Filling out my Nostalgia Dance Card for 200
Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all got to ring in the new year in whatever way tickles your fancy. Ah, the new year. It's when folks drag their chassis in to get rid of the little sags and droops that have plagued them over the last season or two, a little update here and there. Sometimes only a little cosmetic blend-in is all that is needed to keep everyone in the camp happy and we are good to go for another round or more. So, after we get that stuff out of the way with regards to the old lady, we can get busy working on the race cars…
Previously I've mentioned the NHRA museum Hot Rod Heritage series for this year. That topic has everyone talking: some good, some bad. I'm glad we have a viable, visible-to-the-media series where we can race. Some say the money isn't enough. Is it ever enough? Didn't Jim Dunn say it takes the same amount of money to run a car today as it did back in the day? Meaning, "all that you have or are willing to spend." Whatever. We complained about the Goodguys (I was one of them, using the analogy that Led Zeppelin doesn't pay to get into their shows; although with Jimmy Page having grey hair now, maybe they should… I watched some of the latest concert on you tube and in my tiny screen I was wondering who the old grey headed guitar tech was until they started playing. For my money Cheap Trick is still the best live band out there with Iggy and the Stooges right alongside. Oh yes, where were we?) 2007 was such a transitional year that all the boutique groups (NPCA, NERA, ANRA,) along with the class driven groups (AA/FD, NFCA, I hope the ONA is still kicking) really ramped up and put together pretty extensive schedules for 2008. Also add into the mix the aforementioned Heritage series and the Goodguys who have thrown their hat back in the ring for a group of midwestern dates. Get out your pencils, (I got my pencil… give me somethin' to write on, baby! Sorry, I was hot for teacher for a bit.) Um... your calendars and the industrial sized erasers, folks. We gots us some strategic plannin' to do.
So I red-lit a tad on wanting to pencil out a tentative schedule for the discerning nostalgia racer and fan. I have heard a ton of dates and tracks being thrown around but it's only talk at this point. Some groups are waiting on the track operators to have their annual meeting sometime this month before they finalize their schedules. Great. I'll do what I usually do. Something the great Shav Glik wouldn't do but I don't need to tell you, I'm no journalist. I'll call it as I see it and if I don't see it, I'll make it up and use old scores…
Just a little "Getting Nostalgic" rundown of how many dates we are going to need to pick and choose from for this year. By my un-official rumor-driven account, it's going to be more than we have ever seen for the nostalgia racer. Remember when we had three races a year?
Lets start this countdown shall we?
The Goodguys have three dates, Indy, Norwalk and Bowling Green. So, three for the group that started it all.
The NHRA Heritage series has seven dates with a 'hard to comprehend if you're blond' break-down on who can run at what date. So we will call this series as having five dates.
The NPCA ran five events in 2007 with some being run in conjunction with the Goodguys I believe. See, look at me not checking my sources and being irresponsible in regards to the journalistic code. Whatever. Anyway, lets say the NPCA will have two exclusive events in 2008.
My buddies at ANRA have put together a series that the racers have really stepped up to support. Butch and his group started slow a few years ago running only at LACR but with the opening up of Famoso to this group, this association has really taken off. They ran four races in 2007 and I look to them to run at least the same in 2008. So, four for my buddy Butch.
NERA is a group that another good friend of mine Joel Gruzen has spearheaded and they run mainly at Barona drag strip in the San Diego area. They ran two events last year and I'm saying they will do the same in 2008. So two for brother Joel.
The NFCA group continues to act like what I consider to be the "Jabba the Hut" of the nostalgia world. Don't get my point? Look it up on wikipedia. Anyway, they ran five exclusive events in 2007 and the rumor-mill points to six for 2008. So six for the bloated, self-important, over-bearing gang from Arizona.
The "Kings of the sport," the AA/FD group, continue to take the high-road and keep their internal shit to themselves. Until I get a dragster ride. Anyway, from the looks of their schedule, and they are the only group to have it together thus far for 2008, it looks like they have two exclusive events on tap for this year.
Another date of note is something Berserko Bob is putting together for the summer of 08 at a still-in-progress "Super track": a run-what-u-brung nostalgia Funny Car happening. So, one date for the 'Berserk'd one.
Lets do a little math. I count 25 dates that won't overlap. And that is only the stuff I know about. Some of you like to keep your races a secret. Good for you.
There are most likely more dates out there I missed but it's too soon after New Year's for me to think straight. Ooo, my head, Rock on…
So, there it is. My little list on what is shaping up for this year. If you people want to let the world know what's new for 2008. It's not too late to send me something.
