The last race we ran in TA/FC, the 2012 Winternationals, we won it. I had every contingency sticker possible on the car. Total winnings including NHRA purse? $7,200. In the semi finals against Sean's boss, Tony Bartone, we dropped an intake valve, and it did a fair amount of damage. Afterwards, the bill to fix it was more than we got paid to win the event. In the final against Jay Payne, one of the chutes wrapped itself around the rear end, caught the body and screwed everything up. Besides all the normal stuff you'd expect, it was an expensive weekend, but worth it to me.
Back then, when I made the decision to quit TA/FC, I could see the writing on the wall. Mike Buonocore and I were talking about this last week. We saw owners aging, no new blood so to speak coming into the class, great racers (Manzo, Pat, Bucky, etc., leaving or left), lack of interest, empty grandstands, plenty of other things to do. I'm thankful for the nearly 25 years I got to do it, and we had a lot of fun. But it was time to move on before the lights went out. And they did.
I'll say something that'll probably ruffle a few feathers, but winning today isn't like winning before. The Wally's have lesser meaning in my opinion. Back then, in one event just to reach the finals, it's likely you had to go through at least Pat, Bucky, Manzo, Payne, Bartone, Mickey Ferro, Lombardo, Miner Bros, etc., which we did. Today, singles, 6 car fields (instead of 25 to 30), bye runs, maybe a lucky round or two, and one dominant car puts you in the winner's circle.
I'm sorry, but I'm not the only one who has quietly said this. I remember races where if you didn't have your act together in qualifying, you went home on Friday. Now, anything that makes a pass and gets past the scales and fuel check is running on Sunday.
Let me dig out my fire suit before you light me up. But it's sad, and I wish things were different, but it's reality now. And I'm not sure there is a fix.