Local Racing looking better every day

[SPS]

Paul:
I look for increased attendance at our Can-Am Stock/Super Stock races as we start our 12th year, for the very reasons you state.
I personally spent a lot of years running up and down the highways to races and shudder to think of doing it today with the price of fuel as it is.
I think we can give the class racers a viable alternative to compete without breaking the bank in travelling costs.
FJ

[cambria]

FJ we are working on A Can AM shootout big bucks race,like 5k to win.I put my number one guy DJ on the project of raising the 5k.Figured I would bring out some old shooters like Marshall,Dilcher,maybe import Ricky Atkins for the US Team.I figure half your big Canadian shooters won't be able to get over the boarder so we should have the edge---ha ha .Saturday we see if the cars will go down the track that will be our first test session at Lancaster/now DUNN TIRE RACEWAY PARK.

[THE LEGEND]

Paul I could'nt agree more. We were having this conversation today. You will see more multiple car teams towing together. You will see more open bed trailers with pickups. It gets to a point is it cheaper to stay in a motel.
Where do we draw the line?
In NC we are blessed with numerous tracks to choose from. Drawbacks are double entries and 2 rds of buybacks at the bracket races. Locally a typical weekend includes 2-3 days of bracket racing with 2 car at a cost of $400-$600 dollars. I can run a few IHRA races for typically the same money. Difference!!!
IHRA races pay killer rd money and usually only go 5 or 6 rds.
Bracket racing rd money sucks, races are usually 7-9 rds. For me I'll keep on going IHRA racing for now but I see the car counts swinging in the direction of the Saturday night specials.
Chip Johnson

[cambria]

Chip thats why we upped it to 1k to win on a Friday night for each major class.Paula and I still plan to go to the Nationals and some divisionals.Had to work so I missed MIR and will miss the Rock----Business first my man---hey nice job last week Mr Hot Rod.

[Mark Schmidt]

Sold the 2 car trailer, and now towing with a pickup truck....sucks. Staying close to home in 08, sleeping in my own bed (really sucks) lol.

[slow dragster]

Mark did you pick up a new trailer?

[Michael Beard]

I towed roughly the same amount of miles in 2007 as I did in 2004, over 17,000 miles. My fuel cost was about $2,800 then versus $4,500 now. Look at what you have in your whole race operation... $1,700/year is not going to make me stay home.

One big difference is that in 2004, I lived in Ohio. I spent close to $2K in hotels that season. I now live in North Carolina, where I can sleep in my own bed for many races, and spent less than $1K on hotels. How much more would I have to spend on a truck & trailer or a motorhome (and cut my gas mileage in half)? There's no way to justify that except, "I want to." I also run almost twice as many races each year since I moved.

I suspect most people on this board (unless retired) make more money than I do. We're spoiled. We don't have it as bad as we think we do. I'm certainly not saying that I wish it would get worse, but we should take a look at *what* we are doing and *how* we are doing it, and make the most of it. If I can do it, you can too.

The Nat'l/Div'l event circuit is a lot of fun. There's a high cost involved, but the rewards can be great as well. When I wasn't on the road last year running those or big-money bracket races, I loved running at Pageland Dragway in South Carolina, 79 miles from the house. They "only" paid $600 to win, but they ran a quick program, and didn't have two rounds of buybacks that just cost you more money in the long run. They had a reasonable entry fee, and they started paying round money to 2nd round winners. You couldn't *make* a lot of money there, but you couldn't *spend* a lot either! It cost me about $1,000 total to run 13 races at Pageland... and I won more than that by my 2nd trip there.

So, all types of racing are fun. You have to decide what's right for you.

$.02,