Saw this article linked elsewhere and thought I would share it here. It is a good read and something I think folks(including myself) can loose sight of at times

http://www.dragzine.com/features/editori...g-is-all-about/

VERY well said right there............

Very good read. Thanks for the link.

This is very true and why I can't get sell the cars I've had for thirty years. My kids grew up at the track, now my grand son has the bug.

Great read

There's nothing wrong with spending good money in this sport for nice things. The older I get the more I can see why someone wants an RV or a nice stacker. To each their own, and I think the true message is that other people's buying habbits shouldn't affect yours. Do what you want with your program, and don't feel guilty when you spend, or not spend, as long as you're happy.

And there's always someone faster and prettier.........

I have seen people loose sight of their racing goals, go fast, beat their completion and HAVE FUN after racing for several years. I took me over 15 yrs racing in NHRA stock class racing for me to come to my senses at the 1988 World Finals in Pomona, I had let a friend drive my Stocker at that race and he had red lighted(-.498) in the class finals against Mary Ann Method and outran her
We got rained out after that and had to come back the following weekend to finish that race, he red lighted again in the 1/4 finals by -.493
I remember walking from the pits up to the staging lanes and found myself biting my tonque and being very stress out and mad about drag racing in general when it finally hit me, I hadn't had any fun drag racing in over four years I hadn't won a race in the last four years either
I was trying to sell the stocker and I did that right after that race and took up flying lessons the next spring
I had wanted to be a pilot for a long time but the time and money constraints wouldn't allow me to do both until the stocker went away.
I found out later that flying is a lot of work and general flying is not a lot of fun for me, aerobatics is though
I ended up buying a small 7 passenger airplane( Piper Cherokee 6 260HP) with a friend and that deal went sour so he bought me out six months later
I ended up doing some car trading and cash for my own airplane a year later in 1991, a 1960 Piper Comanche 250 with a 260 HP Lycoming motor It was fast (185 MPH cruise at 2400 RPM straight and level)and comfortable but it wasn't a good toy to fly somewhere close (within 100 miles from your home airport) for lunch like most small airplane owners use their airplanes for. I kept it until 2006 (We flew it al over the western U.S. and had a lot of fun traveling. I put a little over 900 hrs. in that airplane) when it got totaled by a hail storm after moving it up here to Bend, OR
Bottom line is I've been hooked on drag racing for a long time, I won my first trophy in 1964, and ended up going back to doing it with the reservation that I would quit again when it wasn't fun anymore
I have friends who went to the races to have fun and I use to Poo Poo them about not being a serious racer
DON'T be that person Have fun and be safe

Don't think the point is not spend the money. The point is remember to have fun and be appreciative for what you have. Anyone racing has some level of extra income to be able to participate no matter the level they compete at. Think the point is remember to have fun while you are at it.

I've always wanted some of the nicer things
in racing BUT I didnt have all the money.. so
I had to build all my junk.. started out with
the open trailer then I bought a 26' enclosed
and pulled it with a 1500 pick up... then I
stepped up to a 3500 used diesel pick up that
I put a cheap used sleeper on still dragging
my 26'... sold the 26' and built a 43' enclosed
with a cheap LQ that I drag behind my 3500.. and
of course after building my own car.. like I said
I had big dollar taste but on a beer budget.. and
as soon as I hit 8s I lost the FUN part of racing
so here I am looking at running 10.0 again when I
had the most fun with all my friends when we would
have a BBQ on the back end of the open trailer.. I
still have my 3500 and the 43' trailer but I'm gonna
just have fun.. win or lose.. life is too short to
worry about winning every race

Turning on the win lights is way more fun!

If you cannot have fun why do it? Life is too short. I was offered to drive a very good friends dragster at the Califorina hot rod reunion this past October. We have broken every part possible over the years, Wrecked a few and learned to have fun the hard way. There were very serious racers at the reunion. I made it to the finals and took runner up. I did nothing special but be consistently beatable every round. Most people would be pissed but I can say that the friends I have made and the great racing is priceless. Never let go of the good times and Keep on racing. And ya its a chevy like everyone else is why I am building a fed with a wedge. Great article Al...

Winning is nice.. but its not the whole thing..
you better learn to keep it fun
EDIT
and if you think you can turn on the win light
even most of the time.. your talking CRAP

I have my share of fun, it's getting to the point for me that I can't afford to do it without some wins. I actually can have fun just spectating and maybe helping a guy tow his dragster to the lanes and packing chutes. Doing burnouts is awesome though!

27 years ago I remember paying 40.00 to race super pro for 1200.00 not a bad deal
The track more times than not finished up after 3am and the track was sub standard at best but it was allot of fun.

Where we race now they have to get done by mid night , the surface is the best in the country, the staging and pits are 1st class all the way and the track manager will bend over backwards to make you happy. The cost is 65.00 for 1500 and its nothing but a bit$h fest.

I think its the best deal anywhere, where else can you go and have all that fun for 65.00 and maybe win 1500.00

I forgot to mention you can camp at the track all weekend for free and its 5 dollars to spectate.

The absolute most fun I ever had at a drag race was a pinks race in Norwalk. I was just a spectator with my wife & my 2.5 year old son. We sat near the start line surrounded by moparts.com members. A member went to the final & won event. That's not what made it fun. It was son seeing this for the first time, watching intently cheering & raising his little arms for every race. Never will forget that day.

Yeah I remember that day.. I was there also when that
big old Charger won

I like to race and go fast, and win, but the best part is hanging out with all the friends I've made over the years.

It's hard to convince yourself how much fun you're having when you're on a string of getting canned in the first round 4 weeks in a row though.

Agreed why would anyone have a hobby they didn't enjoy? The funny thing is when you tell someone you race the first question is always "how much do you win". Tell them if I wanted to make money, I'd be at work. I feel very fortunate to race with what I have. There are friends with way more, and way less. We all have a good time at the track.
Doug

When I lose at a drag race, a bunch of us go up to the stripe and have a ball watching the racing and BSing.