Is Jim Dunn ever happy?

[Mooseman]

jim dunn is one of my heroes I hope to meet him oneday

 

[cp]

i like jim to, i wish al hofmann was still drivin for him!

 

[vegasnitro]

Big Jim has one of the best sponsors out there. Do you think Forrest Lucas would give him ANY money if he didn't see any value in it? Drag racing is many things, but a charity it is not.

Big Jim may be grumpy, but is he is gonna tell you the way he sees it, whether you want to hear it or not. Whether you agree or disagree with him, you know where you stand with him, and that's more than can be said for many of the guys in the pro pits. Has the game passed him by, only time will tell, but that doesn't make his opinion any less valid.

I have also been able to approach Big Jim in the pits on more than one occasion. Once, it was the Finals at Pomona, '01 or '02 and Big Jim was pitted next to Skuza. It was well after the racing was over and it was dark and there were not very many fans milling around the pits when a kid asks Big Jim if he can have the clutch disk spacers sitting next to the trash can. Big Jim says "Sure kid, go ahead". The kid grabbed a couple and took off with his new prize and Big Jim turns to me and my dad and deadpans "Not mine anyway ... they belonged Skuza".

 

[Nick Name]

That's ok if you want to call them cherry pickers or saying that it is not real racing. But I'll put it to you like this. Without them "cherry pickers" there wouldn't be any pros out on the track. Because us "cherry pickers" raise all the money for the NHRA and rip us off all the time so, that ya'll can watch the pros.

Just wait until the new owners dump you sportsman racers from the national events, then you will see who puts the money in the sport.

Jay

 

[r2]

K Ray,
I'm glad somebody appreciates good drag racing other than me!!!

Cody
You come from a different era than I or William...
You grew up with a different background than I or William...
William can like his type of racing without putting you down for it... I like my Alky & Nitro, there is alot to those electronics that the average Joe will never understand... I say yank all the wires out of them, except headlights, turn signals and horn... But that's because I'm an old school guy, run what ya brung... I know your background better than William... I think if he did, he would understand your passion a bit... Hey, at least you didn't say rice rocket FWD's rock!!
To each his own... That's what makes drag racing so unique...

Stay safe and have some fun bud...

Chris
Your comment about Jim is not uncommon with guys like him... They do the funniest sh!t that no one could ever even dream of... That was great... ROTFLMAO Because I have seen so much just like that...

 

[StockersRock]

I may have heard wrong, but I thought I heard that Tony Bartone was a big sponsor of that car.

 

[Jude]

Just wait until the new owners dump you sportsman racers from the national events, then you will see who puts the money in the sport.

Jay

Personally, I can't wait until NHRA PRO dumps "us" sportsman racers and models their nationals after a NASCAR event. The thousands of sportsman racers across the country will be just fine. I just hope you enjoy limited pit access, and limited access to the "Pro's" themselves. I have a hard time envisioning a for-profit company shouldering the liability of allowing unlimited pit access, amongst other things.

Jeremy

 

[.]

Cool picture Must of been like a Thursday or Friday.

That was on a Sunday; they were done for they day though. There aren’t too many guys like Jim Dunn left; I hope he sticks around for awhile; he is one of my all time favorites. I love Scotty Cannon’s Jim Dunn story.

Competition Plus.com - Drag Racing's Internet Magazine - Cannon Stories

 

[Toejam]

I've seen Both sides of Big Jim, I saw him chew a crew members ass out Hardcore in front of spectators at Pomona once! But then again I had about a 10 min. conversation with him at Indy about 10 years ago about the Costs to compete, Etc... I do think when you catch these guys/gals means a Ton! I never try to talk to a racer when they just lost a round. I do wonder what Forrest Lucas must think if Big Jim is bitching about the Heavy funded teams! I wonder if that's code for "Give me mo $$$!"

 

[Boo]

K Ray,
I'm glad somebody appreciates good drag racing other than me!!!

You tell em CP!

 

[JP1Special]

C'mon - Big Jim Dunn has to be one of the most UN-approachable personalties in the Pro pits. Would YOU use him to sell your product?

He's part of the history of the sport but he's not the guy who's going to sell Wheaties or Jiffy Peanut butter or.....

Thankfully, Mike got some Q-Factor elsewhere. Mom?

