Div and Nat's,,,why do you race ?

[Michael Pliska]

I have a divisional championship Wally (from back in the days when you had to win a divisional championship or a national just to get one). In those days (when national event entries were a lot cheaper) I raced a lot of nationals. For me I think I had more fun at nationals than divisionals, just because of the big boys and huge crowds being there (and the crowds stayed in the stands for S/G back then). I always wanted to get a national event Wally but never was able to close the deal.

After having the car mothballed for 15+ years, I prefer bracket racing it now. I get my heads-up index fix by running National Open races. At the N.O. races you can race the same car in multiple classes, plus it's two separate races in the same weekend. Around here the S/G entry is $120/day or $200/weekend, and the bracket fees are set by the track (but usually around $40-$50/day). I get to see most of the same friends as the divisional races, but I get in a lot more racing, and my kid gets to see more of her friends (since they run Jr Dragster at these races as well). I had decided that I was going to race a few nationals this year, but will probably only catch one now as my own little protest against the fee increases.

The thing I actually enjoy the most now is a diesel-only racing series (there are two organizations - National Hot Rod Diesel Association and National Association of Diesel Motorsports). There are some heads-up (first to the finish line) classes, brackets, and index classes. It's good simple fun, with sponsor-enhanced payouts that give a decent return on entry fees. I started out doing it with my tow rig in brackets, and now race a friend's truck in the "Pro Stock" class as well.