[LEADERS EDGE]

It's Tony's stuff....he can do with it what he wants. Would he have raced under the conditions that his USAC guys have this year.....no, but then again he has people hired to run those teams and he must trust their judgement.

Anyone that knows me knows I am not a Stewart apologist, but it's his business just like it's our choice where we spend our money. Kasey Kahne is the same way. With the help of their sponsors, their WoO teams make money and their USAC teams lose money. Simple as that.

This is an extremely interesting discussion in these terms: The so-called dream is to be able to race for a living. Part of that is gathering sponsors and higher paying shows. To make the sponsors happy you have to advertise and all of that.

My point is this:All the talk is about the "little guy" and how they are left out and all of that, but if it wasn't for the "big guy" who does the little guy go drive for? Also, can't the "little guy" become a "big guy" if his business takes off or he hit's the lottery or what have you. It isn't like the people who are the "big guys" were always the big guy. Some maybe, but not all.

It isn't like all of a sudden lawyers,doctors and successful businessmen started owning race cars. That is how it's pretty much always been. The difference is they wouldn't put their own kids in them then, but now most successful people who are car owners will put their child in it instead of hiring a driver. That again is kind of a jealousy thing because when I hear someone say: " Those spoiled kids with their rich daddies are ruining the sport" what I hear is: "Man I wish I had what they have". I will agree that some of those kids don't have respect for theirs or others equipment, but many do. There are alot of broke guys who don't have respect for theirs or others equipment either.

By 1998 a new Brayton SB2-2 Midget Motor was $20,000. We got 15 races between rebuilds and that was with diligent overseeing. Today, the middle range Esslinger is $22,000. From what I hear you can get 15-20 shows between rebuilds. You can win races at 99.5% of all of the tracks in the country with that motor. It is a far superior motor than the Toyota and house Chevy. Much more reliable than the Fontana and Esslinger XT.

Ask the Clauson family what they won Belleville with. The biggest motor eater in the country. It wasn't a $40,000 motor. It wasn't even their best motor.

I to this day have no idea why the size of the hauler needs to be brought up when discussing costs. That is a choice that a team makes, and with payments as they are, often it costs the same for a tractor and and large trailer as a dually and 48 footer on a yearly basis. That is trailer envy more than a legitimate complaint.

Don't get me wrong here, I am as low buck as anybody.