A serious dicussion your thoughts

[JackD]

Some are only content to go faster and some are happy to go more fast.
 In any case, "The older we get , the faster we were."
 I don't know many "STORE BOUGHT" engineers.
 It's fun to ask them a question and watch the answer.
 
  <small>[ February 20, 2005, 02:59 PM: Message edited by: JackD ]</small>

[MadDuck]

I like to see serious effort, and I guess I don't really mind big money showing up.  It was great to watch the Metty family dual engine harley comptering with the S&S backed "Harley"  in PS 3000cc+.  Metty had built it themselves and kick started theirs.  I think S&S spent 2 days in tech "discussing" issues.  when they hit the salt the Metty record stands at the end of the meet.
 
 Metty family is one interesting set of racers.

[promachine]

If you think that "GM" bought their record,you are mistaken. They just assembled alote of talented people in the right place at the right time. Yes it cost them some money, but there was also alote of hard work and late nights to make it happen. Anybody has the same oportunity. Somtimes you can not do everything by your self, money or no money. Mike Cook , does not do all the work and driving chores by himself, nor does Wilson and Waters, or our team for that matter. My point is, if you are running on a tough record, and you really want it,  you will have to use all your resorces and a little luck to acheive your goals. And you know what, somtimes that wont even do it,so you try and try again ,year after year until you get it.
 People climb mountains because there uphill , not downhill.
 Acheiving your goals is a wonderfull thing,weither its setting a class record or watching your son or daughter do well.
 If you want that record and it is so high that you dont think you can do it, pull in your resorces, find out what it will take, and just do it.

[JackD]

And the record left the salt without them.
 Perhaps they wrote a check they couldn't cash.

[jimmy six]

OK! Here's my $.02... Who of you, and be honest, Literly built your own car? You can count a  rebuild of a previously owned one.
 
 I mean built it. Had the frame rails on the floor of your garage/shop not a pros. Welded your own cage after you took the design to a bender (I'll give on the bender) Hand built both ends of the suspension making your own parts if necessary. Buying needed stuff is fine but you fit it. Mounts too.
 
 Bought a body and did your own fiberglas (after tons of questions) and air ducts?
 
 How about that aluminum hood? Did you roll it over a piece of pipe or did you sent to a fabricator.  Hey you can get help from friends but you did it or helped do it. Did you have a hard time drilling that first 3/8" hole for the duez fastner? Scary wasn't it. Thankful that the duez dimple tool you bought at the swap meet worked.
 
 Now for the paint: Hey you can ask for help; but did you buy your own paint, primer and supplies. Gun too. old style or gravity makes no difference. Taught yourself to paint, color, sand and rub out. Now you have an extra box of fish eye, 1000, 1500, & 2000 grit wet or dry and tack cloths. Did paint get all over the wife's washer and dryer the first time you painted in the garage. (Jean didn't like black)
 
 
 How about that engine. I don't expect you to do all your own machine work but did you assemble it. Prep that block, send it to strip clean before machining? Set your crankshaft in 5 or 6 times. Size everyone of the rings yourself. Mic all of the bearings (dry fit) Check the piston clearances. Did you buy off the shelf pistions or send in a plaster cast of what you wanted. Did you hand message the top of every one for no harsh/sharp corners?
 
 Did you put on a head with a test springs and roll it over with a degree wheel and place the cam where thought it should be? and check that valve to piston clearance?
 
 If you did all this and more, congratulations. I loved it. For the last 6 years those 12 Port Jimmys of Joe's were assembled with love and care in my garage, just like all of my stock heads, not at Joe's engine factory .
 
 If you told So-Cal to build and car and put a Reher-Morrison engine it, that's good too but you will never have the feeling in you heart like the ones who didn't do it that way.
 
 I've been doing this now for 30 years. Now that my son has moved to own place my wife lifts off the body with me. She knows how to lace a parachute pack and never comes to El Mirage or Bonneville but always knows where I am.
 
 And for previous statements; I've seen what the Cooks and Wilson & Waters do in their respective shops/garages and both are to be congratulated. They are hands on racers like many of you.
 
 So tell your story or buy a ride; but most of all enjoy what you do.
 
 LSR is a treat where the "big guy" can beat the "little guy" and go home laughing. But 1 or 2 years later loose that record to that same "little guy" because HE CAME BACK.

[JackD]

Getting the wife involved is important.
 It's the raw meat that gives me the drive and the wife is getting better hunting with the club every day.
 Even the "CLUB" has evolved to be faster but sadley more expensive.
 That is what I call a "TROPHY WIFE".
 
  <small>[ February 26, 2005, 10:07 AM: Message edited by: JackD ]</small>

[Bob Drury]

More Nitro, I take it then that you won't be upset in say 2006, when say GM decides to unveil a new  "Generation XXI " ECOTECH PLUS engine (unavailable to the public) and blows your class record away by 65 mph.  Once again I say phooey!  We all need and probably get a little help with parts or labor, but lets keep LSR racing for and about the little guy.  The Big Boys can go rent Black Rock................

[doug odom]

Over the years I've had guys in my shop ask me how much it costs to race. I hand them the record book and tell them to pick the record and I will tell them what it will cost.  Speed cost money - how fast can you afford to go??   Racing cost the same now as it always has...... every penny you have...lol

[jimmy six]

BD LSR is for everyone I've watched it for all these years and that is the only constant. If I want run against record set by those who have more to spend than me I can do it or choose another class. I've watched conpetitors come with engines no one could get and set records and in just a few years the technology catches up and some else takes the record away.
 
 I welcome everyone. We all follow the same rule book. If they are in line infront of me and start doing an interview and are holding up the line I push right around them.
 
 I come to run as I hope all do. I leave my ego at the end of the black top...The salt and 5 miles are the great equalizer.
 
