HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
Maybe he doesn't want to see all the money he has going up in tire smoke?
Alan Johnson Racing (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dragracer
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FABMAN
Nitro Member
Alan Johnson is wealthy and owns a plane because he has raced on someone else's dime, that's smart business .
TooTall999
Nitro Member
A wise man once said" The fastest way to become a millionaire in racing is to start out as a billionaire" 
I wonder how much AJPE has to do with his affluence. And does he own the plane, or rent it?
Domestic Caviar !! what are u some kinda cave man !
AJ is probably at a point in his career, where he has nothing else to prove. he's won championships with a half dozen different drivers and does not need to race again. But if a fully funded deal came along than why not keep going.
Professional Fan
Nitro Member
Shawn is a great driver but to think he could show alan Johnson how to run a Top Fuel team on a lower budget is ludicrous. I would love to be in the room when Shawn would teach Alan how to do that and hear Alan's response.
A number of wealthy people such as Connie Kalitta, Johnny Gray, Terry Chandler, Torrence and some of the Pro Stock guys fund most or all of their team with their own funds. That is their decision as to how they spend their money. However, to think Alan should have some obligation to fund the team with his own money is a bit unfair I think.
Doug in the woods
Nitro Member
Domestic Caviar is for real. There is a guy in Southern Idaho that used his retirement etc. and started a Sturgeon farm to get domestic caviar and caviar from Russia is considered illegal since Russian Sturgeon are an endangered species.
Last I heard was he should be able to start harvesting by 2016 or sooner??
As for AJ racing, I think he will continue with his present program. Big deal he has an airplane. Remember back with his brother Blaine they had a simple trailer etc. and kicking the big names butts on the strip. Alan didn't go stupid. IMO he is conserving parts thus not running to expectations.
I am surprised Monster energy drink didn't pick him up instead of Force.
Last I heard was he should be able to start harvesting by 2016 or sooner??
As for AJ racing, I think he will continue with his present program. Big deal he has an airplane. Remember back with his brother Blaine they had a simple trailer etc. and kicking the big names butts on the strip. Alan didn't go stupid. IMO he is conserving parts thus not running to expectations.
I am surprised Monster energy drink didn't pick him up instead of Force.
Jimbo
Nitro Member
John Farr:
The same thoughts went through my mind that if you have your own jet but cannot afford to race maybe it's time to think about your priorities.
Jimbo
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com
The same thoughts went through my mind that if you have your own jet but cannot afford to race maybe it's time to think about your priorities.
Jimbo
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com
Whether or not he owns a plane ... I am sure AJ is in a good spot financially to support himself and family after racing. My guess is, if you don't believe he is parking his operation without further sponsorship, just check the TF pits at Epping and beyond.
He is too smart a business man to pi$$ away everything just to keep racing and keep people working. Some people can walk away easily, others cannot. I am betting AJ can walk away and easily work in his shop without all the travel and BS..
Why should anybody have to liquidate personal holdings to support themselves. AJ has no responsibility to spend his personal $$ to fund a racing operation. Why do people go into business? To make money! Some choose to invest their life savings just to be racing and not competitive. Could others like Prudhomme and KB continued on using personal resources, they didn't. You saw Force ready to park a car if more $$ weren't found. Its smart business.
Is AJ not entitled to enjoy what he has worked so hard for? Why throw good $$ after bad $$? So maybe he can invest a couple million of his own to do what, win $500,000 for a championship? Really?
Many will be disappointed he is parking, but the practical one's should ...
- Applaud him for being smart enough to do it this way and not tarnish his career / legacy
- Congratulate him on a tremendous record and amazing success
- Wish him well in future endeavors
- Hope he finds funding to come back again as strong as before
StockersRock
Nitro Member
With Alan's other business interests, perhaps the jet isn't only for getting back and forth to the races.
StockersRock
Nitro Member
Yes, he wants to race - Top Fuel, to the best of his ability and to showcase the greatest potential of the products of AJPE. Regardless of personal opinion of what the Pro teams use for towing equipment or personnel, its absurd to think that he's going to go with less. That would be akin to asking LODRS teams to go back to smaller C.I.'s, no throttle stops, no weather stations, or even flat towing.
Jimbo
Nitro Member
The question: "Why should anybody have to liquidate personal holdings to support themselves".
I had to read this comment a few times to make sure I was reading it correctly!!!
Do you think he should keep all his equipment if no sponsors step up to the plate? or is he then allowed to sell some of the stuff?
Jimbo
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com
I had to read this comment a few times to make sure I was reading it correctly!!!
Do you think he should keep all his equipment if no sponsors step up to the plate? or is he then allowed to sell some of the stuff?
Jimbo
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com
No Jim, if he is parking his operation he has every right to liquidate his racing assets. What he DOES NOT have to do is re-invest those proceeds into racing. He can do with the $$ as he sees fit. If that is time away from racing (either temporarily or permanently) and live off the proceeds, so be it. I was strictly referring to people stating he should sell the jet and downgrade his equipment to fund the racing operation.
Draw 3D
Nitro Member
It's his stuff to do what he wants to do with and he doesn't need permission from you or me to do so.
Rajunz
Nitro Member
I wouldn't spend my own money either. I know that he was trying to keep his team intact, but if Alan Johnson wants to race, I'm sure that there are many offers on the table to keep him out there tuning a racecar.
HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
If he does have to liquidate and possibly move back into a tuning role for another team I'd bet my lunch money that JFR is going to be one of the first teams to call him.
I doubt that ... AJ would not come cheap and I don't necessarily see him "working" for someone else again. I am sure he does not need to work, so why would a guy that has owned his own operation go back to taking direction from someone else.
I think that is a huge stretch Sam. Do you think JFR is going to pay $$$ that they don't necessarily have compared to the past?
HEMI6point1
Nitro Member
Didn't John Force say in one of the last races that he is 90% back to being fully funded again?
John is getting much smaller deals on a per race basis than what he had with Castrol and Ford. Money is still tight over there since his car is still not funded for roughly half of the races. He is 85%-90% funded at the new lower levels. Paying AJ a ton of money to join the team will likely not sit well with those who were asked to take pay cuts to remain. Only a few will be able to afford AJ's services.
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