Forum: Racing From The Past (go)
Moderators: Racing From The Past

From time to time I get comments that our cars are not 'true vintage race cars'. I have heard they are 'obsolete race cars'.

In the picture below, these were 'race cars' at the time. 20 years later they were 'old race cars'. 40 years later they were 'vintage race cars'.

The definition of 'vintage' is applied a lot these days and I will admit it gets stretched from time to time. Still, every race car is destined to become vintage at some point in the future.

The key word here is "time". Time does not stop, it goes on even if the clock stops working. It's been doing what it does since the beginning of itself and it's gonna go on doing what it's been doing until it's run is up.

Let's just say I sell every beloved car project I have and mortgage my house, then go and buy a hard to find AJ Watson Champ Dirt Car. Cageless of course, with Offy power and skinny Firestones.

Can you believe that there are 'vintage race car' clubs out there that do not consider an AJ Watson cageless dirt car as 'vintage'? What does that say about the rest of us then? Does this mean we are not legit if the ONE TRUE VINTAGE RACE CAR ASSOCIATION says so? Why the hell should we care?

Old/obsolete/vintage DIRT exhibition/racing/no-contact racing/etc., lives under the shadow of many larger groups that have set their egos aside and merged so that they may have a place each year to do their thing. We do not fit in with nostalgia drags, restored production automobile shows or even the rice burners.

But ya know whut? They like our stuff .

Still, we remain divided when it comes to some classes. That if you will remember, means that we could be our own worst enemy.

I'll just make this short---As time passes, a generation goes, and another comes in. The accumulation of old/obsolete/vintage race cars is going to get larger. The loose usage of the term 'vintage' is going to be used , well, loosely. Still, the growing number of old/obsolete/vintage race cars is going to make it easier for a "true vintage race car", such as those in the picture above, to get away from the collection and have some fun. And those of us that do not REALLY have vintage cars, will already have a place 'defined' in such a way that makes OURSELVES welcome also.

I think I understand where your coming from with the above posts your just not coming out and saying it. Your not going to make everyone happy and some are not happy if their not running the show or telling you how to run it.

With each generation or decade vintage brings on a diferent meaning to each group of race fan.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

Time waits for no one, not even you. The Modey Blues wrote this song and people with this narrow vew on vintage racing should listen to it. It is peoples or people openions that usually start the demise of new groupes trying to preserve the future. Too bad they have such a self sided openion what and how things should be. They are stuck in a time warp and don't have the BALLS to support a new movement. They can't understand it takes numbers to make things go forward in the future and now. It is easier to just sit there and tell the world the way things should and shouldn't be in there opinion. We will grow and these self centered people behind polishing there vintage race cars that nobody gets to see. Too bad they won't come of there shell and support the future. They will be left behind. Thanks Trammel

Thanks Warren,

It's been said the first automobile race occurred shortly after the second car was built. Our region and the basically the entire vintage movement, here and overseas, is based on post WWII race cars, including cars built before the war , that remained competitive after. That means there is around a 30-35 year sweet spot that vintage racing draws from mostly, out of a 100+ year stretch of history.

We all have our favorite when it comes to old race cars, mine personally, is the supermodified that our region developed. Modern day racing has no place for these cars when it comes to actually heads up racing. Still there are quite a few of these cars around and they have been out of the limelight long enough to be considered old enough for what is known as a 'vintage show' while still not being considered 'vintage'. That's fine, but the actual cost of putting on a vintage show is high enough to consider letting these cars in.

Down here in our area, the supermodified is the workhorse it seems for getting these shows on. We're happy if that's all it comes about. We do know however, that strength comes in numbers, and a strong number helps to overcome the actual cost of putting on a vintage show.

I'm tired, and I'm finding myself dancing around this issue.

Here's my point--There are those that have been laying back and in some cases criticizing how we are approaching this whole thing. Their numbers are small and I have pretty good idea as to whom they are and WHY they wouldn't mind seeing our concepts fail. They are rather influential in this thing of ours, and if they choose to stay home that's fine too. BUT, they have been rather open with their influence it seems and may have talked a few others into staying home as well. The kind of people we need at these shows, are the kind that do not criticize so much, but rather look for a solution.

Our first show here by the Red River, brought in those very kinds of people. The initial promise of a high car count was cut considerably, but the quality of those that made it, was not. That made this whole roller coaster worth the trouble.

I've heard about it with this site, stock cars are not racecars. viewers have said they shouldn't be part of the site. The 80's are not vintage they shouldn't be on the site. They've griped about this driver/car not being on the site. It use to get so old with the e-mails I use to get, 1/4 were complaints. Heck I just took my e-mail off of the site.

