Then vs Now - What Happened? - Page 2

Ed Wright · 01-13-2009, 05:05 PM

Bill, I saw the same thing when I started going to the national events. I was usually found getting under Mike Edward's feet, and when Pro Stock ran, you could sit anywhere you like. Everybody left after the fuel cars, which I have no interest in watching. Worked out well for me. I showed Pete Peery a picture I found of his Bill Hilsher Vega at a Laplace div 4 race. He said "look at all the people in the stands!" I remember them being full, but top fuel and Pro Stock ran div races back then also.

I was a little suprised the first time I stood in line at a national event waiting for the gates to open. Everybody was telling bs stories about what Kenny Bernstien and John Force were having a war about, Some whiz-bang new blower somebody had, other bs. After the gates opened, I would sit on Mike's golf cart until they showed up. The same people were walking around carrying old head gaskets, other crap they found in the pro's trash cans. Baggy shorts, flip flops, mullets or bald spots above pony tails, wife beater shirts, teeth missing. Not the same crowds we used to see. Looked like the same people I saw at my one & only NASCAR race. They are obviously only there for the noise and big speeds. Most don't know beans about the cars. That's not everybody, but a large percentage of them. The people left in the stands when Pro Stock and sportsman cars run seem pretty knowlegable. They pretty much leave when the throttle stop cars come up.

I miss the real racing.

Todd Bailey · 01-13-2009, 05:21 PM

Ed,

Speaking of Rick Voeglin (sp), If you can, can you post that picture of Pete Perry's Vega ? I'm thinking this is the same car that Reher-Morrison borrowed the motor out of at the '75 Sportsnationals in Bowling Green to replace their wounded little 287. This is from the Car Craft article that Rick wrote about them when he tagged along with them to Kentucky.

Bobby Zlatkin · 01-13-2009, 03:08 PM

What I think changed is;

1) The guys that are the heavy hitters now are the best drivers, not necesarly the guys with the fast cars.

2) We used to run off of national records, not dial-in's.

3) You always remembered who won the Nat'ls. & Winter Nat'ls. Now there are so many national events you can't remember who won last weeks race.

4) Magazines (Super Stock & Drag Illustrated) made a big deal of our heros and their cars. Now TV is the medium and they don't even show the sportsman classes except the alky classes and a quick fash of some finals.

01-13-2009, 05:05 PM	#1
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: Then vs Now - What Happened? Bill, I saw the same thing when I started going to the national events. I was usually found getting under Mike Edward's feet, and when Pro Stock ran, you could sit anywhere you like. Everybody left after the fuel cars, which I have no interest in watching. Worked out well for me. I showed Pete Peery a picture I found of his Bill Hilsher Vega at a Laplace div 4 race. He said "look at all the people in the stands!" I remember them being full, but top fuel and Pro Stock ran div races back then also. I was a little suprised the first time I stood in line at a national event waiting for the gates to open. Everybody was telling bs stories about what Kenny Bernstien and John Force were having a war about, Some whiz-bang new blower somebody had, other bs. After the gates opened, I would sit on Mike's golf cart until they showed up. The same people were walking around carrying old head gaskets, other crap they found in the pro's trash cans. Baggy shorts, flip flops, mullets or bald spots above pony tails, wife beater shirts, teeth missing. Not the same crowds we used to see. Looked like the same people I saw at my one & only NASCAR race. They are obviously only there for the noise and big speeds. Most don't know beans about the cars. That's not everybody, but a large percentage of them. The people left in the stands when Pro Stock and sportsman cars run seem pretty knowlegable. They pretty much leave when the throttle stop cars come up. I miss the real racing. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

01-13-2009, 05:21 PM	#2
Todd Bailey Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Houston Posts: 312 Likes: 29 Liked 31 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Then vs Now - What Happened? Ed, Speaking of Rick Voeglin (sp), If you can, can you post that picture of Pete Perry's Vega ? I'm thinking this is the same car that Reher-Morrison borrowed the motor out of at the '75 Sportsnationals in Bowling Green to replace their wounded little 287. This is from the Car Craft article that Rick wrote about them when he tagged along with them to Kentucky.

01-13-2009, 03:08 PM	#3
Bobby Zlatkin Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mills River, NC Posts: 417 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Then vs Now - What Happened? What I think changed is; 1) The guys that are the heavy hitters now are the best drivers, not necesarly the guys with the fast cars. 2) We used to run off of national records, not dial-in's. 3) You always remembered who won the Nat'ls. & Winter Nat'ls. Now there are so many national events you can't remember who won last weeks race. 4) Magazines (Super Stock & Drag Illustrated) made a big deal of our heros and their cars. Now TV is the medium and they don't even show the sportsman classes except the alky classes and a quick fash of some finals. __________________ Bobby & Norene Zlatkin L/SA