Worlds oldest teenager right here. Still have a lot of energy but just not enough time with my own career, children in sports, high tuition schools and house repairs and spending time on here. LOL. Complicated car I have and it goes into maintenance and or modifications at a slow pace to stay fast. Sometimes all I have is an hour and by the time I get to the grotto to twist a wrench, it's time to go.
Time is a luxury more than anything else.
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: gregsdart]
#2647402 04/20/1909:29 PM04/20/1909:29 PM
Yep Jim I guess those were the good old says as far as racing goes, I think one difference now is back then I raced regularly with 7 or 8 other guys and we all used to show up, wives, kids some friends also, it was a heck of a social event. And seemed there was a good chance one of our group would win. Havent had that since I left the Rocky Mountain area.
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: wyoming]
#2647421 04/20/1911:18 PM04/20/1911:18 PM
Yep Jim I guess those were the good old says as far as racing goes, I think one difference now is back then I raced regularly with 7 or 8 other guys and we all used to show up, wives, kids some friends also, it was a heck of a social event. And seemed there was a good chance one of our group would win. Havent had that since I left the Rocky Mountain area.
it being more of a social thing is really a big part of it. I think that's why we have such a good time running the club race's. Everyone brings snacks, drinks and lots of lies! As said above, seems like there's not enuff hours in the day anymore too. Between motor building, hauler building and putting together mine, plus odd jobs coming into the shop it's no wonder this year is about half over!
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: moparlulu]
#2647440 04/21/1901:04 AM04/21/1901:04 AM
I am 62 and will be 63 in July. I used to bracket race a 340 four speed Dart back in the late 70's and early 80's. I had a bad crash as I rolled it 6 times in 1982 and got banged up pretty good as I got a helicopter ride to shock trauma and all and it shook me up some. But I still race my 63 once or twice a year and drive it on the street most weekends from April to November. I have some health problems that slow me down a lot also. But I do love to go racing as its a great feeling when you can put the pedal to the floor and let her fly. I wish I could afford to race a bit more but I have to live within my budget. Ron
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: 383man]
#2647496 04/21/1910:01 AM04/21/1910:01 AM
I am 68. My first time racing was in 1967. I started racing this car in 1979 and on thru 81. It has been off an on since, as life's changes keep coming. I am planning on doing some T&T this spring , and maybe some heads up racing for street legal cars at the local track. It is getting harder to work on the car these days, and there is no one close by to lend a hand. Mark
1996 Ram 1500 Sport 1968 road runner 1952 Sears Allstate licensed, pump gas, Hemi 5.98 @ 115.73 1.33 60 ft. The best is yet to come. Painless Performance / Street RODDER magazine Top 100 for 2019
43 as of yesterday. I made my first pass in about '95 and have raced infrequently ever since. It's been a couple years since I've run down the track in my Challenger. I'd like to make a few passes in my Scatpack this summer, and the urge to put a 727 in my Super Bee with a steeper gear and do more than the occasional test and tune since my youngest is graduating in May and I will have a little more time/money to play. With my work schedule and our plant shutdown being most of June, it still limits how much time I can spend on chasing points and such. So it will probably be me sticking to Mopar only races, the local Pacemaker's test and tune nights, and lots of street fun.
1969 Dart GTS 340 1969 Super Bee X9 N-96 1969 Coronet R/T X9 N-96 2015 Dodge Dart GT 2019 Ram 2500 Big Horn. Looking for the original block for my Bee. The last 4 are 7449
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: BradH]
#2647551 04/21/1912:53 PM04/21/1912:53 PM
Started racing in 1963 (Detroit Dragway on Saturday night and Motor City Dragway on Sunday) always a Mopar except for two years with a '66 2+2 fastback Mustang (289 - 271 HP). When I got back from Vietnam I bought this cash money and the rest is history When your done with the video click the link Racing @ 70
If it ain't broke fix it anyway!
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: BSB67]
#2647729 04/22/1909:15 AM04/22/1909:15 AM
Does seriously thinking about racing count? Or a hope of racing again one day?