I can't count the number of viewers who said they had photos for the site and then I never heard from them again. This is back in the hay day when I was updated everyday. I almost was begging for photos to make the site bigger. The site started from just my photos from the 70's. I'm thankful for the handful that stepped up and contributed photos or made a whole new section as the site progressed. They know who they are and the ones that didn't help know who they are.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

Let'em stay home if they choose to.The group that showed-up in Wichita Falls provided 12-15 cars,not bad for the first event ,in the first year of this unorganised organisation.If you were there you noticed we were making this up as we went,but I can tell you the crowd got on their feet when 6 Supers hit the track for the "A Feature".As far as what is vintage and what is not my car may be 29 years old ,but my driver is 61, surely one or the other qualifies.I think year two will add a few more cars and We will have a better idea of what we are doing .The diffence between this group and the groups that run the 20's and 30's flat-tail cars is we don't mind if some little kid with sticky fingers and muddy feet climbs in while mom and dad take pictures and we drive our cars a little bit harder (parts are a little easier to find) I think we are on the right track to make this a success.

We had a hell of a good time down there didn't we?! That felt good. 1/5 mile bowl and I never thought a 1/5 mile could be so big. It's a good thing my truck finally made it. My super only gets 5-8 miles to the gallon and I only had ONE GALLON to start with. Yes, as close as I was, I would have driven on the shoulder if needed, just to get there.

Brian.

I just want to thank you for coming up with the idea of putting on the show last week. I had a great time. It was great to see and hear those cars actually running on a dirt track, it brought back so many good memories I have and being lucky enough to be part of that era. See you in Ada in a couple weeks.

Mike

I guess how old you are depends on what is vintage to you; My dad in his late 60's would consider cars from the 40's and 30's as vintage. Were as I, in my late 40's consider cars from the 70's and 60's vintage and every thing is just plain old.

To me, there is nothing like seeing restored Supers and Modifieds. I have contributed pictures to this site and love seeing what other pics that have been submitted. Rusty Manning has some great pics of late 70's and early 80's cars. Freddy Gaither has submitted some very good pics as well. I just wish we could see more from the men and women who ownd/drove the race cars to get into there attic and go through there boxes and look and see what they have.

This site is not possible with out Warren doing all the hard work that he has done. I as a fan of the site, take my hat off to Warren for all his hard work and I share his passion and love for the Supers and the Modifieds of the 60's, 70's and 80's.

I also have talk to friends and strangers who have pics and told them to either send them to Warren or me and like Warren said, I have not received them either.

Warren, keep up the great work.

Monte Cole

mlcole

I may have come across on this thread as if I was ready to pack it in. No, not givin' up. This may be a roller coaster ride, but it always finds a way to go forward. Love these cars too much and I simply do not know how to stop as long as I'm trying to do some good.

Mike- Thank you for the comments and it was good to see you there. You Sir, have had a big hand in helping us and sometimes I don't think you even knew it. Thank you for what you've done.

mcole- I hear ya man, I'm from your group on the influence.

WARREN- When I saw that RFTP was going to a forum board I thought "huh?". Turned out to be the biggest source of fuel to get these old cars back on the track.

"WARREN- When I saw that RFTP was going to a forum board I thought "huh?". Turned out to be the biggest source of fuel to get these old cars back on the track."

I had hoped more would post photos, but maybe it's not the easiest type of forum to post photos on. the discussion part has far passed my expectations. There are some heavy hitters in the racing world lurking out there just reading. The old Bravenet Forum I had didn't see anyone on it hardly.

The counter on the home page is at 86,000+ that is since 11/06. Before that the old counter I think was around 100,000. I think it went over that. I remember getting e-mails to that point. We are currently getting around 70 first time visitors a day.

Thanks go out to Jeff Roberg (Big Dog) for supplying the space for the site and the forum.

You might be surprised how many viewers got into computers just because of this site. Didn't even want a computer until they seen this site on there kids or grandkids or friends computer or heard an announcer at a track plugging the site.

Warren Vincent
Cans 4 Kansas Heroes

Brian,...It may start slow but time will build the shows up....just like Warren & this post. If I was in the area, I'd be there. ...I sold the engine (complete) out of car 2 to a fellow from Ada, Ok & he put in a 61 Corvette. Anyone in the Ada area know a Bulldogger Cowboy named Monroe Hodges from Ada?.....Luther (using a Johnson Co, Ks Library computer)