America's Racism Problem

     I have been trying to avoid stating my opinion about this race problem we are having, but after the last two mass shootings, I think its time.  

     America didnt have a problem with racism until Barack Obama was elected and declared things are going to be different in America now.  That was true, and he saw to it.  The media chimed right in and for 8 years we became a nation manipulated by ones mans anger.  Anger that his black father abandoned him with his white mother.  To be raised by a very affluent and influential family.  He started his presidency against gay marriage and then changed his mind seeking votes.  You fell for it.  He said " if I had a son, he could be Trayvon"  That is a lie,  he would never have allowed his son to be walking home after 9pm through the projects.  His daughters have had a private education their whole lives.  He made the police out to villians every time they shot a suspect.  No matter how bad the crime, how bad the non compliance of the suspect the police we at fault.  He came from a city with the highest crime rate in the country.  So bad that they choose not to disclose black on black violence in there published crime figures.  In every speech he gave he decried the plight of the black American and how white people are oppressing them.  The country and the rest of us were made to feel that if we disagreed with the media and Obama we were racist.  He spent 8 years trying to convince mainstream America that White People owed Black People.  The gay community upon finally achieving equal rights laws has continued to push and push their own agenda.  Using litigation to try and force acceptance on anybody who refuses to bow to their beliefs.  

    Enter Donald Trump.  The man the media said has a less than 2% chance of getting elected.  He is brash, rude, crude socially unacceptable by 100% of the left.  Totally not politically correct.  He also doesn't give one shit if anybody likes him or not.  He is an unabashed Nationalist.  The lefts open repugnance of Trump leads them to systematically block every move he makes.  They use every shooting, every foreign conflict, every drop in the stop market, every military action as an opportunity to wail about what a racist White supremacist his is.  The left is pushing so hard against equality and declaring any white American a racist.  

     This is not the country I grew up in.  I love this country.  I love Memorial day, Labor day, the Fourth of July.  Columbus day, southern History, etc.  Where I grew up we used to have a huge 4th of July parade.  Fireworks.  a Water cannon contest between two fire crews from different fire stations.  People used to wave American flags and follow the parade and be proud to be an American.  I grew up seeing bumper stickers on cars that declared.  "America, Love it or Leave it"  Normal everyday Americans of every color are under attack daily by the media, Hollywood, the Democrats, Illegal Aliens, Universities, the Millennial. and Foreign countries who are unhappy with our new Nationalism.  Everyone not a Democrat is labeled a racist, a bigot, a white supremacist, a Nazi.  

     I believe some of the latest mass shootings are because of fear.  Fear that our very way of life here in America is going to be taken from us.  Fear that jobs, health care, food, cars, everything that we enjoy as Americans will disappear.  Simple people who have trouble expressing themselves feel they have to way to cope except to cope with violence.  Ive said it before.  Be careful how hard you push because the push back is usually much worse.  

The Gentleman Racer

     I have been thinking about writing this particular piece for a long time.  Since last November actually.  At first I thought it wasn't my place.  Then I thought maybe if I discussed some of my thoughts someone in a more prominent position in the racing community would take up the cause, but I finally realized that nobody was going to say anything and it was time I took the time to express my thoughts. 

    I have been involved in racing for over 10 years now with two clubs. This is an opinion piece and in no way includes the views or opinions of the management of the clubs that I race with I have not consulted with either of them before writing this.  When I say racing, I mean  actual door to door racing.  This piece deals specifically with door to door racing.  I don't participate in Hot Laps, or HPDE enough to entertain having an opinion.   Each club has its own particular attributes.  Some good some bad.  Each approach racing their own way.  In the last 10 years I have seen a marked decline in the Gentleman part of Gentleman racer. 

     That's what we are supposed to be.  Amateur Gentleman racers.  Lets be honest.  Nobody is graduating to the ranks of professional making enough of an income to live on, nobody gets tires, gas, repairs, or sponsorship at the local club level to even entertain the thought that you're a professional.  When I first started there were respected racers with years of experience and a wealth of talent that guided the race group.  Not from an actual position of group management, but from more of a position of mentorship or fatherly advice.  Chad Nelson, Don Uhler, and Mark Alger  seemed to be the guiding hand that kept the race group under control.  They were fast, respected, consistent, safe and when they took the time to talk during a race group meeting or in the paddock during a race weekend people listened. 

     When I first started racing I was getting my ass kicked at the starts of the race.  To the point where I was frustrated and complained to one of the officials that one talented racer was jumping the start every race.  Basically video was used to make me look like an ass and I deserved it.  The other thing that happened was Chad told me how to start a race.  What to look for, what to do in the car and how not to make a mistake.  Those three gentlemen also took the time to see that I learned to make good racing decisions, to be humble and to work on my race craft always. 

