Why do we race - this week's rambling - Page 2

CMcAllister · 08-07-2019, 08:17 PM

I've found that most people who aren't involve in some avocation doing something that they are passionate about, even if it costs a pile of money, usually don't do much more than work and hang out. And they don't really care about doing much more than that. Maybe go to the beach, the bar, a ballgame or concert.

And they are usually fairly uninteresting.

jwsamuel · 08-08-2019, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMcAllister

I've found that most people who aren't involve in some avocation doing something that they are passionate about, even if it costs a pile of money, usually don't do much more than work and hang out.

I don't race, I don't have a race car. I just cover drag racing for DRC. But there are many other interests in which people spend a lot of money for their avocation.

Consider amateur photographers who think nothing of spending $5,000 to $6,000 for a camera body and a single lens when equipment that costs 10% of that would do the job for them just fine.

Or the amateur guitarist who can barely play yet has a room with 10-30 guitars, each costing between $2,000 and $5,000.

If you can afford it without losing your family's home or making them skip meals, go for it. It's your money.

Jim

Michael Compton · 08-08-2019, 08:55 AM

Having grown up around drag racing over the 42 years of my life, I do it for the competition, friendships and being with my dad. I am very fortunate that my dad is still around and enjoys the races as much as I do. Following in my footsteps is my son who eats and breathes drag racing. At 13 years of age, he follows it more than I do.

I have made some incredible friends over the years and seeing them at the races makes it worth the time. Plus, working on the car and making it faster are the things I need to get away from the craziness of work.

What else would I spend my money on? That is the way I look at it.

Carguy49 · 08-08-2019, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theman440

The drag strip is my favorite place on earth, the sounds, smells - it's addicting.

I understand there is no known cure and that's alright by me.

Pete Lanciers · 08-08-2019, 03:22 PM

Forgive me for the length John, et all...

However there is no way for me to even contemplate the answer to your question without recalling where it started for me. This was probably the first piece I ever posted to the internet way back in its infancy... I call it

THE GIFT!

It all started back in somewhere in 68, my good buddy Art Puskas' s brother Gus (Yes, later in life Pat Musi’s Master Machinist) had made himself quite a reputation racing a street driven 62 Max Wedge at the old Madison Township Speedway and later Englishtown, as well as countless infamous night-time cavorts along New Brunswick NJ's notorious Livingston Ave (“the AVE!”). The car was affectionately named "the BUDAPEST HUSTLER" and was a big success with those of us of Hungarian parentage growing up in the New Brunswick, NJ area. Early in 67 Gus purchased a New Silver/Black HEMI GTX, but Uncle Sam called, Gus sold the car and answered his Country's call.

Art and I along with my best pal Moe were 3 to 4 years younger than Gus and members of the same church, youth fellowship, and even church choir. We had anxiously waited for Gus to return from NAM to see what the next "Boulevard Terror" would be. Since we were now all rapidly approaching driving age we just couldn't wait for this new adventure to begin.

Gus thankfully returned home, many of the best of our generation didn’t or returned home horribly broken. He found a machinist job in Newark and successfully reintroduced himself into civilian life far better than many of his contemporaries. He soon purchased an immaculate Black 67 HEMI GTX. Unfortunately that gorgeous GTX would not stay put. It didn't take long after the theft of that GTX , for Gus to inform us that there would be no new Street Car, he immediately bought a Chevy 1/2 ton and a 66 Belvedere body from a wrecker and began building it as a Drag only car.

We had died and gone to heaven!

Gus slowly completely rebuilt this roller, out came the 8 3/4" rear replaced by a sturdy Dana 60, the stock rear springs and shocks were replaced by trick Direct Connection pieces. We yanked the torsion bars to be replaced by ones originally intended for a six cylinder car, front shocks also replaced with ones that were bias-valved complementary to the rears. Gus took the time to teach us the dynamics of a making Mopar Drag car leave. The Auto was canned in favor of a slick-shifted aluminum cased 833 crashbox. Right there in his Dad's Garage Gus was assembling, no engineering a Race car before our young eyes. Never before or at no point in my life since has my learning curve been accelerated any higher. The motor was always covered and worked on after we had long left and Gus was alone, we would not be privy to that knowledge for some time. All we knew is it would be a HEMI, **** we didn't even know what that meant, but the stories we were told of Sox and Landy, Stahl and Jenkins and so many others had us envisioning something just short of a thermo-nuclear explosion. The day finally came when all parts had been machined, balanced, tolerances checked and re-checked, the motor was finally assembled and we shoe horned it into the pristine white Belvedere, we had painted it Corvette white using a Kirby vacuum cleaner attachment kit, imagine that! It was finished late so we couldn't fire it that evening; Gus sensing my anxiety took me aside and showed me an unusual looking piece he had made from some octogonal stock. Taking the time to teach me once again, he said, "lift out the distributor, I'll show you how to prime the engine". That day he infused in me the importance of bringing up the oil into and through the galleys before firing a motor for the first time.

