Man, 20 y/o Bobby Bode drove thru that explosion like a veteran (1 Viewer)
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r2
Nitro Member
It was the thousand dollar bills he was throwing on the ground. I never saw him throw his helmet. I think Tony just wants another for his collection. The neck restraint is done.
Bob told him to act his age. Bobby said, I just turned 20 yesterday. Bob wasn't having any of it. After a few minutes with Chaplin Eddie Baugher, Bobby calmed down.
I felt for Alice, and Bobby losing that way.
Then Stewart throws out everything his Dad had just rode his a$$ about.
Bob told him to act his age. Bobby said, I just turned 20 yesterday. Bob wasn't having any of it. After a few minutes with Chaplin Eddie Baugher, Bobby calmed down.
I felt for Alice, and Bobby losing that way.
Then Stewart throws out everything his Dad had just rode his a$$ about.
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Gone Dead Train
Nitro Member
I think Alexis does a good job of booting a nitro flopper down the 1320 (read 1000ft)
But what the hell do I know. I'm new to this sport they call drag racing.
Just couious Bobby, how many years have you been going to the drags?
Looks like she does a pretty good job here at Seattle 2015.
Who is the guy announcing, he did a alright job. What ever happen to him?
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I would say Alexis has a lot more laps driven than Bobby ! Things happen in a fuel car so fast, a lot of the best drivers have had cars sideways and have made contact with walls and other things.
I’m 36 and have been attending races since late 90’s. Havnt been to a race since englishtown closed down. I’ve probably only been to 30 nationals or so and at least 100 divisionals.
When I would go to the nationals I spent a lot for time in the pits far past the time spectators left for the day. I remember being in Bob Gilbertsons trailer a few times, Luigi novelli let me in the trailer while they were tearing heads apart.
I remember talking both force girls in the staging lanes ling before they were in nitro cars. Super comp I believe . I was asking questions pertaining to racing, what it’s like to be in the force household etc, they asked questions about where I went to college and what social things there are to do in New Jersey. Didn’t seem a bit interested talking racing with someone similar in age. Which is why when I say nepotism sucks and the golden spoon puts you on race teams, I’m bashed .
Im a complete nobody, only went because my dad did it, but when I did go, I took advantage of things most people at the track didn’t do or were afraid to do. Knew a guy in Cory macs team, and in Indy was invited to the line when they did a test session (guy I knew was an assistant crew chief for Cory, owned a dyno shop in PA)
I tend to ask a lot of questions, always have, and picked up on things then and now.
As far as Alexis being a good driver, I believe she’s been into the wall a few times staying on throttle too long. Just ask yourself this, between her crashes, reaction times etc, would she be driving a car if her last name was different and she wasn’t born to a guy who once was on the top 10 list of richest men in the country? Would someone have seemed her out to drive, if she didn’t have bundles of cash? Would prock be in the car if his father wasn’t Jimmy? Would Brittany be driving? How about John’s son in law, or Connie’s nephew?
End of day I believe competition and habit the idea the best of the best compete is what brings new teams and money into the sport. Would MLB be as popular if it was just the owners kids and friends playing backyard ball in billion dollar stadiums? It’s the fascination with the .05 of a percent talent that brings interests, not fast moving billboards only driven by those with money or descended of.
I would never expect and exhibition here car or wheel standing car be open competition, that will always be who has the car, it’s understood, kinda like owning a yacht. But when it’s the same blood names that get the “competitive “ cars, it makes you wonder what competition was involved to get to that level.
My recollection of qualifying in the better days:
Force
Skuza
Hoffman
Cannon
Scelzi
Bazemore
Toliver
Tony p
Cruz
Del W
Densham
Capps
Head
And going for the bumps would be the likes of pustari (top fuel maybe)
Gilbertson
Haddock
Lee
Creasy etc
Bode
.
What I see now
An ancient John
Son in law Robert
Hagan
Capps
And a bunch of other names that some 20 years ago would be vying for a chance to quality, now just show up and make the show by default and can at times now make it late in the rounds. Did they vastly improve? No, just the odds have rapidly grown in their favor by virtue of less cars in the field.
But I’m sure I’ll get bashed or told to clutch my pearls, and how dare I be a realist , find a new sport while everyone else will watch the races etc etc .
I genuinely miss the days of watching more than 12 minutes of qualifying. I miss taking friends down who may not have been interested in drag racing per se, but when for the event where there was a some familiarity that would bridge them there. WWF, black label society, Ex NBA players driving for athlete types to see who may not be in tune with racing , McDonald, MBNA, Oakley (see ufc and there fashion crossover companies) , the beer wagons, jager , army and navy, candidae, Yankees, etc. now if I were to bring them it would be hey look lucas oil, hey Castro oil, another lucas car, snap on, mac, tools, Matco etc. only people familiar with cars , oil and tool companies etc will have internet in that and chances are it’s nothing new to them so it’s not like there suddenly in the market to buy. No appeal to the unaware or people not already into it. The hardcore fans aren’t enough to bring growth and expansion to the sport.
If the hardcore Bon Jovi fans were the only ones to buy albums, Bon Jovi wouldn’t have succeeded. Have to branch out, have to bring in new audiences. Let’s be honest , the ones who buy the high price food and merchandise at the races aren’t the die hards who who have been going every year and already have 20 shirts they don’t wear. It’s the new energy that does.
