Wing Side Up On The Soapbox

Wing Side Up

by Bob Gangwer

Oswego, NY 11/16/09…In the waning days of this year, I’ve done a lot of thinking about the things that make this DIVISION great and what brings it fame. Now I’m not going to get into the definitions of the word ‘great’ or ‘fame’ because I think that even if I did, we’d all have our own way of describing what they mean.

What I’ve thought about while on the road or in the air, is the people that I have been exposed to this season.  Some I’ve known for a long time, but I never really ‘knew’ them. Some I’ve be introduced to for the first time, and I feel like I have known them forever.

I am one of the crowd that often says, “It’s the people of this sport that make it great.” And while that may be true, how do we really define what that means? It seems obvious enough, yet I think if you ask 10 different people they will give you ten different reasons why that statement is factual.

Continue reading →

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As usual Robin Miller has nailed it again.  I’m happy for the IRL and I certainly hope that this sponsorship doesn’t fall flat like all of the others have.

To me it’s also encouraging that, when everyone says that nobody is spending money on auto racing because of ‘the economy, I see that some people don’t just walk away, throw their hands in the air and give up.  Instead the buckle down and continue to pursue, pester, and otherwise bust their ass to bring in some sponsorship dollars.  Kudos to Terry Angstadt!

Read Robin’s SpeedTV column here-MILLER: A Ray Of Hope.

I think there’s a lesson to be learned here somewhere about what we can do better at in supermodified racing.  Continue reading →

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This isn’t so much racing related but in some aspects it is. I keep hearing how we need to get more youth involved in the supermodified DIVISION and that we are failing to do just that. That the youth of today aren’t interested in anything and are lost.

The Five Star program is something that my daughter Shelby is involved in and I have personally seen how it has helped at risk kids or even those that just aren’t sure where their future lies, to have hope, purpose, and a reason to strive to do their best as they work toward having life goals and being productive members of society. Many times all these kids need is a mentor to help guide them.

Five Star provides that and more and you can be a part of it. It’s easy to sit back and complain-will you take the challenge to make things better and inspire today’s kids to be the best they can?

Please click the graphic below to learn more about Five Star and consider taking America’s Giving Challenge.

Click it and make a difference!

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It’s been a few days since I last wrote.  I’ve got a lot to say, but sometimes it’s pretty hard to put it all down in a way that makes sense to anyone outside of my twisted mind.

I’m struggling somewhat with wanting to leave Las Vegas.  With that struggle comes another struggle-why am I struggling to begin with?  How many times have I raved about my love of Upstate New York?  Now I am having trouble wanting to get out of the desert and go back?  Something is amiss here.

There are a few people out here that are pulling for me to stay and that doesn’t help.  I must admit that it’s very flattering and it makes it harder to not at least entertain the idea that maybe I could help the west coast supers out a little more if I were closer to them.  It also doesn’t go without notice that this could be an opportunity to advance my very mediocre financial standing so that I may be better prepared to take care of my kids and family and also have more to give back to the DIVISION.  Anna keeps telling me that I “can’t help your friends swim if you are drowning on your own,”  so maybe it’s time for me to look at things a little differently because it’s awfully hard to argue with that advice.

I think that one of the most attractive things about it is the fact that when I come here, I am treated as though I am somewhat special.  Now I’m not saying that my friends back east don’t do the same.   What I am saying is that the track seems to appreciate my presence.  I can walk into a booth and they are pleased to see me.  I don’t think I have to go into details here for all of you to know  that I am talking about one specific track back home that does the opposite.  Sour grapes right?  Well, damnit.  Why is it ok for me to travel across the country to a first rate, big name facility and be allowed into a booth with open arms when I am here to do a JOB for the DIVISION that I love, but the door is slammed in my face at the track that is the home of the DIVISION I love whenever I am hired by a sanction to do the same job I can do out here without hassle?  Actually…there’s not a place in the country that I have ever gone to do an ISMA, MSA, or SMRA show where I struggle to fit in more than at Oswego.  It really pisses me off.

Ok, I’m done with that rant….for now.  I have just simply had a wonderful time out here.  It’s not been all play and no work mind you, but every bit of the work I had to do as far as the announcing and the networking, has been fun.  Sometimes so much fun that it’s hard to fathom it all.  The Vegas Strip alone is just something that you have to see to believe.  There’s so much excess out here that it reminds one of the Bible stories of Babylon and that transpires somewhat to the facility at LVMS and especially the NHRA teams.  Jim Belfiore and I peeked into a trailer with Force Racing on the side of it and discovered at least 20 sets of stainless steel headers.  We had stumbled upon the parts trailer.  Stepping next door, there were three engines being worked on, blowers being re-built and a multitude of crew members who didn’t speak but kept working like a throng of bees circling in a hive.

