Record's and Cash.................

[desotoman]

Bob,

Here is a perfect example of money vs. non money.

SCTA Blown Fuel Streamliner Records

F    Poteet & Main Speed Demon    G. Poteet    08/08    343.494
G    Costella & Yacoucci    R. Yacoucci    08/06    348.743

Only problem according to your rational is the guy with out the money ran faster with less engine.

Tom G.

[JonAmo]

I n addition, since you are ranting, ill continue mine.  I don't think success is with money on the salt. Success comes with a dedicated crew.  .

[Bob Drury]

  Jon, funny how a few week's can alter one's thought's ..........
  Dallas, I think you need to reread what I have said..............  I do not begrudge those who have made great strides with their own hard earned money, I am just presenting the question of whether we should consider two set's of record's.
  Please note that I am not suggesting nor asking that this happen.
  As I stated in a earlier post, do we or should we take a look at how record's are set and with how much backing.
  As I also stated, I have no grudge against George Poteet or any one else, but I was in his pit the first year of the Blowfish car, along with the owner of Racepak computer's, Chrysler/Mercedes engineer's, Troy Trepanier (car builder) and God know's who else.
  For those who had the missfortune to be in his class, it had to be a little disheartening to realize the odd's that they were running against.
  ...........  Bob

[desotoman]

Bob, Are you saying if you won a hundred million in the lottery or invented something that brought you millions you wouldn't invest that in the top of the line stuff to go as fast as you could? you would still set your budget low and borrow parts? or you would quit racing all together? We had a record we were chasing put out of sight by big time money and a bucket list. I was pissed at first but then thought if I was loaded I would have the most trick HP making s#it I could buy. Just something to think about

Dallas,

I have thought about what you are saying, and if I ever won that kind of money, I would just go out and buy a CNC Machine shop. Let the owner stay on and run it for me, while I dream up ideas we can turn into pieces and parts. I would design and produce my own engines and parts. That to me would be the ultimate fun.

Tom G.

[Bob Drury]

  Well, as I said in my opening post, "Let the denouncement's begin".
  If you would give me the opportunity, I have not said that any rule changes need to be made, nor have I asked anyone to support any such movement's.
  What I HAVE asked is for each of you to think about the what if's and what for's of our sport.
  I am not advocating any change of rules as they now stand.
  I am asking for your honest opinion's of whether or not we should let the status quo continue.
  This is not a personal quest, just asking if you share my personal insight, right or wrong.
  We now have many entrant's pulling in with Semi-trailers with four or five cars ready to run.
  Fortunatly for me, none are running my class, and if they decide too, I will have to deal with it.
  I am lucky enough to have had several year's to try and set a record, and although I am not done trying, it is certainly no one's fault but my own that it hasn't happened.
  The thought behind this post has been only to ask a question, not depreciate what others have done, rich or poor.                                            Bob

[wilcox garage]

  I hear what your saying Bob , but it happens in all forms of competition. That's what I strive for , I make way less than your 100,000 figure and run a competitive car that me and my friends built without any cash sponsors ( a few guys offering free time and labor ).
  This is what I love about the sport , being the little guy , going up against the guys with big money or years of experience , when those guys know who you are, that's what its about for me. Yea sure that record might get blown out of reach ,then its time to take a step back, re-group and try again . If it was easy everyone would do it.
  Mark

[Bob Drury]

  Mark, I agree with you one hundred percent.
  I would like to think that if my class record was out of sight and I knew it was a K.B. or Brad motor that any gain's I made against it were a victory.
  I have mentioned before in several post's that I ran a early old's engine for nine years, competiing against new motor's, knowing I would never hit the record.
  Would I like to get one?  You bet your bippy.
  Is it what keep's me coming back?  Nope.
  I, just like most of you, have it in my blood................  God help us all.............                        Bob

[JonAmo]

Come on BOB you are asking because you obviously think its unfair.
I think I am here to tell ya money doesn't buy records, we have seen some amazingly high budget teams come out and fall on their face and not do anything, then it gets all pushed under the rug.

$100,000 or less, here is living in a dream world, why should it be up to the organization. Just because they have money it makes them a pro? Come and compete, like you do every year, and you go home. Milage may vary with a record or a hat in hand. The people is what brings the real racers back.

I think like most let the money roll in, I think the less money you have brings out the innovation of the sport. (no pun intended for some people here) Bring on the challenge. The hot rodders prevail and make the sport last for generations, the money comes and go's.

Didn't we do this once with the classic catagory?

