My thought's about Bradenton

[wrongway]

First off I have some kind words for the people that helped me make this happen. Anthony from Pureflow Airdog, Dave Goerend Transmissions, Dan @ Valair Clutches, Dan and Vicki Scheid from Scheid Diesel, Dennis and Sheila Perry from TS Performance, and Diesel Life Inc. These folks deserve a round of applause as if it weren't for them the event probably wouldn't have happened. Please use their products and services if at all possible, they are the backbone of our sport. Thanks to Joe Hakman for teching a few turbo's too :hehe: I brought out a few Nostalgia Dragsters for your entertainment, I hope you liked them as they really liked the diesel stuff. They are known as the Southern Slingshot Assoc. and they are a great group of people to work with. I did learn some things this weekend too. It doesn't matter what you do to get people to come to the racetrack and run their vehicles. I personally saw between 35 to 50 diesel trucks in the spectator parking lot that did not race. Time's are tough, fuel over $4.00 a gallon kept some people away. Although the truck count wasn't all that high I think everybody went away happy. Spectator count Sat. was a damn pile of people. Spectator stands was just about full most all day. All in all, I'm gonna say that it was a pretty damn good event considering all that I had to overcome to make it happen. I learned also that promoting an event is not an easy or cheap endeavor. We got to see a few old friends, some fast trucks, and to those that came how about that weather I ordered for the weekend? Anyhow, we can debate the idea of too many classes, not enough trucks until we are blue in the face. I for one am not gonna get into any arguments with anyone about it. There is hardly any interest in Super Stock or Heavy Street, I saw that first hand. To the guy's that like those classes you will need to do better than me and promote them yourselves. IF there is another event in Bradenton next year it will be in April sometimes and I'll tell you now, it will be index racing. That way I don't have to worry about any rules other than safety and the track can handle those. So gentleman, shall we pick a number and run???? Thanks for everyones support, Gary

 

[Shambo]

I'll be ther doing somthing even if it's wrong!

 

[Gasoline Sucks]

I will be at the next one along with atleast 4 other trucks! No way im missing it!

 

[Billysgoat]

I'll be there to help, even if my help is only providing color commentary to the antics of others.

Thanks again for putting up with the headache of the event Gary, it went smooth as could be.

 

[joefarmer]

9.50, 11.90 and ET. You may want a showoff class for the rails and such.

 

[Shambo]

It is a tuff time for a lot of people, but you did an excellent job! Everything went smooth and the show was great! If you decide on index classes maybe add a slower index also maybe a 13.5 or something. That could be a huge group.

Sent from my MZ609 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk

 

[dieselbeef]

man we had a good time..maybe not all the trucks we wanted to see but there was alotta people. the racing went off well.
the exhibition stuff filled in the gaps...great idea there! maybe throw in a truck show area..dzl only..just to bring in the folks from the stands..some dam nice stuff on the roads.
i know some of yer helpers dropped the ball too but man i still think it was a fanatastic weekend...preciate the weather too buddy...
i got a shirt w/o having it shipped from italy! woohoo
i felt kind of involved even tho i didnt do any racing..gettin to know some people.
somehow we just ran out of time with my truck. i had big plans actually. ..i wouldve love to race the et class even. next yr maybe...yeah i know i know
index racing is a pretty good idea i guess...no matter...we got yer back
gary\


btw old timer..maybe YOU could so some racing next yr!?!?!?!?

 

[Krazeeun]

Whatever we do, I say we bridge the huge gap somehow between index and pro/superstreet. 11.49 and faster you have to have a cage, I say make it an 11.50 or 11.60 index, that covers every "fast" street truck without breaking safety rules as long as you've got a helmet/pants.

I really like the heavy street idea, mostly for the fact that it covers the 99% out there, but by saying run what you brung 11.50et index, you cover the same group of people without alienating those with different charger setups than single 66's...

My thoughts:
-Exhibition/Top Diesel (since they're so distant perhaps they run a dial? for competitions sake..)
-Prostreet = 9.50ET or similar - open class as long as it meets safety rules (roll cage trucks)
-SuperStreet = 10.50et or similar - open class as long as it meets safety rules (roll bar trucks)
-Heavy Street = 11.50et or similar - open class as long as it meets safety rules
-Sportsman will cover every one else.