I don't think I slept at all that night, listening to Cream's "Disraeli Gears", Zepplin's second, and Blind Faith all night on my 8-track. At first light I didn't even wait for my Dad to wake to drive me into New Brunswick, I just took the first bus. **** I arrived before the Puskas’ s were even up. I had heard small block Chevy's and Ford's, even an occasional Rat with open headers. However nothing in my life's experience ever prepared me for the sound of that HEMI for the first time, as it roared to life barking and spitting the Lunati Cheaters overlap. I can still recall as if it were yesterday, the hilarity of dear old Mr Puskas running out of the house beer in hand, Camel cigarette dangling from one lip, bi-lingually cusin',"you san tana ma beechiz, az Anyad! (read, "You son of a bitches, your momma)"

I was hooked for life!

The car was later treated by Art, he had a real artistic flair while retaining a healthy respect for heritage, to seven hand painted gold swirled (simulated gold leaf) Candy stripes adorning it's roof. It was a formidable looking race car, and a real crowd-pleaser, we raced it in B/S. We called ourselves "the Original OUTSIDERS”, although we learned later not only the band but some other car club beat us to the name. We bench raced, and reconfigured combos in our heads nightly while playing pool in the Puskas' basement. Gus, Big John who raced a classy immaculate F/SA 67 OLD's 442 out of the New Brunswick Codwise Esso Station, and Mini a diehard Bowtie freak with a street driven rat motored I-beamed 67 Falcon, taught Art, Moe and myself everything we didn't want to know about Vietnam. It was there one Friday night, watchin' Big John carve up a broom handle, he'd do that occasionally when someone thought they might be approaching his pool table prowess. Anyway he chalks it up and destroys Mini on the pool table, and in the hilarity and banter that followed we came up with the name HEMI LANE. It was a play on words for the Beatles then current “Penny Lane”. Gus was a big Beatles fan and it stuck! Art cut the templates that night, and later the next morning affixed big bold gold and black shadowed lettering declaring "HEMI LANE". I co-exhisted with the current National Dragster tucked in the small of my back and a NHRA rule book in the adjacent pocket, it drove my High school teachers nuts. We lived NED DIV ONE, The LAND of Stockers and we were tight.

I recall a weekday E-town outing we had raced HEMI LANE maybe twice before on weekends, we were having trouble seating the then new-fanged dykes rings so we were there to see if our latest hone choice was the proper solution. Wednesdays at E-town in those days brought out all the gamblers and it was nothing to see some real serious exchanges of money there in the stands pit side. As matter of fact most of us steered way clear of there during elimination's figuring it was only a matter of time before shots might fly. The persistent rumor of those days' had it that was where Brooklyn's "HEAVY" started his bankroll. So any way back to the story, we are in the line waiting for the pit gate to open and let us into tech, along the pit road comes this group of rather outspoken already half loaded characters, one spots the car as Gus and I are doing a cold valve lash adjustment and says to his cronies, "sees dat white car over der, it smokes like hell but it shorenuff takes care a business" he winks at us sayin I'll be layin' heavy cash in your lane... Gus and I looked at each other and just broke out, those where some great old days, and it occurs to me, I never said thank you for being given something that could never be taken from me!

Thank You, Gus Puskas wherever you are!

RobbieRacer · 08-10-2019, 10:10 AM

I have been racing since 1973, high school. It is just so much fun to compete. I have never had a "Fast" car. The closest race I won was buy .0003. I'm still amazed at how close it can be. Like a rock in the tread to win LOL. And all the great people you meet, and not so great too, but that's fine too. I Always say be safe and Have Fun to everyone I run.

CMcAllister · 08-10-2019, 03:01 PM

I've worked at a lot of different occupations and places. Met many people. Participated in a number of varied activities, hobbies, interests. The one constant has always been drag racing and the only friendships I have that have endured for decades and that I cherish are the ones made through racing.