I've known Jim since I was 9 years old and he can look pretty intimidating sometimes but he's a great guy. He's very serious about his race operation and always has been. He's not "UN-approachable". If YOU don't know the man, don't make inaccurate assumptions about him. Mike has a lot of Pat in him but he's definitely his father's son. They are very much alike on the track.

 

[scooter]

Big Jim Dunn is the genuine article. He is how drag racing was and what made drag racing what it is today. Id rather see a bunch of gruff Jim Dunns than a bunch of slick marketing geeks worrying about product placement and staged photo opportunities. I remember buying T-shirts from the pros out of the side door of Chapparal trailers in the old days......

 

[r2]

Just wait until the new owners dump you sportsman racers from the national events, then you will see who puts the money in the sport.

Jay

Jay
A. That is not going to happen...
B. If it ever did, the ticket buyer will be the one putting the money in the sport and footing a much bigger bill... And you want to see a bunch of empty seats?? Double the price of admission...

 

[TAFC 5 81]

Jay
A. That is not going to happen...
B. If it ever did, the ticket buyer will be the one putting the money in the sport and footing a much bigger bill... And you want to see a bunch of empty seats?? Double the price of admission...

Wasn't that tried (no sportsman cars) in the early 70s (PDA?) w/o success?

 

[mick]

i've got a great pic from the early 90's; dick lahaie, big jim and myself
with pa hoover in background; and 2-3 years ago at BIR i found
possibly one of the coolest racing t-shirts i've seen (very cool pin-stripe
design with 'jim dunn racing' through middle) it was sold out.
go figure.

 

[None]

That's ok if you want to call them cherry pickers or saying that it is not real racing. But I'll put it to you like this. Without them "cherry pickers" there wouldn't be any pros out on the track. Because us "cherry pickers" raise all the money for the NHRA and rip us off all the time so, that ya'll can watch the pros.

So, why can't you go heads up without the garbage on like real racers do? Or you're saying you can't do it without the electrics?

 

[None]

Cody
You come from a different era than I or William...
You grew up with a different background than I or William...
William can like his type of racing without putting you down for it... I like my Alky & Nitro, there is alot to those electronics that the average Joe will never understand... I say yank all the wires out of them, except headlights, turn signals and horn... But that's because I'm an old school guy, run what ya brung... I know your background better than William... I think if he did, he would understand your passion a bit... Hey, at least you didn't say rice rocket FWD's rock!!
To each his own... That's what makes drag racing so unique....

Saw my first drag race in 60 at Fremont with Garlits and he was no prize in those days. Started in 1963, BFMR, AFD, CFD. Jr. Fuel. No blowers, couldn't afford it except on my ski boat. Left in late 60's to go motocross racing. Back into it participation wise 2004 with a restored 65 nostalgia FED on alcohol. Never left as a spectator. My beef with the electric cars is just that, electrics do the racing. As for cherry picking, how many races have you seen where there's a double breakeout by a bunch because both drivers could see each other and they couldn't lift? Way too many and that's cherry picking. Again, the 10 spectators left in the stands certainly enjoy it.

 

[FalconRacer]

Personally, I can't wait until NHRA PRO dumps "us" sportsman racers and models their nationals after a NASCAR event. The thousands of sportsman racers across the country will be just fine. I just hope you enjoy limited pit access, and limited access to the "Pro's" themselves. I have a hard time envisioning a for-profit company shouldering the liability of allowing unlimited pit access, amongst other things.

Jeremy

Jeremy that's exactly what I worry about if NHRA becomes as big as NASCAR. Limited Pit Access.. Higher Ticket Prices..

 

[Reese]

So, why can't you go heads up without the garbage on like real racers do? Or you're saying you can't do it without the electrics?

While we are at it let's just take the electronics(timers, computers, etc.) from the fuel cars. I would say Pro Stock but a A/FIA firebird is more electronically controlled than they are(no carbs unlike the present GTO).

I don't think thottle stop, delay boxes, etc. belong in drag racing, but just because I don't I will not condem it. I will be in the stands will they do run because I appricate all forms of drag racing. Watching guys like Scotty, Dan, Jeff, etc. staging a car and watching them at the finish line to me is a work of art. They are the drivers I can learn from since I am just a lowly bracket racer. But I also like the heads up as in class racing so with my superstock car, I have both ends covered.

 

[r2]

Very well stated Armand...