Going Rounds in Stock at Winternationals

Most of the bracket racing we do does not pay anything
to talk about either.

Example : last week at MATS both Jon and I got all the way
to the finals in our respective class = Total return $300.00
Jon had the best losing package with a .007 light and a couple
thousand margin of loss in StockSS $10,000 race = Paid $5O0.00

Our entry fees at MATS were $1,500 so our loss for Weekend was
$700.00 not counting expenses. This was a track rental and not
a NHRA deal.

Fortunately, last year Jon got to the finals in $10,000 Stock/SS race
at the same venue ad was wise enough to do a split and made a some
decent money. But 60 plus of the best Stock/SS racers went home
with Zip for a $325.00 investment. We build trailers and put up $1000.00
to help sponsor the race out of our pocket last year.

The mutual respect and sportsmanship is great at StockSS races. Not
always my experience in bracket racing. I raced 9 Second Demons in
the Quarter Finals and Semi finals that were friends of each other
in Modern Muscle at MATS. In the Quarter finals I put up a .04 light
(My C8 Covette is an awful bracket car) and the gentleman in the Demon
was - .05 red. He chased me to the time slip both and wanted to Scream and
Fist Fight (He was probably 1/3 to 1/2 my age). Then in the Semi Finals his partner
but up a -.247 light to my first leaving .010 light (I was pissed by them). They
then proceeded to our pits looking for me but I was up helping Jon in his Finals.

Even coming up to 76 Years, I am fairly confident I could handle them both (Years of
Law enforcement and over 300 Fugitive Felony Arrests)! However, the Painter family
(The promoters of this race) are my friends and I had no desire to disrupt their event.
Plus it is not the message that I want to convey to my Grandkids and their buddies
who attended the event. Not to mention that at my age I might get my elder butt
kicked (Would not be the first time)! I doubt that we will ever race at MATS again
after the problems, although we probably will attend one day to see and visit with our friends.

At a NHRA National Race you would get at least a year suspension or more for that
sort of conduct and there is a lot of security and police present.