Up and Comers

[Div 6 Fan]

16 year old Cody Lane, son of Div. 6 S/SS racer Jeff Lane, entered his first Divisional race this year at Acton Montana in a borrowed SS/GA Camaro and proceeded to set the National Record. Although he did not come up through the Jr program, he has been around the track since birth and has a pretty decent mentor. He could be trouble in the coming years. Regardless, there seems to be a great crop of talented new racers coming which is a good sign for the sport as a whole.

[racing2win]

Hey thanks, you are a great person and driver, too !....
Hope you and your family have a great ThanksGiving and a Very Merry, blessed Christmas....Yeah, my sister and I would love to drive some Mopar, but we need to get some serious advertising partners behind us to do it....We are starting our ninth year of racing, and I hate leaving Jr. Drag racing, so many friends that feel like family...I just don't want to lose contact. My Jr. is too small for my shoulders, and the cage is also too short, but my parents don't want to pay for a new frame...so there you go...I would still love to Race the NHRA Nationals in Bristol, and the IHRA Nationals, make some more history in Jr. drag racing and have one more year with my Jr. dragsters families...so many freakn cool, awesome people in Jr. drag racing.

Originally Posted by Kevin Grasson

I've known Nick for about 7 years now, and can tell you that he is a great guy (the whole family is the same way) and a great driver. He's deadly on the tree and can drive the finish line as good or better than anyone. Combine a driver like that with a good car, and watch out! Now if I could just talk him into switching to Mopar......

[david ring]

Originally Posted by Mike Meier

I hate to rain on the parade, but driving skill and hard work will only take you so far. This game is all about the $$$$.

It's not all about the $$$$ if you are willing to partner up. I wouldn't have a comp car without a partner. Lee Zane would not have two world championships without partners. And then you need to be smart, as you were when you went looking for a combination that would not cost an-arm-and-a-leg to build, as was I (there are stockers out there that probably cost more than my comp car and it had a single digit for two years).

[Kevin Grasson]

Originally Posted by racing2win

Hey thanks, you are a great person and driver, too !....
Hope you and your family have a great ThanksGiving and a Very Merry, blessed Christmas....Yeah, my sister and I would love to drive some Mopar, but we need to get some serious advertising partners behind us to do it....We are starting our ninth year of racing, and I hate leaving Jr. Drag racing, so many friends that feel like family...I just don't want to lose contact. My Jr. is too small for my shoulders, and the cage is also too short, but my parents don't want to pay for a new frame...so there you go...I would still love to Race the NHRA Nationals in Bristol, and the IHRA Nationals, make some more history in Jr. drag racing and have one more year with my Jr. dragsters families...so many freakn cool, awesome people in Jr. drag racing.

Thanks, I try anyways haha. I hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas as well. It's hard to believe next july will mark a decade of racing for me....I loved running the jr, and yes the people were/are great. The only motor I lost in that car was at mason dixon on the first time run. Pj Hixon's Dad helped us put the spare in (the spare was an 8.70 combo, the one I blew up went 8.20's) in time for qualifying, and I ended up losing to Pj in the semis that day. I ran the same car from '99 until I got out of the jrs in 05...it was outdated by then (it was a hardtail car) but it still worked o.k... My plans for next year are pretty much up in the air right now, would love to make a stocker out of the '64, as I've been getting more and more into the wrenching side of it (still love driving) and I think it would be a good challenge, as well as giving me a chance to race at a higher level than I ever have. Problem is, the sister wants to go to Catholic, and Dad is getting to the point where he doesn't want to spend all day, let alone all weekend, at the track, so I might have to be doing this on my own pretty soon. I've had good luck with the mopar stuff, and they're what I know, so for me they're the best option.




Sorry for the hijack.

[MHoward]

In Div.3 look out for Chris Stevenson,this kid was raised around Class Racing went bracket racing for a few years and he is tough,Runner-up @ a Points meet and at the Fall Classic this year,had some bad luck at the nat. events.Look out for the little red Apollo.

Monte Howard.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by MHoward

In Div.3 look out for Chris Stevenson,this kid was raised around Class Racing went bracket racing for a few years and he is tough,Runner-up @ a Points meet and at the Fall Classic this year,had some bad luck at the nat. events.Look out for the little red Apollo.

Monte Howard.

You are correct.He will definately get his first big win next year!

[Mike Meier]

Originally Posted by david ring

It's not all about the $$$$ if you are willing to partner up. I wouldn't have a comp car without a partner. Lee Zane would not have two world championships without partners. And then you need to be smart, as you were when you went looking for a combination that would not cost an-arm-and-a-leg to build, as was I (there are stockers out there that probably cost more than my comp car and it had a single digit for two years).

I agree with you to an extent Dave, but ultimately someone is gonna have to come up with the cash whether it be for entry fees, gas money, hotel bills (or motorhome upkeep), and upkeep on the car if you even want to get in the gate. As far as stocker combos go, barring the decision to run with an inconsistent FWD, there is no "cheap" way in unless someone wants to take the gamble on letting you drive their stuff. But it is very hard to find a ride nowadays, regardless of whether it's LODRS or local bracket racing. I can't even find a 12 to 13 second car to borrow for Street ET let alone a Stock / Super Stock car. People just aren't handing out cars willy-nilly.

