Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I continue to hear bad things about NHRA's future (except from Glendora, where everyone seems to be wearing rose colored glasses) and now I'm hearing doom & gloom about IHRA. So where is class racing headed? And since the friggin' media won't let up on how bad things will be in '09, I can't help but wonder about everybody's racing plans this season. Unfortunately some racers will have to liquidate to make ends meet, while others will simply park this season until the economic climate improves. What I want to know is who are the brave souls that will continue their regular racing plans this year, betting that the economy will improve rather than get worse... who's racing at what venues & who's parking their stuff?

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

for now, I am awaiting final determination on our budget for next year. Other than that I am still building the new car, for now.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I will be racing as well as working at IHRA events,. My son will also be racing at mostly IHRA events and at a select few NHRA races. Just think possitive. I have not recieved my pink slip from IHRA and that is a good sign ! Be more possitive and try not to talk yourself out of racing. If everybody thinks that way then it will probably turn negative. I will race and support drag racing as long as i can afford to,without taking from my family priorities. The sport has to have our support to survive!

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

We were actually parked for '08. We're now building a new car for '09 and hope to be up and running by Spring.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Right now, I'm focusing mainly on divisional racing, but if I don't start getting to work overtime hours at my job, then that may even be in doubt...with me not racing the full five (counted) divisionals as I did (for the first time) last year??? I may end up doing more sitting, especially if Div. VII increases divisional entry fees again (like they did the last two years...$155 to $165, to ??? this year)?

Too bad this country doesn't seem to care much about "MADE IN THE USA" anymore, because if we did then (I feel) we wouldn't have the economic woes we're dealing with now...did our country have these problems back in the 50's-mid-70's? I think not!!!

As Archie Bunker used to say...."THOSE WERE THE DAYS"!!!

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Finally sorted out my clutch issues, so this year I will be out a a few races once we get everything dialed in.

Gary, what are you doing for 09?

How is the Stocker?

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I'll be racing about the same as I have the last 2-3 years, running 50+ races. Gas is half what it was last year, which will offset not having a gold card. Besides, can't make money if I'm not racing.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I thought I could be getting a pink slip at Christmas, but Im told I have a project waiting on me now. I got a good bonus , from a yr long job I finished in June this year, and wife says that's my racing budget. I should be good to go, for Div races anyway. Barring any untimely expenses, I'm in for 09, Thank God !

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

As of now we are in. Leaving Tuesday, taking Duster to South Carolina and engine should be out Wednesday. Rings, springs, new cam and check runner CC-just to be sure. Plan on being in Bradengton in Feb, will be on a budget for sure, but will try to make all 4 FL races plus South GA div races.

Gotta help keep money moving in this economy, might as well spend it doing something I enjoy. Like Mr. Beard said "can't win at home"!

Gary, you are right. We need to check for labels for made in US. Tracey and I are on a 7 year Walmart ban. She saw a man in there one time trying to buy jeans that had a "made in the USA" sign with the price on it. After several store employee's could not find the jeans made in the USA she heard the manager explain to him it was not the jeans made in the USA but the sign the price was on! Ain't that some crap? If we all keep sitting on our wallets, we will all be out of a job soon. I know it is tough but we have to spend a little money (Don't ANYBODY tell Tracey I said that), but we do have to spend wisely. LETS RACE!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):)!!!!!!!!!

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Doug: the problem is that the economy will not stimulate itself enough trying to feed it up-hill. Money is alot like crap, it always flows downhill.

the way I see it is unless some of these corporate executives start making the right decisions and soon, this whole country will be in some serious trouble, yes alot worse than we have now.

I run my own small shop, and I am seeing my suppliers cut back which makes it harder for me to do business when I cant get parts like I used to. Sometimes I have to wait a day or two for parts that used to be in stock. Ties up my small shop, and reduces the ammount of income I make.

We have decided to race at least 3 divisionals this year, and will run our sons Jr at a few races as well. May try to hang on to more of the budget $$$ this year till the end of the season and try my hand at some of the big $$$ bracket races.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I understand your point, I am just attempting to spend what money I do have before it gets
"redistributed" hee-hee-hee.

I put back a little here and there for the racing. And as long as my family is provided for that is what I use the fund for until then it is both guns blazing!

