Long hot summer

DAD · 2/23/12, 10:13 PM

Open wheel racers need to start thinking about the "LONG HOT SUMMER" season we are getting ready to begin. We race mostly with MMSA mini sprints organized by Bill May. Bill has worked overtime getting us a full summer racing season. That is great. It is hard to believe that a support class could find so many great tracks to race at. The government and oil companys have also been working overtime to get the price of gasoline and diesel fuel up.

The last 3 big races we have had Tulsa, Fort Wayne, and Flordia have had less than steller car counts. The biggest reason is the cost of fuel and what this cost of fuel has done to everything else that we buy or do. We caint do anything about fuel cost but we could work out ways to share the costs when going to the races.

While sitting around wondering about Flordia I tried to figure out how far we would travel if we were to chase "The Perfect Attendance Award", it came to 5500+ miles. My old truck gets 6 MPG at $5.00 a gallon that would be about $4500.00 before we start buying anything for the race car. The funny thing is it gets 6MPG with 1 car or 6MPG with 3 cars, so it wouldn't hurt anything to haul more cars.

I have kidded the Robert's and Ambrose's about starting a car hauling service but this might be the summer to do it. Lagistics would be the big problem. I think it would be a doable deal but some of us might have to go a little out of our way to get it done.

Does anybody have any IDEAS ?

Honest Dad himself

Phylo82 · 2/23/12, 11:56 PM

There were 40 mini sprints at Tulsa.....but I get your point.

We'll stay close to home this year if gas prices rise as expected. There are a lot of races at Twin Cities....sure wish there were more at L-Burg.

We won't be worrying about points racing....sorry, I appreciate the fact that Jerry and Bill have gotten a lot of races at different tracks but I'm not diving the 3+ hours it will take me to get to some of them.

racer-x · 2/24/12, 1:16 AM

I bet there is going to be a day very soon when we only wish gas was 5 bucks a gallon!!! But please dont blame anyone!!!!

DAD · 2/24/12, 9:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phylo82

There were 40 mini sprints at Tulsa.....but I get your point.

We'll stay close to home this year if gas prices rise as expected. There are a lot of races at Twin Cities....sure wish there were more at L-Burg.

We won't be worrying about points racing....sorry, I appreciate the fact that Jerry and Bill have gotten a lot of races at different tracks but I'm not diving the 3+ hours it will take me to get to some of them.

How many cars were there from Indiana and Ohio? Had more teams planed a little better and pooled their trailers we probably could have had a few more cars there and it wouldn't have been a cake walk for those guys from Washington state where--ever that is. I figuer about $800.00 for the trip last winter to get to Tulsa and back and better than $1000.00 to do it this summer.

Looks like our long distant races this summer will be Montpelier, Kokomo, and Eldora. These are where our car count is going to hurt the most, and these are the tracks that we need to have the best cars counts if we want to be invited back..

Tracks will be hurting also and I wouldn't be surprised if USAC and other traveling series also drop off this season. If we planed just a little and talked we might find ways to pool our travels and make it through the summer.

Honest Dad himself

Phylo82 · 2/24/12, 2:03 PM

The cost of driving the cars to Tulsa was minimal compared to what I spent on the entry fee, hotel, food, airfare, etc. It's an expensive weekend of racing. I doubt very much we will go next year even if gas is $1.50 a gallon. Two years in a row was enough. As for the cakewalk comment.....well, I saw some good, clean, competitive racing.

We would like to have made the trip to Florida but unfortunately my driver is still in high school and believe it or not my wife thinks school is more important than racing.

I doubt very much I'll be looking to tag along for the ride with anyone......nothing personal, but I'd rather pay for the extra gas.

DAD · 2/24/12, 3:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phylo82

The cost of driving the cars to Tulsa was minimal compared to what I spent on the entry fee, hotel, food, airfare, etc. It's an expensive weekend of racing. I doubt very much we will go next year even if gas is $1.50 a gallon. Two years in a row was enough. As for the cakewalk comment.....well, I saw some good, clean, competitive racing.

We would like to have made the trip to Florida but unfortunately my driver is still in high school and believe it or not my wife thinks school is more important than racing.

I doubt very much I'll be looking to tag along for the ride with anyone......nothing personal, but I'd rather pay for the extra gas.

If gasoline goes down to $1.50 @ gal all the other costs will probably go down too. Almost everything is driven by the energy price today. You want to see America take off drop the price of gas down to $1.50 and stand back. Aint nobody down this far south so I would probably have to drive north to hook up. Then I might just get new tires for my old gokart trailer and pull with my car.

Honest Dad himself

Bill May, remember old Stan at Brown Co speedway. He said he would tack on $50.00 to the winnings of any mini sprinter who showed up to race with an open trailer because of the advertising value of the car out in the open all the way to the race track. GOOD IDEA

sprinter14 · 2/24/12, 8:50 PM

I've towed on an open trailer with my 410 sprint and I can't tell you how many times I have been stuck at gas stations and even flagged down on the road by people asking "where do you race that at??" Yes, enclosed trailers have robbed something from the sport and from the casual fans.