[Bob Drury]

  Well, Jon I am not quite sure how to answer your post.
  For some reason, in less than a month, you and I have gone from handshakes to animosities.
  Whatever the reasons are, I apologize if somehow I have pinched a nerve.
  None the less, I am neather jealous, nor disdainfull of anyone who has set or is close to setting a record.
  If you can free up your annimosities long enough, start over from the first post and please read them all.
  This site which you created and put your heart and soul into, continues to thrive as a site where we can hopefully ask questions which inspire debate without getting into personal peeves or adgenda's.
  I hope you and I can work this out....................  Bob

[Bob Drury]

  Whoa, unless I have gone completly nut's, I just responded to a incomplete or changed post. 
  Anyway, Jon, I am not out to change the World or anyone's mind.
  In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have opened this can of worm's, I just was looking for other's opinions.................. honest.                    Bob
 

[SPARKY]

Bob, here is my take---

Both Hammon and I have set records over 3,  his is the best looking Lakester over 3 in my opinion--though Joe Laws old car is the one that inspired several features on my old Ratical, which is most likely the UGLIEST car over 3---I doubt if any would debate that!!

What few would know by looking at the two cars  both owners are VERY hands on when it comes to the two cars---Seth Hammon works on his car ALL the time is very involved with it---pretty is just a LOT more important to Seth than it is to me..

I had heard that lousy headers will only change and eng 15-18 hp----well I learned today that is a lie  dyno headers were worth 30 more than my EQUAL VOLUME headers----can I afford to use the extra 30 ponies---probabaly not I bet there is more that 30 hp required to pull them---but you can bet I am going to try short straight stacks!

That is what is so great about our sport---can a homie "BEAST" beat the "BEAUTY"  heres to 315 Seth 

[Dr Goggles]

 Whoa, unless I have gone completly nut's, I just responded to a incomplete or changed post.  
  Anyway, Jon, I am not out to change the World or anyone's mind.
  In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have opened this can of worm's, I just was looking for other's opinions.................. honest.                    Bob
  

Not even Tupperware make a reuseable worm can lid. I can sympathise Bob but I try to keep my disatisfactions under my hat because I find concentrating on the positives tends to help me sleep. I love the sport and anyone who ups a mark is alright by me, but I do have a problem with the wealthy "bucket-listers/scalpers" because they don't love the sport the way the dyed in the wool types do.

There isn't anyone running against us here (in our class in Australia) yet, that makes it kind of easy.....but were we to get our bus to Bonneville then we'd be running against a healthy record that to me has been overlooked a little( lots of high revving E motors out there making big power)...but the way I see it I'm lucky to have even got off the line and I'm thankful for that.

I've told a few people this story.....I saw the Spirit of Rhett on the line at Bonneville on Sunday, saw a guy in a fire suit, went over and said hello. He was more interested in whether I was enjoying myself, where I was from and why I was into the salt than talking about his car, so much so I thought it was almost funny...I felt like saying "dude, get in your car, you've got more important things on your mind".

I related the story about "that guy" to a regular here on landracing.com he said his son worked for "that guy" and his son said the very same thing, that he was a good guy who cared.

At the 200mph Club dinner I went up to say gday, Charlie Nearburg saw me coming, "Hi James, how's things?"

By all reliable accounts Charlie can afford a better cut of steak than me but I wouldn't ever hold that against him.He's taken the Nafzger/wooden liner and is running it to it's full whack. Howard Nafzger may not have been able to keep the coal up to it.

If we didn't have an open end on this game it would be just a historic meet and the thing that gets us all going, the challenge, would be gone.

PS: go Beast!

[JonAmo]

Hey Bob  

[WZ JUNK]

 
  For those who had the missfortune to be in his class, it had to be a little disheartening to realize the odd's that they were running against.
  ...........  Bob

The Blowfish broke the record of the car that I helped build.  I was also the crew chief on this car.  When Danny Burrow broke the record, I congratulated him immediately.  There was some satisfaction in the fact that it took a whole lot of money, and a bunch of very knowledgeable people to out do what a couple of old retired guys built in a backyard garage.

We always felt like we were the lucky ones anyway, just to be able to build, run, and hold a record at Bonneville.   

John

[WZ JUNK]

I would like to add that Mr. Poteet has always been polite when I spoke with him, and just an all around pleasure to talk to.  I know that he has not a clue as to who I am but he was always good to me.  I think he is a hot rodder first, and I think he is doing what anyone of us would do if we had the resources.

John