hard times finally hit home

[THERATTLER]

Well it happened and I knew it was coming..My wife and I have been running alcohol dragsters around the south for a number of years. We can no longer afford to live this dream as the price of things related with this operation have risen terribly. As I have aged I find it harder and harder to get in and out or the thing , so when it came time to sell something around here , you quessed it , it had to go...We sold whole operation lock , stock , and barrell to a distant friend that we had matched raced with over the years just this afternoon..I think it was time the way things are going , I don't think in another year I could have given it away...I will still be reading all this great junk on this forem and commenting ever now and then , but it just won't be the same...life goes on..just needed to talk about it...thanks,,,,Paul & Judy ( THE RATTLER)

[zipper06]

NO!!!, Paul, not the way to go, if you are employed, stay in the game. DONOT quit totally. I'm 70 yrs. old and on SS, $1861.00 per month, single (not by choice) I'm not fast, but you donot have to be to stay in the game, i have a rental property in Ms. and a mortage in La. and i'll die a natural death or in my cars. But i'll never give up after 54 yrs. of racing, PEROID. I've never ever had any real money no sponser so to speak, Buy something and go too the track and enjoy the comorady that we have always had among racers, you don't have to be a STAR, for the most of my life i haven't been, altough i've had my hay days, 40 yrs. ago, but i'll never quit again PEROID.

JMO

Zip.

[cepx111]

I agree with Zipper, dont ever quit.
There are cheaper ways to race, be creative, build youself and the misses a pump gas footbrake beater and haul it on a open trailor> Sitting on the side lines watching sucks a fat babies wiener, you'll be back.
Hell Nah! I'll race my tow vehicle before throwing in the towel.
Cp

[outlaw256]

NO.you just dont quit.not if you love the game. zip hit it 100%.hell im crippled up , in extreme pain constantly,can barely walk and i still stay out in the shop 10 hrs a day.i have never been a pro racer like you but im a biker and hotrodder and i know what it means to give up a way of life that you love,(not by choice).it will eat at you 24hrs a day.you dont have to be top dog but put together a new outfit and get to the track.goodluck ken

[THERATTLER]

we have talked about buying a simple(stock) door car that you don't have to work on all the time and do some bracket racing just to stay in the game..going to have and wait and see how this economy thing goes. as I said , I think it was a good time to get rid of the expensive stuff..don't count me out yet :D

[bjuice]

we have talked about buying a simple(stock) door car that you don't have to work on all the time and do some bracket racing just to stay in the game..going to have and wait and see how this economy thing goes. as I said , I think it was a good time to get rid of the expensive stuff..don't count me out yet :D

i agree with this comment you just made..back Last September i sold one of the nicest/fastest cars i ever owned (63 vette,632 big chief)...Many Questioned why back then ?..now 6 months later most see why.

but let me say..i still have 2 other lower maintenance cars..i will not stop altogther. cars are my life.

[MEMRACING62]

IF YOU LOVE RACING AND THE CAR YA CANT WORRY WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH (THERE ALL MONEY PITS) . I HAVE NEVER DONE A CAR THAT WOULD BRING WHAT I HAVE INTO IT IN GOOD TIMES, BUT ITS MY LOVE. YA GOT TA STAY IN THE GAME! WITH A FOOT BRAKE CAR AND OPEN TRAILER YA CAN STILL HAVE A GREAT TIME AND NOT RACE TO THE POOR HOUSE :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[kw89425]

i run a pump gas 496 tons cheaper not the fastest at the track but far from the slowest too.

[kw89425]

oh i forgot to mention im running a sportsman chassis witha 8.50 cert. and i dont have to worry about going to fast :lol:

[Tod74]

I got talked into running my pickup truck in trophy one night....I gota tell ya I had more fun than I do with the race car...John Force Burnout.... Big old shoe polish white stripe on the right rear tire. Air conditioner on , radio playing..rocketing to a whopping 11 second eigth mile pass... :lol:

I even went some rounds until I put the tailgate down and broke out. :P

You will be back

[mikeaton]

well as the economy takes its toll on all of us racers, i for one will have to pick and choose the races we go to as well. i even thought of selling all the race stuff but then i had a thought, ive never none anything else but race. what the heck would i do? and id never get 50 cents on the dollar on my junk.when we built this operation i had just sold alot of real estate at the height of the market so i did very, very well and also im one of the lucky ones that have a great long time sponsor who is willing to go the extra mile to keep us racing.as long as i can get to the track even a couple of times a year ill never sell my stuff. heck last week i spent almost a grand just in the registration on the tractor and trailer and over a grand on the darn insurance. but this is what i do and its cheaper than therapy.lol keep in the seat it will keep you young at heart! mike

[THERATTLER]

Yes Zipper ,,I am employed,,self employed ,(was retired) I need some new equipment for my business and that comes first. I will be back in on a smaller budget as soon as things get a little better..thanks everybody for the kind words , but , things are what they are. hell , the last two that I sold were the last ones , too :lol:

[MEMRACING62]

hey , with so many guys selling car because of the economy they should start a new class for bracket racing for x tow vehicles :idea: :idea:

[kw89425]

a grand for truck and trailer isnt bad. hell i got one thats about 1700 to tag. just the tractor and i dont even use it for my tow rig but it does pay the bills

[Oldewalnut]

Paul,

I took a 20 year hiatus. Similar to many today, 1988 was my year of reckoning, pay cuts, other financial problems, life in general, I was fed up. Parked the car. Got married a year later, just didn't get back into it.

I did keep my car and most of the tools. I had a few offers to sell but stubborness and the fact that a couple just wanted to beat me out of the car, just couldn't let it go. Take a little time, if you decide to jump back in, there'll be plenty of avenues to choose from.

Robert Swartz

[outlaw256]

didnt mean to sound so harsh, for that im sorry. but i hate to see someone have to give up something they love.and i dodnt mean like whiskey!i mean a way of life, when it wasnt their fault.i do understand where your at on this because im almost there myself. i have no idea how we are gonna pay the shop bills at the end of the month anymore but some how we have been.last spring and summer we had a crew. now its my son me and my cousin who is with us part time.i get no pay but the boys do.i mean they will.tey havee to cover my butt because i really cant do much but if i couldnt atleast be around the bikes and hotrods id blow my brains out.i cannot lay in bed just because i hurt. id hurt alot worse without the shop.as im sure you do without your race car.im selling the last of my harleys so i do understand. good luck buddy ken

[TheYellaBrick]

I call it MENTAL THERAPY. Stay active in some small way to keep your sanity. A healthy mental state equates a healthy physical state.

[Scooterz]

Maniac, I know that was hard for you & your wife... I am sorry you had to be put in that position. You will be back however... even if it is just like me... doing pro-street, occasional strip, or just a cruze down main st. As long as you keep what is in your blood IN YOUR BLOOD. So scale down some, keep going to the shop & turning wrenches. This would be a great time to put together a badass 55 chev Gasser... piece by piece... or something. God Bless, Scooter

[outlaw256]

yeah scooter thats what i was trying to say.