My first awareness of the X-DRL is interesting. Friday evening of the IMIS show in Indy. One week ago, Linda Lou and I who were staying at the Comfort Inn instead of at our tradtional Omni Hotel, walked from the Convention Center to the Omni. We went in the door by the banquet room and in that lobby was sign about the X-DRL get together. It had not started yet. We wandered downtown to find a place to eat. Ended up at Kilroys. Good food. Fun place.
On our way back, in a persistant drizzle of rain, we stopped again at the Omni banquet room. A couple nice women asked us in. First person I saw and talked to was Bobby Bennet. He explained what was going on. (I had no idea?
) Some racer captured Linda. Lot of people seemed to know who we were, but I could not say I knew anyone but Bobby. Bobby says, "This is who I am going to Support!"
I said, "here we go again. Why can't everyone get along? " The man who talked to Linda, who was very nice, (wish I knew his name) gave us a X-DRL shirt and hat.
But to answer the question , Will I appear at X-DRL events?
Number 1. Earlier that same day , At an inpompt meeting I commited to an appearance , requested by Kenny N. for Cordova's ADRL event in May.
Please realize,Cordova, Rt 66 and Great Lakes are home area tracks , and are dear to me. The Gardners at Cordova are my friends of a very long time. Chris McMahan who is second in command at Cordova and also acts as my booking agent is like a second son to me. He went racing with me when he was only 15.
Number 2. Even if the X-DRL was not a conflict of interest for me. They have not offered any booking dates.
I still get paid booking fees for appearances. Even from 66 were I work. If I run Zeke, or display my race cars,I get paid.
That is part of Animal Jim Racing and has been since the 70s.
It is a business.
If I was wealthy, I would appear for free, but like I have told many times, "My racing career left me semi famous, in one piece (almost) but not wealthy. But 2 out of 3 is not bad.
Also: If I was wealthy. I would fielding a brand new contemporary Pro Mod car instead of nursing 34 year old Zeke as a nostalgia attraction!