See ya in Florida.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

That's how you keep this economy from collapsing. The media has us all scared sh!tless, and we do need to be wary, but not absolutely stone cold scared.
I was starting to get a little down, but I have rebounded. I will see some more of this beautiful country, a little at a time, pulling a racecar.
See you in Fla !!

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

That's right, rock on brother!:D

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Now you guys are talking .".RACE ON " Racin Mine In 09' Tour.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

We are working hard to get the new "JOE COOL" ready for 09. We will be running IHRA Stock GT/G and are hoping to have the car ready by the middle of March for Farmington or Mooresville. Greg (Fulk) and I have spent the biggest part of the winter getting all our "ducks in a row" and hope the Malibu is as deadly consistent as the Monte Carlo was.
Nice motto Danny, mine is RACIN FOR THE ROCK N OCTOBER. Hope to see all my old friends soon.

P.S. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Mike Galuk
JOE COOL RACING

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

The real racers will race, the "Gucci" racers won't.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

As of now 8;15 am Jan 3 the NHRA winternationals pre -entries list says:

tf........................1
fc.......................7
ps......................9
ss.....................61 out of quota of 80
stk ....................55 ' ' ' 80
sg.....................87.....................130

With a month to go it should be full, I'm sorry to tell you guys It's going to get lot worse before it gets better in 3 to 4 Years....If you lived on credit that was 10 times more than your income what would you expect !!!!!!

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Shawn, I still plan to run the stocker, but am hesitant in spending money on stuff that could face heavy de-value if class racing takes a nose dive.

Doug you've said what I keep thinking...spend it wisely!!!

Tom, I called this one 3 years ago...credit is a drug.. use it wisely or it becomes poison. Good lenders are like doctors and pharmacists, where most other financial institutions had become like drug dealers (anyone know about the skeletons in Mike Ashley's closet :eek:!!??).

I definately would like to downsize from the vehicles and spare parts in my possession and focus on one race car. Most of the stuff is for the '65, which is a family heirloom I refuse to give up. My options would be to sell off the spares for the '65, 3 other vehicles, mothball the '65, and pour the money into the stocker. The other option is sell the stocker along with the other vehicles and some of the '65 stuff, update the '65 for sub-9 sec rules and install an FE motor to run NSS and Nostalgia A/FX match racing. My heart has always been in class racing, so I guess you could say I'm looking for a good excuse to sell the stocker.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

don't forget comp. 6 entrys

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

The small number of pro entries at Pomona probably has a lot to do with sponsors and nhra getting the money right. Some sponsors are dropping like flies and nhra is probably having a tough time putting up the extra million they said they would pay the pros in 2009. More pro teams will sign on for Pomona but probably not enough to fill all the fields.

You know the very old saying, the Sportsman racers shall get their sport back after all the pros fade away. And fading they are. Good luck to nhra and IHRA for 2009. They sure will need it. We'll be watching.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Traded in the Class A for a Class B dumped the dulley and the box trailer. Parked the Mustang got the front drive stocker and a Tow Dolly. Gas prices just got reasonable but it looks like the new Congress and Admministration will adjust that shortly. May not be racing large but we'll go where and when we can, tried doing the bracket thing and it don't cut it anymore for us. Happy New Year. There shoud be more room in the Pits as it sure looks like the Pro's are dropping like flys.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I pretty much have the same plan every year...I run the Div.3 races @ Indy,Norwalk & Columbus. I always like to go south in the spring to run either Mooresville or Farmington IHRA & I run Sun. @ Clay-City. I haven't got my Vacc back yet but I put in for the Norwalk Nat. with the Nat. @ Charlotte as alternate.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

True on the "MADE IN THE USA", but there were some rough patches in the seventies, the Camaro in my Avatar was a victim of one such time in the early eighties.

I remember cheap gas for about two months after I got my drivers license...

We have laid off since 1987 and decided early in 08 to get back in, just in time for me to get laid off Halloween day... :(

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I know our IHRA stocker won't be ready next season. Maybe the Nova bracket car will get resurrected by late summer.

What I'm wondering, tracks? I'm sure ORP in Indianapolis will be running. I wonder about the smaller tracks. I'm going to be like someone else noted, if my work slows down, that translates into fewer dollars for other pursuits. If the tracks start going down due to the economy, that could become a problem.

