AJ-Al Anabi Wall Street Journal article
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LOL. Chef Donna? How many mini powdered donuts have you eaten for breakfast?
DrRocket
Nitro Member
Here here!!! There are no downsides to this deal as far as I'm concerned. It's win-win for everyone involved.
I was surprised as anyone as to how young the sheik actually is. He does appear to be a hard core drag racing nut, just like the rest of us here.
luxexpress
Nitro Member
Good post. With the present economy, I think we are lucky to have Al Anabi's involvement. Don't forget, they have also been involved in the IHRA, ADRL and the Shakedown at ETown with Pro Mod style cars. I hope they stay around for a long time.
Paul
Nitro Member
Well, its a different world now and maybe I'm getting old and trying to hang on too hard to the way things used to be.
I still have the most respect for owner/driver teams that run purely on the money they earn by bringing legitmate value to their sponsors. I guess you could argue that this is being done in this case but to me that's a stretch, it mostly just seems to be an expensive hobby for a rich 22 year old.
So I'll still pull for the old school teams to knock off the "I hit the lottery and we're going to eat sushi" team. Anyway, I don't like sushi, I'll take a fish stick over that any time.
Long story coming, my best drag racing memory is the first time I got to see a TF team do in between rounds service up close. It was at the long gone Baylands track in Fremont at the Golden Gate Nationals national event they held there back in the early 80's.
Connie Kalitta's team had popped an engine pretty bad and was in a hurry to swap in a new one. It was crowded around the pit and me and my bud were right on the front row. This was back before the "super" trailers and as they worked to get the new engine ready to go in I looked around and realized they didn't have any hoist setup on the trailer and I was wondering how they were going to get the new engine in, which was complete, not just a block.
It was hot, the crew was working hard and fast under Connie's direction to be able to make the call to stage so it was pretty cool to watch. Then when they got to the point where the engine needed to go in, Connie faced the crowd and said "OK, I need some beefy guys to help us get this engine lifted in". I wasn't exactly beefy back then but was in pretty good shape so I jumped in the fray and helped lift the new bullet in place.
Second best memory, me and the same bud decide at the last minute to drive down overnight to Pomona to see the Winternationals, again early eighties. We got there on Sunday a little late but as we're walking in I thought I heard the announcer say something about Don Garlits. Don Garlits, what the heck, he hadn't run in the NHRA for several years- well we had really lucked out, this was the race where Garlits decided to show up back at the NHRA, and before the age of the internet, most people didn't know he was coming.
The NHRA had of course had pitted him way out in the middle of nowhere, but we made a beeline for that pit and again worked our way into the front row. Everyone else there had gone to 18 wheelers but Don still had a fifth wheel set up, and the sides of the trailer were plastered with AHRA record listings, no wonder they pitted him way out in the parking lot.
The trailer was also pretty short, I think it only had a 6' ceiling, but then me and my bud cracked up when we realized everyone on the crew was around 5 foot seven or so, so the short trailer worked. While they were working the crew was consuming a box of glazed donuts. Somebody had taken a bite out of one and put it back and it had big black greasy fingerprints on it (take that, sushi eaters).
As we wedged our way right to the front row, we saw the master himself was adjusting the valves on the engine. I had never seen Garlits up close, and while I knew he did most of the work on the cars himself, I was just excited to be there and said out loud to my bud in admiration "look, Big Daddy is adjusting the valves".
There were a couple of older farmers right next to us on the front row also watching, both in coveralls and farmer type caps. The one right next to me turned to me, pumped up his shoulders and said pretty harshly "of course Big Daddy is adjusting the valves, you expected something different!?" as I guess he felt I was somehow questioning the master. I avoided the ass kicking (ok, this guy was beefy) by explaining that I had no doubt in large father, I was just excited to watch him work, and he was ok with that and peace prevailed.
I know, its an era that's gone now, and its not going to be like that anymore and I should just let it go. But now I've got to jump from those memories to the thought of guys sponsored by a rich kid who dumped so much money on them that they're eating flown in sushi?
