Hello Bob,

My wife and I watched the Winternationals on T.V. last week and then went through some of our scrapbooks. We mainly attended events at Cayuga but took the odd vacation to see an NHRA national event. You always gave us something to be proud of. You drove a variety of cars in many different classes and we were curious which one was your favourite? We hope you find a sponsor. It would get us out to some live events again.

P.S. You looked after our 1981 Camaro when you were the Service Manager with Fletcher Brothers on Upper James in Hamilton. It always ran good and you treated us well.

Thanks,

Bill and Dianne
Hamilton, Ontario

Bill & Dianne,

Thanks for the note. Great to here from an old customer! Each car and class I drove in had unique qualities. I think the adrenaline rush and increased heartbeat is the same whether you’re staging a Super Stocker or Nitro Funny Car. I enjoyed the challenge of making a sportsman eliminator car go quicker and faster but the sanctioning bodies make lots of rules in these classes which makes getting caught in a “grey” area greater. That’s how I got the nickname “Bogus”. You’re seeing the same thing happen in NASCAR – more rules – more penalties. I was not a very good driver on the “full” sportsman christmas tree but an excellent one on the “pro” tree. I enjoy the challenge of getting an out of control Funny Car down the race track. As I progressed up the ladder I relied more on intelligent crew chiefs to make the tuning decisions. John Rossitter with the Alcohol Funny Car, Art Gallant with the Jet Funny Car and Ken Veney with the Nitro Funny Car were three of the best whose performance levels still look good today. I am one of only four drivers in North America who have competitively driven all three types of Funny Car. My least favourite but the most profitable was the jet. Driving and tuning these cars is unique, confusing and a foreign experience to most of us. They are without a doubt the most dangerous cars that go down a dragstrip. I have seen a lot of tragedy within this fraternity. I enjoyed the camaraderie in the sportsman ranks and the respect you get at the professional level. Match racing the Pro Stocker or Alcohol Funny Car was fun because of the pageantry of the burnouts and dry-hops that were a big part of the show. Today’s drivers are more regimented in the control of the car. My answer so far has not been very definitive so let me say this; everyone has a comfort zone. I have not yet found mine but the first time the “tree-lit” when I staged the Nitro Funny Car I hesitated before I slammed the throttle. It was the first and only time I wondered what it would be like to have that engine blow up in my face. The thought only lasted a tenth of a second before I realized I was having too much fun to worry about it. My favourtie class and car…NITRO FUNNY CAR!

Good health and thanks again for the note.

Bogus