Why National events?

[Mike Carr]

WHen I raced in Stock, from 2000-2006, I only ever ran three national events ever. 2002, '03 and '04 Indy. Because it was the only one I ever WANTED to run. Years as a travelling spectator at Maple Grove and Columbus, seeing the deplorable (and I'm being kind, for language) pit conditions, track conditions, run schedules where you are lucky to make one time trial in two days, etc was a total turn-off to ever wanting to race there. I'm three hours from Columbus and never raced there, knowing what a [dive]hole of a facility it was (2003, I had thought of going since they had Class, but opted for a bracket race at my local track--$150 entry for three seperate $1,000 to win Footbrake races, and sleep in my own bed). I had/have no desire to spend a thousand dollars or more (hell, it's a grand to run a LODRS now) to go sit in a muddy field for three to four days, hoping I *might* get to race that day, or even that weekend. And no amount of money, trophy, prestige, fame, five seconds of TV coverage, etc could ever, then or now, change my mind on that.

I do miss my friends a bit, since I retired from racing in 2007 (but wih Facebook and Twitter, I can still keep in contact). But that's about it. The rest of it--you all can have it.