The kid did GOOD.... (1 Viewer)

[yoda]

It went GREAT!!! After a 60' and a 300' test squirt (where the computer said he clicked it EXACTLY on the mark ), the first full pass on the new 8.90 package was a straight-as-a-string 8.904..

He knocked out an 8.866 at 73mph and a slick track 9.12 (Computer said it spun a second in, but he caught it and stuck it back in the groove for a great save)...

The kid did great, and I can't tell you how happy we are with the new McGee package (Thanks Chris!!)

Friday night races this week- film at 11...

 

[Nitrohaulic]

That's great! I LOVE watching kids and their parent(s) running junior dragsters. More than once I've looked over into the next pit to see one on stands running, the parent trying to do some tuning, a kid sitting in the car looking back with an expression that seems to say "Come on! Get it right, dad!" LOL.

They tell me it's a lot harder to tune one cylinder on alcohol than eight.

 

[d'kid]

Great looking pass Martin... the kid's got a future if he sticks with it.

Is he on AJ's short list?

d'kid

 

[yoda]

That's great! I LOVE watching kids and their parent(s) running junior dragsters. More than once I've looked over into the next pit to see one on stands running, the parent trying to do some tuning, a kid sitting in the car looking back with an expression that seems to say "Come on! Get it right, dad!" LOL.

They tell me it's a lot harder to tune one cylinder on alcohol than eight.

Yeah- I saw that look A LOT on our first season ... I kept putting that blown nitro tuneup in it (the only kind I knew..) and it didn't like that too much- lots of sacrifices to the aluminium gods .. Ya GOTTA make that one work, because you don't have seven others to make up the slack!

Great looking pass Martin... the kid's got a future if he sticks with it.

Is he on AJ's short list?

d'kid

Oh yeah, he's stickin with it...

Not shootin for AJ's list- he wants to drive for TONY Shoe (I keep trying to explain to him that he needs to get in good with The Don first ), but Suzie Q is "persuading" us to look at other camps for his future seat time

 

[Toejam]

Great video there Martin! Since your 98%, does this mean the kid's at 90%?

 

[yoda]

Great video there Martin! Since your 98%, does this mean the kid's at 90%?

Naw, he's just an alcoholic...


Sorry AA/Dale

 

[Rollout96]

Very cool Martin!!! Let us know how it goes this weekend!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Several times I've been on my way to staging lanes or back from a run in my bracket dragster and a kid will be looking while standing beside their junior with a look that seems to say "Someday."

I've been told that a small change in the air changes those engines a lot more than it does ours.

You see the families with more than one junior, sometimes a parent towing them with a tandem setup.

I like watching a mom put her hand on the top of a cage to give her kid a shove back after a burnout!

I just think the whole thing is cool. Families doing it together. Kids learning about winning and losing while getting into the strategy/science of bracket racing. How many of them does it keep from getting into worse things as they grow up?

 

[Jenn]

I just think the whole thing is cool. Families doing it together. Kids learning about winning and losing while getting into the strategy/science of bracket racing. How many of them does it keep from getting into worse things as they grow up?

Unfortunately, it goes the other way too. I've seen kids in tears because their parents are screaming at them for making a mistake. I also saw just recently a kid hurl his helmet across the shutdown area and leave another kid hanging when the other kid did the sportsman like thing and shaking their hands.

I still think it's a great program provided that the parents use it as more than racing lessons, teamwork, hard work, and good sportsmanship. I've seen quite a few junior cars (and even a couple super comp cars) where the kids come out of the motorhome after the parents get done doing all the work, climbing in the car, racing, and then turning right back around and playing video games in the motorhome.

My Dad told me he'd help me get a junior if I helped out with his car, but then Fred got a car, then another car, and pretty soon I was crewing for four cars with no time to even think about driving a junior car.

I made my first pass down the race track in a Super Comp car at 16, and racing my Dad's dragster at bracket races and having people come up to me in my firesuit as the Juniors were running and tell me "Hey! Their running your class!"

 

[Toejam]

Naw, he's just an alcoholic...


Sorry AA/Dale

Ok Martin what are you saying?

 

[The Swegian]

Very cool Martin. Keep us updated on how the kid does.

