Fact is I have been swamped with game related stuff, blogging about Gencon and finishing up the Basic Charts Edition of my game, which I hope to have soon on Lulu.com. I also want to turn my attention to a book I wrote during a three year period after leaving racing. It's been setting for a while, and I'd like to publish it on Lulu before the year is up. Lots to do, not enough time. I still insist on keeping limited computer time and making sure to get out and walk every day. Very important to me.
The book, Lord willing, will begin in 2008. More in a moment, but here are a few pictures from a batch that I hope to put up here when I get more time.
Here's Don. No pictures please. The man in the background is Jason Holt, top 5 in Sprint Cars at Gas City. Don's been working with him on setup. The kid has a lot of potential, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear about him getting a feature win soon. I have pictures from Gas City and Kokomo I hope to share soon.
Don has a nice shop, and here are his Midgets and Sprint Car. It's been a bit hard to make it all go with all the things going on. I know when Don gets back behind the wheel again, he will be ready to have fun and the time will be right. I think if I were mechanically inclined and were looking to get into racing as a crew member, this would be a good team to learn with. Always did like the presentation of this team.
DCRR Racing News? I always appreciated having the name on Don's Sprint Car. It's still there, and I need to get busy putting more racing stuff together.
The start-finish line at The Brickyard. Had to get a picture of that. I have more to post when I have the time.
Ken posted some nice comments to my last post. I'll respond here.
A comeback to racing for me?
Never say never, I suppose. However, I don't have the plans. I've been thinking of going to the fairgrounds in Antioch to say hi to everybody and see who I recognize. I don't know that I could afford to put the magazine back together again. I know racing in California needs it, but it's not an easy deal. I did it for 18 years, so I know. This kind of stuff gets frustrating to see though:
http://www.snracer.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Dirt;action=display;num=1188114899
I think it's great that two tracks so close are running Late Models. Hopefully cooperation will continue between the tracks. It's an old point of mine, but we need tracks working together, now more than ever. Jim has done great things at Petaluma since taking over. I see he's trying to get car count. Some may say taking cars from Antioch, but I don't know. Jim always was a Dwarf Car guy. Spec Sprints? I say go for it Jim. You'll get cars, and it's a nice substitute for nights 360's aren't there. And what a 360 car count. But, what do I know?
Antioch? John still has the potential to do great things. He's done so in the past. There have been moments this year. It's up to him to inspire the troops. It starts from the top. It's been almost ten seasons for him, but Antioch has failed to match what was there those first three seasons. As long as it stays open, that's the main thing. I'll always remember the good times, and there were a lot of them.
I'm still bummed out about Chowchilla. What can I say? I can point out decisions I felt were mistakes. but what's the point? There were almost eight seasons there, two of which I was a part of. The good times should be remembered. I hear rumors of what may happen next. Some won't be happy. I can't say more. If it reopens, perhaps as a Friday night venue, at least it will still be a place to race.
I'm sure Tom needs a chance to rest and soak it all in. Reflect on the good times. You didn't fail my friend. You went further than anybody ever thought you could. When things really clicked, Chowchilla was THE place to be for a race. Others talk about doing it. You made it happen. even if another person takes over, would there be a track there if not for you? I don't think so.
Here's another way racers can pick up the ball for Tom and Cindy and celebrate what was. There were point races that ended when the track closed. How about somebody attempt to set up one last Chowchilla awards banquet? Doesn't have to be fancy. I think Tom and Cindy deserve an award for what they brought to Chowchilla. Just my opinion. It may not lead to them being in charge at the track again, but it would be a nice send off and THANK YOU for all they did.
But back to the question. Am I interested in coming back? It's not at the top of my list of things to do. If I had the right offer, perhaps. Things have changed, and I'm not where I was then. I don't look at things as I once did. I don't know if I have the passion I once did. The b.s. still bothers me, even now, and people don't need to hear about that anymore. Plus, like I said, I can't afford the magazine. So, I don't know if a return is in the cards.
I tell you something that is needed, a good web page. I'm proud of the DCRR-LOK web connection of the last two years I was in the sport as well as the CRO that Joe, Lynn and I did together. We kicked butt. I don't think it's being done well right now. Just my opinion. There are some nice efforts that give a little here and there, but not as a whole.
Of interest to me is:
Antioch
Merced
Watsonville
Petaluma
Chowchilla
Wingless Spec Sprints
Unifying said tracks and groups!!!
I know, I can't let it go. I never will either. I want the the primary classes unified and under the same set of rules and points for State Points. It probably will never happen. I want a Civil War (Carbureted Sprint Revolution) for the Wingless Spec Sprints. I tend to repeat the same messages. I know it's old, but it's how I feel. We used to do things like that about 20 years ago.
For a web page, news on the tracks mentioned, race results, points, schedule listings, track announcements, audio, video and pictures. The problem is that it takes work, and there's very little return, if you do it right. It can be done, and it can have a positive impact on the sport. I found that out with CRO, and it continued with the DCRR page.
The best that I can hope for at the moment is the book I'm working on. It may be two books as I may need to do a separate one for carbureted Sprints. What I am looking at now:
Antioch, Watsonville, Merced, Petaluma and Chowchilla histories, going back to the late 60's.
Point standings, pictures (lots of Antioch right now with some Petaluma and Watsonville.
A look at some of the people that made it happen, promoters, track managers and people of interest.
A look at some of the stars back in those days, Sportsman and Stock Cars.
The evolution of the Street Stock and some of the stars that came out of that.
The Dirt Modifieds.
Tracks now closed, Vallejo, Baylands and San Jose.
That's some of what I'm looking at for one of the books. The carbureted Sprints would look at:
WSS Antioch
NCMA
California Dirt Cars
VMRC (before it got crazy) and the Merced Cal Mods.
Yreka Sportsman Sprints
Orland, Marysville, Placerville, Chico, Watsonville, Chowchilla
The stars through the years, lots of pictures, lots of point listings.
Just wanted to let you know what's being considered. I may get a little busy. If I get too side tracked from here, I'll dig up some old stories from the archives to share with you.