I've got an "outlaw" 1/8 mile track less than 7 miles from my house. And then another 8-10 tracks all within 1- 3 hours drive. Imagine most of these will survive.

I guess I picked a heck of a time to get back into this?

Robert Swartz

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Hey buddy, was hesitant to bring this up, yeah, there's that too!

Like someone else said, pit space will open up. Bet this brings an end to "renting" pit stalls! Times must've really been good for that to happen. It was still first come, first serve when we last graced a drag strip.

Robert Swartz

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Yeah, I've wondered the same. Like the rest of corporate America, the NHRA owned facilities are bloated beyond management. But if most other operators are smart, they'll get creative. I was never a big nitro fan, but match racing seemed to fill the stands during the '70s. And with the pro sponsors drying up, low dollar teams may need to resort back to this activity. Who would want to pay NHRA a $100 admission fee to see nothing more than JFR vs DSR when they can go to their local track and see some local nitro-nostalgia-A/FX whatever for $15 admission? That's what I'm picturing. I also remember some awesome weekly class racing at E-Town during the late '70s & early '80s.

They may need to start thinking like the '60s & '70s again...LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL!!! In fact there were plenty of local racers "in the day" that could really put on a show. It's all in the promotion!! (except Tom Compton's promotional methods which comprise of: a safe, vaseline, mirrors with plenty of smoke, and sphincter forecepts).

People I'm going to watch closely: the New family, Blake Bowser, Bernie Longjohn, Pat Joffrion, the Baders, George Case, even Bruton Smith (unlike Compton I think he's a real promoter). I feel these could be the next promotional movers & shakers of our sport.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I saw a similar thread relating to this on another forum. That may be an uptick for the local tracks. Those that can still afford to race may find it more profitable to race closer to home. On the other hand, most local shows ARE bracket races. That may not be the cup of tea some are leaning towards.

I remember in the 70's, when tracks started switching to brackets and dropping classes. Alot of people sold cars or quit altogether. Back in those days, many a stickshift SS and Modified car went up for sale because it was just too expensive to bracket race those sorts of car. That was the reason I built my Chevy II. I had a 67 Mustang stick car.

To get back on track, maybe a loose association of racers may be a thought. Tod and I attended a S/SS combo at Ohio Valley this fall. I thought it had a decent turnout, I'm easily impressed (snicker!). The Valley is an NHRA track but they allowed the IHRA cars to participate. With everyone running either indexes or (allowed) dial unders, this made for a larger field of participants. More food for thought.

Wish I had my IHRA crate motor car ready,
Robert Swartz

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I spent entirely too much money getting my 64 Wagon Superstocker going. Haven't raced in 5 years. Kids, money, and vacation schedule have kept me away.

This year, the car is ready. The vacation schedule still sucks. This may keep me racing locally only, in brackets and the limited Combo races. If I can make 2 Divisionals I will run the National in Seattle. Too many people have helped me get this back together to sit out another year. I feel like I let everyone down

Really looking forward to racing again.

Jeff

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I hope to at least run the Arizona divisionals, but my companies having an all employee meeting near the end of the month---I have mixed emotions on how this will go, because the last time we had such a meeting, layoffs insued prior to it. I'm going to try to be positive, but with sponsors backing out, loans being needed by companies to get by, and contingency sponsors falling off the tree like autumn leaves, it's getting tough.

As for the car, I still need to replace my lower control arm, before I can race again (after Las Vegas' blown slick ordeal). Otherwise once I do a few easier things (hoses/belts), the car will be ready to try and make this year in Div. VII better than last year was---It's been 10 months now since I had that red-light (-.022) loss to Brad Burton, that kept me out of the quarters at our first race (and would've also given me a chance to finally avenge my 3rd rd loss to Mike Cotten from the '99 Mile High's, by .009!!!)...that 10pts that I could've gotten (since I was on the good side of our other-wise double breakout run), would've had me up to 23rd in the final points standings, and tied for 21st (and with my budget and our racers out here I feel that I would've accomplished something major), so I have something to shoot for this year!!!

Good luck with your car, and I hope to see you out here as well!!!

