Haddock booted for the season?

[Taunsie]

Haddock, has spent a small fortune chasing a dream. Ok, is screwed up. The only inident I recall that caused any damage with spark plug missles occured in Ponona when Doug Herbert" saftey shrouds grounded several plug wires and the entire top of the engine exploded. then can the shields.

I think NHRA should spend a few Bentley payments and hire a few of the unemployed crew chiefs our there to assist some of the under funded teams to develope some combinations that would make thier operations run a bit better and safer. A saftey protocol needs to be employed by all fuel teams. Mistakes and neglect can have huge negative results. Like in many sports the team that make the least mistakes wins. Austin Coil brought that discipline to a pretty crusty John Force when they stopped running the Chitown Hustler, which was underfunded but extremly well managed and sucessfull.

The "little guys" have to learn under the heat of battle , which would be like throwing a few college football players into a NFL game, the results would be the same.

 

[Randy]

The only inident I recall that caused any damage with spark plug missles occured in Ponona when Doug Herbert" saftey shrouds grounded several plug wires and the entire top of the engine exploded. then can the shields.

I'm trying to remember when and where, but there was a case where someone ka-boomed a motor which launched a pushrod into the stands. A guy with his arm around his girlfriend was the luck recipient. The pushrod went through his arm and into his girlfriends shoulder, pinning them together.

We blew a spark plug out at Phoenix on the last qualifying run in 1999. In our alky car it still went through the body. Before the forged heads it happened a lot, because the cast heads were made of so much weaker material.

RG

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[Treeshaker]

First off, I love how some people on here are claiming to be Terry's C.P.A. I bet Terry didn't know he had so many people out there who knew his finances inside and out.

No.

He isn't owned by the NHRA, how in the world could they tell him what to do and when to do it outside of their races?

Besides, he already "spent" all his practice sessions, docked points, and he isn't in the countdown so what is there to lose really?

Tyler - from Terry's interviews after Dallas he stated he needed at least $25,000.00 to get to the next races. What were his earnings at these events? And how much did he spend at the events? Are these numbers consistent with my generalities for racers?

And I am not smart enough to educate you on the difference of being allowed to have a NHRA nitro license and having a suspended or revoked license. And NHRA does have the ability to say who will and will not run on their sanctioned tracks at any time. They did not take away his ability to make money with his cars, just not at the last two NHRA national events.

And if you cannot compete at the last two events, what does testing dates and points have to do with anything?

I was only trying to give a different perspective of what was going on, not a look into Terry's personal business.

As far as the infraction, you are not only looking at an errant spark plug. The handle/latch that was missing is held on by an allen bolt against spring pressure. The bolts need to be serviced regularly (removed, cleaned and locktighted)(an inexperienced helper that puts an allen wrench in the bolt and tightens them, is actually breaking the locktight and they will come out soon after) or they come off as his did, and usually on the track. They are anodized black and are hard to see by the track checkers. That leaves them with the possibility of being in the groove and ran over by other competitors. Do you think front or rear tires work well when they hit these? How about when they are picked up by tires and thrown to who knows where?

All this is just my opinions, nothing to get upset about. Sometimes people gain knowledge from my posts, sometimes I am just full of hot air. I have known and liked Terry for a long time and only wish him the best.

 

[mw6789]

As Mr Hartman and Mr Goodwin have explained (and both are WELL QUALIFIED to do so), a supercharged high speed race car is not something to be played with by a novice. It takes a crew of trained people to run one of these things. It is one thing to hurt yourself, but you are talking about a machine quite capable of injuring not only the driver, but LOTS of innocent spectators. At Indy several years back, I struck up a conversation with a NHRA tech guy around the finish line. A guy from Oklahoma was about to make a run in funny car. The tech guy tells me to watch close--this could be spectacular. He tells me that several drivers have tried to talk to this guy and straighten him out on a few things, but that he wont listen. About that time we hear a loud BOOM, and he sails by the finish line in flames. The tech guys says, "See what I mean!" Best I remember, the driver was pretty badly burned. IMHO, NHRA probably did Haddock a favor in the long run. Just my 2 cents worth, and probably overpriced at that.

 

[Toejam]

And why is Bill Miller not hurting for cash? Because he has the discipline to know his financial limits when it comes to racing his car and won't go broke doing it. He would rather bite the bullet and race his car and a few selected events than do anything else with his spare time. Family/God first, business second...racing should be number 15 or 20 on the priority list. Especially when you can't afford it.

