Densham is right on (1 Viewer)

[rocketman]

Gary Densham's guest editorial on Comp plus is right on the money in so many ways! Good job Gary!

 

[Nunz]

Wow, that is a great article. I know exactly what he means. The only problem is, how do we ever go back to how it was? To a certain extent, I believe the sportsmen classes,from the alky classes on down, are still similar to the old days, where people are racing for the passion of it. All those classes are waaaay more expensive than they used to be, but then everything is. However, for the most part, sportsman racers do it for the love of it. The pro classes, however, have really become all about big business, I guess it's just the evolution of things and we can't really go back.

 

[PJ]

Torco Racing Fuel's Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - GUEST EDITORIAL WITH GARY DENSHAM - "HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?"

 

[Suzie Q]

Excellent Article!

 

[Husky]

Wow, that is a great article. I know exactly what he means. The only problem is, how do we ever go back to how it was? To a certain extent, I believe the sportsmen classes,from the alky classes on down, are still similar to the old days, where people are racing for the passion of it. All those classes are waaaay more expensive than they used to be, but then everything is. However, for the most part, sportsman racers do it for the love of it. The pro classes, however, have really become all about big business, I guess it's just the evolution of things and we can't really go back.

Well, when "Stock" classes cost a fortune to compete in, something is out of kilter!
How does a L/SA run sub 12's??

 

[Toejam]

It is a great article, the problem is this will NEVER be like it was in the 70's! Unless the Goodguys is your cup of tea.

 

[Bullet]

It is really a Catch-22 situation when you look at it.

We all want Drag Racing to be considered professional and accepted by the mainstream media as something more than punk kids running around in hot cars for the fun of it. As a direct result of that you lose the innocence of what drag racing was way back in the day.

I agree with people saying things were awesome back then. I would give my left one to have a time-machine to go back to Orange County in the day to see Snake and Hough lining up for the final round, McEwen and Snake at Freemont, nothing would be more amazing that seeing that stuff in person.

But we are victims of our own desire and aspirations. Who would have ever thought that you could become a millionaire by drag racing for a living, how many people back in the day would have wanted to see that happen, probably all of them. You can do it today if you have the drive.

Same day race coverage, qualifying shows, pre-race shows.

Isn't this what we want? I know I like it.

/rant

 

[Bobby Bennett]

Blame it on the Internet.

 

[NitroMustang65]

Is it just me, or did he poke at JF quite a bit? "...two men who still have faith in me". Is he implying that John didn't?

 

[DLB]

Blame it on the Internet.

Or global warming.

DLB

 

[Joker]

I agree, it cant and wont ever go back to the way it was. Its just the way it is. Both sides have positives and negatives. For example, Densham said if Force only had one car he would have made the field at Indy which is true but if Force had never had more than one car Gary would still be looking for his first win more than likely.

Racing is a business and people need to realize it. Does it suck that I cant build a fuel car, throw an engine and a makeshift crew together and go be somewhat competitive now like you could back then? Sure it does. But when racing was like that, there wasnt big money involved, there were only a select few who could do it for a living, there was no coverage except for weeks later, etc. Its give and take.

 

[megadeth]

That was good reading but as Joe stated I'm affraid that those days are long gone!

If the Good Guys get their act together they can fill a void and grow bigger than they probably think they can.
I just hope they stop the Body modifications before they start to look like the cars they run now-a-days door wedges with stickers! LOL

 

[Marchboom]

No matter what the problem, it's President Bush' fault.

 

[TJ]

Densham is top-shelf IMO....When I licensed in A/FC his family was @ the same track as his son Steve was licensing too...I asked if he'd sign my license so he held many discussions w/ me about faith on this day before I ran as it was my last 2 passes and I had to get to the stripe w/ the butterflies open...
We were @ LACR in Palmdale, CA....SUPER slippery track and the dust blowing...Well make a long story short his #1 demand was that I could not hit anything, wall, timing system, etc...He said if I hit anything then I need to find a different hobby...I did'nt hit anything and he signed along w/ D. Pulde...
Gary is a way cool down to earth guy w/ thick scar tissue around his eyebrows where hair should be: He has had sooo many fires where flame got into his helmet...we discussed that situation too...That story is for another day...

 

[rocketman]

Reading that made me smile because that's how we race today. We're friends and we sacrafice to do what we do. I'm going to post that in our trailer.

 

[hellfirejim]

After reading the article I have mixed emotions. The one [and only] advantage of being an old guy is that I WAS there and did those things and grew up with this sport. Did we have fun? Oh you betcha and some things we still can't talk about because I am not sure about the statue of limitations...

Would I like it to be like it was? Well actually no in many respects. The first is safety. I look back at those "state of the art" race cars and cringe at the thought of sitting in one of them not even considering racing it. Yes we didn't know better but I saw a lot of people get hurt or worse. So from a safety look I am glad for today.

I think what I really miss the most is the innovation that allowed the developement of what we race today. With the limiting rules structure we have and the high cost of racing doing something different just cost too much.

As for Gary Densham, I respect the man greatly but I think there are a few cheap shots. I can hear in his words that he is still smarting from having to leave JFR and the resons why.

All in all I still look at Drag Racing as the best form of competition there is in the world. Is it perfect? NO. But it is still the best thing out there.

just one man's opinion.

jim

 

[Nunz]

I may be wrong, but I don't think Gary was taking any shots at Force. It sounded like he almost feels bad for him, he's got all these toys as a result of his success, but no time to use them. It's kind of funny, since Force is the ultimate example of someone who has a huge passion for the sport, but he has built one of the biggest empires in racing. Yet you know for him, the money is just a byproduct, he still does this because he loves it. I think we all agree, it's like any aspect of life, nothing stays the same, and things we are experiencing now will someday be "the good old days". Fortunately, drag racing still offers many opportunities to race the "old way", with your buddies, and just for the love of it. Maybe not in the fuel classes or even PS anymore, but in pretty much all the rest of the classes. And I think that is a good thing, the pro classes should be avenues for people who want to actually make this a business, I would just like to see things structured so that it made more business sense, but that's a whole different topic...

 

[Smiley]

Wow, that is a great article. I know exactly what he means. The only problem is, how do we ever go back to how it was? To a certain extent, I believe the sportsmen classes,from the alky classes on down, are still similar to the old days, where people are racing for the passion of it. All those classes are waaaay more expensive than they used to be, but then everything is. However, for the most part, sportsman racers do it for the love of it. The pro classes, however, have really become all about big business, I guess it's just the evolution of things and we can't really go back.

While I want to agree with the idea that the Sportsman racers are there for the fun, how much does fun really cost?

At E-Town there were Toters, Renegades, Stackers, and Diesel pushers as far as the eye could see.. It's hard for me to consider someone just doing it "for the fun of it" with over $250,000 to $500,000 worth of tow vehicle and who knows how much invested in the cars.

Here are the sportsman pits - the Alky/Comp pits are on the other side of the track.

I think drag racing has become big business pretty much unilaterally, across all classes. There are Super Class races that have a bigger budget than a fuel team needed 20 years ago.

 

[Nunz]

Brian, I understand your point. However, all these people are still racing for fun. Somehow they can afford all the toys, such as the toters & big trailers, etc., but they are out there for the competition and comraderie. If they weren't racing they would probably spend their money on off-shore boats or whatever. I agree it's crazy to see what is spent in the sportsman ranks, but again that's just a natural progression of things in a sport that is over 50 years old.

 

[Rajunz]

Great post Jim Burke.

I highly recommend this book for anyone longing for those days gone by..............

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