What is happening to the young folks

Just looked at a bunch of the Bonnieville pictures, including on the lake and in Wendover.
What I noticed is the apparent lack of young men and women in any number.
Surely there must be more than were evident in the pictures, it must be that Bonnieville is too expensive for the young folks.

Kind of interesting to see the evident interest in different engines , and different cars, all though, to tell the truth, I am surprised some of them are allowed on the highway!

But, to each his own.

traderjack

 

Ummm yes, being a father of 4, age 32 who has been saving for the last 10 years for just a time as this...to be able to "afford" a house for the kids to grow up in.

Most fun plans are just about done for, now it is survival and weeding out the excess. Not because I buy any of this recession crap but because everyone else does (especially my work). Perhaps in the following years I'll get back on the El Mirage/bonneville dream with the kids but for now...even the trip out there is done.

 

But it is just like it was in 1949, everyone as interested in the engines as in the cars. I expect it will continue to be that way.Normally what you see is a lot of pictures of the cars, and now there are lots of pictures of the engines.

I know we used to spend more time looking at the engines than looking at the cars.

that Packard eight was really interesting in the use of modern and old stuff

traderjack

 

Man, I've been wanting to go for years! I'm pissed I missed it again this year. There are plenty of young people that would like to be at Bonneville, we just have a hard time getting across multiple state lines and finding a place to hole up..

And as long as people aren't putting only SBC's in their cars, the engines will always be the first thing my eyes go to on any hot rod. Well, at least the ones without those damn hoods..

 

The oldest one of us is 27, the youngest is 19 and we were out there.

 

id love to go, but just like any other form of racing now a days, its way outta my price range.

 

Bonneville is too expensive for some old folks too! Good thing El Mirage is a tank full away and can be a day trip.

 

I'm 20, and I wanted to go so bad. If I had the gas money to drive from Ca in my 12 mile per gallon car I would have without a second thought.

 

If I get there in 2010 I'll be 59 but have wanted to be there since I was 10.

 

Haha... yes, you guys are 'out there' kidding...

Great to meet a bunch of you!




Malcolm



(oh, I'm 30 and have attended Bonneville the last two years, including this one. My dad and I have hopes of running a small motorcycle out there next year.)

 

I don't really buy into it being too expensive.....free camping at the bend,a couple of 99 cent loaves of bread and some peanut butter and jelly,a couple of jugs of water and a few guys traveling in one car splitting the gas and you are there for hardly any cash at all. I have done it a few times like this ...the only real expense is the gas. Oh yea...do they still charge $5 to get in and $20 for the week (OK it's been awhile since I've been) add that in.
Now as for the racing at Bonneville.....yea I imagine that is pretty pricy and harder than hell finding sponsership nowadays. But racing of any kind has never been cheap.

 

Not really a young guy, but it's on my list of things to do with my son Jesse. He definitely plans to go. But for now, it's like my sig says.......

 

Oh???

 

Man, I coulda swore you just turned 21...!!!

30...NO WAY...!!!

Problem with "young" folks is like drag racing has become...only the wealthiest can afford to go and do...even I don't go to NHRA's "Mile High Nats," and it's right here in my city, to see the Top Fuel cars run cuz I can't afford the $75.00 a day spectator tab...and I'm not very "young" anymore"...

R-

 

Money is one problem, but living in the wrong place is another...
Although I just moved myself 4000 miles closer to Bonneville...

 

"Malcolm" and guys like "Sloppyseconds" are the new wave of rodders. They all have shown a tremendous love for the hobby and that combined with their energy reflect the same qualities of past generations of hot rodders.
There are plenty of young guys and ladies who are absorbed by the craftsmanship, friendships and the satisfactions of building, driving and enjoying the hobby. These folks will be rodding for many decades to come.
These guys and gals are the "real deal".
The hobby is in good hands.

 

You should look a little deeper, lots of under 40 folks out on the salt.

 

We're too poor to go. Trust me, I WOULD be there. Really its about the time off work, not the peanut butter and jelly and 4 dudes packed in a car for 13 hours one way

 

Great picture! My oldest is 27 and my youngest is 21, and I'd be thrilled if any of my three children had any interest in cars, period, much less Bonneville!

 

Arkiehotrods - I hear ya. My two kids could care less so I'm leaving whatever is left when I go to someone else ....

 

We're at work... now quit buggin' me!

 

I'm seeing a bunch of excuses as to why the people that say they want to go havn't gone. This might piss you off, but I'll say it anyway... YOU HAVN'T PLANNED TO GO - that's why you havn't gone. It has nothing to do with time, money or the kids. Quit whining, develop a plan TODAY!!!! on how you are definitly going to be there next year, then freaking do it.

Here's an idea - delivery pizza's, mow lawns on your day off, turn off the TV. Write it out on a piece of paper and make it happen. Till you do that, it's a pipe dream and nothing more.... The road to someday leads to nowhere.....

 

I like that...I'm going to steal it and use it somewhere in one of my books or stories...

Thanx,

R-

 

Yea buddy!!

 

I'm 26, and I don't think that it's because it's too expensive, necessarily. If anything, Bonneville is the one place that you can pretty much race anything that's safe. I think that people of my generation or younger are for the most part, not being taught that cars are an accessible hobby, or are being pushed to go outside and learn to fix that old car so you have something to drive. It's a use-it-and-throw-it-away culture. Most people my age don't even know it possible to drive the 2 hours to Wendover and race what they have. It seems all the people I grew up with would rather spend their time and money going to movies, buying video game systems, and occasionally getting high.

 

i spent that whole weekend in an opium den

 

I would love to go but, (this is a crappy excuse I know) I'm always low on cash and I am only 16. My father would not like it if I up and left to trek all the way to bonneville either. So I'm stuck here for a while.

 

im am sixteen years old and the top place i want to go is bonneville and see where it all began.but its hard when u live in texas and gas is as high as it is.the young people are out there that want to be there. they just cant get the funds to go.

 

Just turned 30 this year - and do you think I don't WANT to go? It's a dream to run a car on the salt... no shit. It's all those pesky things like a mortgage and other commitments... some day.

 

My two kids made it out with me this year, they had a blast.


Yes it is nice being so close too. Next year I hope to be driving something out beside my daily work truck too.
my 4 yr old wants to race a model A there someday. I hope we can, I would love that.

Josh

btw Im 32 and just recently (year or so ago figured out) my priorities. at least I think I have. lol