R + L to sponsor Tony Stewart (2 Viewers)

[z28]

Do you know what the old paper log books are called? The Liar’s Handbook.

only the 2nd or 3rd one!

 

[none]

I've had a CDL as long at it has been a thing. In Arizona we used to have a Chauffeur's License to drive commercial vehichles and when the CDL came to be I got mine and have held it ever since. I have jumped in a race rig from time to time when needed, just to help out. I have to do the DOT physical every other year, but that's it. If I need it I have it. And if I let it go and then need it, it would be a massive pain to get it back.

On the technition front, a guy who is good and hustles makes BIG money. Childhood buddy of mine is a MOPAR Master Tech and when he moved back to Tucson a few years ago the two Dodge Dealers in town fought over him. If you're a Ford Tech and want to work for Tasca, he will pay your moving cost from anywhere in the country to get you to Rhode Island. And most any dealer would do the same.
Fords involvement in the YES (Youth and Education Services) program is all about recruiting Techs, and they have gotten more than 1000 over the last five years. Top students at UTI or UNOH get recruited. But it's like anything else, you gotta put in the effort. If you just show up and expect people to throw money at you you won't be very successful.

Alan

 

[65 Goatboy]

I've had a CDL as long at it has been a thing. In Arizona we used to have a Chauffeur's License to drive commercial vehichles and when the CDL came to be I got mine and have held it ever since. I have jumped in a race rig from time to time when needed, just to help out. I have to do the DOT physical every other year, but that's it. If I need it I have it. And if I let it go and then need it, it would be a massive pain to get it back.

On the technition front, a guy who is good and hustles makes BIG money. Childhood buddy of mine is a MOPAR Master Tech and when he moved back to Tucson a few years ago the two Dodge Dealers in town fought over him. If you're a Ford Tech and want to work for Tasca, he will pay your moving cost from anywhere in the country to get you to Rhode Island. And most any dealer would do the same.
Fords involvement in the YES (Youth and Education Services) program is all about recruiting Techs, and they have gotten more than 1000 over the last five years. Top students at UTI or UNOH get recruited. But it's like anything else, you gotta put in the effort. If you just show up and expect people to throw money at you you won't be very successful.

Alan

Alan you are spot on. I graduated from automotive technology at Southern Illinois University in 1979, then and still one of the top schools in the nation. Spent my whole working life in the automotive field, the last 36 yrs owned my own shop and used car dealership before I retired. Being in a small town I knew every shop owner and many good techs. Like many trades if you are good you will make good $$ and never be looking for a job no matter where you live. But it's not a easy career and it's not for everyone, it's hot, cold, dirty and sometimes hazardous but extremely rewarding.

 

[65 Goatboy]

I've heard nhratv plug R&L Carriers when Josh would come to the line, "go to his pit and talk to them". OTR truck driving also is not easy but you can also make BIG money if you are willing to be away from home. If you want to learn all about it and you have SXM radio listen to channel 146 Road Dog Trucking. Want to be a Nhra pro series crew member? Get a CDL first!

 

[BOO BOO]

Bi

What’s the difference?
A shortage of drivers affects every carrier, whether it’s because of low pay, or being away from home.
A driver can quit a carrier in the morning and have a job at another carrier that same day.

Big difference. Drivers are not gonna quit a company that pays crappy and go to another one that does the same. They just leave the industry. Not all driver jobs require you to be away from home.

 

[none]

Off topic but the world is a different place today than when I was entering the workforce. I got a job I liked, stayed, moved up the ladder.
Not counting the part time car wash, or bussing tables stuff in high school, I really only worked a couple of places before I started announcing full time.

Now it seems that bouncing around is considered the quick way to the top. Many just out of school people came to NHRA in the marketing department just to get it on the Resume'. It became a running joke that I didn't need to know their names until they had been there at least 6 months. Spoke to a couple that were right up front, already had the next move planned, just needed this "experience" on the Resume'. So after a few months, they moved on.

Alan

 

[stitcherbob]

"I've read your resume and there's a 4 year pause in the middle....can you explain that?"
"Oh yes, that's when I was in Yale"
"Wonderful! You sound like someone we could really use. Congratulations you’re hired!"
"Oh thank you! I really need the yob!"

