Until recently, less than 10 years, only dedicated sports media covered drag racing. To this day it's never in the regular sports coverage of the major networks, and other than a rare ABC Wide World of Sports show back in the day you only heard if someone died. Articles and coverage of this type were what I always felt was the reason why. We were (are?) dirty t-shirt hoods with no concern for our fellow man in the eyes of a detached public. Not long ago there was a share from an old scribe from the Lansing MI area that painted us with the same brush load of deadly chemical. Other than some onesy-twosy fuckheads that we've all known now and then most hot rodders were pretty intellectual, creative, charitable to their own and their communities. I've always declared that "car people" are the best that mankind has to offer because if it was Sweden, Greece or Kansas you can count on real car folk to help you out, put on a show, organize community events and more. And not just to our own, everybody. We have new car issues in the big cities now. All this obsession with stupid ass drifting and burnouts, now crowds gather, payment book hipo cars, doing all manner of idiotic stunts that seriously hurt or even kill people. Won't be long before the public looks at every high perf version of a late model car as being driven by some bloodthirsty criminal seeking any opportunity to terrorize at will. Once again though in full disclosure I was a dedicated street racer in my past life. Did I race in suburban hoods full of people? No. Have seen my share of that stupidity but we did not play that game. Locals know who and where I mean We'd venture out to industrial or rural roads for our own safety as well as that of the locals. I don't condone unlawful operation and don't ask to be excused for it. But we all eventually moved up and went legit. Some made quite a name for themselves, one of my closest deaest friends made IHRA Mod Champ a few years ago. And like me some of us gave up and went chill hot rod. All that said though I still have that clandestine finger raised at anyone who thinks they have to be like the above mentioned article or feels an urge to disrespect or judge our needs and desires. How would they like it if we started an anti golf or bowling campaign? Fair is fair, "hoodlums" included.
About 30 years ago, my wife and I decided that we don't "do" bowling. Too much chance of running into her ex or my ex.
I was in Oahu a couple weeks ago, I found the lifted, straight piped trucks to be a bigger nuisance than the hot rods. But I didn't actually see any hot rods. Maybe they are more worser? I couldn't help but day dream of meandering around the island in my hot rod though. I see how that could add years to a guys life.
It's them gol-darn T.V. shows, I tell ya! What in tarnation do they think is gonna happen? What with them dern burn-outs an' do-nuts they show them kids these days... lil' whipper-snappers have all run amuk an' are a menace to society!!
The Jalopy Journal