 

[dieselbeef]

maybe we could hvae a blacksmithing class also for those of us with sledgehammers...or ironworking classes ...aahahahahhahahahahhah....yer a swinger baby!

 

[Michael]

I've wondered how to get those keyboard cowboys to bring their trucks onto the track from the parking lot. At our annual ISSPRO race we seem to be lucky to get 50-60 trucks competing, but literally hundreds in the parking lot. The story I always get when I ask is "it's my daily driver and I can't afford to fix it if I break it". My response is that you don't have to set low ET of the event with a full tilt boosted launch, you can leave off idle and it won't be any harder on your truck than accelerating from a stop light. They don't seem to believe me!

I have toyed with the idea of gathering sponsors for a "daily driver carnage prize", with cash, repair credit or parts going to the person who has the most carnage with their daily driver truck. LOL, you might see people intentionally grenading if the pot gets big enough!

 

[Krazeeun]

Is that a comment about me swinging the sledge hammer repeatedly at my lower ball joints that refused to cooperate on saturday morning? If not... I'm lost

 

[BFD99]

I'd be in for an 11.90 class next year. Make for some close racing!

 

[dieselbeef]

Is that a comment about me swinging the sledge hammer repeatedly at my lower ball joints that refused to cooperate on saturday morning? If not... I'm lost

absoluetly.....you missed yer calling boy..shouldve been a blacksmith

gary

 

[Krazeeun]

I have toyed with the idea of gathering sponsors for a "daily driver carnage prize", with cash, repair credit or parts going to the person who has the most carnage with their daily driver truck. LOL, you might see people intentionally grenading if the pot gets big enough!

Call it the cowbell prize!

absoluetly.....you missed yer calling boy..shouldve been a blacksmith

gary

I'm actually a military bomb-tech by day, destroying stuff comes easy to me :lolly:

 

[Gasoline Sucks]

Is that a comment about me swinging the sledge hammer repeatedly at my lower ball joints that refused to cooperate on saturday morning? If not... I'm lost

I think hes talking about me but I've never been to an event so I've never been in the parking lot :lolly:

 

[Timbeaux]

I think you did a kickass Job Gary. I have not heard a bad thing about the show.

 

[Blaine]

I had a great time! Hope to see everybody there next year

 

[1JP]

me swinging the sledge hammer repeatedly at my lower ball joints that refused to cooperate on saturday morning?

My mini sledge, my torque converter

Good thing I showed up being a Puller and all

And with that point, I was there last year and this year. I could care less about blacktop and the 1/4 mile. I don't know the racing verbiage and one day I may educate myself in it.

But, I had a great time being there. Would have run something (again, someone would have had to tell me where I fit in) if my lift pump was working. (New motor arrived this afternoon.) For the past two years I have enjoyed it, watching the local guys do their thing and seeing where they stack up against trucks from all over. Looking forward to next year and to run in one of the classes.
It is quite frustrating to see all the spectating diesels, we have the same issues in Sled Pulling around here. I never have seen more people run their mouths and then fail to run their trucks. Simply amazing. I had a great time being there, next year maybe a few of us locals can light a match under some a$$es and get the trucks out of the lot and onto the track. I'm sure the economy might of had a hand in the lower turnout.
Again, great job Gary...Two days of pure entertainment and looking forward to next year. Met some new people this year and in some ways, that's priceless. And caught up with ones I haven't seen in awhile. I enjoyed taking the pics and sharing them with the guys out there racing their trucks.

Outside the breakage, this was one of my favorites pics I took that weekend.

 

[Krazeeun]

My mini sledge, my torque converter

Thanks again JP, your year and a half old sled pulling converter you turned into us as a core is holding up fine in my truck! In fact.. I have to pull it out to plug a hole in the front of the pump (rear vent) put i'm putting your converter back in as is! :woohoo:

 

[1JP]

You're welcome, glad everything worked out well for ya. (Not even going to refresh that converter?) :lolly: We'll see how that new 2800 will do me this weekend oke: :lolly: Thanks for lugging that one down from the North Coast :lolly: Tell Jerry thanks for doing that for me last minute :Cheer: