I just had another thought that might help the banquet dilemma. As long as
I'm not getting the jacket for first place you can mail me my trophy or
I'll pick it up at the end of the banquet. I don't need to go across the
stage to feel the sense of accomplishment. I do think it is nice for
everyone who doesn't already know them to see the National Champion in
person, but who remembers what the 11th place guy looked like unless he or
she was a friend or acquaintance. Or perhaps bring the top 3 like formula
one. I still want the trophy if I earn one under current rules but I don't
need to clutter up your dessert and coffee to feel the thrill of the
accomplishment.
Al Cram
Old Duffer Racing
At 01:36 PM 9/27/00 -0500, you wrote:
>Yeah, AL! What he said!
>
>As a registered Old Fartz whose been there for all of them, and who has been
>more often in the position of holding off last place than in the position of
>contending for a trophy, lemme tellya that just being a contender is
>Nirvana.
>
>I've trophied twice -- 1974 and 1976, or before most of today's competitors
>had their driver's license. I hadn't had a single-digit finish since my 5th
>in '76, 'cept for the one year my class only had 10 cars. This year I was
>9th. Trophies went to 7th. I was close. After the 5th runs I was 7th. I was
>IN THE TROPHIES. I knew it would not last because the first-day leader was
>behind me with pylons (he cleaned up, with a slower run than mine, but
>enough to move up). Didn't matter. For one brief, magic moment I WAS THERE.
>I swiped the 5-run results off the scoreboard (but not until after final
>results were up) so I'd have this page that verified that.
>
>It is a great feeling. As I said earlier, we are just a bunch of amateur
>gearheads out there having fun with our cars. Being able to sniff around
>trophy territory is very heady. And it does no harm to those solo gods who
>regularly kick butt, nor to the winner. Let's not diminish or demean someone
>else's fun. It ain't broke. Don't fix it.
>
>--Rocky
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