10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

A guy named John Scalzi has a blog (http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/). He came up with the idea of listing 10 things he has done that no one else has done. More than 100 people have responded with their own lists. I just killed a couple of hours reading them. Very interesting.

While things are quiet here, I thought some of us might have interesting lists. I also thought we should restrict our lists to racing (I now know way more than I ever wanted to know about some of the people that responded to Scalzi's list). Here's mine.


1. Clumsily ran smack into a very famous race driver exiting an elevator in a hotel with a lady not his wife. It's less relevant, but I also clumsily ran smack into Tony Bennett while running for an airplane. My lack of coordination is one of the reasons I have done almost everying in racing except drive a car.

2. Helped Rich Vogler learn about the original bead lock (the one that was like a small inner tube) by spending a couple of hours one hot afternoon at Eldora inserting the damned things.

3. Helped build a sprint car from scratch; i.e., we read the rule book, chalked the dimensions on the garage floor, and started cutting and welding. We also learned about fibreglass from a boat repair shop, built the molds and then the body. It was quite successful.

4. Managed to graduate from a top engineering school on time with a BS degree while attending what I suspect was a record low number of classes. I had a job, a fiance, and was helping to build a sprint car; I had no time for classes.

5. Designed and implemented software that you have used if you've ever ridden the Muni Metro in San Francisco. It's relevant here because that project got me to sprint car races at 7 tracks in California and a few in Texas (usually flew via DFW).

6. Announced over 300 midget races.

7. Was at a meeting of a racing club when its president had a heart attack at the podium.

8. Became President of a racing club when the President said he was slugged by a driver and the Board refused to take any action. He quit, giving the job to the Vice President, which was me.

9. Been named VP Marketing for a manufacturing company in spite of the fact I had no experience in that field and was not even an employee of the company. It is relevant here, because it enabled me to plan trips that got me free travel to every one of the 9 Silver Crown races that year (and a few sprint and midget shows).

10. Wrote the sprint car chapter of an annual Goodyear Racing Report.

11. Arrived at Chico with three others on the first day of the Gold Cup with terrible seats. Made two signs: "Need 4 tickets" and "4 tickets for sale". Bought tickets every time they were better than we had in hand. Sold tickets when possible. At one point, held nine sets of four. The result was 4 seats directly under the press box, and a loss of nine dollars when my wife gave a discount to two high-school kids who didn't have enough money.

12. After a rainout at Williams Grove, went to the horse races with a large party that included Larry Rice. While others were "scientifically" rating horses, I noticed there was a jockey named Wayne Rice and pointed it out to Larry. He and I decided to bet on everything he rode. We won; the ones who "knew what they were doing" lost.

13. Proved that you could get through all those damned traffic lights on the old Berlin (CT) Turnpike without stopping at just over 80 mph (sometime after 2am, returning from a champ car race at Trenton).

14. Spent three days at a racing promoters meeting talking to the guy at the next table during the quiet periods. He was Benny Koske, who made his living by blowing himself up with dynamite.

15. Have seen open-wheeled races at 140 different tracks. I have also seen races at 4 other tracks. Three of them were Cup races at which I was working in air-conditioned press boxes (I am not likely to ever sit for 6 hours in the sun watching taxicabs go round and round). Finally, when on one of the work trips mentioned above, I got bored enough to go to an ARCA race on a Tuesday night in Illinois.

16. Listed 16 things in a 10 thing list.

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

Good idea Dick hope this isn't considered boasting but-

1. Left 6 inches of mud in a car wash in Salina after running a thursday night at Eldora leading up to the big one. We then hit Lima and headed to Lawrenceburg on Saturday. The local cop made 20 passes by the car wash just shaking his head.

2. 1st year racing tore the right front off the car without getting out of the pits at Lawrenceburg.

3. Spent an hour at the pit gate the first time they ever ran mods at Eldora (1990) convincing them I was old enough to drive. Finally Dave Dayton set the record straight.

4. Saw Bengals training camp at Wilmington Ohio and a Woo race at Eldora all in the same day trip many times as a kid.

5. As a kid saw Rocky Hodges and Kelly Kinser pass each other four times on the last lap of an Ohio sprintweek race at Kc.

6. Set a new track record in a modified at Lawrenceburg before they quit qualifying us. Now the track is getting bigger it shall never be topped lol.

