Evan;
Thanks for keeping us in the loop. It is really FIRST CLASS of you to respond. Good Luck in the land of the Gators. I agree....Lets GO RACING!!!!!

Evan
No where in 286 posts, does anyone on this site even come close to making such a statement... I would like to think WE are a step above THAT!!

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theDARKSIDE- TOP ALCOHOL DRAGSTER*

Its not on here but its the questions and phone calls I get along with Jimmys phone ringing. Thanks Evan. PS. I just wanted to post it here so everyone knows where I am comming from .

We appreciate that, Evan.. And we're all pulling for continued success for JR and the team.. Especially when the cut to 8 is made

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a.k.a. 98percentnitro

http://www.myspace.com/relentlesslightingdesign

Who says KB didn't go to Dexter first and ask for permission to talk to Jimmy long before anything got started? Its no secret AJ would like to run his own team rather than tune for someone else, but the money has to be right. I could see AJ running a Toyota FC team as soon as next year. The Toyota body deal still runs threw him.

I normally don't have a lot of time to sit in front of my computer to read, study and otherwise educate myself on the day to day operations of each and every team that races. I certainly wish I could, but the fact is I can't. As a result I guess I suffer from a minor case of naivety... or maybe it's just plain ol' ignorance. Probably both when you get right down to it.

Anyway, I was (am) a huge critic of this deal. Part of me understands Jimmy's desire for stability - assuming it exists more w/ KB than it did w/ Tuttle, which is questionable based on what I'm reading on this thread alone - but I'm a loyalty based kinda guy & I always have been. I'm not rich with money (possibly the understatement of the year) but my friends, co-workers & loved ones know they can count on me no matter what & I feel the same about them.

Another consideration for me is team chemistry - and I know it's been brought up somewhere in the 290+ posts already. We see it in every stick & ball sport almost every year - teams spend millions either during the off-season or at the trading deadline and it almost (I stress almost) never works. See: The New York Yankees w/ Alex Rodriguez, The San Francisco Giants w/ Barry Bonds & Jeff Kent, as examples. I don't care how much money you have, you cannot buy team chemistry... And that's probably what bugs me most about this deal - the Tuttle/Todd/Walsh team had it & it's a rare commodity. Now, because of the almighty dollar its gone and even in the unlikely event Walsh returns, it's been forever changed. And there will almost assuredly be a lack of team chemistry in the Monster camp, Tim & Kim Richards or not. There's a microscope on this team (not qualifying, new crew chief, etc.) and that's not a good first step in establishing team chemistry.

I hope this works out for all party's concerned, I sincerely mean that, but it's going to be a while before I'm ready to root for KB, if ever. And I apologize if it seems like I'm 'bashing' KB, I'm not. He made a business oriented decision without concern for personal feelings in order to make his team better & I guess that's what he gets paid by Monster to do - I'm just more loyal than that & wouldn't have it in me to treat people that way. If that makes him a better businessman than me, then so be it - after all, he's rich & racing a Nitro Funny Car & I'm not.

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Gordon 'Flaps' Carlon
Work the solution, not the problem.

Rob Geiger's latest "Geiger Counter" alludes to the shock factor JR and team must have gone through? That article answers some questions for me.
Thanks Scoop!
Geiger Counter: March*2007

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"The Doctor"
www.wannaberacing.com