Even Don Schumacher won't do it on his own dime to the point of going broke. In the past I've gone beyond my financial limits to race. It's no fun to be prestaged knowing you mentally have your wallet planted firmly between your right foot and the gas pedal every run. I'd rather quit than go through that again.

.

Randy I think you speak for about 65-70% of the racers out there! I bet if most of the Joe six-pack (pun) fans like me saw how much debt most of these guys are in, we would stunned!

 

[clwill]

There's a great comment by Steve Chrisman in the latest Drag Racer magazine:

I keep reading these Internet reports about how sad it is that so-and-so is out of a ride, and how much what's his name deserves to be out there. Nobody deserves a ride if they don't have the dedication to actually own a car. I scrape together as much cash as I can to race when my budget will allow, and I get less recognition than all these guys who are without a ride. I don't get it sometimes.

 

[Nunz]

Great post Christopher, I feel for guys like Chrisman, and it's great to see him make as many races as he can. Without beating a dead horse, what Haddock is trying to do in this day and age is extremely difficult with an alcohol car, let alone a nitro car. As has been mentioned, Terry has proven himself to be an extremely hard worker who can go a long way with a little. If he has companies interested in doing a deal for next year, than the best thing anyone could do for him, IMO, is instead of offering parts, help the guy with a presentation and/or closing a deal.

 

[none]

He isn't owned by the NHRA, how in the world could they tell him what to do and when to do it outside of their races? .

NHRA thinks they own him !! They punished him in a points deduction for running a couple of IHRA races !!
Somehow that should be against "free trade" laws......IMHO...:-(

 

[tcrawf]

Terry is out of parts and the ability to get them and is taking donations from racers. And that's from Terry's mouth, not anyone else's on this board. That's the answer to your CPA question. I could give you more information but it's none of anyone's business.

Right . . . but I would imagine anyone that is trying to run as many races as he did would at some point need to ask others for parts.

The point I am making is that his situation snowballed from need parts to maxed out credit cards to 3rd/4th mortgages etc . . . all of which is pure speculation.

What he did likely should have cost him his top fuel license.

why?

Regarding the volunteer crew, flip your DVR on and rewatch the race. It was mentioned in the broadcast.

don't have cable . . . let alone DVR. I waste enough time as it is without TV.

I am telling you from personal experience that one of the guys who drives his rigs told me he is full-time for Terry and knows where everything is at in the rig. I was going to use Terry's TIG welder in Charlotte but they didn't have any tips.

Secondly, I don't know his name but there's also another guy who I have seen at every race I have been at who is on terry's team. White guy, 5'8" or so, mustache. Is there on wednesdays through the rest of the weekend . . .

Since your hanging out at the races and keep track of him why didn't you get a pair of cheap coveralls and go help him out?

Sometimes I wish I could "hang out" (Although at Bristol I could wash parts AND watch cars go down the track) and I actually have helped Terry's guys setup their awning but tuesday night through sunday afternoon I am usually within two trailers of him with Andy Kelley's team.

Another all-volunteer team

Tyler - from Terry's interviews after Dallas he stated he needed at least $25,000.00 to get to the next races.

again, I don't have cable . . . is that $25,000 out of his own pocket or he needs $25k worth of whatever he can get (sponsorships included) to make it to the next race?

And NHRA does have the ability to say who will and will not run on their sanctioned tracks at any time.

right. I understand that but I didn't get why the NHRA allowing him to still run (outside of the last two events) meant anything.

And if you cannot compete at the last two events, what does testing dates and points have to do with anything?

It was my futile attempt to understand your comment.

My logic is this:

The NHRA allowing him to match race means nothing. Terry was just there to try pick up sponsors and make money which I would imagine justify going to the nationals for the exposure. Money, probably not a consideration until he "breaks" into the top 12 or so consistently.

If the guy isn't in the countdown, what does it matter if he fails to get the 10 points for making a qualifying run? In other words, the punishment in reality was way too severe IMO and on paper the punishment didn't matter.

 

[Randy]

Right . . . but I would imagine anyone that is trying to run as many races as he did would at some point need to ask others for parts.

