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Boredom Act II: The Rumor Mill
"The Infield" by Paul Pittman
Stevens Point, WI (Nov 7, 2004): The temperatures are dropping and the rumors
are heating up. That can only mean one thing. I’m not the only one getting
bored! The funny thing about this time of year; everyone has all the answers.
Irregardless of whether or not there was even a question.
Take, for example, the so-called “silly season” whereby drivers move from
car to car. First off, the primary reason that we even see this at all is the
fact that, percentage wise, there are so few true owners left anymore that
actually go out and hire a driver. Your majority of teams competing are
owner/drivers. Guys trying to make ends meet and have some fun. So, when
someone comes along and says, “I’m looking for a driver,” I get the
vision of that commercial where a family says they are looking for a car and
literally thousands rush up on them. Same scenario. Add to that the ever
increasing expense of operating a team and it’s no wonder that drivers are
always looking for someone else to help out with the bills.
Now, I’m not knocking owners here. There are good owners out there as well
as bad, and I think by now you know that I do not like to point fingers. It
takes too long for them to heal after they’ve been bitten off! Same goes for
drivers. Good and bad. Unfortunately, not all the “good” drivers get a
ride in what’s available and sometimes, a “bad” driver ends up in a good
operation, making it tough and jeopardizing what might have been a good thing
for all. Then you’ve got the whole crew-chief thing and what you end up with
is a marriage of sorts. Hell, most of the teams out there spend more time
working with each other on the road then they do at home with their families.
Yet it takes a license to get married. Go figure!
A contract sure isn’t the answer. All that is anymore is a document to
flaunt when things get tough. Lawyers have figured out so many ways around
them that they are hardly worth the effort anymore. Whatever happened to the
days when a handshake actually meant something and a guy’s word WAS his
bond? Business and money do funny things to a man with good intentions. I
guess the bottom line here is simply, this is not something new, nor will it
ever go away. As long as they remain in the spotlight, people (fans) will
always have their own opinions that their favorite driver should be given the
chance to drive a car when an opportunity arises, and it doesn’t matter why.
When that doesn’t happen, its; “I told you so” when things don’t gel
or “I lost all respect for so and so” without even waiting to see any
results.
Here’s another hot rumor going around. Starters. Uh-Oh! No it’s not a four
letter word but it might as well be, at least in a sprint car pit area or
shop. Now I realize that when wings first burst on the scene, there were many
who thought these things weren’t safe or were going to hurt the sport. Who
knew? No-one and that’s my point! Same went for the weight issue and I’ll
be the first to tell you I was against it at first but as time went on, I saw
the same thing many other did that felt the way I did and now, it has become a
part of the natural order of things. Will starters follow that same path?
Well, I am going to go out on a limb here again and say no. At least not for a
while. Engineering wise, we have a long way to go, I feel, to get to that
point with the existing cars. Say you do figure out a way to secure a safe
battery that will turn a high compression engine over, and you do make room
for the clutch, making it safe so the driver who is already cramped inside a
very busy cockpit, can be safe. You have to have a plan of phasing them in,
otherwise, you have instantly antiquated every sprint car in the country. To
arbitrarily set a date and say, “That’s it” seems to me that there may
actually be more to it than what is said, but then, I have been accused on
more than one occasion of being pessimistic. One thing is for sure though.
Changes are coming. What extent and how drastic is anyone’s guess, but
something is brewing.
News and Notes from “The Infield”
Some good news from Smokin Joe Symoens. As most of you know, Joe’s hand was
broken in an accident at Antigo in August. After spending some 6 weeks in a
cast and having to sit out the remainder of the season, Joe has gotten some
good news from the doctor and is now looking at a brief therapy stint and
expects to be back at 100% for 2005.
The Biertzer/Kohl race team should be cleaning up after their appreciation
party. Coming soon, a well deserved “retirement” party for Bill Modjeski
hosted by their sponsor, Norine’s at Oakwood in Oak Creek (WI). Other
togethers in the coming months included the annual Snapper Motorsports brat
fry, the ELKs Racing party, the MMZ Motorsports event and Smokin Joe Symoens
annual fund raiser at Art’s Town Tap. We’ll try to keep you updated on the
whereabouts and wherefores as we get the information. You can always check out
the IRA’s website as well for details as they become available.
