there, came back to Piedmont the next day and won the Pro-Am. :eek:

Both instances were pretty stupid things to do, but as some cranky old coot (he knows who he is) told me once, "I'd sell my spare tire for gas to get home."

Again, those are extreme and stupid examples, BUT the point is, there are people out there that aren't sittin' pretty in life, but have the will and desire to compete. If you think back, maybe a lot of you used to BE that guy. If a guy only has the money to only run one race, and that's what he wants to do, there's no reason to dissuade him.

You have tech, you have wristbands, you have credit cards, you have open checks, there's any number of possible ways to have a checksum to handle single-day entries. H*ll, you can hold his driver's license.

Michael in 1979 we left New York with $305. (No plastic back then). Headed for Seattle then Fremont, then Ontario. We raced at 5 or 6 races across the country on the way.

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Art , in 1972 I left L . A . with $120 dollars . I was heading for Buffalo , New York , I ran out of money in Cleveland . I borrowed some money from a friend to make it home . Just to make things interesting , we had to flat-tow in a blizzard from Cleveland to Buffalo .

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by art leong (Post 371282)

After reading some more. It would be very easy for the track to keep track of who paid for one or two. Different color wrist bands.

Right, and nobody would pay for the first race then take the wrist band off and pose as a spectator for the second race. And I'm sure all racers will switch wrist bands for the second race. Heck, some racers don't like wearing wrist bands and cut them off.

And I don't know anybody who enjoys a rent-a-cop asking to see your ticket/wrist band.

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

And in the long run it all comes down to trust. The track operators have no reason to trust us and why should they? We all know someone who has sneaked into a track and they are, after all in business.
Welcome to the 21st century!

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toby Lang (Post 371319)

Toby they would have different colors for 1 event or 2 event. Have you gone through the gate after the first day lately? You have to show your wristband.
Do you think everyone sleeps at the track? Some of us enjoy the comfort and unlimited water available in a hotel.
Maybe it's west coast thing.

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by art leong (Post 371322)

Do you think everyone sleeps at the track?

Well, judging by the amount of motorhomes, I would say more than half stay at the track ... a LOT more than half. Also, quite a few people who don't have motorhomes stay at the track. And if a person can afford a hotel, I don't think they're too worried about paying admission for the second race.

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Hell worst case sleep in your tow vehicle. Problem solved with the cost of a hotel. I wish we had back to back races in our area. Life is what you make of it. If you know there is a race you want to attend plan your schedule and budget for it. But maybe thats just common sense.

Sean

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Here's some other info I didn't yet share about my thoughts on this:

1. For those of you who understood why I put up this post, thank you. To those who were critical of me, so be it (I'll sleep just fine tonight)!

2. I now realized that my beef wasn't against either NHRA (for a nice change), or Mike Rice, as this was Charlie Allen's decision...afterall, it was his office staff who told me Tuesday that I could neither pay for only the first race, or the second race...I had to pay for both (hence the title of my thread). However, the very next day when I took the photos of the announcement "MUST PURCHASE FULL EVENT", with the announcement of the 2-race entry fee on another placard next to it...Note: I forwarded photos of those two notices to Jody & Toby Lang, Michael Beard, and Larry Dowty, with the hopes that one of them would share them here (if it hasn't been done already).

Since I feel this was a parting effort to shore up as much money as he can in his waning days as track manager, I wouldn't put it past Mr. Allen for doing this. What sucks is the following Wednesday (from when his office staff told me of the both or neither entry), they would say that you can come out Friday and tech for the 2nd race....why didn't they say that in the beginning??? When you work for a company and you make vacation plans, other people need to cover for you while you're gone....if you cancel your vacation plans, you don't just reverse your cancellation (that's un-ethical, and it wouldn't leave a good vibe with your boss or co-workers), and that was my dilema. Knowing that this was probably the case with regards to Mr. Charlie, I am thus glad that his days of managing Firebird Intl. Raceway, are nearing an end, and although I will likely be out there Sunday to enjoy watching those of you there in competition, I'll keep my car away until the new management arrives!

Mark, I'll look forward to any info I can find on your upcoming combo race, because I'll do everything I can to participate in it (work wage cutbacks aside), because I want to help insure that this track stays put for us to enjoy, but I hope the entry fee isn't very close to our dear divisional fees???

Am I crying now James, or Jack? I'll tell you guys something...I can remember when Stockers weren't using wheelie bars, Cal-trac's, 2-steps, or in-line shifters (et. al.), and I'm sure some racers stated their cases to allow those additions to come about (over and beyond making Indy the lowest qualified 128 racers, and no longer class winners and then the remaining spots filled with the lowest qualifiers afterwards). Those who complained about those things needing to be changed, did you call them criers too...or were you guys who jabbed at me amongst those who stated those valid cases?

I wonder???

Re: Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

Gary, the first two day race turned in to a 3 day race, They not going to finish tonight. Tom