     What I have witnessed this last 12 months and specifically since November both on track and watching multiple videos of our races and racing incidents  has made me realize that its time that somebody, I chose myself, should speak up.  I have had contact with 1 car in 10 years due to me running into the back of a car that was running out of gas in front of me.  When one individual has been involved in three racing incidents since November, and another has mechanical breakdowns every-time on track its time to take notice.  You see,  we all pay to race together.  The same amount.  We are spending the same on gas, tires, entry fees, travel to the track, food etc.  When some individuals  through their own negligence don't maintain their cars, they cost us track time.  When some individuals are involved in on track incidents three times in 6 months, they are causing damage to cars other than their own, and putting other racers in danger. 

     The other issue that has become a glaring problem is blatant cheating at the start of a race, or passing late going into a corner going two or four wheels off to make a pass.  When the car being passed needs to take evasive action to keep from being hit, That might as well be blatant cheating as well.  Consistent erratic driving, failing to drive a racing line, changing lines drastically throughout corners, swerving towards other cars while being passed and continually blocking faster cars is not only disrespectful, its talent-less racing, and above all its dangerous to other racers and yourself.

     At the start of a race drivers are required to stay two by two in line until the green flag waves.  Slightly moving one way or another to see the starter is totally different than getting completely out of line and getting a jump on everyone else.  Blaming your make and model of race car on your inability to run fast lap times and maintain the racing line is nothing more that an excuse for your lack of driving talent and total lack of respect for the very people, and the club you are racing with.  Not racing cleanly does not make you a winner.  It makes you a bad driver. 

     There are racing rules written or unwritten that need to be followed.  On track contact REQUIRES  that you report it to the race director.   EVERY racer needs to have at least one camera in the car during the race.  It can clear you if you honestly believe you are not at fault, and more than anything else is allows you to study your racing when the weekend is over.

     Please don't think that I believe that I am the best racer out there.  I certainly am not.  I have competed in one form or another my entire life and pride myself on knowing just exactly where I rank.  Being a Gentleman racer comes with some responsibility, to your fellow racers, to the club you are racing with, and to yourself.  I intend to marshal other respected individuals into helping me in guiding the race group into the future.  You see I have a choice to make.  Keep quiet and keep  my opinions to myself, or work to make sure that the hobby that I have grown to love so much continues to grow and be available for myself and others in the future. 

Joe Biden is Exactly Right

     Joe Biden announced his run for Presidency.  When making the announcement he made the statement that this election is about the soul of America.  He is exactly correct.  While making his announcement he took the opportunity to incite racial discourse right from the start.  Blaming the Trump administration for current events instead of taking responsibility for his own previous administration for shaping the events to come in the future. 

     The 2020 election is most definitely about the soul of America and her future stature in the world.  Americans are going to have to choose between fighting for the constitution and all the beliefs that our forefathers fought so hard for.  We have to choose to fight for our economy, our wages, our homes and our industry or giving our very way of life to be dictated by popular views from failing countries.  An intelligent search of the web will bring you news of economies failing in Britain, and Norway, and France.  Socialist Democracies with skyrocketing health care costs on top of Nurse and Doctor shortages.  We only have to look to our own state of California to see how devastating those policies are.  Exceedingly high taxes, a shrinking population, shrinking industry, skyrocketing fuel and health care prices. An education system that is completely broken.  A farming industry slowly being chocked to death by government intervention.  Industry and Economic policies that are slowly shrinking the tax base and income.  The largest percentage of homeless people in the country.  Cities that were once flourishing economies now filing for bankruptcy. 

     We have an  education system that is not only woefully behind, but also disgustingly expensive and partisan.  We have government intervention in raising our children.  We have a Congress that wants to give themselves a raise and fund it by increasing the estate tax.  Parents work hard to build those estates with the very belief that they will be left to their heirs.  They have already payed exorbitant taxes while building their estates and taxing and taking them from their heirs is wrong. 

    We have the chance to stand up to big government and stop the assault on business and industry.  We need to promote higher education with emphasis on technical skills, and vocational education.  A population with an emphasis on Liberal Arts degrees is partly what has gotten us into this situation in the first place.  Not everyone can be in an industry with a white collar job. 

    And Finally, We are fighting to keep our very American way of life.  Our failed immigration policies are literally going to destroy this country by lowering our standard of living to that of third world countries.  We are allowing an entire population into our country with no place to live, no job, no English language skills, no health care, and no education.

