karmis:

Does anybody think Bazemore will have his contract extended ? If not, where will he go and who will replace him? I would like to see a current test driver replace him...Dale Pulde of War Eagle fame. Dale is one of thebest tuner/drivers in the biz...

Baze is improving but the events in Atlanta with Capps may have hurt Baze's longterm at DSR.  Also Baze started out at DSR as a one man show on the FC side and he's never played nice with others.  He's not IMO a team type of guy and that may be his undoing not only at DSR but in the sport overall.  Like NASCAR now, it takes more than one to get to the top and either Baze accepts this or he'll fall to the bottom and be a racing trivia question in the not to distant future.

As for Pulde.  IMO best da#n FC Shoe there is because he could build em', fix em' or drive em'and  I've been a huge fan of his since Baze was a kid in the pits in Atlanta so I'm very bias.  Pulde has in the past said he likes doing a few western races just to keep his feet wet but that's all he's willing to do.  As far as I know, he's still building custom bikes for the Hollywood Jet Set crowd but don't know this for sure.

You might enjoy the 2 part feature on Dale that's a little dated (done in the 1999' when he crew chiefed for Scotty Canon's FC efforts) but it's mostly "in Dale's words" so it's enjoyable and very informative.  For a drag racing history buff, IMO, it's a must read.  And speaking of Whit, he gets some humorous mention as well.

Part 1

http://www.maziracing.com/99March/march99.htm

Part 2

http://www.maziracing.com/99May/may99.htm

That is a great story. Mike and dale both were very close family frineds back in the 70's and 80's. In fact, Mike was like an uncle to my brothers and I even before he and Dale teamed up. I remember many weekends watching the Arizona Wildcat...ussualy blowong up of burning to the ground...We were very excited when we heard that Mike and Dale were teaming up. The War Eagle and the entire racing team became a huge part of our family. Ince Mike stopped we completly lost touch with him and to this day, we have no idea where he is or what he is doing...We have spoken to Dale a few times and wish hm the best...Hopefully he will be at Pomona thins year and we can stop by and see him again...

I would love to see Dale get a top funded ride again...

I never understood why NHRA.com doesn't do a series "Where Are They now?" kinda thing.  I know several years ago when they were compiling the greatest driver list, no one knew what became of Raymond Beedle and NHRA posted a help request on their website and soon after Raymond was found on a ranch down in Texas.  The sport has so many new fans now from the last 10 years or so who had no chance to see and learn of the great teams, drivers and car of the bygone eras.

I'd also like to see long running National Events at many of the older tracks with 20 to 25 plus year histories on raceday to bring back the driver that won TF, FC or PS when that race date hits it's 20th or 25th anniversary as the events special guess.  That way a connection to the past and pretty much a new face every year.  What a way to show the new fan the importance of the past and also the potential history that could be made at that day's events that you may be a witness too.  It's ironic that at Atlanta I use to see a 13 year old Whit pester the War Eagle bunch, those guys were good to Whit but also I saw Raymond Beedle and Tripp Shumake make the very first side by side 5 sec. FC run and you'd have thought at the time that we'd just seen light speed for the first time.  You also be surpirsed how many people commented that we'd never ever see another run like that again.  Oh ye of little faith!

LOL!

Remember the day when Jet cars were faster than fuel cars?

240 Gordie...

Dry hops...

Green race cars were taboo...

shifting gears in a fuel car..

Funny cars were AA/Fc and alcohol cars were BB/FC...

Top fuelers didnt have reverse...

had to push start the top fuelers...

the first 5 second funny car feild...