I bought my race car in 99, parked it after the 2008 season, traded it off June 2013. I will never have another race car that isn't street legal. Had a ton of fun on Drag Week, and really enjoy going to local cruises, giving family rides. Just can't always find the time and energy to go to the track.

I also agree with Monte, in my younger days it was always about the competition, now, I find myself just enjoying the process as much as anything.

Oh wow!! It sure is nice to know I'm not the only one that feels this way and have gone through the loss of interest.. So I thank you all for sharing your comments and suggestions..

I'm sure its just a matter of too many dissapointments that have taken place over the last couple of years that caused me to enjoy this summer long break, but the moment the motor goes back into the car and we fire it up for the first time, that enthusiasm will come back... At least I hope so..

its still at the machine shop with a long laundry list of problems... and at least another couple months before it'll be ready for pick up..


1: I have a friend that races too. Sometimes I call him and say .. "Tell me again what it is we love about this hobby" ! LOL
If I have to repair something I always ask myself what can I do to make this better and pick up HP, or speed, or even lower the future maintenance.



In the last two years, I've dumped a very sizeable amount of money in it and if I was married, the amount is so great, I'm sure I'd be planning for a divorce..


2 : The great thing about our machines is they will wait quietly, without need of food or our time, until we feel like doing something with them!



I realized that with this summer long break from racing, I dont think I miss racing all that much..



3: I decided over the years , that racing for a few seconds, after prepping the car for years, and spending a lot of $ was not a good deal. So I built the car to be able to run on pump gas, and be streetable. More driving time for the money.


Either I dont miss it... or I've been so turned off by the last couple of years, I question if I'll ever get back the passion I once had..


4: I have owned my car for nearly 45 years. We have been through a lot together. I am so glad that I still have it now. I am more of the "Career Test and Tuner" as Monte says these days. I am really having fun making a few passes and trying to go a little faster.

Has this happened to you and how did you work past it?

---

5: So yes it has happened to me. I decided to try and make the car easier to work on, lower maintenance, and built the Hemi engine I always wanted!

Mark

well Don....here goes! I was really surprised that you "dove in deep" sort to speak.... I mean after all, I've seen you pull your ride all the way to Vegas, just to sleep in at the motel and miss first call. That just seemed off the deep end strange to me But on the flip side..... you got a spot in the Q16 and we couldn't have slapped the grin off your face. Guess you just gotta ask yourself... how much effort? and is it worth it? ....and besides, we've got your back!



So what you gonna do now??? your in a bit deep I'd say. Get it done and roll with it. what else you going to do? It's five months to MaTS!!! see you there!!

As Monte has said, the best part for me is seeing how fast I can get my car to go. TNT has been the best time for my family and me to run the car, each time out the car has picked up and my wife and kids are just of excited as I am. I work on cars 6 days a week for the last 30 years and always look forward to spending time on My Dart.

I will admit that I use to love watching NHRA Drag Racing on T.V. but now its really not that exciting, I really like to watch the Sportsman cars the best. Looks like we all have been there before! Matt

I ran for Championships in N/SS from 1998 until 2004. Hit all the races Florida to Maryland to Iowa. Didn't worry about winning races, only chasing the championship. Won a few with lots of top 5's and runner-ups. Then it was a job. We sold the car and I quit. Ran my street car a few times a year. And then got bit by the bug again. Spent 5 years building a car. Went back racing last year. Now I pick and chose when and where I run. I'm deadly serious about having a good time. I'm also deadly serious about winning. Just turned 60 last month. I'm having a ball racing again. And yes I still work full time.
Doug

Hmmmmmm..

Mine's ALWAYS For Sale..



Chris..

I wish I could reply to each and everyone of you, but that would take too much typing on my part.. So let me just hit some of the highlites..


I already own a fast street car that we do drive on a regular basis.. I'd keep that one if we ever sell the race car..

I tend to agree with most of you... Bracket racing is really kinda boring and we get the most fun out of a heads up type race, however as Monte said.. The cost to compete in heads up classes is ridiculous and there is no way I could afford to keep up with the Jones.. (or should I say the Alguires) And.... my car is only cert for 8.50.. It would take a ton of money to lose weight and build it up for anything faster.

Most of the frustration stems from the cost we've had to endure, the lack of help from our local racers and the time it takes to get parts from vendors and lastly the amount of time it takes to have others do some work for you..

One of the bright spots in my racing career is the pic Jay posted.. That was taken at MATs on Thursday night, 3 test hits down the track and the transmission blows up.. To have all the Moparts people come rushing over to remove, rebuild and put the trans back in while I'm off acquiring parts was priceless.. It made me feel like one of the family and I cant thank each of you enough..

I guess the most concerning part of this summer break I had is I have zero interest in spectating at the races.. I've been invited to spend Thanksgiving in Vegas, invited to attend the VIP section at Pomona this week and there has been several races here local to me and something else more exciting has always come up....