    Joe Biden is right we are in a fight for the very soul of America.  We are in jeopardy of losing the very country that our forefathers fought so hard to build.  Donald Trump is not the big joke in America, our elected Congress, and Senate is.  Our media is. 

     We have allowed a past president to breed discourse and hate and segregation and racism in this country do to his own inadequacies about his heritage, and his childhood.  We have allowed a past president to run amok with racist comments and false guilt.  We allowed a past president to bring shame on the American public. 

    Joe Biden is exactly correct when he says the very sole of America is at stake.  Its time to vote.  To speak, to defend ourselves, to fight for the very way of life that we have struggled for.  The fight is just beginning.  We need to be diligent, and vocal and literate and never stop making our voices be heard.  If we don't we will find ourselves with no voices at all. 

An Unlikely Brand Ambassador

     This weekend was a new experience for me.  It started as a typical race weekend with ProAutoSports, but turned into a 4.5 hour 13 session marathon.  I never gave that a thought when the weekend started.  I just slogged through and frankly had a great time doing it.  Sometimes, very often life is everything about who the people you are surrounded by. 

      You all know that I had back surgery exactly two months ago.  The photo above\ starting from the right.  My Neurosurgeon Dr. Abdulhamid,  His office manager Lina, from Royal Spine Surgery, of course the Shrek is me, Her oldest son, her youngest son and his friend, and The office manager from his other surgery office.  They were there because Doc has been on track before with various rent a ride experiences.  Lina's sons are interested in racing and I offered to entertain them if they came to the track.  Not pictured is a gentleman who works in the front office for the Miami Dolphins.  Ex College football player and we were quite a site both of us big carcasses stuffed into the Vette.  Doc and the rest of the group had no idea that we actually raced door to door before the weekend.  They just assumed we did laps for fun and time. 

      With this surgery being my second, I have attempted to obey all the rules this time.  Not lifting too much weight, no twisting, exercise, and I have been going to physical therapy.  The first time I thought I was active enough that I didn't need physical therapy.  This time by going I have learned just exactly how wrong I was.  Currently I have some stiffness.  No pain.  Even after climbing in and out of the car all day long for two days.  The bone jarring that goes on pounding the curbs and the tight back and forth of the ProAutoSports Configuration on Wild Horse Pass main track.  I still am pain free.  I think part of the reason that they came to watch was to see if club road racing was really all I said it would be.  Basically I spent the weekend being a brand ambassador for ProAutoSports and I thank them very much for allowing me to race, and drive all those sessions giving joy rides. 

     I don't know how to just give a track ride.  My lap times were basically the same during the ride along as they were while in race group.  I hope that every one feels the exhilaration that I do while on track.  I love driving the main track.  It was the place where I had my first on track experience and Pete Creek was my instructor.  He has a way of making every lap more fun that the last.  Confident and relaxing and amazing fun all at the same time.  I try very much to do the same for my students and those that I give a ride to.  This was the first time for Brian to drive the main track without including the Bondurant track.  Its so much faster at the end of the main straight and the carousel is so fast.  Brian did his usual awesome job.  He learned the track quickly and while he didn't feel comfortable enough to race because it was his first time there, those walls on the drag strip can be quite intimidating when lined up door to door for the start of a race. 

     It was fun showing Doc how successful that my surgery was.  He has a Porsche Cayman S and while he will be in Europe for the next event.  I am pretty sure he will be on track before the end of the year.  Time for the shameless plug.  If you are having back pain.  The kind that is keeping you from living a full life.  Give the staff at Royal Spine Surgery a call and see if they can give you your life back like they did me. 

From the worst day to the best

     This weekend we raced at Arizona Motorsports Park,  normally one of my favorite tracks.  Its big, wide, safe,  and fast.  There was no reason for me to not have a good time.  Except one.  No Hannibal.  I know it's been a month, and I know I am supposed to be an adult, but everything is different about my life now.  Everyday and every routine has changed.  Specifically on race day we had a routine.  Out the garage door while I would put the last of my stuff in the truck and the Hannibal would try and piss on as many tires on the truck as possible before he would growl at me while I picked him up and put him on the back seat.  I always put him on the back seat because I knew it pissed him off and before I even got out of the drive way he would be whining at me to jump up to the center console.  When I finally let him up there, which usually only took a few minutes.  He would lay down and snuggle against me as I rubbed him on the back of his head.  He would go with me to the drivers meeting and to go and get lunch.  He had his own set of buddies where ever we went.  Some people like the Hannibal considerably better than me.  I spent the whole day in a funk and frankly the only reason that I did not just go back home is because I said I would instruct.  