Don’t believe me? I used to be at Englishtoen almost every weekend for years. I myself raced motocross there and was always going to the drags with father and brother . New the management really well , (one races pro stock bike right now).
When we asked why they were catering to the import crown, the answer was astounding, yet hidden in plain sight. The guy goes see that Chevrole there (stocker) he came himself, with 50 feet of trailer/truck real estate to park, paid the $30 entry fee,, and that’s the only time he opened his wallet today her. He brought his own cooler, food drinks etc. no crew, no spectators came along, so only one entry fee for driver. So all that hardware (neighbors complain about rigs and traffic, all that metal comin down the road, additional headache)in the parking lot and we netted $30 off of him.
Then he goes see that blank burner over there? (Toyota) no truck or trailer to park or take up space, $30 entry fee for driver, $20 dollar times 2 spectator fees for his friend and girlfriend who came to watch, oh and they’ve each been to the concession stands at least once, oh and by the way bought VP fuel while here from pump and want photos from photographer whose on site.
The veteran who spent $30
The import car who spent $100, no rig to park.
Who do you cater to? Where’s the money coming from if you’re in that position?
Sorry for the ramble, just to me it’s obvious of the decline, and opportunities missed , yet some will say get off my lawn and go watch something else, everything is fine. Kinda like watching an old business starting to hemorrhage money , but the owner whose been stuck in his way 4 years tells people around him I know better than you, things are fine, if it worked in the 80s it will work now
If I’m a sponsor, say tide detergent, Home Depot, bass pro shops etc, and I see barely enough cars showing up filling out a show ,marketing geared towards post consumer aged spenders (is a real thing, the spenders are far from retirement, age 25-45 etc) what incentive is there to come in? If I want to sponsor with tide, it’s not just drag racers that will buy it, it’s concert goers, the mad tv watchers, the fan coming to see some everyday products (see exhibition shows ) not just piston and car battery manufacturers.
When I go to a fishing convention, they never gear it and corner just the fishing crowd? Why? Because those people are part of the choir already, low hanging fruit. It’s the fringe people, the May be interested parties, not tbr ones who already have everything they need. So what do they do? They bring in and advertise other avenues to be at the show. Maybe some camping and travel booths, pet keeping companies, cooking accessories (everyone has seen some high end cooking pots and some random show) , music and other leisure activities etc
Even wrestlemania, biggest wrestling even in country that sometimes gets 100k spectators at the even, brings in other attractions apart from wrestlers. They will bring in musicians, celebrities and even athletes? Why because bringing more wrestlers is not gonna be be those there for the wrestler already, an attending fan isn’t going to purchase another ticket for themself , they already going. But you can bring in non wrestling enthusiasts to buy a ticket by bringing in the rock (actor now), or the snl actors, or a musical act. It’s called catering to more than one audience, and appealing to more than what you already have .
I know there’s a such thing as bad luck, but when it happens often, other possibilities should be explored . People get in accidents, but when it happens more often then it should, at what point do you say what’s happening here . Plus her late lights at times makes a competitive car quite meh.
Have a guy like Ashley consistently pull .04 lights, Vs a salinas lights of .1, that 6 hundredths, not even Allen Johnson can make that difference up on 1000’ tracks these days
65 Goatboy
Nitro Member
Tony Stewart Quote from Auto Week,
And that’s what caught Stewart’s attention.
“Bobby Bode, I’m going to buy him a brand-new helmet,” the new Camping World Drag Racing Series team owner said.
“He threw his helmet, and they’ll take that certification sticker out. He’ll have to get a new helmet. I am personally going to buy him a new helmet, because I want guys like him who are that passionate about wanting to win races—that’s the kind of guys I want in my race cars. So I’m going to buy that kid a new helmet,” he said.
Tongue in cheek Stewart said, “I’ve never thrown anything before—never thrown a fit, a tantrum, or anything in my life.” Turning truthful again, he said “But I can appreciate a kid like him that has some passion.
I agree with her needing to improve reaction times.
BOBBY BODE TALKS ABOUT HIS WILD WEEKEND IN HOUSTON | Competition Plus
On April 16, Houston Raceway Park held its last NHRA national event – it was a race for the ages. And one nitro Funny Car driver Bobby Bode will never forget. Bode advanced to his first final round before losing a nailbiter to Matt Hagan when he had a fiery explosion right before the finish line...
The results weren't as dramatic but DeJoria's run reminded me of one of Ashley Force's early runs, Seattle I believe, where she blew the tires off and then pedaled the car before it was completely settled down. Pedregon got it right when he noted that 8500 pounds of torque will snap one of those cars around before the driver has a chance to react, let alone correct. It was an understandable mistake; I hated to see her be so hard on herself.
Same with Bobby Bode. I'm sure he was frustrated and every Pro racer I've ever seen has thrown gloves out of frustration from time to time, no better example than Ron Capps. And Tony Stewart has been known to toss a mean helmet.
At least he didn't walk over and kick his car (Tanner Gray). The old man should have lightened up; it wasn't Bobby's fault that car kaboomed.
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Nitro Member
I remember that day. I stayed Sunday night at the track and there was a pretty good party in the ZOO at "camp pallet" for Bob. Most of the fans were gone and it was mainly racers celebrating Bob's win. Fun times!
Chili
Nitro Member
They were already entered prior to the Houston race. I had heard they will be returning in Norwalk. That wasn’t a sure thing either. They could still withdraw by Monday.
