Drag Racers, Why do we race ?

[cal]

A DRAG RACER

Hello All :wave:

Just a little food for thought
Why do we race?
Well lets see, its what we do!
We were born into it.
Its what our friends do.
Its an American thing to do.
Its the time we spend in the garage working on our best friend, with our friends.
Its the ride to the track, unloading the car.
Its driving 1000 HP threw the Pits.
The looks, the stars.
Its the rumble the motor makes.
It is the greeting in the staging lanes.
Its the feel of the burn out.
The chirp when the tires hook.
Slowly staging.
Going on the two step (or convertor) releasing the button at the flash, (or flooring the gas pedal)
Thrown back in the seat, Feeling the car accelerate, the shift, the speed, lifting, and slowing down.
Thinking about what you have just done.
Getting the ET slip
with the .00X smile emoticon know I nailed it
or .10X :eyes: on it, I didn't feel that late.
Sharing it with your friends or not :Rolling: .
The nerves before 1st rd. Heart BEATING Out of your Chest :help:
Deciding the dial in, to hold or be honest :Hum:
O No not again the track Champion 1st round :eyes:
Trust you car or change your mind :Praying:
Lift or stay on the floor :Hum:
Take the stripe or give it up :boring:
The thrill of winning :laugh:
The agony of defeat. :crying:
Buying back for one more shot :banging head:
The food we share, the offer of BEER. :Party time:
The conversation that goes deep into the night :Party time:
Then we get up and do it all over. :bowing:

Why Because I Love It :hug:

I'm sure I forgot something because I'm old and suffer from CRS disease. :car:
(can't remember ****)

So what's on your mind, why do you race? For the money of course :Rolling:

Cal
S/ST 1177
SS 177

[Billy Nees]

I ask myself that question every time that I walk out to the garage. Comrade-re?
It sure isn't for the money or the accolades!
I sure do have a bunch of stuff with Street Rod potential! I wish that I was old enough to do a Street Rod.

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

II wish that I was old enough to do a Street Rod.

Billy, you were old enough once to do the Street Rod thing, but you are way past that now!

[jmcarter]

Pretty good list; even though I've never had over 600 HP on the leash and I actually look forward to running the track champion or racers with a reputation so theres a few items that I don't subscribe to. Having a competitive nature and growing up in the muscle car era (graduated from high school in 1967 and who didn't have a circuit in their home town around diary queens or whatever where GTO's, Road Runners, SS396's crammed with the lopey cam and headers roamed?) I really can't imagine NOT either racing or trying to get ready to race again. I've put in some competitive laps on road courses (Road Atlanta, Pacific Raceway, etc) and that kind of racing offers lots of advantages (seat time being the most obvious) but nothing competes with drag racing. Ridden my motorcycles on some epic rides the last few years but always looked forward to spending more of my free time at the track....don't fully understand how racers can give it up completely unless necessitated by family, health or extreme financial stress. And for those that dismiss it there is absolutely nothing wrong with bracket racing in my book.

[nickh]

Great list and comments. Even though I don't get to race as much as I would like (God, Family, Work are priority) have made some life long friendships through the years that are priceless.


The family at track side is incredible. I am slowing down now that I am getting close to 60. As long as I can financially, physically, and am of good mental state I will have something in the garage to run and have fun with.


Been married 39 years this year and the wife has never been able to park her car in the garage.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

I ask myself that question every time that I walk out to the garage. Comrade-re?
It sure isn't for the money or the accolades!
I sure do have a bunch of stuff with Street Rod potential! I wish that I was old enough to do a Street Rod.

Been there and done that Billy.....I still do the street rod stuff. It may not be as exciting as laying down a good number or doing giant wheel stands but it is less expensive, easier on our old bodies, and still get to meet some really good people at the shows and different events and clubs.. Its even better if a hot rod is your only transportation. The cars do not have to be Boyd Coddington type either. I have a steel bodied 1935 Chevy coupe with a ZZ4, 700R4, 9 inch rear. If your in Florida the most important thing is A/C ! I'm working on a 79 Corvette right now but have not made up my mind to make it a bracket car (Non Electronics) or just another street ride that I can also use in the NMCA muscle car class ??????? There is always something to get into with cars if you are a gear head. Just enjoy what you have and are doing. Life is short and the time flies by faster as time goes on.

[vic guilmino]

i just LOVE to go down the track fast or slow
or around in circle
i just LOVE to race

[ALMACK]

I love to drive.
Period.

If I could afford to road race, I would do that.

Drag racing turned out to be the cheapest and most convenient way to have fun behind the wheel.


I sometimes question why I am the only one in my family that became a gearhead ....

I didn't have relatives, friends, or neighbors that drag raced.

But somehow I got the bug at age 15.

[Steve1118]

When I was 12, I was with my cousin when he purchased a brand, spankin' new 64 Hemi Dodge A865 aluminum nosed car and was hooked immediately.

Now, here I am, 54 short years later and still racing a Hemi 65 that I bought in 1969. It's probably kept me out of jail during my wild years, met and have known hundreds of great guys and gals. It's a milder motor, not as quick and low, low maintenence, and health problems have had an impact, but, we're still here.

Now, at 65, I'm still having fun and enjoying many of the same folks I have for years and years, and am missing the ones who can no longer be with us. Pulling a trans out isn't as much fun as it was, but going to the races, hanging with the guys, and driving the car is still as much fun as it was. Maybe looking at through rose colored glasses, but I feel sorry for the youngsters who did not live and race through the golden years.

Get to race with my sons, and will canonize my great wife of 36 years for all the crap she endured. I thank God every single day for all the blessings I've been given, and wonder what I've ever done to deserve them.

This sport has given me back much more than I had ever hoped. I cannot imagine not being involved.

[tim worner]

Addiction