7. Banged wheels with Jack Hewitt for several laps in a mod at Kc. Then got a laugh out of him when he came over to discuss it and I was wearing a Tony Elliot t-shirt after those two had spent the last few weeks trying to crash each other every chance they got.

8. Caused a riot at Portsmouth raceway park. They had a big 4th of July race and were arguing over letting a new hoosier mod tire be legal or not. Finally they put an ad in Mid America that read any 8" hoosier or Mcreary tire. They left out that it should be a modified tire. So we went to Hoffmans and picked up 4 soft front sprint car tires and set fast time by half a second over 70 cars.

9. Been on fire at Eldora

10. 12 top 5's in Lawrenceburg budweiser modified standings.

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

Just one, Visited all four nights of a Kings Royal race (First two were rained out) Attended the Dayton Airshow and Cedar point all in the same four days.

Got thrown in jail saturday night driving home. I got so tired I stopped in Fairfield bowl, Passed out on the front seat of my car. Awoke in another car trying to start it with four cops outside the car trying to get me to come out.

I hadn't had a thing to drink, I was just so tired, They hauled me in and said either sleep in a cell or call someone to come get me at 4am.

Oh and Two, Ran into a horse (1 of 8) in the road on Rt 50 near Dillsboro at 2am which came through the windshield, hit us so hard it broke the seats and tore the side mounts that the door and seatbelts attach too off and lived to tell about it. Bout the only accident I've ever seen where if we'd of had our belts on, No doubt I wouldn't be typing this now.

Chuck

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

I have got just five things.
5. Drank a fifth of captain morgan on thursday before the Kings Royal. (bad Idea)

4. Almost smashed Dave Argabright coming out of the bathroom @ the Burg.

3. Meet Bob Jenkins and talked racing.

2. Meet Robin Miller and talked racing.

1. Started a website with no clue as to how.

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

Originally Posted by 1BIGracefan:
I have got just five things.
5. Drank a fifth of captain morgan on thursday before the Kings Royal. (bad Idea)

4. Almost smashed Dave Argabright coming out of the bathroom @ the Burg.

3. Meet Bob Jenkins and talked racing.

2. Meet Robin Miller and talked racing.

1. Started a website with no clue as to how.

From Jim Morrison
1. Slept in the car in the parking lot at New Bremen Speedway after watching Bruce Walkup win at Eldora on Saturday night, and then watched Benny Rapp give instructions for setting up his car to his mechanic. Benny would look at the car and then motion up or down and the adjustement would be made.

2. Taken pictures of Tony Stewart in a TQ midget in victory lane at Rushville, Ind., when he was just 18 years.

3. Sat in the cockpit of Tony Stewart's first TQ a year later as the scheduled driver for a practice session, but was too fat at 300 pounds for the steering wheel to turn. I could have waved to the crowd with both hands, if we had fired it up but there would have been a problem in the first turn.

4. Walked the battlefield of Gettysburg in the middle of January while on the way to indoor TQ races in Atlantic City.

5 Walked in the back gate at Indianapolis Raceway Park with Kenny Schrader, who was in a driver's uniform. Schrader asked if I knew if there were any cars that needed a driver.

6 Watched as Billy Puterbaugh Jr., did a 360 around me in the infield at Rushville. Billy got forced off the track and kept his foot in the throttle and the tail end out. I took no pictures for fear the flash would cause him to twitch and lose control, but I turned 360 degrees with him in case I needed to run.

7. Lost 100 pounds after being unable to sit in Stewart's car. Drove Lynn Ambrose's TQ during a practice session and had my photo taken "on the hammer" by the great Jack Gladback. Since I was wearing Lynn's uniform, Jack couldn't tell the difference between us and I never got any photos.

8. Drove Steve Stapp's sprinter at a special media day in 1993 at Bloomington Speedway and had people ask me where I raced at.

9. Interviewed Pancho Carter as a young reporter in 1979 after he won his second Hulman Classic. Was told to have a tape recorder the next time. Interviewed Pancho at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1992 as he walked from the pits to a sponsor commitment. Had a tape recorder.

10. Fell down the track at KC Raceway in Chillicothe, Ohio, as cars were being fired for practice at the other end of the track.