McInturff Racing · 2/25/12, 8:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprinter14

I've towed on an open trailer with my 410 sprint and I can't tell you how many times I have been stuck at gas stations and even flagged down on the road by people asking "where do you race that at??" Yes, enclosed trailers have robbed something from the sport and from the casual fans.

I like it. Using this logic I can just say that I am trying to keep the sport alive rather than saying I am too poor to buy an enclosed trailer

kidrock · 2/25/12, 8:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McInturff Racing

I like it. Using this logic I can just say that I am trying to keep the sport alive rather than saying I am too poor to buy an enclosed trailer

A toterhome or a enclosed trailer has never won one race that I can remember.

sprinter14 · 2/25/12, 9:42 PM

Funny part is that there is an enclosed trailer in my backyard being used as a storage shed. The open trailer costs me a LOT less gas. In addition, I go racing by myself some, and it is also nice because I go through the truck car wash with the car still on the trailer. Much easier for the one man show and a more economical way to go.

True story, I have had people roll windows down at 60 mph on the highway, screaming at me asking "where they race those things at?"

I also get a lot of waves from little kids and a lot of "thumbs up" from old guys, bikers, and a lot of other gearheads.

2/23/12, 10:13 PM	#1 Long hot summer
DAD Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 5,957	Open wheel racers need to start thinking about the "LONG HOT SUMMER" season we are getting ready to begin. We race mostly with MMSA mini sprints organized by Bill May. Bill has worked overtime getting us a full summer racing season. That is great. It is hard to believe that a support class could find so many great tracks to race at. The government and oil companys have also been working overtime to get the price of gasoline and diesel fuel up. The last 3 big races we have had Tulsa, Fort Wayne, and Flordia have had less than steller car counts. The biggest reason is the cost of fuel and what this cost of fuel has done to everything else that we buy or do. We caint do anything about fuel cost but we could work out ways to share the costs when going to the races. While sitting around wondering about Flordia I tried to figure out how far we would travel if we were to chase "The Perfect Attendance Award", it came to 5500+ miles. My old truck gets 6 MPG at $5.00 a gallon that would be about $4500.00 before we start buying anything for the race car. The funny thing is it gets 6MPG with 1 car or 6MPG with 3 cars, so it wouldn't hurt anything to haul more cars. I have kidded the Robert's and Ambrose's about starting a car hauling service but this might be the summer to do it. Lagistics would be the big problem. I think it would be a doable deal but some of us might have to go a little out of our way to get it done. Does anybody have any IDEAS ? Honest Dad himself _________________________________________________ Last edited by DAD; 2/23/12 at 10:47 PM.

2/23/12, 11:56 PM	#2 Re: Long hot summer
Phylo82 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,054	There were 40 mini sprints at Tulsa.....but I get your point. We'll stay close to home this year if gas prices rise as expected. There are a lot of races at Twin Cities....sure wish there were more at L-Burg. We won't be worrying about points racing....sorry, I appreciate the fact that Jerry and Bill have gotten a lot of races at different tracks but I'm not diving the 3+ hours it will take me to get to some of them. _________________________________________________ Last edited by Phylo82; 2/24/12 at 12:01 AM.

2/24/12, 1:16 AM	#3 Re: Long hot summer
racer-x Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,079	I bet there is going to be a day very soon when we only wish gas was 5 bucks a gallon!!! But please dont blame anyone!!!!

2/24/12, 2:03 PM	#5 Re: Long hot summer
Phylo82 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,054	The cost of driving the cars to Tulsa was minimal compared to what I spent on the entry fee, hotel, food, airfare, etc. It's an expensive weekend of racing. I doubt very much we will go next year even if gas is $1.50 a gallon. Two years in a row was enough. As for the cakewalk comment.....well, I saw some good, clean, competitive racing. We would like to have made the trip to Florida but unfortunately my driver is still in high school and believe it or not my wife thinks school is more important than racing. I doubt very much I'll be looking to tag along for the ride with anyone......nothing personal, but I'd rather pay for the extra gas.

2/25/12, 9:42 PM	#10 Re: Long hot summer
sprinter14 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 904	Funny part is that there is an enclosed trailer in my backyard being used as a storage shed. The open trailer costs me a LOT less gas. In addition, I go racing by myself some, and it is also nice because I go through the truck car wash with the car still on the trailer. Much easier for the one man show and a more economical way to go. True story, I have had people roll windows down at 60 mph on the highway, screaming at me asking "where they race those things at?" I also get a lot of waves from little kids and a lot of "thumbs up" from old guys, bikers, and a lot of other gearheads.