 Have fun and go fast....J.D.

[promachine]

Bob ,I see your point,but do you see mine?
 If they put 65 mph on my record, I would then take a hard look at my combo and figure that if they are playing by the same rules that I am, that I must have a weak combination or they have a really good one.
 If they have the technoligy of, digital fuel injection and a more efficient cyl. head and maybe some time in the wind tunnel, I would have to say, hey , they did a really good job. Now, how the hell am I gonna beat these guys?
 They arent running anything that you cant get your hands on, pull in your resorces and go out ther and kick their ass. Dont you just love a chalange?
 Ours is a great sport , with lots of history,and I love every minute of it.There are some wonderfull people that we race with and there is room for everybody.
 The first time we set the c/fr record was 10 years ago @ 204mph. Ten min. latter Greg Waters reset it @ 209mph. And its been like that ever since.This last Aug. speed week , they had the record @ 247.219, and we ran a 247.099. So we figured we would go back in Oct. and just sweep that record right into our trailor. But while I was screwing up our tunup and just generally doing everything wrong, Greg went out and put another 10 mph on our record. Oh crap! how the hell did he do that? How will I ever get our car to do that kind of speed.
 The answer is, everything I can. I will look to my club members and freinds. I will pull in all of my resorces and find a way to kick their ass!!
 But, I do respect them and give them credit for what they have acheived. I love a chalange .

[Bob Drury]

Guys, I see and understand what you are saying, and for me its not a ego thing, or I would't be using a engine designed in l947 running against aluminum bullets, but I know there are lots of guys struggling on a limited budget who have been chasing the same class record for years.  How would you feel if you were that guy and got real close to the record, only to have someone pull in in a semi, unload, punch the weather into a computer being downloaded in Detroit(or Tokyo) then proceed to shatter the record.  I am sorry if I am wearing a bucket on my head, but I forsee the day when a factory team could come in with one car and decimate a whole slew of records ala Mickey Thompsons Pontiac backed efforts in the l960's.  It would be great advertizing for the Corporation, but I don't see the tradeoff being positive for our sport.  I certainly hope I never see the day when a entrants car is being tuned by a computer in another city as he runs the course.  With enough money, it could happen now.

[JackD]

When you beat a Detroit or a Tokyo at Bonneville it saves you the trip and the travel money.
 How better to welcome them to the club ?
 Big targets are easier to hit.
 The MT records were for the most part the first, not the best.
 Andy and the Studes did a few also.
 Some club members are even sandbagging to spread the fun.

[desotoman]

"I certainly hope I never see the day when a entrants car is being tuned by a computer in another city as he runs the course. With enough money, it could happen now."
 
 Bob, this is exactly why we need to control what functions computers play in our sport. If things keep progressing on like they are we won't need a driver or a rider as the computer will run the whole car. In my opinion that will be a sad day for LSR. Regards, Tom Gerardi

[ddahlgren]

How can the subject of young guys getting involved with LSR come up and then the next sentence is we can't have any change IE. computer controlled stuff. There will be a certain percentage of guys that will want a vinatge car and the rest will want to work with things that are familiar to them IE. computers. You can't have it both ways even at the club level.
 
 To put it in persepective my daughter is 27. She has been able to accomplish useful things with a computer for almost 20 years. Since before IBM PCs existed as you konw them today. She was bringing type written papers into elementry school and later in Jr. High, i had a copy of some desktop publishing software that was probably as good or better than the current version of Microsoft Word, her reports were typed and formated as though they were a current book or newspaper. I got accused of doing her homework for her and actually had one of the teachers stop by and watch her go. Imagine a 9 year old running a machine that ran CP/M 80 as an operating system. It was more like UNIX and a little like MSDOS. So what do you think kids with that experience are going to think about the no computer deal? For whatever else it is worth she was not the maost accomplished in compter stuff back the a lot of folks had a lot more money than me to spend on those toys even back then.
 
 I am 53 and think that LSR is woefully behind the times technology wise for things allowed picture the mindset of a 25 year old...
 
 Unless of course the only acceptable 'new blood' are young people that think Elvis is king, overhead valves are a poor idea with the Hemi being the only exception and the greatest car ever built was a 40 merc is going to be a very small club.
 
 Come on boys and girls WWII, the big one was along time ago and things are changing even in places that lifes biggest concern is having to plow the north forty before the black flies start coming.
 Dave
 
  <small>[ February 27, 2005, 04:09 PM: Message edited by: Dave Dahlgren ]</small>

[Tom Bryant]

Keith,
 
 The views express so far would fit into Yamaha's Slogan..."Different Strokes for Different Folks". And that this perfectly OK!
 
 I agree, Keith, money can't ruin the sport.
 
 I run because of two things...the challenge & the thrill! Most of my career has been working with "junk" because I could not afford the "good stuff". I have more money now, but I am still not in the "deep pocket" group.
 
 One thing more money will do is give you durability.  The motor that powers this sport is still dedication & determination. (10% inspiration & 90% perspiration) If you have the passion and  really want to make it happen, it will. That's the American Way.
 
 My response to money in the sport is...bring it on! Just play by the same rules as I have to. The fear I have when thinking about the future of this sport is that we lose those who have protected our heritage.
 
 Rules are necessary and should be changed only with much thought and discussion. When we lose respect for what has gone on before, we all lose. Records mean nothing if not compared to previous performances. An example is baseball's present situation. Playing outside the moral rules, cheating (steroids) makes records meaningless!
 
 My son, Dan, was involved in the circle track scene for a few years. The moral code there voiced by an track official was..."Its your job to cheat and my job to catch you." I understand that this expression is not an isolated case in the Nascar circle. I sincerely hope that we don't come to that.
 
 The people make the difference, not the money!
 
 Tom