Time For Something Different
Posted on Sunday, October 02 @ 22:56:53 MST by Bob
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Since the racing action has nearly dried up completely in this area, I finally got time to do something I've been wanting to do all summer. I headed out to the dragstrip for my racing fix this weekend. It's been quite a while since I spent any time where they race in a straight line, but this visit was long overdue. It was pretty cool running into some racers (and cars) I haven't seen in a long time. Imagine my surprise when one of the first cars I spot is none other than "The Fat Cat's Rat". Ed Stanley is the one and only "Fat Cat" and he's still one of the best racers I've ever met. We got to swapping stories and he still remembers his visits years ago to WCS. He also introduced me to the daughter of Bill Ingersol, who raced on the area dirt tracks into the late '80's and still has a couple of his old dirt cars stashed at home. I ran into a few other folks I used to race with and it was kinda like a family reunion. Of course we all ragged each other about the different forms of racing, and that got me to thinking. I made a few comparisons while I was there. First off was the price of admission. A whopping $15 got me into the pits for the final day of a three day, $10,000 to win, event. A weekend pass was $50 for all three days. Don't get too excited though. The prices of the food make up part of the difference if you plan to feed the family. It seemed a bit odd seeing a playground at a race track too, but the kids didn't seem to think so. Unlike dirt tracks around here, Dragway 42 races til the snow flies (and sometimes beyond) with several nights a week of action. I also didn't notice any bitching in the pits over some bent sheetmetal. It was a bit tough though watching just two cars race at a time. Each race was over in a matter of seconds and there was no rubbing at all. Imagine that! It was almost like going to a car show with all those old muscle cars out there and that might have been the best part of my trip. Some of those cars have been tearing up the quarter mile for as long as I can remember. Can you imagine seeing Dean Alexander turning laps in the old Mustang he ran in the '70's? That would be fun, but it will never happen. Of course high tech has invaded drag racing much more than dirt racing but I wouldn't call all of it an improvement. Some of those fancy electronics have taken some of the fun away from drag racing. I walked away at the end of the day with a few final thoughts. Here they are. Racing of any type is an addiction and there's just no cure, including lack of funds. Racing fuel smells great no matter what's burning it. Most drag cars stay purrty much longer than a dirt car. Some people will race absolutely anything with wheels at a dragstrip! I will never be too old to enjoy the smell of burning rubber (DAMN, I've missed that!). I now know where all those fast old Mopars have been hiding. Asphalt racing should only be done in a straight line. Rednecks can be found at the dragstrip too. Real racers are real racers, and the best people you'll ever meet. Dirt racing is always going to be the most "entertaining" form of racing from the stands. That sign on the side of the highway that said "76" was not a speed limit sign (thanks for pointing that out Mister Trooper, sir). Lastly, I need to get to the strip more often...............
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