Being involved has never become old. I still get the "feeling" when I go to the track, even if it's just to hangout for a few hours. 45 years or so now. Simple as that.

08-07-2019, 08:17 PM	#11
CMcAllister Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Fulton County, PA Posts: 614 Likes: 16 Liked 920 Times in 259 Posts	Re: Why do we race - this week's rambling I've found that most people who aren't involve in some avocation doing something that they are passionate about, even if it costs a pile of money, usually don't do much more than work and hang out. And they don't really care about doing much more than that. Maybe go to the beach, the bar, a ballgame or concert. And they are usually fairly uninteresting.

08-08-2019, 08:55 AM	#13
Michael Compton Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Neosho, MO Posts: 215 Likes: 0 Liked 59 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Why do we race - this week's rambling Having grown up around drag racing over the 42 years of my life, I do it for the competition, friendships and being with my dad. I am very fortunate that my dad is still around and enjoys the races as much as I do. Following in my footsteps is my son who eats and breathes drag racing. At 13 years of age, he follows it more than I do. I have made some incredible friends over the years and seeing them at the races makes it worth the time. Plus, working on the car and making it faster are the things I need to get away from the craziness of work. What else would I spend my money on? That is the way I look at it.

08-08-2019, 03:22 PM	#15
Pete Lanciers Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 382 Likes: 867 Liked 627 Times in 156 Posts	Re: Why do we race - this week's rambling Forgive me for the length John, et all... However there is no way for me to even contemplate the answer to your question without recalling where it started for me. This was probably the first piece I ever posted to the internet way back in its infancy... I call it THE GIFT! It all started back in somewhere in 68, my good buddy Art Puskas' s brother Gus (Yes, later in life Pat Musi’s Master Machinist) had made himself quite a reputation racing a street driven 62 Max Wedge at the old Madison Township Speedway and later Englishtown, as well as countless infamous night-time cavorts along New Brunswick NJ's notorious Livingston Ave (“the AVE!”). The car was affectionately named "the BUDAPEST HUSTLER" and was a big success with those of us of Hungarian parentage growing up in the New Brunswick, NJ area. Early in 67 Gus purchased a New Silver/Black HEMI GTX, but Uncle Sam called, Gus sold the car and answered his Country's call. Art and I along with my best pal Moe were 3 to 4 years younger than Gus and members of the same church, youth fellowship, and even church choir. We had anxiously waited for Gus to return from NAM to see what the next "Boulevard Terror" would be. Since we were now all rapidly approaching driving age we just couldn't wait for this new adventure to begin. Gus thankfully returned home, many of the best of our generation didn’t or returned home horribly broken. He found a machinist job in Newark and successfully reintroduced himself into civilian life far better than many of his contemporaries. He soon purchased an immaculate Black 67 HEMI GTX. Unfortunately that gorgeous GTX would not stay put. It didn't take long after the theft of that GTX , for Gus to inform us that there would be no new Street Car, he immediately bought a Chevy 1/2 ton and a 66 Belvedere body from a wrecker and began building it as a Drag only car. We had died and gone to heaven! Gus slowly completely rebuilt this roller, out came the 8 3/4" rear replaced by a sturdy Dana 60, the stock rear springs and shocks were replaced by trick Direct Connection pieces. We yanked the torsion bars to be replaced by ones originally intended for a six cylinder car, front shocks also replaced with ones that were bias-valved complementary to the rears. Gus took the time to teach us the dynamics of a making Mopar Drag car leave. The Auto was canned in favor of a slick-shifted aluminum cased 833 crashbox. Right there in his Dad's Garage Gus was assembling, no engineering a Race car before our young eyes. Never before or at no point in my life since has my learning curve been accelerated any higher. The motor was always covered and worked on after we had long left and Gus was alone, we would not be privy to that knowledge for some time. All we knew is it would be a HEMI, ** we didn't even know what that meant, but the stories we were told of Sox and Landy, Stahl and Jenkins and so many others had us envisioning something just short of a thermo-nuclear explosion. The day finally came when all parts had been machined, balanced, tolerances checked and re-checked, the motor was finally assembled and we shoe horned it into the pristine white Belvedere, we had painted it Corvette white using a Kirby vacuum cleaner attachment kit, imagine that! It was finished late so we couldn't fire it that evening; Gus sensing my anxiety took me aside and showed me an unusual looking piece he had made from some octogonal stock. Taking the time to teach me once again, he