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Plans right now are to run as many of the divisional races as possible. We figure to be on the road around 25-30 weekends this year.
Chip

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Chip, what National Events are you thinking about attending? Mike

Mike Galuk
JOE COOL RACING

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Originally posted by DK Frazier...
Gary, you are right. We need to check for labels for made in US. Tracey and I are on a 7 year Walmart ban. She saw a man in there one time trying to buy jeans that had a "made in the USA" sign with the price on it. After several store employee's could not find the jeans made in the USA she heard the manager explain to him it was not the jeans made in the USA but the sign the price was on! Ain't that some crap?:):):):):):):)!!!!!!!!![/QUOTE]

Doug, I had to shake my head (tisk, tisk), after reading that...I'm amazed the sign wasn't made in China too for crying out loud! It brought back memories of my boss and I (Christmas '07) going into a JC Penneys store looking for houseware type of stuff for his home, and out of 20 items that I checked only finding one ("1") item made in the USA! The only other non-Chinese item was made in Italy...That Sucks Big Time! WE NEED THE AMERICA BACK THAT WE WERE BORN INTO, & GREW UP IN...THE AMERICA THAT TOOK CARE OF ITSELF, AND ITS PEOPLE!!!!

Sorry for my little tyrant, but our govt. (on both sides of the isle) has made my blood boil with things like NAFTA, and this global economy crap!!!

I'm anxious to see the contingency postings for 2009, and how they're going to affect our classes? Now that Castrol has gone, winning class is becoming less and less significant (sans an Indy win, cos at least you get a picture in dragster for that) for me now that a class win would only be worth $100 for my car... due to the lack of companies that make things I can use being out there posting nowadays. In '99 I got $500 for a class win with my fwd car...last year $150...but this year??? I may just do what the guy in another post on this forum suggested (but for all of my decals), and get the hair dryer out! Running my cars body decal-free (like Steve Hagberg's Savoy is), was great for him last year, and heck I made the quarters at the '06 Mile High Nationals and carded the best Stocker package of the meet (.006!), with my Z24 only showing off its fresh (for the year) Corvette red paint job!

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I'm running IHRA. Going to run Super Rod in Div 5 and Hot Rod in Div 3 useng the same car. Even going to make a trip to Darlington on Labor Day weekend. I've been lucky enough to stay rather busy at work. The first 4 months this year are really going to be busy.

As for NHRA they will never get another dime from me. You'll never see me at another NHRA track again.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Gary
You better show up at speedworld for the national open! I'm looking for revenge.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

I think you are referring to me..............I will be there......Looking forward to seeing you again...Maybe this time we will meet in the final.

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

That's what the Southern Stock/Superstock Association has been about. And now that PBIR has replaced the former Moroso "hen hut" the new management will most likely embrace the independent class racing concept. Provided they both grow, we'll be in good shape. However I'd like to see UMTR type association develop here in Florida as it would gives us stick racers an incentive to "keep the faith".

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Gary, PM me anytime to discuss setting up a UMTR type curcuit. I'll give you all my secrets on how to make it a success. Mike Loboda, Director, UMTR North. It's a lot of work but worth every minute spent.


Regarding USA made products. They are still easy to find- just "google" anything you are looking for and you'll find it. Example; I went to Home Depot the other day looking for a caulking gun. Guess what. They only had Chinese made guns. I refused to buy one. Went home a googled "caulking guns made in USA"
COX brand guns are made in USA and I could buy one for LESS than Home Depot wanted for the Chinese gun. I encourage everyone to do this before they buy an imported item. The job you save is increasingly likely to be your own !

Re: Who's Racing & Who's Parking for '09?
 

Mike,

You're funny...I want to, but my main thing is going to be the divisionals, unless/until I get a budget that is like yours or up to par with Faul, Fletcher, Biondo, Zane, etc. Since I don't know what my work situation is going to be like yet, I'm making no promises. Besides, who's to say that we would be on the same side of the ladder again, to even have a non-final round chance to race each other. Trust me, there are several people I want rematches with just like you do me...Such as Brad Burton, Eric Waldo, & Bobby De Armond. I wish that Speedworld would stop making their burnout patches so wide, because it's not necessary for that much water to be on the ground..thus making it hard for me to get the burnout I need with my car...ask Firebird & Sir theirs are great, and look at the burnouts I do there?