Superstitions Wanted...
 

For my site, I'd like to write about superstitions that any of you drivers and crews out there have, or other superstitions you're aware of in racing.

You can e-mail me any of that information at csmoses81@gmail.com.

Thanks!

Re: Superstitions Wanted...
 

Always drink warm beer. (Budweiser)

Jerry #66j
www.joshspencer.com

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NEVER RUN A NUMBER THAT READS THE SAME THING UPSIDE DOWN !
NOT THAT I BELIEVE IT.:rolling:

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Nothing green on or around the car. No number 13's anywhere, when I worked for Mo Nunn and we went to Pike's Peak we were assigned garage stall #13. Well we were not to happy about that, so I said " we'll just put tape over it and make it 12B." So when I went to do that there was tape goo on it from other teams doing the same thing.


Bob Shutt

Re: Superstitions Wanted...
 

More of a ritual than a superstition, get belted in and gloves and helmet in the same order everytime

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No GREEN in the pit area
No Peanuts in the pits

Here's a personal one....

My dad passed away 3 years ago, he was involved in midget racing for over 40 years. Every time my mom brought her new boyfriend to the racetrack, we always had problems... dumb problems!! Fuel filter clogged, pan hard bracket breaks, throttle linkage breaks (running second), brakes overheated and the kicker before I finally asked them not to come back..... I was sitting in line to go out for the main and all of a sudden the brake pedal went to the floor, we blew out the master cylinder.

Re: Superstitions Wanted...
 

Originally Posted by tony sessions 17:
NEVER RUN A NUMBER THAT READS THE SAME THING UPSIDE DOWN !
NOT THAT I BELIEVE IT.:rolling:

Tony welcome to the board, it is nice to have a drivers point of veiw. :respect:

Jerry #66j
www.joshspencer.com

Re: Superstitions Wanted...
 

good to be here mr. spencer. really itching to go racing but i guess chatting about it will have to do for now!:headbang:

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2 biggies on the team I work for...

No fried chicken anywhere near the car or trailer.
NEVER, EVER carry the driver's helmet upside down.

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Always load the cars facing forward, and in the same order. Even if they're just going in the trailer for the night. Make sure the tie downs are used in the same location.

(this had more to do with 1/4 midgets, but its a routine that we stick with):)

Ted
PS: I'm a truck driver if that explains anything:Steer

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A handshake from the crew before the feature. :kookoo2::thumb:

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Welcome Tony!

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Don't allow me to cheer for you in any capacity (I have proof to back this claim up) :emote20: .

Crew members shouldn't tell a driver where they qualified at, let the officials tell them.

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thanks pit cart, glad to be here :greenflag:

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Always get in the car the same way.

Right shoulder strap first then left.

Always use a certain number of tearoffs for the heat and for the feature.. (seen this one bite a driver in the butt-ran out on an heavy track that usually slicked over by feature time)

One local track runs transponders. A couple drivers wanted the same transponder every week. Track got tired of this and made the drivers start buying the raceceiver radios.

Never chew gum once inside the car.

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I have to put the right shoe on first, then the left. I have to put the right glove on before the left. And probably the wierdest one of the few I have, once the driving suit goes on, I don't eat, and don't go to the bathroom while the suit is on. This will probably have to change once I get older. LOL, but I will say I have broken this a few times due to emergencies.

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There is a now retired sprintcar racer in Australia, that one night seen a guy (not on his team) leaning on his race car eating peanuts in the pits before the race meeting had even started, so he packed everything into the trailer and went home! Heard this from one of his crew guy's. He now has a very good deal going with an American racer over here with the initials DS. I wonder if he has any superstitions ? :Steer
ps, while all you guy's are sitting on your computers in out of the snow, we've got more racing going on here than we know what to do with at the moment! Just thought i'd say that to make you all feel better. :applaud:

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I take superstitions to a whole new limit! When Dave is racing I don't eat peanuts (even way up here), I don't wear anything green, and I always have on a DD t-shirt. Oh yeah, one more thing: I have a little jar beside his picture and I keep four leaf clovers in it. All I find all summer. (Even though they are green!!:doh:)

Steve Kinser does defy superstitions, yet he is The King!!:checkered:

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I remember back in the 60's when Steve Krisiloff pulled into the Eldora pits for the USAC season opener towing a green sprint car :eek:. No one, and I do mean no one, wanted to pit next to that fate tempting symbol. No too much later Larry Rice was taking home considerable green, racing in a Gatorade (or was it Mountain Dew :confused:) sponsored sprinter with lots of visible green paint.

