Damn! Damn! Damn!

[Daytona]

Yesterday was my last points race of the season and my last chance to regain my spot near the top of the standings. I had been in 2nd place most of the year, only to drop the last 3 races down to 7th. The top 8 in Street ET get jackets, but only the top 4 get bonus money and the trip to the Bracket Finals. I wanted that trip.

All season long, every time I had a chnace to gain ground on the Points leader when he'd go out early I ended up shooting myself in the foot and go out that same round or the next. And sometimes it was stupid stuff like going red against a guy low in the standings who I never lost to before and wouldn't have lost to if I stayed green. Or when I raced the guy in 2nd place and treed the crap out of him only to get on the brakes at then end and still brake out by 14-thousands and lose (I would have moved from 3rd to 2nd place with that win but instead dropped to 6th).

Yesterday I was extra focused. I had a Jack Nicklas (the golfing great) quote tapped to my dashboard which I'd recite before each round to help me concentrate:
"It's never been about the trophies or the money. It's about the standards you set for yourself."
I set pretty high standard for myself as I consider myself one of the top racers in my class. And last year I lived up to that standard and my own level of expectations. This year I started off great as I would expect myself to, but then couldn't get out of my own way the rest of the year. Last year I earned enough money to pay for my year and then some but this year I ended solidly in the red. I definitely didn't perform to the level at which I am accustom to, nor to which I expect myself to. Yesterday to change all that and put me back where I feel I should be - in the running for the Bracket Finals.

The Bracket Finals is a post-series race where all 14 NHRA tracks in our division get together to compete as teams against each other. Each track takes their top points guys in each class. I've been to the Finals twice in the past 3 years.

I start the day going up against the Points leader and beat him, forcing him to go red trying to cut a tight tree to catch me with my good light. Then I get paired on the ladder against someone right behind me in the standings. I cut a .003 light on him and tap the brakes at the top end to win round 2. Round 3 was against a kid who surprised everyone by being up in 5th place. I'm a much better racer than him normally, though he was having an unusual good (or lucky?) season. All I needed to do was win that round and then 1 more and I would have been guaranteed to go to the Bracket Finals. And what happened?.....

I think I let the trans get too hot sitting on the convertor as he deep-staged because when I launched it felt slow and sure enough my RT was the worst of the day, my 60' was the worst of the day, and at top end my ET was off 7-hundreths. I can accept a drop off of 1 or 2 hundreths but 7???? :huh?: That was enough to do me in and lose. The win automatically guaranteed him that trip to Delaware. My car runs dead on all day until the most critical of the races and falls flat on its face.

All I can do now is go to the points banquet at the end of the month, wish the other guys good luck, and then fixate on this until we start all over again in March.

Last year I finished 2 round wins away from the Points title. This year I finished 2 round wins away from the Bracket finals. What's next year going to bring? 2 round wins away from a jacket?

Damn! Damn! Damn!

----

p.s. - at least I now have 2 new pit mates in Ken (Redog) and Corey. They were really supportive of me ad I appreciate it. :thumbsup:

[MikeSS]

That sucks dude, but at least you got another jacket. Now you can outfit your pit crew with all the jackets you won over the years. :P

But seriously, best of luck next year. I want to do what you are doing so bad, I would love to semi-competitively drag race, but your locaion is a bit far for me to go.

What do you use to race? Not the Alero I assume.

Well, if I went racing, I would hope to have the beginners luck that kid had cause I just start drag racing for fun this year.

Originally posted by MAlero@Sep 13 2004, 08:18 AM
What do you use to race? Not the Alero I assume.

He races his Daytona. Surprise, surprise!

That sucks man, but it sounds like you had a good season anyway.

[Redog]

I felt bad for him, even though he blamed me for loseing.

I went to the other part of the track where they had a Lexus event and let you drive the comp. cars too. When I came back, Mitch was ready for the 3rd round.

I watched him lose to a New Chevy SUV (the "E" one, I can't spell it) and he was pissed. After I saw the lights go up for the SUV, I didn't want to see Mitch because I knew how important it was and how pisseed he was going to be.

I however got knocked out in the first round becasue I did something stupid. I was racing the 78 Monte that beat me earlier in the year and right before the traps he let off the gas, so did I <_< I ran a 15.83 on a 15.75 dial. If I had kept on it he might have broken out or been a hell of a lot closer.

[Oldsman]

that sucks, dood.

next year you'll get them.

got to love drag racing.

[Daytona]

Thanks, folks. Still pissed about it but nothing I can do about it until next March when the season starts all over again. Luckily I have all types of business travel to Minnesota and critical Rapid Reponse issues to keep my mind off of things. :rolleyes:

Here's a shot of my car again:

I'm gonna say great job Daytona. Dont be down on yourself. You are doing something that you love and enjoy. Work on next year.

btw, thats a great quote :thumbsup: