RocketmanX....... how's the racing going?

[XTR]

Was watching MotorsTV last night and it had NASCAR racing on....... so i thought i'd ask and find out how RocketmanX's racing is going...........

There was some scary high speed spins in the race i saw last night........ Think it was a track in Bristol, USA.....

[TiG]

Nice to see him back too

TiG

[Lead_Head]

oooh. I watched the same programme on the same channel!! weird....

Their was some serious high speed spins like you say!! A couple were introduced to the wall not so nicely!!

[Zak33]

i think ROcketmanX popped in about a week ago. Dont think he;s raced this season, what with organising his Budweiser Empire (no kidding, he kinda runs his area for beer in the US)

but next season....who knows ?

[RocketmanX]

Ooh, Bristol

THE absolute BEST American High bank short track. VERY fast 1/2 mile oval. Just a short 6 hour drive south of here. The one track on NASCAR's schedule that's always sold out 2 years in advance. The only track besides Rockingham, NC that I like to go and see a NASCAR race at. Close door to door, hard driving, on the edge of out of control, door rubbin' racing Ahhhhh, love short tracks. Hate places like Daytona and Talladega. BORING.

Well, off to lunch, my Sister is getting antsy

Be back after lunch.

[RocketmanX]

Ahhhhh!!!

Just typed a 15 minute reply and I lost it all

[Tumble]

at least yout have the rant smiley now bud

[RocketmanX]

You guys are better off

I can ramble to be sure.

To paraphrase,

I didn't race at all this year due to me wanting a year off, wanting to spend a summer at home with my Wife and 2 girls 4 and 7 before they got too old. Also I was a bit burned out as racing has consumed 9-10 months of every year for the past 14 years.
I've been longin for a relaxing enjoyable summer where I can be at the lake with my family and just enjoy all the "normal" things of summer.
My Father also got very ill last year after some less serious health issues and is now on the transplant list for a new liver. That came on very quickly over about 3 month period last year where we were all worried daily wether he would be around the next. His liver function is down below 14% but from his many years of drinking, He's been alky free for 16 years and I've been alcohol/drg free for 13, and the last couple percent he lost last year from the less serious illness was just enough to make him very ill. He's much more stable on a daily basis now and on the transplant list
That was my main reason for deciding to take this season off. He wasn't able to go to the track and we started this ordeal....errrr.... adventure together 14 years ago and it would kill him to watch us go to the track without him. He loves the people, racing, all of it, he could acutaly care less if I win or not.

We are also building our "Empire" as Zak called it. We ahve a beer distributorship that sells/services liquor stores/ restaurants/taverns with Anheuser-Busch products for the 4 NE counties in Indiana. We have designated areas of responsibilty here that keeps accountability for the Brewer aas well stabilizes the market and makes it easier for the Alcoholic Beverage Commision (alcohol police basicaly) to enforce the laws.
After doing business in our current facility since 1933 we are finally about ready to move into a new facilty. My brother, sister, and I are building a new building and the process started this week last year. We are about a month and a half away from moving in. We've been cramped for space for quite a few years. This big, scarily expensive, yet very exciting project has kept us all 4 (Dad, bro,sis, me) hoppin since Sept. 1 last year. I'm so sick of looking at prints and drawings it's not funny

So, the racing's been non-existent this year barring a run 2 weeks ago that I let another guy do in my main car (my baby that noone touches but me). Wanted to see how he did, he'd d riven before and shook it down for me while I was out of town and we had just finished it a couple years ago, so I set it up got the car ready to go Saturday morning on race day. Had my Dad out there and ready to go, my 2 guys on the team that help were there and when I got finished doing the last minute once over before loading I said "See ya!". Knowng me to be a control freak over my cars and very picky everyone was blown away. Waht I ahdn't told them was it was a test more for me than for him. I've raced with him, he was in a classs down but I got to know him a bit, and knew he was capable and better yet my exact size and demeanor. He also fits the right attitude being as he is a hard waorker and not like most racers I know and coniving and willing to kiss as much @$$ as it took to get a ride or sponsor.
I let them go to the track alone to see how I reacted to not being with a car I had taken 6 months to build. My Wife was BLOWN AWAY when I was at home doing some yard work when she came back home that afternoon. My Dad was blown away as well, although a bit disappointed I wan't going to help them. He also didn't know what I was thinking and planning on.
The whole motive behind it was that I have 2 cars, the one I mentioned and another that is no longer my favorite, the new one fits me like a glove, is built to the Nth degree everywhere, and I just connect with the chassis for some reason, so I wnated to offer Craig the chance to dirve the other car next year. Totally his call when and where. We've had the car sitting for 2 seasons, it's totaly redone (skin, chassis etc...) and he had some hard luck 2 years ago when his non-significant other was being less than good and consiquently he lost his race car, farm, and custody of his son. This guy is a truely nice, laid back guy that works a factory job by day and then came home and bailed hay, farmed and still had time to go racing
So, I couldn't see letting anyone but him have the ride. We've always used it as a spare in case of a major wreck but anymore if I can't have the car fixed by the following Sat. then I don't go until it's fixed as I have no desire to drive that car just to go. He, on the other hand would love to drive anything. This just happens to be a car one class up from what he had and also the top class in circle track for full bodied cars.
So, I waited till the following week and when he came out to the shop I asked him how it went and led him, my Dad, and the other 2 guys on for a while before I asked him if he wanted to drive the car next season every week along with me driving my car whenever I could or every week if time allowed (hope it will as I've never been able to run every week for a Track Championship although I've been close to winnning before anyway) . He of course said yeah, and got about as excited as me winnning a race- a little smile and that was about it, we should get along well.
So, next year I plan on being a team manager of sorts and we had already redone the whole shop last winter to be more like a real chassis shop with Jig Plate and a few other items I needed as well as redoing the walls with steel siding and painting the floors, replumbing the Air lines, ........ I had this idea in my head last year that I wanted to be totally self sufficient and not need a chassis builder to fix the front susension for me anymore as well as being a bigger local "team" which is rare for local stuff here but not uncommon for big time racing.

So, everythings in place and all projects should be done and buttoned up by Nov/Dec so I can have the biggest and most focued year of racing I've ever had.
And if either of my 2 guys leave before next year, I'm gonna need some help Zak

[RocketmanX]

Almost forgot, after watching F1 all season and no other racing 'cept the occasional NASCAR race, I got the bug to drive REAL bad. So, come September 11, my birthday, I'm going racing at my favorite challenge, Kalamazoo speedway. They're having a 100 lap Season Championship races that night and I'm gonna go bust up the points leaders by hopefully doing well in my only race of the year. Then again, 100 laps at Kzoo is tough physically and I'll be glad to make the 100 laps with my arms intact

[Tumble]

/drums up the band... "i got a giiiirl, iiiin kalamazoo-zoo-zoo..." good luck matey go break some heads

[Lowe]

GL Rocket

[jon bda]

Almost forgot, after watching F1 all season

F1 ain't racing pal, AMA Superbike, now thats racing!!!.

[RocketmanX]

F1 ain't racing pal, AMA Superbike, now thats racing!!!

Come on jon! we all know that bikes are for people who can't drive

BTW- How's Nicky Hayden doing???? Watched him on TV over here a couple years ago and thought he was exceptional. Was glad to here he was going big time during an interview I saw over the winter. Good, laid-back Kentucky kid. In other words, he comes from the part of the US where "Hillbillies" come from.
I'm persoanlly a fan of his number (he's always been 69 here) and number color. (mine as well )

[Zak33]

And if either of my 2 guys leave before next year, I'm gonna need some help Zak

just stop right there pal.....my head hurts with the excitment of even considering letting my brain THINK about it

So don't say it again PLEASE

[XTR]

sounds like a crazy year you've had m8!!!!!!!!!

Zak on your team.......... na.... although he'd look superb as a Team Mascot/Cheer Leader lol

[IainB]

just stop right there pal.....my head hurts with the excitment of even considering letting my brain THINK about it

So don't say it again PLEASE

I know someone MUCH closer whos going to need some help soon

Nice to see you back RocketManx - missed your input mate