Hello List:
Well, I'm a new guy too. (Sorry for ending that in a preposition but my
proclivity is for driving and wrenching, not writing). I have been lurking
here since just after the October El Mirage event. I joined the list
looking for the collective "racing wisdom of the ages" and the occasional
"technical golden nugget". I have NOT been disappointed.
I don't exactly remember when I contracted "salt fever' but it may have
been around '56-'59. Yes, my stubble is gray. Making the trek to Salt
Mecca was a distant dream that I had hoped to eventually fulfill. It only
took 40 years! I made it the summer of '98 by myself and the next year I
took a friend. Since we flew in we were always at a loss for
transportation. I had heard about the "friendly, family" atmosphere and was
not disappointed. All we had to do was stand out in front of the clubs,
looking forlorn and lost, and a friendly voice would offer a ride out to
the salt. Returning at the end of the day was equally as easy with
wonderful people letting us just jump in the back of a pick-up or take the
empty seat in an extended cab. I have never been among a closer, nicer,
gathering of people (not even in church). In August of '00 I was walking
from the KOA showers and stopped to admire a massive Ardun (at least it
looked massive taking up most of a pick-up bed). And who stepped out of his
camper to introduce himself, but Doug King. He adopted me like I was
family (maybe he needed additional crew ) and we have had a wonderful
friendship ever since. I have helped Doug at additional meets where he (or
his son Brian) have entered the "2" club each time. It is because of this
"hands-on" with Doug and the unselfish sharing of his experience and
knowledge that has brought to the fore a desire to drive my own car on the
salt.
I hope to run an essentially stock Camaro in the new Classic class in May.
I just want to get licensed and get experience this year. My eventual hope
is to build a car and try for the 200 club. For me personally, the "2" club
is about breaking a record.
Many thanks to Dan Warner for his advise and help in October. I had many
questions in preparing my car for next spring and Dan was an immense
resource. You might say I was a pest. At times (in the tech impound area)
I could see Dan's time was extremely compromised. I tried to wait for slow
times but it was never slow! Dan, would always treat my questions with
utmost sincerity and I felt like he was stopping everything just to help
me. . . a perfect stranger! Thanks, Dan.
I get this list in digest format (thanks Mark) and due to work-load, I
often find I am about 8-10 digests behind the power curve. At this time in
my life I have to sprint through most of the verbiage looking for the
occasional technical nugget. I think the suggestion to have a social AND
technical list is excellent. Currently, I would subscribe to the latter. I
also notice that since I have subscribed it appears my spam has increased.
Is this coincidental or do the low-life spamers have a way of stealing
addresses from this list?
I have a lot to learn and a lot of tech questions but since this intro is
already too long I will feed them into the hopper one at a time on future
lists. I am incredibly impressed by the lack of flaming on this list but
that may be because the contributors actually know what nomex is and don't
want to suit-up when thumping the key board!
-Elon Ormsby, (no relation to Gary)
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