The 2004 IRA Championship Team is already planning out their 2005 season.
“If it ain’t broke…” is the key phrase in the 2W shop. “The season
was good to us other than our engine problems, which was an expensive learning
curve but I feel that is all behind us. I am very proud of my race team and
very thankful to my sponsors.” stated Scotty Neitzel. “Regardless of what
some of the other teams think we felt we were very strong this last season and
think we were actually faster than we even showed.” It certainly wasn’t an
easy road to the championship title. As the team evaluates their program,
deciding on what steps to take, one chassis will soon be displaying the “For
Sale” sign and possibly an engine as well.
A slight shake-up in the FATTFRO Motorsports camp will see All Christopher
assuming full control over the team operations. Scott Billish will remain as
an associate sponsor, however schedule conflicts forced his stepping back from
the racing operations. “It’s certainly a positive split,” stated
Christopher, “I think this fits into his schedule a little better, plus
partners in business is like partners in a marriage, either way you have to
make it work. It will be easier working together with the duties of owner and
sponsor being separated.” Current plans for the team include a midget trip
to New Zealand with the midget for Davey Ray. 2005 will see a return
trip to Knoxville with the 14AJ with Wayne Johnson returning in search of a
championship title for the team at the world renowned venue. Additional World
of Outlaw, IRA, Sprint Bandit events will be included along with some 360 runs
as well. “We would like to run as many local 360 races that our schedule
will allow, since WJ has such an awesome history with them.” The team’s
midget operations will cease in 2005 in favor of a dirt USAC Sliver Crown ride
for Davey Ray.
Believe it or not, there is still some sprint car racing going on. Way out
West as a matter of fact and look who found himself in victory lane for the
second time this year at the end of a World of Outlaws event. None other than
Terry McCarl! Terry picked up his first WoO win in Missouri earlier this year
and has now backed it up with a win at Tulare (CA) at the Thunderbowl. Terry
has had an up and down fall season, literally. Getting upset at Jackson, the
team missed a planned visit to Lancaster on Memorial Day IRA show, won the
Jerry Richert Sr Memorial at Cedar Lake with the IRA and then had a
potentially successful night of running with the Outlaws disappear at Powercom
Park when they ended up watching the feature as a result of a dash race
incident that left his #24 mangled. Still no confirmation yet on the team’s
plans for 2005 but you gotta believe that the trip to victory lane has
definitely helped the credibility issue, if not the confidence.
Some news from the North-West corner of Wisconsin concerning Mike Rich. Mike
has sold his familiar #519 sprinter and is now actively seeking a ride for
2005. Mike had planned on an assault in 2004, however a broken sponsorship
deal left Mike in all to familiar territory, trying to put something together.
A brief stint in Brian Coleman’s #4 for the WoO show in Princeton (MN),
subbing for an injured Brent Larson, put the bug back in Mike’s attempts,
but, unfortunately, things did not work out. “I’d like to do more IRA
shows, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”
Speaking of get togethers, it’s time once again to honor those who supported
the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint series once again on December 4th at
the Golf Club at Camelot in Lomira, WI. Tickets for the gala are now available
and include dinner, the awards ceremony and dancing afterward for $25. Tickets
can be obtained by contacting Richard Symoens (club Treasurer) or by going
through the IRA’s website at www.irasprints.com.
In addition, the Amerihost Motel in Lomira (WI) is the Official Motel for the
IRA’s banquet and reservations can be made at a special rate by identifying
yourself as attending the function. Seating is limited so you will want to get
your tickets as soon as possible to assure a good seat.
Finally, some apologies to all who have wondered about my whereabouts of late.
After some celebrating of my own, my computer system apparently decided to
take a sabbatical of its own. I believe the technical term would be
“nuked” or perhaps “meltdown”. For whatever reason, things are being
restored and hopefully soon, all will be right with the world once again.
Letters of condolences to the now MIA computer data can be sent to arppix@arppix.com.
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