Truthfully for me it was my worst day at the track.  

   Thankfully Sunday started bright and sunny from the moment the alarm went off because Brian was excited to go and get on track.  The plan was for him to practice and qualify and I would do the qualifying race and the main Cup race.  I have wanted him to move up to race group, and we have been talking about it for some time so I decided if he was getting along with the car after his two sessions I would ask him if he wanted to do the qualifying race as well.  I am a stickler for using my tires up before we put new ones on so I raced on Saturday using a completely WORTHLESS set of Toyo R888R's  they still had some tread on them, but they were like driving a dump truck on ice.  

My best lap time was a 1.58 and some change.  I put on an old set of Nitto's for Brian to practice.  He hated them and wanted to put a different set on but he was still faster than I was the day before.  For Qualifying and the Qualifying race we put on a set of Continental slicks.  They were new when we bought them, they were not very sticky but they stayed consistent until they were completely corded.  They were probably not the most optimum tire for the car but they got the job done for three weekends.  

 Brian qualified 2nd in class and 6th overall.  Which was good for the tires and he was again faster than before.  He ran within a half second of his fastest time at AMP.  When qualifying was over is sprung my idea on him that he should drive the car in the qualifying race.  I told the guys racing around him that it would be his first time and he and I discussed how things might go.  He did awesome.  He got a little too big a gap between himself and the car in front of him, but Tom Hutchins stayed even with him and he got a good side by side start when they waved the green flag.  The Silver supercharged brick passed them both by going two off when they waved the green flag but after that t was just a matter of running fast consistent laps.  He gained a spot when one car went off track and he lost it back when he went wide and went off track.  I knew it was coming because he was starting to catch the car in front of him and I knew the tires were at their limit.  He finished with a huge smile on his face and proclaimed the tires were done.  Yes in fact all of them were corded in some spot.  We changed tires for the third time to a slightly used set of Nitto Nt01's for me to run the cup race on.  

 I had the best race that I'd had in a while.  The car was fast, and solid as it can get.  I had great fun Chasing the supercharged silver brick and made a bad choice working through lapped traffic and got passed by a BMW.  Everything is different now that Brian is racing the car as well.  It was the best day for me. I also ran my fastest time ever at AMP.  I dont know when I have been this happy and it gives me the added incentive I needed to get fast again.  When you are part of a team you have to hold up your end of the bargain.  As I said before I never imagined that I would have a partner that I would be able to share my passions with.  

It was an awesome day.  There is nothing like close racing and having your peers come over and shake hands and talk about how close and how much fun the racing was.  Learning race craft and growing into somebody that is competent is a really great feeling.  

I cannot wait for him to get some more seat time and we cant wait until next month when we get to race at WHP main track.  

The Hannibal.

     I bought The Hannibal while at a horse show in Medford Oregon when he was 8 weeks old.  This young girl was carrying him around and I asked her if he was for sale.  She said yes.  I said how much, $750.00, I went to the local Wells Fargo and got the cash.  I have always wanted a black Tri color Corgi and he was just about the handsomest one I had ever seen.  He had too much white on one ear and that made him different enough that I liked him even more.  I had no idea just how different he would turn out to be. 

     He was quiet and kind of aloof but seemed not to concerned that he had a new person.  The breeder said they showed horses as well and they would be at the show all week if I had any questions.  His original name was going to be Gunner.  I already had a Shooter and I thought Gunner would be fitting name for his brother.  A few hours into this new partnership the Hannibal went through a dramatic personality change.  He was unquestionably an Alpha male.  He would throw a tantrum if he didnt get what he wanted or get to do what he wanted to do, and he literally tried to bite anyone who tried to pick him up.  On the way back to the motel he actually bit a hole in my nose when I leaned over to put my face up to his.  That was just the beginning of our battle for supremacy.  In the motel room I put him on the bed and he jumped off.  I put him back on and he jumped off.  Keep in mind every time I picked him up he would bite me and get in trouble for it.  Eventually he got angry enough when I put him back on the bed he ran to one of the pillowcases and literally attacked it trying to tear it apart.  I picked him up said no and swatted his butt.  He jumped off the bed ran into the bathroom grabbed the trash bag hanging over the edge of the trashcan and pulled it over and tried to shred it.  I spanked him again and he spent the rest of the night laying between the toilet and the wall. 