The point I am making is that his situation snowballed from need parts to maxed out credit cards to 3rd/4th mortgages etc . . . all of which is pure speculation.



why?



don't have cable . . . let alone DVR. I waste enough time as it is without TV.

I am telling you from personal experience that one of the guys who drives his rigs told me he is full-time for Terry and knows where everything is at in the rig. I was going to use Terry's TIG welder in Charlotte but they didn't have any tips.

Secondly, I don't know his name but there's also another guy who I have seen at every race I have been at who is on terry's team. White guy, 5'8" or so, mustache. Is there on wednesdays through the rest of the weekend . . .



Sometimes I wish I could "hang out" (Although at Bristol I could wash parts AND watch cars go down the track) and I actually have helped Terry's guys setup their awning but tuesday night through sunday afternoon I am usually within two trailers of him with Andy Kelley's team.

Another all-volunteer team



again, I don't have cable . . . is that $25,000 out of his own pocket or he needs $25k worth of whatever he can get (sponsorships included) to make it to the next race?



right. I understand that but I didn't get why the NHRA allowing him to still run (outside of the last two events) meant anything.



It was my futile attempt to understand your comment.

My logic is this:

The NHRA allowing him to match race means nothing. Terry was just there to try pick up sponsors and make money which I would imagine justify going to the nationals for the exposure. Money, probably not a consideration until he "breaks" into the top 12 or so consistently.

If the guy isn't in the countdown, what does it matter if he fails to get the 10 points for making a qualifying run? In other words, the punishment in reality was way too severe IMO and on paper the punishment didn't matter.

You don't have cable, never saw the show, never heard his comments which were very telling, don't know anything about NHRA or their disciplinary proceedures and, on top of all that, you have plenty to say.

I have to get back to work. Maybe Virgil Hartman can continue to engage you.

.

 

[tcrawf]

You don't have cable, never saw the show, never heard his comments which were very telling, don't know anything about NHRA or their disciplinary proceedures and, on top of all that, you have plenty to say.

 

[Randy]

You forgot the rest of my quote.

"I have to get back to work. Maybe Virgil Hartman can continue to engage you."

.

 

[Just Paul]

I'm trying to remember when and where, but there was a case where someone ka-boomed a motor which launched a pushrod into the stands. A guy with his arm around his girlfriend was the luck recipient. The pushrod went through his arm and into his girlfriends shoulder, pinning them together.
.

I want to say Paul Romine in Virginia, during the tracks first NHRA stand.

 

[Nitrohelper]

Speed costs money .... how fast can your wallet go?
I believe Terry's has the rods out !
For NHRA it was the same thing as taking the keys away from a drunk.

 

[FuelFC]

Speed costs money .... how fast can your wallet go?
I believe Terry's has the rods out !
For NHRA it was the same thing as taking the keys away from a drunk.

LOL Jerry you did not just say that last line did you? That hit like a house or something...

 

[MM]

Speed costs money .... how fast can your wallet go?
I believe Terry's has the rods out !
For NHRA it was the same thing as taking the keys away from a drunk.

well in that case how come you don't have Doc's car in the 5.80s....one look at his bus and you know he's got too much money!!

 

[Nitrohelper]

LOL Jerry you did not just say that last line did you ...

Actually it came from Steve Evans when we were at dinner one night.
That was at the time when NHRA went from the fuel guys sitting in line all day to make several runs,
to allowing them only two sessions per day.

I know nothing, nothing I tell you , about people hitting houses.

 

[Nitrohelper]

.... how come you don't have Doc's car in the 5.80s..

I didn't want to embarrass the Nitro children too much this past year.
Also Doc likes the fact that we ran the same eight pistons at six events, more money for bus payments.
Stay tuned in 2010, we took the block of wood out from under the pedal last week.
The "bus driver" is now ready to go faster.

 

[MM]

Doc likes the fact that we ran the same eight pistons at six events, more money for bus payments.

man i wish we could get that kinda life out of blocks on troys car

Stay tuned in 2010, we took the block of wood out from under the pedal last week. The "bus driver" is now ready to go faster.

just make sure he turns his blinker off!

 

[Toejam]

well in that case how come you don't have Doc's car in the 5.80s....one look at his bus and you know he's got too much money!!

I think the both of you know full well N/FC's are about 1/5 the cost of the Big Brothers! Maybe less in Bucky's case, but I always said for those in the hunt for budget Fuel racing there's no better place!