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

1. Still think that I'm the only race official that Bill Simpson tried to punch during the 83 Indy 500. My wife is still waiting for my share of the $10,000. fine and willing to let others take thier shots if she gets a share of the fine. After 30yrs being married I think she isn't so picky on the dollar amount and may be willing to pay now.
2. Perfected my navigation skills flying back and forth to Indy and other races. At the time I didn't know it would be while doing it upside down and doing slow rolls or four hour cross country trips under a hood. I miss those lessons with my father inlaw, including a few bridges we went under. RIP
3. Still get lost getting to tracks I've been to a hundred times. Never got lost on remote hiking or fishing trips. I am a expert with a compass in the woods just can't seem to drive you to certian race tracks. I've sence learned Salem In. is not in KY, I knew I did not cross a big river the last time I went there.
4.Try to convence A J Watson his indy car had a mechanical problem. After all I was just some young kid and that spinning compressor wheel on the ground couldn't have been from his car, it wasn't possible. The car had just pulled out of it's pit for it's first warm up laps.
5. Yes motor homes will go 90mph + on the PA turnpike. Yes tickets are expencive and your passengers don't won't to go that fast in them.

Ron

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

1) Fell off the crapper in the motorhome while going over the turn three bank at Eldora. We were entering the pits for the 1994 USAC opener towing our trailer with a motorhome and I really, really had to go. :moon:

2) Rode around Winchester up on the banking in the same motorhome going the wrong way. Those lines to load in and out were pretty long and the banking didn't look that steep at the time.:kookoo2:

3) Picked up the wrong Pepsi can during a rain delay at Paragon and accidentally drank from the spitter. :eek:

4) Had a race car, the truck and the trailer torn up all within the infield of Anderson Speedway. A 40ft enclosed trailer should never be pulled out the exit of turn four. The crest at the top has a tendency to catch the jacks.:doh:

5) Once at North Vernon our driver was mad so he kicked the front bumper of the car. The car rolled backwards over the hill and down into the creek. :headbang:

I know there are more, but I have to get back to work.

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

I can only think of one thing.
1.)i was in brad kuhns pit during midget week(i think it was at gas-city) helping the crew out,And i lifted the car up and i looked down and my pants riped,so i put duck tape all over them,i'll never for get that night.:kookoo2::kookoo2:

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

In no particular order...

1. Worked as a Tour Manager & Sound Engineer for a national recording group.

2. Skydived.

3. Shook hands with Yogi Berra.

4. Saw Al Unser Jr. race a "Super" at 14 years old while sitting on a phone book (no kidding).

5. Worked on Arnold Palmer's aircraft.

6. Currently surviving the raising of 3 teenage daughters at once (two of them twins).:headbang:

7. Was at the first Chili Bowl.

8. Had a job once making plastic Jesus' that go on your cars dashboard (no kidding).:rolling:

9. Saw Doug Wolfgang run Bob Trostle's wingless aluminum chassis sprinter.

10. Seen the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform in 4 different models of aircraft.

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

1) Recieved the "Citizenship" award in the 6th grade.

a) Only one Boy in the whole school recieved this award. 2 Girls
recieved the award that year.


2) Skipped 8th grade math. Took HS algebra in the 8th grade.


3) By the time I finished my Freshman year in HS complete
100 units of training, including taking Fortran Programming
at the Navy Post Graduate School and electronics at the Jr College.

4) Could land a 'double axel' on roller skates. Take off goin'
forward complete 2.5 revolutions in the air, land on one
foot goin' backwards.

5) At eighteen years old was given a ride in a P51 Mustang airplane.


6) Was granted permission to board and ride on one of
America's Nuclear Attack Submarines, for a test run.

7) Climbed the tower to the top of US Titan IV launch pad,
with rocket on the pad. US most recent largest rocket booster
that went into outerspace.

8) Shook hands with America's Astronaunts before they boarded
the shuttle.

9) Was granted the privilege of driving one of Jimmy Sills
410 non-wing car at night. Shortly there after got it upside
down.


10) One of the few people who layed down 150' of double tire
burns outs, jumping the curb and flying a 1970 402 Big
Block Camaro into the second story of a Holiday Inn.