      Needless to say the next day I started a search for the breeder which turned out to be fruitless as they were no where to be found.  They were not entered in the horse show and they were not answering their phone.  I was stuck with the little shit.  He was so bad at biting that Kellie Hinley suggested naming him Hannibal.  Somebody else said to hold him upside down until he submitted to it and he would get over his aggression.  I tried several times while at the stall and every time I went to hold him on his back and rub his belly he would scream and growl and howl like holy hell and I would eventually give up.  I ended up taking him to the horse trailer and holding him that way for over 20 minutes until he finally pissed all over both of us and stopped struggling.  He may have gotten over me holding him that way, he may have stopped biting and growling about it, but he never liked it for the rest of his life. 

     I was on a 6 week horse show trip so he went from Medford Oregon to Watsonville CA, to Temecula CA, back to Watsonville CA and then home to Phoenix.  He turned out to be very brilliant and dramatic.  He would panic and get hysterical if his water bowl was empty.  He stayed that way until the end.  He continued to bite everyone, and if he wanted in the tack room and the door was closed he would paw and bite and pull on it trying to get it open.  Until the end if you closed a door and he wanted through it he would bite and attack the door.  He traveled with me everywhere.  Biting people until he got tired of me spanking him for it.  The only person he continued to bite and growl at was Dave.  He never liked Dave.  Bit him and ignored him and tried to keep me away from him until that ended.  It was a battle of will until one day when he was about 8 months old.  I had several people suggest that I should put him down but by then he was just biting me and it became a challenge that I couldnt back down from.  I thought if I loved him enough that he would give in.  Eventually he did.  He went everywhere I did.  The barn, the store, the horse show, the race track, even riding shotgun with me sometimes.  He had done enough laps at Inde Motorsports Ranch that when I would get on the brakes at the end of the main straight he would lean to the left into the seat for balance even before we made the corner.

     He has ridden with me in the buggy, gotten cold and would sleep with me under the covers in the living quarters trailer, and he love to play fetch and to swim.  If I was in the pool, the Hannibal was in the pool.  He would even swim by himself.  When I was sick he was right on the bed by my side.  As time went on there was never any question how much I loved him and that I was his person.  He loved going to the track and to go camping.  If I hooked up the diesel to the toyhauler he would follow me until we loaded to leave, unless he had to stay home then he would piss on the floor.  He hated staying in the toyhauler at the track, he wanted to be outside.  I didnt understand what the big deal was until I was working the grid one day and I could watch him at the trailer.  Gene Greenley, made a point to stop and love on him.  Adrian Little, Pete Creek, it seemed he had his own little fan club.  Those that didnt know him often asked why I called him The Hannibal.  Its because he was The Hannibal.  He was like his own entity.  Everything he did was in overdrive. 

    I didnt love the Hannibal more on purpose.  He just kind of demanded it.  He was proud and stoic and Brave and tough and demanded that you put him first, and he put me first as well.  I never questioned which dog I belonged to.  I have had dogs my whole life.  I never imagined I would love one so much more than the others.  The Hannibal was going to be 11 in April.  He had ACL surgery a little over a year ago and was doing fine until he wasnt.  I had to make the choice that responsible pet owners have to make sometimes.  It is our duty to see they never have to suffer. 

     Being the Hannibal's person was one of the greatest gifts of my life.  I wish everyone could know the love that I felt for him.  I am grateful for the companionship and the love that he gave to me.  I truly hope there is such a thing as the Rainbow Bridge because being together with the Hannibal again will be one of the biggest joys in my life.  Until then I have his memories, and pictures to keep him alive in my heart. 

    I need to thank Chris and Cara Wynn for answering the call and holding my hand during an impossible situation.  VetMed emergency hospital for having more care, respect and compassion than I thought was possible. And Brian for keeping me sane and being my rock.  There would be no tomorrow without him. 

Why the Wall

Someone replied to my comment on building the wall, "what do you think its going to do, people are going to see it and say well I cant get in and go home".

I realize that person, like most others today have no idea what the wall stands for. The wall is so much more that just border security. It stands as a deterrent before people leave their country and try to come to America illegally. It says, living in America is a privilege, and a right to those who follow our law's, it says security to our citizens. It says we are serious about preserving our Democracy, our way of life, the right to vote, and we take our constitution seriously and will fight to preserve it. It tells those that immigrated here legally that they fought so hard for a reason, that America is serious about fulfilling her promise of allowing them the chance to build a better life than where they came from. The wall stands as a symbol to those who's relatives have been robbed, raped, and killed that America is serious about her security and their loved ones did not die in vain. Lastly it says that those millions who voted for Trump, and voted for that wall, have an opinion that counts. That one group of society gets to arbitrarily impose their will over others. The wall is so much than just a wall and if you can't see that clearly than our education system, our elected officials, and our parents failed to do their jobs.