Yikes.
Paul T.
I still have the most respect for owner/driver teams that run purely on the money they earn by bringing legitmate value to their sponsors. I guess you could argue that this is being done in this case but to me that's a stretch, it mostly just seems to be an expensive hobby for a rich 22 year old.
So I'll still pull for the old school teams to knock off the "I hit the lottery and we're going to eat sushi" team. Anyway, I don't like sushi, I'll take a fish stick over that any time.
Long story coming, my best drag racing memory is the first time I got to see a TF team do in between rounds service up close. It was at the long gone Baylands track in Fremont at the Golden Gate Nationals national event they held there back in the early 80's.
Connie Kalitta's team had popped an engine pretty bad and was in a hurry to swap in a new one. It was crowded around the pit and me and my bud were right on the front row. This was back before the "super" trailers and as they worked to get the new engine ready to go in I looked around and realized they didn't have any hoist setup on the trailer and I was wondering how they were going to get the new engine in, which was complete, not just a block.
It was hot, the crew was working hard and fast under Connie's direction to be able to make the call to stage so it was pretty cool to watch. Then when they got to the point where the engine needed to go in, Connie faced the crowd and said "OK, I need some beefy guys to help us get this engine lifted in". I wasn't exactly beefy back then but was in pretty good shape so I jumped in the fray and helped lift the new bullet in place.
Second best memory, me and the same bud decide at the last minute to drive down overnight to Pomona to see the Winternationals, again early eighties. We got there on Sunday a little late but as we're walking in I thought I heard the announcer say something about Don Garlits. Don Garlits, what the heck, he hadn't run in the NHRA for several years- well we had really lucked out, this was the race where Garlits decided to show up back at the NHRA, and before the age of the internet, most people didn't know he was coming.
The NHRA had of course had pitted him way out in the middle of nowhere, but we made a beeline for that pit and again worked our way into the front row. Everyone else there had gone to 18 wheelers but Don still had a fifth wheel set up, and the sides of the trailer were plastered with AHRA record listings, no wonder they pitted him way out in the parking lot.
The trailer was also pretty short, I think it only had a 6' ceiling, but then me and my bud cracked up when we realized everyone on the crew was around 5 foot seven or so, so the short trailer worked. While they were working the crew was consuming a box of glazed donuts. Somebody had taken a bite out of one and put it back and it had big black greasy fingerprints on it (take that, sushi eaters).
As we wedged our way right to the front row, we saw the master himself was adjusting the valves on the engine. I had never seen Garlits up close, and while I knew he did most of the work on the cars himself, I was just excited to be there and said out loud to my bud in admiration "look, Big Daddy is adjusting the valves".
There were a couple of older farmers right next to us on the front row also watching, both in coveralls and farmer type caps. The one right next to me turned to me, pumped up his shoulders and said pretty harshly "of course Big Daddy is adjusting the valves, you expected something different!?" as I guess he felt I was somehow questioning the master. I avoided the ass kicking (ok, this guy was beefy) by explaining that I had no doubt in large father, I was just excited to watch him work, and he was ok with that and peace prevailed.
I know, its an era that's gone now, and its not going to be like that anymore and I should just let it go. But now I've got to jump from those memories to the thought of guys sponsored by a rich kid who dumped so much money on them that they're eating flown in sushi?
Yikes.
Paul T.
none
Nitro Member
The only thing certain is change........
I too have memories but they involved baloney sandwiches and lots of them. Not necessarily bad, unless left on the dash during the summer
........but i digress.
I like the fact that the Sheik is deeply involved in drag racing on many levels. I hope it turns out like the horse racing involvement of his fellow countrymen and others of the region. Many well financed players trying to out perform the other. This has been going on for many years now. Worst case scenario, a lot of money going to some of the best in drag racing.
Yea.......I can live with it
I too have memories but they involved baloney sandwiches and lots of them. Not necessarily bad, unless left on the dash during the summer
........but i digress.I like the fact that the Sheik is deeply involved in drag racing on many levels. I hope it turns out like the horse racing involvement of his fellow countrymen and others of the region. Many well financed players trying to out perform the other. This has been going on for many years now. Worst case scenario, a lot of money going to some of the best in drag racing.
