The Frustrated Racers Club------It Happens !!!

[Rusty Davenport]

For many years I umpired in just about every baseball or softball league possible (but not as a professional). Umpires usually among themselves, rated leagues from good to bad, as far as difficult working conditions and pressure. The worst was the older adult mens' leagues that we labeled " The Frustrated Athletes Club". Somehow age, aches and pains gave them the worst attitudes about playing way before the game started. I see this from time to time on Class Racer.....its about all negative in this great sport of ours and they will go down complaining and bitching. I would like to say thanks to all who try to keep our sport on a positive note, it may be short lived enough without shooting ourselves in the foot. Thanks to all who practice prudence and fairness and express it where it needs to be and how it is expressed. I think we need all the help we can get in these weird times we live in.

[FireSale]

Lots of "Older" guys out in the pits. They aren't to my observation, the frustrated ones. They actually understand how an internal combustion engine works. Don't tell Pete Kost that he's a Frustrated Old whatever. I was frustrated my first couple of years because by car didn't work like I expected out of the box(es). Now that I'm Older, I have learned to just go with what the weekend has to offer and enjoy myself. No matter who's in the stands or what NHRA has on it's plate, there is no better place than a noisy, dirty dragstrip for a bit of fun.
Could NHRA make it better? Sure.
Could more fans make it better? Sure.
Will either of the above make my car a winner? Nope. That's all on me. Where it belongs.

[Kevin Panzino]

I couldn’t agree more, Rusty!!
Thanks for posting this.

[GTX JOHN]

Originally Posted by Rusty Davenport

For many years I umpired in just about every baseball or softball league possible (but not as a professional). Umpires usually among themselves, rated leagues from good to bad, as far as difficult working conditions and pressure. The worst was the older adult mens' leagues that we labeled " The Frustrated Athletes Club". Somehow age, aches and pains gave them the worst attitudes about playing way before the game started. I see this from time to time on Class Racer.....its about all negative in this great sport of ours and they will go down complaining and bitching. I would like to say thanks to all who try to keep our sport on a positive note, it may be short lived enough without shooting ourselves in the foot. Thanks to all who practice prudence and fairness and express it where it needs to be and how it is expressed. I think we need all the help we can get in these weird times we live in.

Yes!!!!

Thank You = For the very astute observations. It is clean that
you really care about this Sport.

Irving Family Racing

[1matcoman]

Originally Posted by FireSale

..... No matter who's in the stands or what NHRA has on it's plate, there is no better place than a noisy, dirty dragstrip for a bit of fun.

Can we get an AMEN here, guys?

[GUMP]

When I built my first Stocker Veronica told me that, if I wanted her to go with me to the races, it had to be fun. At first that was hard, because I was learning so much. Twenty five years later it's just a fun activity that we share like going to Disney!

[Carguy49]

For me it was always about being with friends and doing something that we all loved. Sure winning is VERY COOL, but without friends there to help celebrate what would it really mean??? The winning is either you or a friend, so celebration is shared - How cool is that????

I haven't raced a vehicle of my own for years, but still get a thrill just being there with friends and helping them any way that I can. The stories that we tell each other and the helping hand that is given without even thinking is a BIG part of what makes it FUN.

Yes, racing is frustrating sometimes, but so is LIFE.

[Chip THELEGEND Johnson]

We have to remember to have fun sometimes the fun factor level isn't as high as the aggravation level at that point we need to realize a bad day racing i s better than a good day of most anything else.
One more thing on our after race talks Daren always says but did you have fun. Sometimes I want to smack him lol. Then I realize we are the Lucky ones.
Thanks Rusty D for giving us something to think about.
Chip

[John Kissel]

I wanted to do this since my father brought me to e-town in early '66.My wife and I decided we should have a house and garage first . Bought my '67 FireBird July '80.Moved to Florida, 1st.run Aug '81. We race what and when we can afford to and got to travel, met some nice people and some not so nice.People I know around here who had fast cars, not anymore, I still have the same car ready to go and still want to race.My fun is seeing how quick or fast I can get it to go Using traffic lights for trees gets old.

[HR9121]

Well said Rusty I nominate you for post of the year. I think some need to remember that nobody forces them to do this and it's a privilege that we all have the means to do what we do. I know most, probably all of you have worked very hard to get where you are able to afford to do this but I think it's important to remember that we weren't always there.
I still remember as a young kid going to see people like Warren, Daniels, Curtis Smith, Jeff Taylor and Bud Rowe at our local races. I knew then I wanted to do that but never dreamed that 30 years later it would cost a small fortune! It took me a while to get there but as my buddy Chip pointed out a bad day at the races is still a good day. Hey I'm guilty too and need to remind myself that this is fun and I'm lucky to be able to it.