Truth be told, throughout the weekend, I’d have to say that when the supers come out here, they are the low guys on the totem pole in the ‘keeping up with the jones’” category.   Hard to believe isn’t it?  Most places we go people are amazed at the glitz and think we have a lot of money.  Out here, Ray Graham’s rig would look like the Beverly Hillbillies compared to some of the Bandelero or Legends haulers.

What didn’t change though is the level of excitement by the fans when the supers took to the track.  Mike Turner told me that they had over 2,500 paying customers in the front stands that seat 6,000.  Well when the supers shook the seats, those fans came to their feet.  The race was pretty damned good to boot and if anyone went away with a bitch about car count or low enthusiasm, in my book, they are idiots.  If the fans are happy, the promoter happy, the drivers excited about the race after 50 laps, then what freakin more do you want ya know?  Yet still there were detractors, some who went and saw, some who stayed home and looked for reasons to justify excuses.  It never ceases to amaze me, never.  If it were a crappy show, if the promoter had said you’re never coming back because you only brought 12 cars, if the fans had booed, well then ok, fire away.

AND furthermore…I didn’t get to finish this in Vegas. I’m getting ready to board the plane to Cuse from JFK.  It’s cool bein back in NY! You knew I’d say that didn’t you???

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Ok so the last blog was a bit of a downer.  Sorry about that.  Let’s pick up the pace a little here!

Holey smokes, that’s was a long day but man was it cool!  Now you all know how much I love supermodified racing.  You all know how I say they are the baddest cars on earth.  You all know how much I brag about the raw power, yadda, yadda, yadda.   I’m here to tell you that until you have felt a nitro car go down a drag strip, you have not lived!

See how I said ‘feel’ and NOT see?  Dudes and dudettes, you don’t watch these cars, nor hear, nor smell.   No, oh no, you FEEL them.  Every single cell left in even the most die hard life time PBR drinker will shake, bang, smack, rattle, and otherwise attempt to exorcise itself from the body when these cars go down the strip.

I thought  that this year it would be blase’ after seeing them last year.  Much to the contrary, I was even more into it as we walked through Nitro Alley in “The Strip” at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  It’s so much excess in all aspects of the sport that it’s nearly impossible to take it all in and comprehend it.  All I can say if you just have to FEEL one of these shows!

Then we headed over to The Bullring for practice and again I am going to tell you that it blows my mind how much deeper the west coast supers pile it into the corners.  At the end of the chutes its seems as if they are trying to make like the cars running at The Strip and just keep on going straight.  But then like a slot car they jerk to the left and make the corner and all is well.

I had a blast hanging out with Mikey Turner and Jim Belfiore. Talk about some stories!  I met DJ Kaity and re-acquainted with Chet(one of the LVMS Bullring announcers), then Brent and Chris Seelman showed up!

Jim Birges was showing off his new Belfab car and turned in the fastest lap of the night @ 12.8 seconds.  Not bad considering that the track record set last year by supermodified rookie Nick “The Middletown Madman” Heygood is a 12.59.  AJ Russell was into the 13 flats but only after they repaired an issue with oil blowing out of the breathers and a loose injection nozzle.  Jeff Russell had some problems with the injection as well but got things going with some decent laps.  Rick Cameron shook the cobwebs off and went back supermodified racing for the first time in some 2 and a half years but never seemed all that comfortable in the car.  Rookie Justin Mack is from Washington and a regular on the Northwest Sprintcar Racing Association tour and has some overheating problems in an older but beautiful Hyder.  Another supermod rookie was in the Birges Purple People Eater and looked ok.  His first name is Tim and I didn’t write down his last name.

Bryan Warf, Willie Northammer, Troy Regier, Bobby Dalton and Kirk Wartman are all in town and will run tomorrow.  Word on the street is that Ray “Guitar Man” Stebbins is on the way down along with another driver and car in tow.  It doesn’t look like we’ll see any of the Colorado cars as we were told that it took them 4 hours to go 7 miles with all the bad snow and they pulled the plug, turned around, and headed back home.  I don’t think Mike McCann will be in with the 14 for Lonnie Adamson to run either as he’s coming from Oregon and I would have thought we’d have seen him tonight.

Either way it was fun seeing the guys again since the last time was back in April.  I’m stoked for tomorrow as I think we will have a good crowd and some new fans that we can turn into big fans.  Here’s hoping everything goes well with the webcast so those that can’t be here can listen in, but most of all, here’s to a safe, fast, and fun race!

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