Author Topic: Racing and fuel price.  (Read 1405 times)

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Online Don R

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Racing and fuel price.
« on: March 10, 2022, 09:10:50 AM »
 I'm wondering if fuel prices will affect your racing? We'll probably take the car to fewer races and try to stay closer to home. The Dually gets 8mpg towing and the drag car Q16 is close to $20 a gallon. We already tow back after a run, once the engine is heat soaked we'll probably keep it under a blanket and tow to the starting line too.
 Cordova Dragway has a new owner who is a sportsman and exhibition racer. He also has former customer friendly personnel re-hired, it's our closest track at an hour drive each way. We want to support the business, our association has four days of racing scheduled.
  I may attempt an entry into bike drag racing there also. A few of the best bike racers in the country live near here so going rounds will require a deadly consistent bike and a plan. 
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2022, 01:47:28 PM »
Under the current circumstances in the world affecting fuel prices,  I've temporarily shutdown our full schedule racing program. There are other considerations besides fuel prices but if we do make an event it will be a lical day trip and nothing where we have to pay for overnight accommodations.  Cutting hotel fees out of the budget will allow us do limited events. Since I've been racing, this type situation has happened before.  I made adjustments then and got through it all, we'll get past it now.


 To put this in prospective as a minor disruption to my life, I'm just grateful I don't have fully armed tanks and infantry passing through the streets of my town.


Offline dusterdude

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2022, 03:10:40 PM »
Oh hell frank,grab a tank and take a run down the strip.lol

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Online Don R

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2022, 03:30:41 PM »
 When we were younger, a trip to the track, race, drink a few beers, sleep in the car trailer and race again Sunday was easier. Now days grandkids and spouses want to tag along and that makes a motel or dragging the camper along a thing.
 It's just harder to be a "track skank" to quote my driver. She coined the term once when we unexpectedly got rained out and drove to another state to race the next day with no toothbrushes or clean clothes.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Offline NitroHunter

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2022, 08:50:50 AM »
Yes Don the new ownership at Cordova was indeed good news. Having pals there I always looked forward to flying in for our Nitro Jam events - oh and being in the winner circle at the World Series of Drag Racing wasn't bad either.  Good times by the Mississippi. 8)
Next week we're taking my pals blown TF bike to the Western Pro Extreme (WPX) opener in Bakersfield, a 600 mile round trip. We'll be camping at the track, there's fold down bunks built into the trailer. We all know fuel's gone up about 30% in the last two weeks BUT the price of our nitro is still only ~$30 a gallon...  ::)
Robbie the NitroHunter                      Fuel Coupe Hired Gun                  NHRA T/F 640

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Online Don R

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2022, 08:58:45 AM »
 The World Series was double points on Sunday for the points racers. We seemed to have good luck Friday and Sunday. We could enter 4 or 5 races in a weekend.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2022, 09:00:32 AM »
Don….. Our MR2 used over $1000 of gas at the last Endurance race weekend. This year will be insane! We are probably going to migrate down a class to something less thirsty!


Online Don R

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #7 on: March 12, 2022, 10:46:08 AM »
 Holy wow! I'm considering switching to E85 on the dragster. The efi will tolerate it and tune for it.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #8 on: March 12, 2022, 02:13:14 PM »
We just hit $2/ litre!

Offline simon#42

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2022, 04:10:51 AM »
we are now paying more than that for normal diesel never mind race fuel

Online Don R

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2022, 12:21:26 PM »
  The covid seasons helped this old Dad's Honda budget quite a bit but the car eats even when it's parked. The certs continue to expire every day even in the trailer. Chassis, seat belts, hans device, trans shield, flywheel shield, balancer, flexplate, tires are now 3 years old with hardly any runs on them, probably 60 to 80 quarter miles.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2022, 11:23:32 PM by Don R »
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Online Don R

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2022, 01:40:39 PM »
 I got a $.50 discount on 20 gallons of fuel today but my former thousand dollar weekend has blossomed into probably $1300. We may be forced to change classes and run one day bracket races closer to home.
 I'm just kind of bummed out the last couple days over the cost of everything. I did get 16 NGK plugs shipped from Rock Auto for the cost of 10 of them in town. These plugs have been it a long time, nice and tan after a warm-up but I'd like to read a few of them. It's also nice to have a couple sets to index with.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #12 on: May 11, 2022, 10:20:37 AM »
Die hard racers will generally do whatever it takes to go racing. I've regularly heard of car guys that have taken lines of credit against their homes to buy a new motor to make a race the next weekend.  In fact I know one dragbike racer that did the same thing, umm not me.

Racing is a hobby for me and if I was really motivated right now, I'd be making plans to attend an event this weekend.  It's local but I'm just not in the state of mind to wrench on a bike or go participate. There's an off chance we might go to act as pit crew for some of the guys but I'm not going out of my way to go.

Online Don R

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2022, 12:48:17 PM »
 That sums up how I feel, I'm a one man show with a show up driver. I love her to pieces but always hoped there would be a son in law to take over this deal someday. There is one but he's into other things.
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Online dragracer

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #14 on: May 12, 2022, 02:42:28 AM »
That sums up how I feel, I'm a one man show with a show up driver. I love her to pieces but always hoped there would be a son in law to take over this deal someday. There is one but he's into other things.

I get what you're saying Don. Although both the wife and I race, none of the younger generation in the family have an interest in learning. I'm certain if anything happens to me,  all the bikes will get parked and begin to collect dust. One day, maybe a new forum member will post something about "a barn find of Honda dragbikes" that he bought from a former racer.  Maybe that person will restore them and put it to work again on the track.

Offline BenelliSEI

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #15 on: May 12, 2022, 04:37:37 AM »
+1 to the above. Both my sons loved to come along to the races when they were kids. I’m convinced my wife never objected to me competing because of this! 7-12 quiet weekends every year.....

They brought along friends and everyone had a good time. But they also witnessed first hand how much effort it takes. Neither one ever took the first step.

On fuel prices; we’re off again this weekend with both race cars, eight drivers/ crew. Double header weekend at Mosport (2x8 hour races). Last tim we set out with 650 litres of fuel and had to get more. Super is just about $2/ litre here, so we will all be consuming less pizza and beer!! Works for me and I’ve lost a few pounds.
« Last Edit: May 12, 2022, 04:44:23 AM by BenelliSEI »

Online Don R

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Re: Racing and fuel price.
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2022, 09:33:06 AM »
  We missed both days this weekend. I don't feel heartbroken. The next class race is 3 hours away and two days. I get the chassis inspection Tuesday morning at 8am then maybe we'll go to the closest track and bracket race. 
No matter how many times you paint over a shadow, it's still there.
 CEO at the no kill motorcycle shop.
 You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.