Like Susan, to this day, I don't wear green or eat peanuts (especially green ones) at the track.

<Editorial Rant Follows>
Remember, it was a green car (Jack Brabham's Cooper Climax) that started Indycar racing onto the slippery slope leading to the mess it is in now.
<End of Editorial Rant>

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No green in or around pit. Never carry helmet upside down. Get dressed the same way every time. And most important is my Mom has to say a prayer over the car while I'm in it just before hot laps.

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As the cars are coming through turns 3 & 4 for the start I say a quick prayer for their safety.

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Originally Posted by FishBurger:
I remember back in the 60's when Steve Krisiloff pulled into the Eldora pits for the USAC season opener towing a green sprint car :eek:. No one, and I do mean no one, wanted to pit next to that fate tempting symbol. No too much later Larry Rice was taking home considerable green, racing in a Gatorade (or was it Mountain Dew :confused:) sponsored sprinter with lots of visible green paint.

Like Susan, to this day, I don't wear green or eat peanuts (especially green ones) at the track.

<Editorial Rant Follows>
Remember, it was a green car (Jack Brabham's Cooper Climax) that started Indycar racing onto the slippery slope leading to the mess it is in now.
<End of Editorial Rant>

Amen brother. Now that is GOSPEL.

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Originally Posted by Dwight Clock:
As the cars are coming through turns 3 & 4 for the start I say a quick prayer for their safety.

That is so nice!! Thank you Dwight!

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No Green, No peanuts, and always read the 2 prayer stickers before going out on the track.

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Never sweep the trailer out until the races are over. It sweeps the luck out.

I watched our car owner knock a bag of peanuts out of a crew members hand at the Speedrome. It was too late though, we blew up with 5 to go while leading the feature.:doh:

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Jack Yeley taught Josh about black cats but the one that comes to mind is our blue awning, everytime we have taken it to the race track Josh has destroyed a race car, no more blue awning at the race track.

Jerry #66j
www.joshspencer.com

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At Lawrenceburg I do 2 things: have at least one cheeseburger and also visit with Marv and the gang.

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I always heard that is was bad luck to wear a helmet that you yourself did not bring to the track.. Also used to hear that it was bad luck to tow your car to the track backwards.

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Originally Posted by Danny Burton:
At Lawrenceburg I do 2 things: have at least one cheeseburger and also visit with Marv and the gang.

Did you forget buying 50/50 tickets:rolling:

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Originally Posted by Dirtfan:
Did you forget buying 50/50 tickets:rolling:

Does Danny actually buy 50/50 tickets or when he sees this ticket seller does he just freeze up?:confused:

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Originally Posted by Tim Watson:
Does Danny actually buy 50/50 tickets or when he sees this ticket seller does he just freeze up?:confused:

Not only did I buy tickets, Tim. I bought them 1 at a time. For Marv's benefit, of course. :thumb:

Another 'burg routine of mine is, as soon as I sign in, I head for the pits to write down the lineups, etc. Most always I waint until the sprint heats are over before having a cheeseburger (or 2, Dave). Usually I go out to the old truck for a 1 man tailgating party, unless itsanonwingthing and/or Tim Caldwell join me. :thumb:

The Bloomington/Gas City/Haubstadt, etc. routine is not that different.

1 more thing: when a guy flips, I usually say...well, never mind. It's an expression of dismay. I am concerned that the driver is okay, and also realize that somebody has a car to fix. :crying:

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I can attest to his routine @ Bloomington:thumb:

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Bad luck to carry a $50.00 bill with you at the racetrack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by RacerWife:
Bad luck to carry a $50.00 bill with you at the racetrack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAH YOUR WIFE WILL END UP WITH IT:rolling:

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At Pavement tracks, no cleaning the car from the time it comes off the trailer to the time it goes in.

The name on the Arm Restraints must face forward and the length adjusters have to be on the inside.

Talk about a really stupid one --- I use a dental mouthguard. It has to have a strap to attach to the helmet. I thought about the other kind but always feared I would swallow it in a wreck.

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Originally Posted by RacerWife:
Bad luck to carry a $50.00 bill with you at the racetrack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No Car Owner has to worry about that! We're always broke.