 

[BOO BOO]

Off topic but the world is a different place today than when I was entering the workforce. I got a job I liked, stayed, moved up the ladder.
Not counting the part time car wash, or bussing tables stuff in high school, I really only worked a couple of places before I started announcing full time.

Now it seems that bouncing around is considered the quick way to the top. Many just out of school people came to NHRA in the marketing department just to get it on the Resume'. It became a running joke that I didn't need to know their names until they had been there at least 6 months. Spoke to a couple that were right up front, already had the next move planned, just needed this "experience" on the Resume'. So after a few months, they moved on.

Alan

Part of that is due to lack of loyalty on part of companies so employees are doing the same in kind.

 

[none]

Part of that is due to lack of loyalty on part of companies so employees are doing the same in kind.

The classic employer dilemma.
What if we spend time and money training our people and they move on?
What if we don't, and they stay?

 

[T.Smith]

Next year I'll have 35 years of service at Dollar Tree Inc. My coworkers are amazed with that. The days of staying at a job for that long doesn't happen as near as much anymore. My parents are both retired from Caterpiller and Armour-Dial. They both started working there in their 20's. A lot of those jobs are long gone.

 

[Jack]

Nothing against Josh, I do root for him BUT if I have to chose between Josh and Tony to partner with.........................

You would be partnering with Josh AND John Force racing. Big difference

 

[z28]

Off topic but the world is a different place today than when I was entering the workforce. I got a job I liked, stayed, moved up the ladder.
Not counting the part time car wash, or bussing tables stuff in high school, I really only worked a couple of places before I started announcing full time.

Now it seems that bouncing around is considered the quick way to the top. Many just out of school people came to NHRA in the marketing department just to get it on the Resume'. It became a running joke that I didn't need to know their names until they had been there at least 6 months. Spoke to a couple that were right up front, already had the next move planned, just needed this "experience" on the Resume'. So after a few months, they moved on.

Alan

 

[z28]

To me I think the biggest change is when big companies went to 401K plans and ditched their defined retirement plans. It gave folks security when changing jobs. Over the years I had many come back after a few years somewhere else and most of them stuck around long term. The grass isn't always greener.

 

[65 Goatboy]

Not hard to tell how old some of us are in this topic. I wish both Tony and Josh well with their new teams. Did anyone else in the nitro ranks own a team and drive for another?

 

[Nappy]

Next year I'll have 35 years of service at Dollar Tree Inc. My coworkers are amazed with that. The days of staying at a job for that long doesn't happen as near as much anymore. My parents are both retired from Caterpiller and Armour-Dial. They both started working there in their 20's. A lot of those jobs are long gone.

Congrats Tony, that is great that you worked for an employer that long. I worked at a paper mill in Joliet for 33 years until they closed the doors in 2011. I new it would be hard to find a good paying job at 51 years old, so I got my CDL an became a Trucker . Definitely a different life. If the paper mill hadn't closed I would have probably retired this year with 47 years. Hope you have enjoyed your years and more to come if that is what you choose to do. You are a very dedicated worker. The younger workers don't have dedication no more it seems.

 

[Mike]

There are 2 things squeezing U.S. workers: 1) lots of domestic jobs offshored halfway around the world, and 2) incessant fixation with AI, though I've seen no evidence it makes anyone more productive.

Actually, the opposite. Both factors justified by costs, yet both actually wind up costing more than keepimg the already-trained U.S. workforce.

It's hard for a revent college grad to start somewhere, have their job sent elsewhere after a couple years and if they started a 401k, they do not have income to contribute to it after a layoff.

 

[stitcherbob]

The antique car restoration shop I started at in 1987 was my fourth real job, after lawn mower repair, counterman at NAPA and auto body technician. I was there for 6 years and saw two coworkers test the company retirement fund. As far as I know they were the only ones until the place went out of business. I left to start my upholstery business because that shop was a revolving door of workers. One guy came in on his first day and by lunch time the managers were asking ”hey…did anybody see so and so?” Gone.
The shop I do work for now had two guys retire also. Everyone else is young and/or new. I’ve done subcontract work for that shop for almost 28 years now. Apart from the two head mechanics , the exhaust manufacturer, and the body fabricator (who "quits" every time there's a beef) nobody there seems to stay for long anymore ….