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....Same day a guy with a Challenger (I think his name is Billy) took the time to show and explain, demonstrate how the box shifted the car at set RPM to my son and I. He heard my kid ask me what the box was for and called us over to explain....



Chucklehead,
Thank's for remembering me, I've always tried hard to be a good ambassador for the sport...can't remember how many kids have photos taken by thier dads of them sitting in my car...

I've been blessed to meet, race, and enjoy a ton of special people and special moments in this sport..it just kind of sneaks up on you, and suddenly you realize you've been around this sport for 30 years, and seen many of the best!

It started for me at KCIR in the early to mid 70's, when my Dad took me to my first AHRA National event. I was a young kid, but the sights, sounds and cars are still fresh in my memory. Showtime was there, and the Tennesee Bo-weevil. I remember the fuelers were starting on rollers, and I'll never forget how the chassis would flex when the engines would fire. My dad was a street racer, never much for the track, and he was mopar all the way, so all day the mopars were the best, and the chevies stunk, that's what he taught he. Then later in the day a little white chevy did a burnout, and I said "Dad, does that Chevy stink?" With sudden reverence in his voice he said, "No Son, not that one, he's the baddest in the land". I was shocked by my Dad's response, and squinted to read the cursive on the door...it said "grumpy's toy".
That was my first drag racing lesson, and it has served me well over the years...respect the good racers, regardless of thier brand affiliation!

I could go on for page after page, but I'll leave you with one of my favorite stories about a super guy. I moved to Phoenix in 1987, just a young, country, okie with a wife, kid, and a 13 second street car. I was immediately in awe of the Loper's Speed Shops in town, I used to go in and buy a National Dragster just to have an excuse to look around. Of course, all the counter guys wouldn't give me the time of day..until one day, I walked in and they were out of ND's, and just as the counter guy was trying to run me off, John himself walked in and said, "what does he want?"...the counter guy stuttered, and said, "A National Dragster..sir!" John ushered me back to his personal office, took his copy off his desk, and gave it to me! When I walked back by the counter with that ND in my hand, the counter guy's jaw dropped!! Word must've got around because I always got treated like a top customer after that!
Fast forward ten years later to 1997, and I'm racing my first NHRA National in Phoenix, so I fly my youngest brother, and his best High School bud out to be my "Crew"...well, they are major pumped!! While they've been bracket racing for years, they've never even attended a National! To make a Long story short, Saturday was a total rainout, and they are bummed..so I'm trying to think of a way to cheer them up as we are leaving the track, and I off handedly say, "Loper's is still open if you want to swing by...". I'd forgotten that living in Small Town Oklahoma, niether had ever been to a real live speed shop, so both enthusiastically agreed. We arrived at the main store about an hour before closing, walk in, and John Loper himself is behind the counter, and no one else is in the building. I'm a little nervous, because I've played it up to my brother and his buddy that I know John personally, so now I'm on the spot. I walk up and smile, and say, "Hey John, I'm running SST out at the Nationals, and we got rained out..so I brought my brother and his friend over to see what a real live Speed Shop looks like..." He gave a big grin, and said, "You're in Luck, it's been really slow today"...and simply walked from the counter to the front door, locked it, and proceeded to give us the grand tour!! He took them to his office, and showed off NHRA, IHRA, and AHRA trophies, certificates of National records, old photo albums, went to the back, and showed of his COPO Camaro, through the whole shop, back shelves, everything in the place, dazzling us with story after story for 2 hours!!!

Since then my brother's friend has went on to drive some extemely fast door cars, and built quite a reputation as a top racer..but get him around a latenight campfire at a race, when stories are being tossed about, and he'll always say.."Have I ever told you about the time I met John Loper in Phoenix Arizona..."

"Livin' in a powder keg and givin' off sparks" 4 Street cars, 5 Race engines