Haddock booted for the season?

[none]

The crew person should have caught that at the latest on re-assembly and borrowed another vavle cover assembly. End of story. NHRA, NRA, PTA all in the right here. It was wrong and against the rules. Not a dig, but just the way it works.

.

If you read the article, you will see it was Terry's decision to run with the tie-strap..........the crewman brought it to his attention in the staging lanes and left the decision to him.

Another problem nobody has mentioned is four races back to back. That is tough on everyone...........

 

[clwill]

Another problem nobody has mentioned is four races back to back. That is tough on everyone...........

True enough. If you have a trailer full of new parts, or a bank account that makes them just a FedEx truck away, it's one thing. Get to the next race, setup on Wednesday and spend Thursday rebuilding. But when you have to spend days begging/borrowing/scrounging for parts, it has to be almost impossible.

 

[FuelFC]

If you read the article, you will see it was Terry's decision to run with the tie-strap..........the crewman brought it to his attention in the staging lanes and left the decision to him.

Another problem nobody has mentioned is four races back to back. That is tough on everyone...........

Thanks, I did read the article. Knowing pretty well how that part operates. Put em on more than just a few times. it would be pretty damn hard to believe it just broke right there in the staging lanes. And yes it was Terry's decision.

Had the car made a clean pass, nobody saw it, and all was well with the world, insert scenario here it might have slid by, but it didn't.

Two wrongs don't make a right... but 3 lefts always do.

It does suck he has to sit out. But there have been many others told to go get it together and prove they can run clean then come back.

This has happened many times over the years. This isn't just pick on Terry Haddock week.

 

[.]

Two wrongs don't make a right....

.....but 2 Wrights made an airplane!

 

[Randy]

True enough. If you have a trailer full of new parts, or a bank account that makes them just a FedEx truck away, it's one thing. Get to the next race, setup on Wednesday and spend Thursday rebuilding. But when you have to spend days begging/borrowing/scrounging for parts, it has to be almost impossible.

Just do like Bill Miller and a handfull of others. Pick and chose your races wisely.

 

[Toejam]

Just do like Bill Miller and a handfull of others. Pick and chose your races wisely.

But Bill MIller isn't hurting for Cash either and has Good parts, he just choses not to spend $3 Mil of his own money every year running 24 races.

 

[Joker]

I really like Terry and hope he does well but I dont have a problem with NHRA parking him. He's had huge fires and caused big messes the last several races. I'm not saying he's the only one but he's been a constant issue with that. And like someone said, maybe its really a blessing in disguise for him. I dont have a problem with NHRA parking ANY TEAM if they are constantly a problem or provide an unsafe condition at the race track.

 

[Randy]

But Bill MIller isn't hurting for Cash either and has Good parts, he just choses not to spend $3 Mil of his own money every year running 24 races.

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.

.

 

[Big Sexy]

Terry is a budget racer, and he was not the only racer to pay homage to the aluminum gods over the past few weekends. I seem to recall several other teams also lit a few on fire to keep pace with him. He made a mistake, it happens. If I were in his shoes, I would hate it too. It is easy for us all to get polarized over our points of view on this. We have the stone him for his egregious error, and we have the poor Terry, he was wronged.

I am a fan of his drive and passion, and I am hoping he does not give up, and decides to hit IHRA later this month for the finals there and makes some money.

 

[Greg]

Just do like Bill Miller and a handfull of others. Pick and chose your races wisely.

From talking with them earlier in the year, I believe that was the intention. They were going to run the funny car at some races, and lease the dragster out at some races. I'm not for sure, but I'm almost positive it started out as a relatively conservative plan. In some ways they may have been a victim of their own success. They started off the season well not hurting parts and qualifying well. I think what happened was towards mid season there was a legitimate shot at making the countdown, so they ended up running more events than they originally intended. Then on top of that you have just a string of bad breaks that really set them back.

 

[TR]

.....but 2 Wrights made an airplane!

O.K. you're right.

 

[yoda]

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.

That chit's funny... Sad and true, but funny... Thanks for the laugh RG

 

[Buzzz Miller]

Well, I don't race top fuel, but making six passes back to back to back . . . (and so on) in a funny car in one day is tough sometimes-
I have been short on something odd, and taken the car up to the line in less that 100% perfectly safe trim. And to be honest, I don't know too many racers that have not been guilty of this at one time in their lives. The bracket cracks on the front fire bottle mount and so you use duct tape, or --*fill in the blanks here*--. Not saying that it is right or wrong, but I definitely cannot cast the first stone. And looking at a part like that for me - I know I make the highest tensile strength funny car bodies around. So I know the spark plug would not make it past the body, so I would have probably run it. Just sayin'. Not that I don't have the parts, or the money to fix it, just not the one I broke at the track.

