I still remember the first time I saw a front engine (Slingshot) style dragster at a gas station in my home town. I was probably 7 or 8 years old. My home town had a drag strip that has been active (still is) since I was a little boy. It had nitro fuel events back in the 1960’s and 1970's that were attended by some of the legends in the sport. Names like Kenny Bernstein, Raymond Beetle, etc. came to that small track in West Texas throughout my childhood. I even watched my brothers and dad race on that track on Friday nights when the track opening to public racing events called "Friday Night Grudge Races".
I don’t know who that dragster belonged to nor did I care at that time, but the idea of strapping yourself in a tiny car with a big ole Hemi always appealed to me. I never got to drag race as I grew up other than an occasional street race on a sport bike that I had. I never could afford to invest what it took to do it right so I never pursued it while we raised our family. As most of you have figured out by now, if I can’t do it right, I am not going to do it!
With that being said, this year’s races has been surreal. As Traci and I have been sitting up in the stands watching the ProMod class qualify, I know both of us are probably thinking the same thing. We are thinking about what is it going to be like on the other side of the guardrails??? It is exciting to think we could be on the “other side” next year. It is also terrifying at the same time. As we watch the cars run two by two you see some that are less experienced or less funded than some of the veterans. Some of them can’t get their car started. Some of them mess up the burnout. Some of them don’t make it past the starting line before the car destroys itself. Each time I see that happen, I think, “I do not want to be that person”. You see, being strapped into a 250 mph rocket does not scare me at all, failure does!!!
Our friends (Mike Janis Sr. and Jr.) were here racing and struggled a bit in the first day of qualifying. They are the current world champions and they were not qualified at the end of the first day. That is how competitive the ProMod class is!!! Did I mention that if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right? We chose the most competitive and interesting class in drag racing. That makes it really rewarding and really difficult to do.
We went to watch them a couple of times at their pit and you could see the stress, worry, rushing around to prepare the car for the next round, and focus in their eyes. Their view of the Spring Nationals was much different than ours. We were just having fun watching all of the action from the other side of the guard rail.
They ended up qualifying in session 3 (we were all praying for them) and they made it into the show. It couldn’t happen to nicer people! They ended up making it into the third round and improved with every run. They lost in round 3 with a very respectable run (to the eventual winner). Nothing to be ashamed of for sure! I only wish I had their expertise and skill.
So you see, we are about to take something that has been a relaxing and fun part of most of my adult life and turn it into something that is stressful, expensive, intense, disappointing for the one in a million chance at extreme gratification!!! Hmmmmm, sounds like what Traci and I do to everything we touch, ha!!!
The real point of this whole process and the thing that motivates us to do this kind of stuff is the sense of accomplishment each time you improve one little thing. As each step is completed, we are one step closer to the goal!! That is exciting! With God leading us, all of the little pieces will fall into place!!!
Another thing that being in a new and foreign environment forces you to do is depend on God to show you the way. We could not do this without Jesus' sacrifice and the blessings HE has given us.
Some of you may get tired of me saying it but the older I get, the more I realize how HE is in control. We will need all of the help we can get to be on the "Other side of the guardrail".
Here is a picture of us on Friday night with the Janis family and our extended family Patrick and Scott. The Janis' family took time to have us in their pits after doing damage to their car on the second qualifying run. They had to work late on the car to get it ready to qualify on Saturday morning but they found the time to be great hosts and friends. They are awesome!
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| From Left to Right: Patrick, Traci, Me, Mike Janis Sr., Mike Janis Jr., Scott |
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| Mike Janis Jr. getting ready for the qualifying run. Mike Janis Sr. driving |
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