I'm sure I'll get more excited as next spring rolls around, so thanks to you all for helping me sort this out in my head... Oh yeah, one more thing before I end this post..

I offered to Al that he could stay here (west coast) and race... and I'll move back east with Mrs Al for the next 3 years.. but that didnt go over too well with him... (wonder why)

Racing is more fun when your family also loves it.. My wife always jokes that my son and I would race school buses against each other if we could. When we have cookouts,we always seem to wind up racing riding lawn mowers.My 9 year old grandsons love drag racing the bicycles. They all love going to the track and it's great family time. Do we like to win ? yes but the family time is well worth it even with a loss. But I agree if you need a brake,put it in a corner for while. You just never know who will spark your interest again. It may be some old guy moving in next door !

The MoPig has been in pieces far more than it's been operational for the last 15 years. I ran it hard from 1995 - 1998, hurt it (thrown rod & a lot of collateral damage), got it back together in 1999 and 2000, hurt it (wiped cam & a lot of collateral damage), got it back on the street & track in 2007(?)-2009, hurt it (an oiling issue that should have been found sooner that required another teardown, etc.), and now it's in a slooooow state of reassembly... again.

Three kids (one in 2000, one in 2004, one in 2008), wife & myself both experiencing periods of unemployment / reduced hours from 2007 through about 2 months ago, decisions to make upgrades to the car that resulted in additional $$$ and delays in getting things back together when it was down, etc. All this stuff has competed for time & $$$.

When it gets me down the most is when I tell my wife I'm ready to roll it out into the cul-de-sac in front of our house, douse it in 5 gallons of gas, and burn it to the ground just to be DONE with it.

So, yeah, I can probably relate.

Jay I recognize those feet under that Duster.

Don hang in there all will be better soon. You will have a nice reliable engine that you can go beat on for awhile.

Or just buy the dragster we have here and go have fun

I seem to recall this scene at that same race

After a 12 hour workday he still was more than ready to dive in a help Don out. Is this not was racing is all about..BTW note the supervisor in the backround

I agree with what many have said here. I am kind of in the same boat but I refuse to sell it. I have been building my Challenger for over 6 years now & it still hasn't fired up yet for the first time yet. Hoping for next spring. I just keep saying one of these days.

Same song different verse here I guess...started on the street in the 70's, built my first bracket car in 84, went what I would consider full time bracket racing in 89 (every weekend), in 96 I started crewing 3 cars every weekend, a Junior dragster, a footbrake 68 Barracuda and my S/P dragster...it became a complete second job (read A$$ Whipping), won a few gold cards, a track championship, lots of big money races, from about 93 on I normally won enough money to cover entry fees, fuel and winter freshen-ups and a couple of years I actually made a little pocket change. However...about 2003 I started to become VERY burned out with it all, it was just too much and I didn't know how to quit, I had so much invested. Then...in 2006 I stood my dragster on it's head at about 170 on a freakin T/T of all things, destroyed it and nearly myself at a track that I had no business being at...chasin money...still refused to quit. Bought a new dragster, sold the junior (son was more interested in baseball), sold the Barracuda and started winning again and I thought "ok, back on track, less work, life is good", then in 2007 completely scattered (first time ever) a brand new 500" low deck engine, that was it, I quit, sold everything. Do I miss it? yeah sometimes, somedoay I'll build a door car to run Super Gas/Super Street and /or brackets but it will be on my own time at my own leisure (I still have parts ). In the mean time I keep myself busy by building a street car here and there but I will NEVER turn my cars or racing into a second job again.

For me its more my health and money that slow me down. But I am a gearhead and have been since I was about 12 years old and I love this hobby. I only get to race about once or twice a year right now and I can live with that as I have to live in my budget. And with my back and knee problems its hard on my joints to hang around the track all day so it all limits me. But when I can go racing I do love it. And I enjoy just getting my 63 out and driving it as its much cheaper to drive to the local cruise then to go racing although I would rather be racing. I dont think I will ever want to get completely out of drag racing or just cruising in my 63 as I love it to much. Ron

I went through more short blocks and complete engines than I care to count . I had a time a few years ago it seemd I could make 5 passes and rebuild the engine or transmission. I was in a sour mood for sure. I really never have thought about giving up though. It just made me want to get it right even more. Thanks to some good friends and some well built parts I have had nothing but fun with the old car for the past few years. It needs a little work right now but that is part of racing.. I have never, and hopefull will never think of quitting. It is as big a part of me as anything in my life.. Now don't ask me when is the last race I won.. That is a different topic all together..

as you already know,its all part of the game.everybody hits the wall eventually.but the first time you see the car that makes the hair on your back stand up and your whole body tingle at the track ,the fire reignites again like it never left.i sold everything in 1982.it took quite a few years to want it again so i stayed as far away from the track as long as possible.but the first time i saw a super stock hemi 68 dart fire up again i was hooked all over.i have 2 builds going on now.and of course 1 is a 68 dart.just relax and go with the flow,life will surely let you know when its time to sniff burnt rubber and 116 fumes.......