Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Check in with your pals daily. What's on your mind?
User avatar
Diana The Doc
Posts:573
Joined:Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:51 pm
Location:NEW YORK
Contact:
Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby Diana The Doc » Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:19 pm

Bret made some bold and valid points with his post from page 5-- He said the kind of stuff, that if I dared say it, the bipolar internet blowhards would have me kidnapped and burned alive at the stake... Some of what Bret said definitely holds true in my opinion, especially when it comes to the occasional over-romancing and over-exaggerating tales of drag racing's past, as it's told by some folks... And it's kind of unsettling the way some blowhards on the drag racing internet only "worship" and "romanticize" the racers of the past (1960's-1970's) who were either hardcore druggies, drug dealers, drunks, womanizers/rapists, mobsters/murderers, thieves, child molesters, etc, etc- That kind of creeps me out-- And the same people who romantically wax nostalgia about drag racing's most notorious low-lifes, practically NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER say ANYTHING about the "ACTUAL RACING" of the day?!?-- It's almost like if you didn't know any better, ya'd think there really WASN'T ANY actual "DRAG RACING" going on back then, just low-life debauchery-- That said, I don't believe that's the case, I know that there was lots of real good racing going on back in the old days, and there were lots of good, stand-up people in the sport, like "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Bruce Larson and Bunny Burkett among others-- And I firmly believe that "aesthetically" speaking, the style and design sense of drag racing in the 60's and 70's is somewhat superior to what we see today-- I do prefer the "old school" style, when cars had names, and more creative paint schemes... I'll have to take on Bret's '95 Mercury Grand Marquis with my new pristine, loaded, black 2000 Lincoln Continental (with its 32 valve V8), maybe it could crack the elusive 17 second barrier-- It's quite a ride-- It's the first car I've driven where nobody ever cuts me off, not sure why that is??... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)...

Bruce Larson is proof that not everybody involved with drag racing in the 60's and 70's was a low-life... Bruce is one of my heroes of the sport... I greatly admire the man...
Image

Back in the old days, it wasn't unusual for 100-200 Nitro Altereds to show up for open competition at any given drag strip on any given Sunday... Just kiddin' around...
Image
THE MOST READ FEMALE BLOGGER ON THE DRAG RACING INTERNET. THANKS TO YOU. I LOVE Y'ALL FOR THAT!

Maritime Drag Racing

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby Maritime Drag Racing » Thu Jun 02, 2011 7:50 am

That must have been an awful place you lived in during the 60's and 70's. Speaking as someone who was there at the time both as a racer and track operator I didn't see too many "hardcore druggies, drug dealers, drunks, womanizers/rapists, mobsters/murderers, thieves, child molesters, etc, etc" in this part of the world. My memory is mostly of blue collar construction workers, farmers, fishermen, forestry workers, mechanics and what I would consider normal people with their families enjoying a day of racing. The only ones of that bunch you described that we saw were the drunks and they were shown the way out of the track as soon as they were discovered. I don't know where you saw all these lowlifes back in the 60's and 70's but it certainly wasn't here in Atlantic Canada.

User avatar
Diana The Doc
Posts:573
Joined:Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:51 pm
Location:NEW YORK
Contact:

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby Diana The Doc » Thu Jun 02, 2011 9:10 am

The point I was attempting to make, was that I find it disturbing the way some blowhards on the drag racing internet ONLY "worship" and "romanticize" the racers of the 60's and 70's who were hardcore druggies, drug dealers, drunks, womanizers/rapists, wife beaters, mobsters/murderers, thieves, child molesters, etc, etc... And I said that I know that there were lots of good and stand-up people in the sport during that era like "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, Bruce "USA-1" Larson and "Bunny" Burkett among others, the kind of racers who weren't anything remotely like the low-lifes that seem to receive so much "worshiping" from the crusty crop of nostalgia blowhards who only put drag racing's seediest of personalities high up on a pedestal-- I just don't get why that is??-- That's what I meant... I'm aware that the majority of people who get involved with this drag racing stuff (both past and present) are individuals of decent moral and ethical values--- Most of the folks in this biz are decent and trustworthy stock... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)...

a couple guys from the nostalgia scene who definitely aren't blowhards...
Image
Bob Rosetty and Joe Jacono
THE MOST READ FEMALE BLOGGER ON THE DRAG RACING INTERNET. THANKS TO YOU. I LOVE Y'ALL FOR THAT!

User avatar
Barb
Posts:1588
Joined:Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:03 am
Location:Somewhere between lost 'n found

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby Barb » Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:53 pm

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Joe Jacono .. now that's a guy you have to watch out for, Diana. Why else would they put him in front of the ladies room at York every year?? :P All kidding aside .. there were a few back in the day that you thought twice about, but, most were hard working Americans doing what made their hearts happy.

In reply to Cat's post .. you are 100% correct. After we qualified well in the field at Indy in 1990, one of the officials came and told us we could not continue to make 1 qualifying pass and sit out til race day, even though we made it to the semi-finals losing to the event winner Ed "The Ace" McCullouch. The very next event, Maple Grove, we were given a MANDATORY run card. Our first pass got us well into the field and when they came to us for our MANDATORY run we were replacing the brakes on the crewcab and didn't make the run. What NHRA failed to remember is the events that we went to, made all the qualifying rounds and didn't get into the show. Being that we only had one major sponsor, Kendall Motor Oil, we were not financially able to make additional passes. Back then, NHRA paid first round losers $5,000, the same amount we were paid for a booked show of 2 runs. This was the only way we could afford to race and most of the spectators realized that we were somewhat out of our league against the major sponsored cars.

I'd also like to point out that we NEVER had a problem with IHRA for making 1 qualifying pass and sitting out til race day.
Families are like fudge .. mostly sweet with a few NUTZ!!!!

