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LIMIT NUMBER OF CARS PER ENTRANT
Jok, you are exactly right about the big money races. I have always liked attending a “Big Money” race occasionally to go see if I could put out the hitters. I have made a decision within the past year not to do so if the promoter allowed a driver to enter more than one car per class or double enter one car. I went to a big money event at the end of 2004 and you had several of what I call pro bracket racers there with a minimum of 2 cars per class, plus you had a current Pro Stock driver double driving another Pro Bracket entry with another driver. Then to top it off the same Pro Bracket driver won all 3 days and the car that was being double driven with the Pro Stock driver runner upped on 2 of those days.
That ended it for me right then and there. To me, allowing a driver to enter more than one car per class was just like cheating and I said I will not participate anymore in these type events. I have invested a lot of money in my Bracket Program. I have a 2003 Worthy 4 link slip joint with a 540 and Dedenbear tranny. My 2 kids have a Jr dragster each, and I just recently purchased a back half Nova for my wife and son to drive since my son will turn 16 this year. I feel that I am a good driver, I have finished as high as 2nd and no lower than 7th in the past 4 years at my local track in points.
I am not, however, going to support or participate in a Big Money event where I do not have a fair shot at winning the money. I have seen promoters at these big events whine about car counts and it is their own fault. I have entered a big money 32 car only Bracket Race at US 19 in Albany, Ga. So far there are only single entries and there will be no buy backs. Who knows, I could go out first round or I could win it all but this seems to be a fair race.
Great story and keep up the good work.
Todd Whitley
S/C E/T 254
WHAT'S NEXT FOR BRACKET RACING?
I take my Chevelle over to the local track (GLD) a few times in the summer. I hit the Pro class and to keep it interesting I have the car running 9.2's at 148 with a 5 sp. Nash. I like to scare the foot brakers with them 8-grand launches. They do tend to red light.
The car counts tend to be a little stronger than the '80s when I raced weekly. I don't know how Byron is doing but I hear about lots of cars. It looks to me like foot braking is the way to go for a lot of the old guys. I think many of them are "Stock eliminator" wannabes but don't have the moxie or the bucks to deal with the class racing gauntlet. It's not easy getting away for those extended weekends as we know, for many reasons.
The tournament style races, all pipe racks and double buy backs don't appeal to those who only want to hobby. I don't get the guys who mortgage their later years with the tow rigs and stacker trailers so many think they need to have. Looks to me like the monster has become unwieldy and the fun is gone. I took the Chevelle to Bradenton a few years ago, went .498 ran on with a zero, the pipe rack went .491 off by a mile. I intended to buy back but 5 hours later the damn first round was still going on. I'm too old for that.
My interest is in observing what will be next, after our group is done. I have a couple of youngsters in the shop, just out of trade school. One is an excellent undercar man, exceptional really. The other one is a normal kid, Honda man. He knows his shit with them rice grinders. The smart dude is into domestics and has a 4 cyl. turbocharged Grand Am stick car that he gets too many tickets with. Just bought a '99 Grand Prix with 3800 V6. Aftermarket blowers and computers and fuel injection rails and on and on. I'm insisting these guys take it to the track this summer. It's a new world out there and these young guys are going some where with it, I'm just waiting to see how it shakes out.
Mike Hipster
ATD Inc.