 

[yoda]

Nighttime TnT at S.I.R. tonight- first time the kid has fired a shot down a mine shaft (Actually, S.I.R. has got the best track lighting anywhere)

3 shots (lots of oildowns tonight from the big cars) that netted us an 8.868 @73.80, 8.889 @ 73.94 and a "Dad backed it off WAY TOO MUCH trying to tap an on the number 8.90" pass that netted a 9.002 @ 73.02.

Not bad for his first ever night passes- the constant 73 mph shots meant that he had his foot in it pretty steady all the way down.

2 weeks until the Divisional in Phoenix

 

[The Swegian]

Nighttime TnT at S.I.R. tonight- first time the kid has fired a shot down a mine shaft (Actually, S.I.R. has got the best track lighting anywhere)

3 shots (lots of oildowns tonight from the big cars) that netted us an 8.868 @73.80, 8.889 @ 73.94 and a "Dad backed it off WAY TOO MUCH trying to tap an on the number 8.90" pass that netted a 9.002 @ 73.02.

Not bad for his first ever night passes- the constant 73 mph shots meant that he had his foot in it pretty steady all the way down.

2 weeks until the Divisional in Phoenix

Cool Martin. How old is he?

 

[yoda]

Cool Martin. How old is he?

Emmett's 12- in his last year of the 8.90 age group before he steps up to new pipe and a 7.90 dial..

Mini Me


(Can you hear those dollar bills flapping their way out of my wallet now? )

We're having a ball, and it's making his social transition into Jr. High a bit easier, especially when older kids from the school come down and cheer him on

 

[The Swegian]

Emmett's 12- in his last year of the 8.90 age group before he steps up to new pipe and a 7.90 dial..

Mini Me


(Can you hear those dollar bills flapping their way out of my wallet now? )

We're having a ball, and it's making his social transition into Jr. High a bit easier, especially when older kids from the school come down and cheer him on

How cool is that?! Have you guys been doing this for some time or is this the first year?

 

[none]

That car doesn't have helmut bars, bring it by and I can fix that for you-LOL

Alan

 

[yoda]

That car doesn't have helmut bars, bring it by and I can fix that for you-LOL

Alan

Naw- thanks... The guy that I am honored to have work on my kid's car does just fine, thank you..

BTW Alan- lots of complements from Tech about the adds. You do good work, sir. He's comfortable and with the body on, the new pipe is totally invisible.

Been at this for 3 years now, Mark, but on a very limited schedule due to my travel schedule. That's going to change next year..

 

[Tim5636sc]

Martin...

I am diggin the wing on that car, and the Kid done good correcting the car after the "WIGGLE" at about 60'! Look's like Kaylee and Andrew have some competition for the 3rd DSR car...!

actually...Andrew now wants to go drive for Fast Jack.... when he get's his own team going....

Nice tune up POPS!!!

 

[yoda]

Yesterday was report card day... not so hot

We have parked the car before due to grades, but I am getting conflicting parental advice about what to do this time.

One side says parking the car offers him no incentive to bring the grades up this quarter because he has lost all that he would be striving for already. The other side says that he should be parked to allow him to focus entirely on school and regain driving privilages when a satisfactory grade level has been achieved.

He's not a "dumb" kid... He's like most kids his age where a boot in the butt kickstarts the brain , but how do I continue to make him a better man and make him responsible for his actions while allowing him to do something that he loves and does obviously well? At this point, the Divisional next weekend is out, and I know that was really important for him to attend, but I have an issue with "rewarding" him for a sub-par performance in what really matters.

Suggestions from this peanut gallery I call my friends would be greatly appreciated...

 

[vegasnitro]

I played basketball and baseball all the way through high school ... but my Mom's rule was all A's and B's or I don't play. When I turned 16 and wanted to drive I had to get a job to pay for my own insurance. So I had school, a job, a car, basketball and baseball and if I wanted all of that, it HAD to be all A's and B's. And I did it.

I guess what I am trying to say is, no matter what rules you set, no matter how hard you push, it ultimately boils down to what your kid wants. If he wants to put in the effort, he will. If he doesn't, he won't. You just need to be strong and consistent in your application of the rules and punishments you set forth. Kids are clever ... they can smell weakness and exploit it.

Oh yeah ... did I mention I don't have any kids?