That's really where I fit right now. In my life, it's not "Sh!t happens", it's more like "Sh!t ALWAYS happens."
Regardless, it's been an interesting thread.
It also means the odds are pretty good I'll be able to find other people at the track with Tylenol, ibuprofen, and Geritol when the aches & pains of leaning into the engine compartment get to me.
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: BradH]
#2647732 04/22/1909:33 AM04/22/1909:33 AM
Does seriously thinking about racing count? Or a hope of racing again one day?
That's really where I fit right now. In my life, it's not "Sh!t happens", it's more like "Sh!t ALWAYS happens."
Regardless, it's been an interesting thread.
It also means the odds are pretty good I'll be able to find other people at the track with Tylenol, ibuprofen, and Geritol when the aches & pains of leaning into the engine compartment get to me.
Just make sure you check the bottles for expiration dates. My Sons girlfriend asked if I had suntan lotion in my car trailer to put on her young kids on a hot sunny day at Keystone and I said, yes I do. Well I did but I guess the expiration date on the bottle was 13 years ago. Oh well I tried.
KIDS!!! Ha, I turned 70 in January, and am very blessed to still have the energy level of a 40 yo! Trust me, I ain't a braggin' here as we ALL know how that can change in a (literal) heartbeat! I've been playing drums and gigging when I have the opportunities, in-the-process of building a '64 Belvedere and just started 'dating' again (after all the years of NOT). The old adage of 'life is what you make it' is partially true, partially what's been dealt to you but by-all-means, make every day count...do your very best and appreciate every minute or even second you've got, it doesn't last forever, not in this life. Ok, enough of the philosophical nonsense.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. Thomas Jefferson
Freedom must be repurchased by every new generation General Daniel Jones, WW2 Tuskegee Airmen
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: blue_stocker]
#2648161 04/23/1901:05 PM04/23/1901:05 PM
Another oldster here, I will be 72 in July and retired for three years at the end of May. I took my first trip down the drag strip when I was 16. I have had a dedicated race car since around 1973. I took about seven years off when my kids were young.
I am currently chasing a dream to run NHRA Super Stock. I have got the engine to probably about the minimum horsepower level to compete in my class and that has uncovered some chassis issues. I hope that is fixed but I won't know until I get it out again.
I need to get off here and get back out in the shop and finish reinstalling the Dana for that to happen!
My son is active in the sport and I think there is a good chance my five year old grandson will be, only time will tell.
I try to visit this board every day, however I am a little discouraged about the mean spirit that shows up more often than it should.
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: BradH]
#2648214 04/23/1904:38 PM04/23/1904:38 PM
58 here, I'll run some heads up street car stuff this summer like I have for the last few years. The way I work I can't justify a dedicated race car, plus I like to be able to cruise around a hot rod too.
Re: Age check for racers, please...
[Re: justinp61]
#2648230 04/23/1905:42 PM04/23/1905:42 PM
Just turned 63 here, made my first pass down a legal drag strip in Gainesville Florida while I was in the Navy...in the 68 GTX that pulled my UHaul trailer from Graham, Texas to NAS Jacksonville, I was 19. Still own that GTX, since then I've owned many door cars and dragsters, in Feb of 2002 I flunked a stress test required of my doctor before he would sign my NHRA SC/SP license, 5 bypasses and 2 months later I was back in the dragster and won the S/P points championship that year as well as runnering up in Q32 points that year. Fast forward to 2008, rolled my hard tail dragster at a very rough shut down track I had no business being at, bought a 4 link dragster a few months later after counting pennies and licking my wounds, one year later scattered a brand spanking new 499" at half track, locked everything up in the trailer and sold it all lock stock and barrel in 2010. Since then I have restored a couple of cars, built a few "fun" semi- race cars and now...at the ripe young age of 63... I'm building another bracket/6.50 heads up car, who knows...may retire in a couple of years...lol...you're only as young as you feel right....lol?????
1968 Plymouth GTX 1974 Dodge P/U Long Bed Stepside 318 2019 Ram 2500 6.4, auto, 4WD