<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR="#400040" SIZE=3 PTSIZE=12 FAMILY="SERIF" FACE="Baskerville Old Face" LANG="0">In a message dated 09/25/2008 3:11:12 PM Central Daylight Time, jsnook@wcnet.org writes:<BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080" BACK="#ffffff" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=4 PTSIZE=14 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Tahoma" LANG="0"><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I resemble that remark!!</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" BACK="#ffffff" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 PTSIZE=12 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Tahoma" LANG="0"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" BACK="#ffffff" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=4 PTSIZE=14 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Tahoma" LANG="0">Jeff Snook<BR>
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Snook! Snooker! That's funny.<BR>
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I don't think it hurts at all for racers (all of them) to consider how and why they're racing, and the fact that death (or worse) is a possibility. I think it is wise to consider it and foolish to ignore it.<BR>
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I just returned from two days in Sterling, Illinois at Doctor Surjit Hermon's wake and funeral. Less than a month after spending two days in Geneseo, Illinois at Jack Drew's wake and funeral. And the two little Illinois towns are less than 50 miles apart. It's hard for me not to spend some time thinking about death and racing. <BR>
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On the bright side, as sad as these wakes and funeral services were, at no time did I sense any ill feelings towards vintage racing. In each case, the families, both of whom were crushed with the loss, seemed to understand the racer died doing something they loved to do. I guess that's good, and like sugar, helps get the medicine to go down.<BR>
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These discussions we have that use rulers like 8/10ths to describe 'safe vintage racing' are pretty academic. After all, 8/10th is just a number, often used in Vintage Drivers' Meetings to describe racing safely and not on or over the edge. There are vintage racers I race with who race at 9/10ths and even 10/10ths, and they do so safely. They are a joy to behold, and I have a super seat to see it. I love it. But I am also aware of some vintage racers who race at 10/10ths and even 11/10ths, who do not do it safely. I don't think they belong in vintage racing.<BR>
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Because last pays the same as first. Because these are old and often tired cars. Because we are called upon to make split second decisions, and get them right the first time...it just seems to me like saving a 1/10th or so will add a safety cushion to the mix.<BR>
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Bill Dentinger<BR>
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