To go off on a tangent.....I think if there is going to be a driver-car owner partnership the owner has to have the right mentality like being able to trust someone else with their car, being willing to travel to the races to help out if needed (or butt-out in some cases), and be willing to take the risks (breakage/crashing) associated with racing a car in order to achieve glory. For owners like yourself or the Arnie Martel's of the world it is your mindset to build a good competitive team. You guys are few and far between. For most people though the risk is too much for the reward. Their hang-up is "am I gonna let someone potentially blow up my motor all for $400 in prize money?"

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

In Div.1 look out for Mike Meier,or as we refer to him as Zippy.Anybody who can drive a fwd car and go consistant 00 and teens in a car as inconsistant as the slower fwd cars is going to be dangerous in the
Spirit,after we get the all straightened out.He's already lost races with a 000 and a 003 due to a very inconsistant car.We're working on it.

Ed F.

Ed,

What kind of fwd car did Mike have? I only saw him (at least this year), racing a '74 Malibu/Chevelle, and his Spirit...I know first hand how challenging a fwd car can be, but mine is coming around. Given my two 4th rd finishes (both ironically loss with close red eyes -.011 & -.012, and one of those with my car running right on the dial to the thou') March of this & last year, and a quarter final finish at the '06 Mile High Nat's (plus several other successful races), maybe my Z24 & I should be an up and comer...I will thank Marv Ripes (at A1 Torque Converters), Lunati (Cams), Ben Andersen (M/T tires), plus Paul Strauss, Gary Kammerzell, Lane "The Hawk" Weber, Randy Hyman, Verle Stevens Enterprises (engine), and Lane & Shell (S & A Transmissions of Englewood, Co), plus Danny Sutherland (Exhaust Pros..Commerce City, Co) for their contributions to making my car be one of the more consistent fwd cars (predictable e.t.-wise), on the circuit. Not that I'm wanting to purposefully toot my own horn, but the people of Janesville, Wi. built a great car back in '86 that I have the pleasure of racing now.

B.T.W., good luck Mike with getting the bugs worked out of your Spirit, and kudos to both of you for racing slower classed stockers in a land rich with the behemoths of large engine lore...

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by GarysZ24

Ed,

What kind of fwd car did Mike have? I only saw him (at least this year), racing a '74 Malibu/Chevelle, and his Spirit...I know first hand how challenging a fwd car can be, but mine is coming around. Given my two 4th rd finishes (both ironically loss with close red eyes -.011 & -.012, and one of those with my car running right on the dial to the thou') March of this & last year, and a quarter final finish at the '06 Mile High Nat's (plus several other successful races), maybe my Z24 & I should be an up and comer...I will thank Marv Ripes (at A1 Torque Converters), Lunati (Cams), Ben Andersen (M/T tires), plus Paul Strauss, Gary Kammerzell, Lane "The Hawk" Weber, Randy Hyman, Verle Stevens Enterprises (engine), and Lane & Shell (S & A Transmissions of Englewood, Co), plus Danny Sutherland (Exhaust Pros..Commerce City, Co) for their contributions to making my car be one of the more consistent fwd cars (predictable e.t.-wise), on the circuit. Not that I'm wanting to purposefully toot my own horn, but the people of Janesville, Wi. built a great car back in '86 that I have the pleasure of racing now.

B.T.W., good luck Mike with getting the bugs worked out of your Spirit, and kudos to both of you for racing slower classed stockers in a land rich with the behemoths of large engine lore...

The Malibu was a car borrowed from a friend.The Spirit is Mike's car.It was bought from the mid west .It was cheap,but by the time we had to do the motor,trans misc wiring,correct ballast problems among other issues it didn't turn out to be such a bargain.The consistency problem will be worked out next year hopefully.I've been fighting my car for 9 years now.Trying some new things next year.

Ed
turn out to be such a bargain.

[GarysZ24]

Brad Burton and Tony Hernandez get my vote.

In only his second season (first full one?) of racing stock, Brad has instantly become a terror in Div V, and with his dad "Scott" supporting him, you better bring your "A" game to town if you line up next to him....lest we not forget that "Bad Brad" is this years Mile High Nationals Champion!

Speaking of "A" games, not many people can go from racing an automatic stocker, to racing a 4spd and have the instant success that one "Tony Hernandez" has had since 2006! If I didn't have my .006 package in the 3rd rnd of the '06 Mile High's, he certainly would've sent me packing, because he was right on my heals (in his first season of slap-stick racing)!!! This young lion won the Bandimere Speedway LODRS race, and earned 74 pts (quarters?), at the Div. 6 LODRS race in Acton, Mt. (both this year).

Both of these young lions travel well, so look out they may be headed to a track near you!!!