[tonyj]

Originally Posted by Dwight Clock It has been close to 40 years since it was possible for a car owner to show even a minimal profit at any level of racing. And many share in the blame. Promoters with a back gate mentality that essentially makes the competitors pay for their own event are part of the problem. Car costs that include $50,000+ midget engines, cockpit adjustables, and new tires every night are part of the problem. Sanctioning bodies that don't do nearly enough to control costs also share in the blame. But there is one part of the equation that makes me stop and say "What the hell!" And that is the car owners themselves. Not all owners as many are competing on a very tight budget. But many others are spending lots of $ that doesn't need to be spent. When a car owner talks to me about high engine costs, tire bills, pit fees, etc. he has both my ear and my sympathy. However, when that same owner pulls his $75,000 midget into the pits with a tractor and stacker trailer worth in the mid six figures I take what he says with a grain of salt. Engines, tires, pit fees, etc. are expenses to race. Big tractors and shiny new stacker trailers are costs to satisfy egos and not look inferior to the team parked next to you. And please don't tell me about impressing sponsors. If you have to spend a half mil to impress a sponsor giving you maybe $50 thou than you don't need that sponsor. This is not meant as a slam to those owners who struggle to compete and do so on limited budgets. It is just meant to clarify the difference between costs to compete and other costs.

That's what made me a fan of Don Moore....after seeing his "tow rig" last October at Granite City. Good thing they were racing midgets, & not trailers....cause they had 'em covered in that dept! :thumb