Yea.......I can live with it
MM
Nitro Member
you mean kinda the way Bill Miller funds his car from the profits made from his own business?
I agree.
Maybe some tracks will even start serving sushi now
Can you imagine that on the Midway?!
yoda
Nitro Member
I agree.
Maybe some tracks will even start serving sushi now
I don't know... You think we whine now about 25 dollar T Shirts and 8 dollar beers....
What the millionaires do for lunch is none of my concern. But if eating brain food is working for Alan, will somebody PLEASE ship a pound or two of that stuff over to Arley's pit?
I don't know... You think we whine now about 25 dollar T Shirts and 8 dollar beers....
What the millionaires do for lunch is none of my concern. But if eating brain food is working for Alan, will somebody PLEASE ship a pound or two of that stuff over to Arley's pit?
Lol! Poor Arley!
I could use some of that brain food right now! The brain is a little sleepy today!
Bullet
Nitro Member
Is that any different than an expensive hobby for a rich 71 year old?
Treat your employees like crap and you are an a$$, treat them like royalty and apparently you are still an a$$....
The old days were great (from what i have read), I really wish I was born 30 years earlier so that I could have seen it all. Connie and Gar are two of my top 5 of all time.
The problem in the world today is that people are always damned if they do and damned if they don't. We are constantly saying that people in the Middle East need to accept US culture and customs, what is more American that dumping a bunch of cash into a gear head hobby?
Nitrohaulic
Nitro Member
Are you sure you'd want to see the results of THAT poll here? I bet a lot of us could make that chef QUIT!
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I don't know... You think we whine now about 25 dollar T Shirts and 8 dollar beers....
I think there are some people on here who will wine like a grape for anything if given a squeeze.
nitrojunky
Nitro Member
I can tell you with complete certainty, AJ has not sold his soul. He is one of the best business men out there and he is doing what he has always done. Alan does WHAT he wants, WHEN he wants and definately the WAY he wants. Whether it is with his money or someone elses. And if the rest of us had his brains and talent, we would be right there with him.
As far as getting their a$$es kicked, that will be a wait and see. Considering that they have already brought home a Wally in fuel, it's not likely
As for the article as a whole, well done!!
willy
Nitro Member
I agree Suzanne.I can tell you with complete certainty, AJ has not sold his soul. He is one of the best business men out there and he is doing what he has always done. Alan does WHAT he wants, WHEN he wants and definately the WAY he wants. Whether it is with his money or someone elses. And if the rest of us had his brains and talent, we would be right there with him.
As far as getting their a$$es kicked, that will be a wait and see. Considering that they have already brought home a Wally in fuel, it's not likely
As for the article as a whole, well done!!
And as stated previously, if it had been..oh I don't know..Bill Gates or Warren Buffett footing the bill..would it even raise an eyebrow? Which is sad.
I wish them luck..and who gives a sh!t what they're eating?
Nice post
This has to be good for racing, can't believe it's a debate
And there is some barely disguised racism rolling around on this thread and on other forums related to this article.
Great to see drag racing attracting global interest, great to see a major league guy leading a team, don't care if he is eating sushi or hot dogs.
Power to the Al-Anabi guys in NHRA and Pro Mod
Bullet
Nitro Member
As long as it is not a subminial message to get us to all become Aggies fans!!
T.Smith
Nitro Member
Paul T., in case you didn't know, they do get to eat lobster and other good things in the Kalitta camp.
Last I remember Don Shoe is a big fan of sushi.
I think those guys at Al Anabi have earned the right to be treated well, fed well and most importantly paid well and there is nothing wrong with that.
Last I remember Don Shoe is a big fan of sushi.
I think those guys at Al Anabi have earned the right to be treated well, fed well and most importantly paid well and there is nothing wrong with that.
As long as it is not a subminial message to get us to all become Aggies fans!!
Good point
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