User avatar
Diana The Doc
Posts:573
Joined:Mon Mar 02, 2009 2:51 pm
Location:NEW YORK
Contact:

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby Diana The Doc » Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:02 am

Yes Barb, that's a guy you definitely have to watch out for, ha ha... I know that Joe Jacono can be quite the character once he gets goin'... His sense of humor does make me laugh-- He's funny, the way he interacts with everybody around him usually results in folks smiling (he certainly makes me smile)... I admire him for being a good sport and allowing Bob Rosetty to drag him back out to the drags to get some rubber stuck between his teeth again... Diana

My blog...
http://www.dragracingunderground.com/in ... &Itemid=27
THE MOST READ FEMALE BLOGGER ON THE DRAG RACING INTERNET. THANKS TO YOU. I LOVE Y'ALL FOR THAT!

User avatar
WCB
Posts:1000
Joined:Fri May 29, 2009 2:41 pm
Location:Fredericksburg va.
Contact:

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby WCB » Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:15 am

Drag Racing Today is great
60's,70's..not too shabby...( a few dirty birds then And now, as there are anywhere)
80's,90's, 2000's....Wicked Door Cars !!! (promod), made many fans from the 60's,70's "come back"....to the tracks...( Baby Boomers)
Yup, the blowhards who always say it was better then? Most of this set miss their youth, are wannabees or just like to hear themselves talk..
I wouldn't trade ANY of my years as a competitor and Like to encourage Racers,Fans, Sponsors to be a part of DRAG RACING.
Tune in on Wednedays 8 to 9 pm eastern...call me !! we'll talk about it..www.racersreunionradio.com
That's what we do...Hell, I don't race anymore..So, I jabber endlessly about RACING.....I Love it.
Some of the "old timers" ( many, i never remember), Who discourage people, p i s s me off.....( sorry BP for the colorful language 8) ), but
the negative p r i c k s of the world get to me.
www.wallybell.com

User avatar
animal jim
Posts:679
Joined:Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:07 pm
Location:Lacon, IL
Contact:

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby animal jim » Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:37 pm

I wish it was the 60s and I knew what I know now!!!! :wink: 8)
It has been quite a ride!

User avatar
animal jim
Posts:679
Joined:Mon Feb 27, 2006 4:07 pm
Location:Lacon, IL
Contact:

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby animal jim » Wed Jun 29, 2011 4:40 pm

Pro Classes have become just a huge money game. Give me a million bucks and I can recruit a kid off the street and make him a star!!! :wink: 8)

Here is a huge fact. Just imagine the driver and tuner I could have been if I would have had a budget for enough equipment and expenses to be able to get the seat time testing like the pros do today. :?: :roll:

When my RJ 90 Probe was done-the first run on it was a qualifying run at the IHRA Spring Nats in 1990. When my Haas 92 WunderBird was done-the first run on it was a qualifing run at a USSC race at Budd's Creek-And by the way we won! :shock: :D 8) :wink:

I could not afford to waste runs testing. I had to pay back the bank! And racing expenses. :wink: I made sure not to lose the "Farm" :roll:

I hate to tell you folks-BUT-Here I am 70 f-cking years old and I can still only see fit to run old Zeke if I am booked in for a decent fee! 8) I am not going to go broke at my age. :roll:

I am not whining-these are facts! But I have no regrets. I chose this life. And I am lucky. I ended up still pretty and in one piece and became semi famous. :wink: But alas-did not become rich! :roll:
But hey! Two out of three is not bad!

But I do ponder-now at the late Dec. of my life. What if I would have put all the energy I did into drag racing into making $$$$$$$$$$$. :roll: :roll: :?: :?:
Last edited by animal jim on Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It has been quite a ride!

User avatar
pro70z28
Posts:11682
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:17 pm

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby pro70z28 » Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:01 pm

Best way to make a million bux in racing is to start out with 2 mil. :D
15th Annual DRAGLIST Nationals Sometime in 2020. Somewhere in the USA.

User avatar
WCB
Posts:1000
Joined:Fri May 29, 2009 2:41 pm
Location:Fredericksburg va.
Contact:

Re: Your Opinion Of Drag Racing Today?

Postby WCB » Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:26 pm

Pro Classes have become just a huge money game. Give me a million bucks and I can recruit a kid off the street and make him a star!!! :wink: 8)

Here is a huge fact. Just imagine the driver and tuner I could have been if I would have had a budget for enough equipment and expenses to be able to get the seat time testing like the pros do today. :?: :roll:

When my RJ 90 Probe was done-the first run on it was a qualifying run at the IHRA Spring Nats in 1990. When my Haas 92 WunderBird was done-the first run on it was a qualifing run at a USSC race at Budd's Creek-And by the way we won! :shock: :D 8) :wink:

I could not afford to waste runs testing. I had to pay back the bank! And racing expenses. :wink: I made sure not to lose the "Farm" :roll:

I hate to tell you folks-BUT-Here I am 70 f-cking years old and I can still only see fit to run old Zeke if I am booked in for a decent fee! 8) I am not going to go broke at my age. :roll:

I am not whining-these are facts! But I have no regrets. I chose this life. And I am lucky. I ended up still pretty and in one piece and became semi famous. :wink: But alas-did not become rich! :roll:
But hey! Two out of three is not bad!

But I do ponder-now at the late Dec. of my life. What if I would have put all the energy I did into drag racing into making $$$$$$$$$$$. :roll: :roll: :?: :?:
One thing for Sure Jim.."We were There" !
You & I wouldn't do a thing different !
Drag Racin',Touring, on & on ..Oh Yesssss
www.wallybell.com


Return to “What's Up”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 56 guests