said, "lift out the distributor, I'll show you how to prime the engine". That day he infused in me the importance of bringing up the oil into and through the galleys before firing a motor for the first time. I don't think I slept at all that night, listening to Cream's "Disraeli Gears", Zepplin's second, and Blind Faith all night on my 8-track. At first light I didn't even wait for my Dad to wake to drive me into New Brunswick, I just took the first bus. ** I arrived before the Puskas’ s were even up. I had heard small block Chevy's and Ford's, even an occasional Rat with open headers. However nothing in my life's experience ever prepared me for the sound of that HEMI for the first time, as it roared to life barking and spitting the Lunati Cheaters overlap. I can still recall as if it were yesterday, the hilarity of dear old Mr Puskas running out of the house beer in hand, Camel cigarette dangling from one lip, bi-lingually cusin',"you san tana ma beechiz, az Anyad! (read, "You son of a bitches, your momma)" I was hooked for life! The car was later treated by Art, he had a real artistic flair while retaining a healthy respect for heritage, to seven hand painted gold swirled (simulated gold leaf) Candy stripes adorning it's roof. It was a formidable looking race car, and a real crowd-pleaser, we raced it in B/S. We called ourselves "the Original OUTSIDERS”, although we learned later not only the band but some other car club beat us to the name. We bench raced, and reconfigured combos in our heads nightly while playing pool in the Puskas' basement. Gus, Big John who raced a classy immaculate F/SA 67 OLD's 442 out of the New Brunswick Codwise Esso Station, and Mini a diehard Bowtie freak with a street driven rat motored I-beamed 67 Falcon, taught Art, Moe and myself everything we didn't want to know about Vietnam. It was there one Friday night, watchin' Big John carve up a broom handle, he'd do that occasionally when someone thought they might be approaching his pool table prowess. Anyway he chalks it up and destroys Mini on the pool table, and in the hilarity and banter that followed we came up with the name HEMI LANE. It was a play on words for the Beatles then current “Penny Lane”. Gus was a big Beatles fan and it stuck! Art cut the templates that night, and later the next morning affixed big bold gold and black shadowed lettering declaring "HEMI LANE". I co-exhisted with the current National Dragster tucked in the small of my back and a NHRA rule book in the adjacent pocket, it drove my High school teachers nuts. We lived NED DIV ONE, The LAND of Stockers and we were tight. I recall a weekday E-town outing we had raced HEMI LANE maybe twice before on weekends, we were having trouble seating the then new-fanged dykes rings so we were there to see if our latest hone choice was the proper solution. Wednesdays at E-town in those days brought out all the gamblers and it was nothing to see some real serious exchanges of money there in the stands pit side. As matter of fact most of us steered way clear of there during elimination's figuring it was only a matter of time before shots might fly. The persistent rumor of those days' had it that was where Brooklyn's "HEAVY" started his bankroll. So any way back to the story, we are in the line waiting for the pit gate to open and let us into tech, along the pit road comes this group of rather outspoken already half loaded characters, one spots the car as Gus and I are doing a cold valve lash adjustment and says to his cronies, "sees dat white car over der, it smokes like hell but it shorenuff takes care a business" he winks at us sayin I'll be layin' heavy cash in your lane... Gus and I looked at each other and just broke out, those where some great old days, and it occurs to me, I never said thank you for being given something that could never be taken from me! Thank You, Gus Puskas wherever you are! __________________ Pete Lanciers PAL Automotive Racing Stock 7801

08-10-2019, 10:10 AM	#16
RobbieRacer Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Phoenix, Az Posts: 320 Likes: 17 Liked 118 Times in 41 Posts	Re: Why do we race - this week's rambling I have been racing since 1973, high school. It is just so much fun to compete. I have never had a "Fast" car. The closest race I won was buy .0003. I'm still amazed at how close it can be. Like a rock in the tread to win LOL. And all the great people you meet, and not so great too, but that's fine too. I Always say be safe and Have Fun to everyone I run. __________________ U/SA 79 Mustang

08-10-2019, 03:01 PM	#17
CMcAllister Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Fulton County, PA Posts: 614 Likes: 16 Liked 920 Times in 259 Posts	Re: Why do we race - this week's rambling I've worked at a lot of different occupations and places. Met many people. Participated in a number of varied activities, hobbies, interests. The one constant has always been drag racing and the only friendships I have that have endured for decades and that I cherish are the ones made through racing. Being involved has never become old. I still get the "feeling" when I go to the track, even if it's just to hangout for a few hours. 45 years or so now. Simple as that.