 

[Dave]

I've been thinking about this deal for a while and while I think Terry is a good guy (never met him) and I really admire his drive, I really don't think this is the proper way to campaign a T/F car. As much as I disagree with some of NHRA's "moves", I think they might have done him a favor.

Withot going into the engine carnage, I think Terry is wearing himself out physically. He looks really tired and now with the talk of pnemonia, I'm worried about his health. I didn't want to say anything before this NHRA thing, but I'd been worried about the possibility of Terry actually falling asleep in the car. Like what happened years ago to Gene Domagalski, it is possible. I wish Terry the best and I hope he can put something together to run a more organized program.

Dave

 

[HotRodCrazyBob]

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.

.

Well said Randy!

 

[tcrawf]

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.

They are allowing him to do match races, doesn't that tell you something?

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?

The problem is, according to what I read, he has an all new volunteer crew every weekend.

anything to cite?

I have been at the Atlanta, Bristol, and Charlotte races and I remember 2 guys distinctly that were at those three races on Haddock's team. If they were at Atlanta and at Charlotte, I would imagine they would have been there for all? the races inbetween.

 

[MM]

I have been at the Atlanta, Bristol, and Charlotte races and I remember 2 guys distinctly that were at those three races on Haddock's team. If they were at Atlanta and at Charlotte, I would imagine they would have been there for all? the races inbetween.

it takes alot more than 2 guys to run a TF car....and just because they were at all of the races doesnt mean they weren't volunteer......as TS said earlier, there is no problem with having an all volunteer crew, as long as its the same all volunteer crew all year

 

[Randy]

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?



anything to cite?

I have been at the Atlanta, Bristol, and Charlotte races and I remember 2 guys distinctly that were at those three races on Haddock's team. If they were at Atlanta and at Charlotte, I would imagine they would have been there for all? the races inbetween.

Hmmm.

The sky is blue. The grass is green. 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. Next...

With regard to NHRA telling him what he can't and can not do. What he did likely should have cost him his top fuel license. NHRA decided not to pull it. Lucky for him. Granted he could find an IHRA track to run, but they could make life a lot worse for Terry if they wanted to.

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

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?

RG

.

 

[Randy]

it takes alot more than 2 guys to run a TF car....and just because they were at all of the races doesnt mean they weren't volunteer......as TS said earlier, there is no problem with having an all volunteer crew, as long as its the same all volunteer crew all year

Back in 1994 I made a last minute decision to race my TA/FC at Houston. Only one of my regular guys could go so I rounded up a few "friends" to help. Total disaster.

I had guys standing around with no clue while my regular guy and I busted our butts all weekend. The whole weekend was full of mini-disasters. The kicker for me was when we pulled into the staging lanes for first round and one of Bob Newberry's guys asked me if we planned on running the chutes that way. They were never hooked to the frame.

Geno, who was working the lanes (now works at Infineon), gave me his bicycle to run back to the trailer to get the bolts and sleeves to hook the chutes to the car. I peddelled as fast as I could with my arm restraints on my firesuit smacking the front wheel spokes. We were pitted near the finish line.

When I rode back up my guys were just standing there watching me the whole time. I dove under the car, fire suit and all, to hook up the chutes while our lane was moving. Bob Newberry said he would swap spots with me and take my place in the staging lanes to give me extra time if I needed it. When I was finally strapped in the car I was seriously wondering about everything done to the car.

The second year I raced TA/FC (1992) I had a friend who was not a regular show up at Pomona. Anyone who lives near Pomona knows how your crew suddenly doubles in size from any other race as your long lost buddies come out of the woodwork and want to be on your team, looking for a restricted area passes.

Without my knowledge he "became" my bottom end guy after the last qualifying run. In the first round I was approaching the finish line on my run and ka-boom! Oil everywhere.

When we get back to the pits we discover rods 5 and 6 are off the crank and through the block and pan. That's when I found out we had a replacement bottom end guy. We went through the drill and found out he did the rods in the order they came up when you spin the crank. First, 1 and 2 come up, then 3 and 4, then 7 and 8. And he was done. Ooops...turning the motor 90 degrees more and 5 and 6 would have come up, but he "forgot." I wasn't upset with him. I was upset that our bottom end guy relinquished the duty to someone who doesn't go with us and it cost us big time.

Unless we have our regular "guys" and we aren't short any key people we won't go anymore. To expect to run a TF car like that is asking for trouble. That's why Tony Smith said what he said about Zizzo's deal.

RG

.

 

[FuelFC]

Well great Randy. Just great. You've about killed this thread Randy with facts and reasons and common sense and....

It could have gone to at least 3 pages on the 40 per setting.

Well back to the Morgan thread I guess.