Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Hello All :)

Just a simple question. "Why do you Race"?

I'll Start.

My answer on another form!

Hello All
Why do we race?
Well lets see, its what we do!
We were born into it.
Its what our friends do.
Its an American thing to do.
Its the time we spend in the garage working on our best friend, with our friends.
Its driving 1000 HP threw the Pits.
Its the rumble the motor makes.
Its the feel of the burn out.
The chirp when the tires hook.
Slowly staging.
Going on the two step (or convertor) releasing the button at the flash, (or flooring the gas pedal)
Feeling the car accelerate, the shift, the speed, lifting, and slowing down.
Thinking about what you just did.
Getting the ET slip with the .00X on it.
Sharing it with your friends.
The nerves before 1st rd.
Deciding the dial in, hold or honest
Lift or stay on the floor
Take the stripe or give it up
The thrill of winning
The agony of defeat.
The food we share, the offer of BEER.
The conversation that goes deep into the night
Then we get up and do it all over.

Why Because I Love It

I'm sure I forgot something because I'm old and suffer from CRS disease.

Cal
HR 1177

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Its in your blood. Once its in your blood you cannot get it out. Its definitely addicting.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Strong masochistic streak? ;)

We quit for 25 years but we have jumped back in. Once you're addicted it never completely goes away

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

We just aren't real bright?

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

we HATE money!

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Well Ed I think we have a winner.....................lmao

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Dementia.......oh, what was the question?

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Sounds about right. Most of us are old enough.
Right Jeff? LOL

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

That and none of us have grown up apparently lol

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

The people you meet along the way

Oh ya, and eat food

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

I difenetly know that feeling, raced from about 78 to 95 and gave it up.
Sold everything, never even went to a race till 04.
Got back in in 08 and having a ball. got a S/ST 68 Vette and just got a SS/IA 68 Vette too.
Glutin for punishment LOL
Some day I'm gonna win one of these things.

Cal
S/ST HR 1177

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

The race track is where almost all my friends are.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

I grew up at the track. Some of my earliest memories are playing around on my dad's homemade trailer at Dragway 42 while he raced an AHRA record holding "stock" VW Bug that ran high 16s. Playing in the dirt near the world's worst restrooms at Norwalk in the 70s, always watching my dad race and win with slow, ugly, oddball cars. I love this sport, and though I announce far more than I race now, I hope to always be involved in this sport somehow til they throw dirt on me. Drag racing is truly intertwined into who I am.
My father, 1977...

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

I think Ed has the right answer. Went to my first race in '58 and started driving in '60. Been brain dead since. What finished me off was a stint mud racing in the 80's. Now you know you are done when you race them trucks. Picture this 79 Dodge W100, SS/DA Hemi Motor, but with a high torque 'birdbath' single carb Nascar manifold, about 650 hp then, a t/f trans, 5.29 gears front and back, 2 to 1 reduction in the transfer case, 4 32" tractor on the corners. When you hit the throttle, stuff happened. 3/8 mile mud oval. Wildest ride you ever needed, raced in fields nobody ever heard of, locals didn't like you showing up and taking the money, 357 was minimum equipment (just in case), and I now have no brain whatsoever. That's why I race. Pure pleasure.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

It's a " Life Sentence " !!!

The needle went in in 1966, been hooked ever since !

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Only cures are death or total bankruptcy.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Exactly what Dave said right here.....except it was a few years earlier for me......
I Read magazines and started messing with cars when I was no older than about 13...
When the muscle car era really got going I was in high school and crazy about fast cars.
I convinced my father to drive down the entry road to Island Dragway in about 1963 when we were out for a Sunday drive and we sat and watched.....That was it for me....Hook was set....and I have never been able to get the hook out.....LOL

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Just death

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

I don't ever race, but I keep buying parts, on the chance that I'll get a project far enough along to race someday!

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

I was "clean" for 35 years.....when I stored the race car to raise a family.....but as they say, once an addict, always an addict.....LOL I got back into it in 2006.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

All of the above, racing with my dad and friends is the best part though. Its fun to set goals and work towards them to. The goal for 2014 is to keep a Super Stocker running for the entire IHRA div. nine series with Richmond and Darlington thrown in. My goal for 2015 is to put a Jerico in my footbrake car and cross that off my list.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Thanks guys.
It nice to hear we are all so alike yet so different.

Cal
S/ST HR 1177

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

I race.... Because there is nothing like being 15 years old and testing to get your NHRA license in a 1995 Ram 1500 long bed that ran 13's before I had my drivers license. After learning some, I was able to drive the super bee, then the duster, V10 Drag Pak, and last the new 426 Hemi Drag Pak that run's 9's!!That's what got me started.

But what keeps me going is talking, well me talking and my father speechless because he had just won the 2011 U.S. Nationals at the age of 67. Then all the memories we had from going track to track just me and him. And him telling me, well bub we didn't win but they knew we were there! And thinking one day I may be able to do at least one of the things my Father has crossed off his list! Team Jeff Teuton/Southland Dodge Racing is looking forward to a great 2014!!

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Because I get to spend time with my son. We both love racing.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

It gave me a lot more time with my kids and we spent quality time doing it despite rough patches. We still share those memories about dinners on the road, campgrounds, dachshunds who traveled the roads with us and long overnight towing home to make it to work. We have all moved on but it was worth every penny I invested in the time together.
I might try it some more ....I have a daughter who would LOVE to return to the driving and I know it could be fun...even with a different family team.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

I really enjoy the engineering and spending time with family and friends.

The biggest reason is I've always viewed race car drivers as rockstars. People that see fear in a different way and were able to block it out of their minds. Men wanted to be them and women wanted to be with them. I looked at the legends of old with great admiration.

Besides…I just want to go fast! ;)

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

A friend of mine used to have this on the back of his trailer:" Inside this trailer lies a sickness that even the love of a good woman can't cure" Yep it's a sickness that don't go away!

JimR

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

Why do I at least TRY to race ?
Initially... early 80's... DEFIANCE ! Nobody I knew, or around me did it !
Then, until early 2000's ?
The thrill of the performance of the car ( from a hot rodded flat head, to a blown BBC ).
Last 12 years ?
COMPETELY hooked on Stock / Super Stock. Making the car, for what it is, as fast as it can be,... it's still about the performance for me. Since being involved in this, the people I meet in the pits, make just being there, most of the fun !
As mentioned, the trips are very memorable too.

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

lol!

Re: Silly Season Why do you Race?
 

1 too many speeding tickets as a teenager
suspended license for a few months. the man
very much reminded me driving in this
country is a privilege not right....no tickets
on the track.:cool: