Think…watcha tryin’ to do to me?

A Ford-financing of electric car development tasks is resulting in yet another variation.  This is swell; it will ultimately end up with standardized products-yet we are enjoying a special era when, once again, people are chasing down examples of David Pye’s “..no one best way..” to make this type of vehicle feasible.

http://www.latimes.com/classified/automotive/highway1/la-hy-neil25-2008jun25,0,5962782.story

Meanwhile…a major dialogue is underway in reactive activity following the demise of Connie Kalitta’s spawn at Etown this past Sat.  The proposals seeping upward seem focused on 1000′ restrictions…shortening the base paths will not slow innovators…too many hot rodders left in the sport.  I’ve once again raised the notion of ECTA-style closed course LSR runs…but that involves limited options for marketing…without which, most of the quick runners would quit on us…

Conrad’s crew carries on….

http://www.kalittaracing.com/

Hollywood Hotel

I have to confess…..a large portion of my ‘take’ on ‘merican culture came from west coast “street” rock and roll during my formative high school and trade school years. Only a remote portion of the left coast is totally unaffected by the Hollywood/Burbank juggernaut. Sunset Blvd. ……University Wy. in Seattle….these were hallowed alleys for me. Something about the legendary Champion tower at OCIR always reminded me of Bob’s Big Boy, the Chateau Marmount and a half dozen clubs…Starwood, Whisky, et al. that represented the potential for excess-seeking to go horribly, horribly wrong. Our former FTN collegue, Steve Parker–who has been linked several times by this blog in the past–is now cemented in the right-hand column. Go visit his stories and opinions often….and:

http://thecarnut.typepad.com/steve_parker_the_car_nut_/2008/06/unbelievable-hu.html for more evidence of a thin veil between fast cars and the horrible wrongness thingee. Long live Suzy Quatro, the Runaways, Michael Des Barres and Rodney Bingenheimer’s Sunset Strip….warts and all.

Decadent free-wheeling may be taking the death plunge we have been forecasting for years. While a ‘soft landing’ of Japanese-style deflation would have been early warning of exceeding financial and…other energy resources…the die may be cast as early as a Black Monday at the end of this weekend. Stagflation would wipe out the sport’s progress in terms of lower ET’s and entitlement to a living via drag racing like 1974 multiplied. A loving, personable scene……ok, maybe something at least sustainable in a monthly-or-more-often manner at smaller-is-better strips can ride out such a situation when other opulent plants suffer, wither…die off.

Combustable Comments

I took a month off from posting here to concentrate on my political activities.  The whole shine-ola; delivered a speech to our Gov., got 86’d from Fortune corporate sites, blogged, bitched and…yes…voted.   As you might guess from reading American history, it does not always…er…register with our nation’s direction how we voice our concerns and promote solutions.  I wish “Al” a safe life, given what he has chosen to share in:

http://www.internalcombustionbook.com/

Our colleague Cole…who is now linked from this relocated venue…has raised ruckus a plenty with casual remarks recalling the treasure that was ’70’s match racing.  The outrage by geriatric veterans of that era shocked me…..I don’t know why, upon interspection.  The topic of duh-rugs in fueling and financing what was a pretty fringe lifestyle doesn’t set too well with today’s xtian, pale and proud goatee-sportin’ survivors.  Like they never heard of Brooklyn Heavy, Ruth, Palmer and Snow-white race cars dubbed “Defiance”.  Reread Cole’s Arly Langlo again to refresh your memory why we needed to dissent in the first place…….

A solution-oriented paradigm from DRO by Pat Joffrion of Belle Rose’s plant, was neatly outlined for any grassroots promoter that might want to try sustainable drag racing…….rather than the train wreck many still choose to place their bet$ upon…….

“Here’s what is working at NPR that other tracks may want to try…

No Problem Raceway has Friday night trophy racing just about every weekend. (none during our major NHRA, FFW, BikeFest, and special weekends)  Our spectator fee is $10; $20 to race.  We run Street, Motorcycle, Footbrake, Super Pro, and Jr. Dragster.  But here is the fun part…

Before 1st round of the Trophy race, we hold round 1 of an All-Run Gambler’s race.  Open to all but the Jr.’s, each racer who wants to enter brings $20 with them to the lanes.  Round 1 winners continue in the Gambler’s Race; losers fall back into their respective Trophy category.  There are no buy-backs in the gambler’s race.  The track deducts $50 from the total entry fees to cover the cost of the trophies given to the gambler winner & r/u. (yes… they still want the trophy!)  The remaining money is paid back to the racers… Winner gets 50%, R/U gets 30%, semi finalist each get 10%.  If only 3 racers in the semi’s… winner gets 60%.  Our biggest gambler’s race paid $800 to the winner.

The track got $20 from the gamblers that won 1st round because they did not participate in the trophy race.  Either way, the choice is up to the racer.  Pay $20 to race for a trophy, or pay an extra $20 to race for the cash.  It gives those who only want to run their car a chance to have some fun, while those who want to race for some cash have an opportunity.

We leave the gates open on Friday night when we have a Saturday race; that allows the racers and their families to come “camp out” at the track.”  …go to http://www.dragracingonline.com for more discussion……