That's me...Larry "O":kookoo2:

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

The statute of limitations HAS ran out on every one of my 37 things that I have listed, someday I just might write a book about these and a few others I WILL NOT mention on here. There were 40, I took off 3! :wink1:

37 Things
(That I have done, most of which, I would not recommend others try to attempt)

1. Steal a car and not get caught
2. Skip school, in the 2nd grade
3. Beat the crap out of someone
4. Get the crap beat out of yourself, (quite unintentionally)
5. Race something real scary, in a real race, on a real race track
6. Jump out of a perfectly good airplane
7. Have an in depth conversation with a detective, and not by choice
8. Stand on a 14,000 foot high mountain top, just to breath the thin air
9. Spend the weekend in a strange town, in a strange jail
10. Take the

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

1. Flagged 2004 All-Star show at Spoon River Speedway, lived to tell about it, and realized just how stupid it was only after Terry McCarl said something in the B-Main winner's circle - right before I'd have to deal with 24 cars. And the gate behind you swings in toward the racetrack.

2. Got to Joplin on the way to the Chili Bowl only to find out via telephone that the Oklahoma State Department of Revenue had posted a big orange placard on the door stating that our hotel's tax license had been revoked due to nonpayment. We stayed across the street.

3. Announced 24 high school basketball games in three days (8 per day, first game at 9am, last at 9:30pm). Final went to overtime, left straight from there and went to the Tulsa Shootout. Arrived at 9:30 just in time for the first race of the day. Our rider wanted to sleep in her own bed, so we drove BACK TO ILLINOIS after the last race at 10:30. Up for roughly 40 hours - and acquired laryngitis due to the fumes after announcing all the games.

4. Flagged the first ever show at the Lincoln, Ill. Speedway. Sat on the front straightaway on the first night (150 cars in four classes - we were overwhelmed) with a seven car Modified pile-up in front of me at 10:30pm (curfew) and two races left in staging, watching Jim Leka tear into somebody. My buddy Allen Motley shoved the microphone in his face when he started in on us, and that ended the conversation.

5. Saw a racecar end up in a tree at Macomb, Ill. where I started working at 16. The LaMoine River borders the property and could actually be considered the retaining wall if you go over the banking in turn two. The tree in question was above the river.

At 23, I'm sure there are many other unique occurences that I will add to my "never seen that before" file...

JC

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

1. while leading a Moto-Cross race at Winchester in the 70s, have the coil break off the frame and I was able to hold it in place to make ground and refire it and still win the race.

2. Me and my buddies while we had 10 or 12 to many climbed to the top of the Clermont water tower and had another, then successfully climbed down.

3. Seen the "KINGS" final performance at Market Square Arena.

4. When I was 24 slept with a woman who was twice my age while my buddy who was 22 was in the other room with her sister who was twice his age.

5. spent a night in jail for having a case of unopened beer in the back of my truck when I was 18 years old, the cop would of let us go if we would have said who bought it for us, problem was it was my buddies Mom.

6. Turned down a ticket to go see the Colts in the Super Bowl last year.

7. At 24 years old owned a 1979 Porsce 930 Turbo Slant Nose that I bought and paid for with my very own hard earned $$$$

8. Was car owner of the 81 Kenyon car this past season that was driven by Nelson Stewart (Tonys Dad)

9. Lived through the 70s and feel I am a better person today because of it.

10. Met my wife at a bar 18 years ago and have been together every night since.


Eric C

Re: 10 Things I've Done That You Haven't
 

Some of these are simply too much information....:emote20:

1. Saw Jack Hewitt's last ride
2. Saw Butch Wilkerson's last ride
3. Talk with Mel Kenyon during a rain delay while sitting on his right tire under a tarp and with Mel sitting in the cockpit, just in case it stopped raining. (It didn't.)
4. Presented a HARF t-shirt to Dickie Gaines after he won at Bloomington on my 50th birthday. Yeah, Marv, that was a long time ago.
5. Went go-kart racing with several co-workers, most all who were younger than me and kicked their collective a@@es.
6. Won the 50/50 a few years back at L'burg---on my birthday
7. Saw Dickie's car get stuck on the fence at Bloomington, like a fly on flypaper.
8. Saw J.T. Stapp's car stick in the ground, nose first.
9. Was tongue tied at the 2007 HARF Banquet when I was presented the Gene Powlen Award, one that I still can't believe that I won.
10. Took my grandson to his first race at age 6 months and now he is a fan for sure.
11. Was "persuaded" by the late Lenny Calinoff to write a story. So I did, then wrote a few more. Thanks in large part to J. Levan (taz70739 here) I'm still at it.
12. For good measure: all along the way, I've made a lot of good friends, many of whom post here. Look forward to meeting many more before I take the ultimate checkered flag:checkered: