Spring fever brings
mixed thoughts

3/11/03

My thoughts keep straying to the problems in Iraq and the Middle East, and keeping focused on drag racing is hard to do, but here we go.

I WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE LEDS:

It is old news to a lot of you by now, but the LED starting line bulbs created a mess at the first couple events. The Pro Stock race was double boring as about half the races were red-lights. The Sportsman racers struggled with more red-lights in elimination than ever before. Some racers loved it, they were always late and the quicker LEDs brought them right into some great reaction times.

Well, that has changed now. Much to NHRA's credit they got together with Compulink and came up with a way to filter the LED's electronically so racers will react to the light very much the same as the original incandescent flood lamps. They are going to be a much better bulb now and I support the change 100 percent. They found the problem and fixed it. From what I hear the bulbs will be used at all NHRA national events and all Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series events. Right now the cost to change a tree over to LED is about $800. Most tracks will end up going that way due to problems securing amber floodlights and replacing them. The LEDs will last years. I am told they are better under all light conditions and should make us all a little bit better.

FUELS COSTS AND RACER PARTICIPATION:

Since I was a track owner for about 15 years this subject always bothered me. Now that I have a chance to travel to a lot more races it just ticks me off. Will the higher fuel costs mean fewer racers at events? Maybe, but it might mean more racers will stay home and race at their local tracks and do a little less traveling. I did some figuring (which by itself is a little scary!) on the travel plans Barb and I have made for this season. We are planning on going to five IHRA Pro-Am, two IHRA national, three NHRA divisional and two NHRA national events this season. I figured up the approximate miles and the old price vs new projected price of diesel fuel ($1.43 last summer and projected $1.90 this summer). That is about a 33-percent increase in tow truck fuel. After I did some figuring the difference is not the BIG DEAL I thought it would be. Here is the math I came up with: Miles we will travel to events: 4,860 divided by 8.5 miles per gallon = 571 gallons.

571 gallons x 1.90 "new price"	$ 1084.90
571 gallons x 1.43 "old price"	$ 816.50
=	$268.37	additional fuel expense.

That isn't actually too bad since it will be spread out over six months. There are several things we are planning to pay more

attention to in order to save some fuel that will help offset the fuel costs:

1. Monitor the tire pressures more often for the motorhome and trailer.
2. Use the small portable Honda generator more rather than the larger diesel generator. The Honda uses about half the fuel and the gas costs less.
3. Race both cars on alcohol. Race gas right now is $5.50 per gallon if I get a drum. It WILL be going up if we go into Iraq. Alcohol is $1.45 per gallon after top lube is added. I estimate I will use 400 gallons of race gas ($2200) or about 900 gallons of alcohol ($1305). That alone offsets the motorhome fuel price increase.
4. Around home I thought I could save 5 gallons if I just never started the mower. . .no, that won't be approved by the "boss," so forget that one.
5. I could walk when I go golfing and not pay for the cart rental. . .nah! Why golf if I can't drive all over chasing my golf shots!

As you see, I don't think the fuel price increase is as big a deal as the media makes it seem. I think the problem is they all pretty much live in a big city and don't even drive much, if at all. Since we all use gas every day I am sure it has a huge impact in overall dollars, but it isn't that bad individually. Fill up your daily driver with 14 gallons of unleaded and it now costs $.40 more per gallon. You spend an extra $5.60. Instead of the Whopper and fries for lunch have the cheeseburger and a Coke. You almost covered the gas price increase.

SOME PREDICTIONS FOR 2003:

I guess it is better to be a little late than to not do this at all. Here is what I think we will see in 2003:

1. I don't pay to much attention to the Pros, but I really enjoy reading about the Sportsman classes at IHRA and NHRA events. I think there will be even more first time winners than ever before. A lot of very good bracket racers are joining well-financed teams and they will be a threat right away. As a bracket racer I really appreciate the way some of these guys can "drive the stripe." They are flat-out good at it.
2. Big Bucks bracket racing will go through another growth period. I think it is partially because a lot of local tracks are scheduling less bracket racing every season. The guys who want to race will begin to travel more to have a chance to win more.
3. Local tracks will be searching for the "thing" that will make them more money and secure their immediate future. Import drags, concerts, mud drags, monster truck shows and about anything that will generate revenue without the hassles of putting on a nice bracket racing event.
4. Insurance coverage for tracks will become a major concern if terrorism reaches our shores again. I encourage all racers to be members of IHRA and NHRA to increase your medical expense coverage in case of an accident.
5. I am confident Barb and I will have a lot of fun this season with the dragster and now the "Back-2-Basics" Vega. I hope you will take time at the races to come over and introduce yourself so we can add you to our growing list of great racing friends!

jok@racingnetsource.com

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