I've been paying attention to Sooper Tooner TV over the last couple of months. And today I had the special pleasure of watching NOPI Toonervishun.

I'm concerned that as the import racing scene continues to grow and develop, many of us are stuck in the past.

Shops like King, OPM, P1, R&D, IPS, and others really have to be looking ahead.

They have to ask themselves: "Am I really taking the lead to position myself for the next phase of explosive growth in the import tuning revolution?"

I'm afraid the answer is no.

Do they have Hydro setups in stock? Neon lighting?

And while they can't forget the Dyno - have they forgotten about showmanship?

When I call King and get Bob on the phone it's all fine and well...for me. But face it - won't the next generation be more likely to order more from a pushy hot young bizzle?

I'm talkin about hot girls in bikinis!

Let's go further. Picture Bob Endicott being interviewed on one of these shows. It's just not gonna work is it? PD? Nope. Even Pierre is over the hill.

You know how surf guitarist Dick Dale is enjoying another round of fleeting coolness? And how OLD he looks? Let's not kid ourselves. It's just about over for most of us.

Scott, who's seen the future...we need to get working on a time machine...NOW!

 

But Scott, most of us didn't get into this because it was the cool thing on TV or for the bikini girls. We got into it because we're idiots.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But Scott, most of us didn't get into this because it was the cool thing on TV or for the bikini girls. We got into it because we're idiots.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ha ha ha, simply hilarious.

 

Ok, fine.

If we're idiots, then what are those people I saw on TV?

Scott, who say's "Don't tell me, I don't want to know."

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But Scott, most of us didn't get into this because it was the cool thing on TV or for the bikini girls. We got into it because we're idiots.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Psshhh! You may be an idiot...I did it for the bikini girls.

-travis, who's off to install his airbags on the CRX so he can get his dizzance on!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RR98ITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">then what are those people I saw on TV?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Bandwagoners.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RR98ITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ok, fine.
If we're idiots, then what are those people I saw on TV?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Those are the people who have the guts to revolutionize the sport for the next generation. Just look at our cars and all that wasted space! Last month I saw a how-to about installing a 30 lb. air tank (for the suspension air bags, of couse) on the harness bar of a custom cage built just for that purpose. Imagine all of the other heavy things you could install behind your head if you just let yourself think outside the box!

 

It seems to me there has always been a dichotomy of "car guys". Those you spend there time and money making a car look good, and those that make a car go fast.

I don't know if things have changed that much. It's a new generation, but the same division exists. I was helping recruit members for the sports car club at my university and there were clearly two kinds of people. There were those that wanted to race, whether they drove a shitbox mustang, or a slizzzamed, fiberglass clad civic. There were others that would ask me a question about the club, but as soon as I mentioned racing or autocrossing, their eyes would glaze over and they would terminate the conversation at the earliest opportunity.

Every car guy on a limited budget has to choose between looking good and going fast, and the target demographic for real racer shops will always be more interested in dyno plots and roll centers then neons and sultry telephone voices.

 

I've tried and tried but I simply cant get Fowler to carry fake glue-on hood pins at OPM. He refuses to be a visionary and simply insists on doing things like build 14 year old CRXs that lap Road Atlanta in 1:44.

Some people are just doomed. You cant help them.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But Scott, most of us didn't get into this because it was the cool thing on TV or for the bikini girls. We got into it because we're idiots.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Word. I enjoy paying out a lot of extra cash to destroy my car.

 

No need to worry. Road racers have been setting trends for a long time, they just don't realize it (or care).

The "herd" always likes to put what looks "cool" on their car. But outside of the 1 percenters who actually think outside the box and come up with original looks, most of the "herd" simply see something somewhere and copy it.

For example, where do think all these monster wings and big front splitters (in the form of a whole new integrated bumper skin) on street cars came from? Someone saw a touring car race, probably JGTC, (or just a picture of a car) and said "that looks dope".

The gist of it is, fast cars "look dope", for lack of a better term. Keep making your car faster and faster and the "herd" will pick up on what's happening and copy it. Some of them will puzzle out why those parts are useful on racing cars and may eventually make their way to a racetrack and get hooked.

Think of it as a moron filter. Those that can actually figure out how and why to use real go fast parts are the ones we want in the sport. Yes, the sport should grow, but how fast?

A great way to check how well the moron filter is working is to talk to the kid next to you at a stop light revving his engine and giving you the eye. Simply say "Tell me your lap time at [insert local track here], then I'll race you" I usually use Willow Springs. When they look at me with the vapid look of a grazing cow, I know the filter is working....

Besides, all the really hot honeys are into moto-x and motorcycle sports - they sure as hell aren't at the import showoffs and such.

C_A_T - (in the spirit of RR98ITR) thinking of buying a bike again

 

So if you're suggesting that we're just a bunch of soon-to-be dinosaurs waiting for the next "big bang," well then count me in.

Casey, who's not really sure what herd he belongs to....

 

On a serious note, I tried to watch an episode of soopertooner (or soupRtooner or super2ner or whatever the hell it is) and found the two guys who host it to be unbearably moronic yo. Walking bling bling yoboy stereotypes. So check 'dis yo --I didn't make it past 10 minutes of that braindead shizzie.

Scott, whos not an old dinosaur as much as he's just a guy with an active brain... yo.

 

I've been gonna write a serious post on my fears about SCCA's efforts to grow membership - targeted at the kind of people we're talking about. But since I may not get to it for a while...

I want the club to assimilate new people into OUR culture - a living culture that honors the past while keeping up with technological evolution.

I believe there's a place for Autocross, Road Racing, Rally...but I don't think there's a place for Drifting, Showing, and Bouncing. We could leave that to others.

I watched Motocross debased in the early 80's - turning into a dangerous aerobatic timing event. Even the greatest outdoor tracks in the country were spoiled with gimmicks and obstacles. I don't care that it became more spectacular, and attracted more participants and spectators. That's one definition of success, but one that I don't see the necessity of valueing unconditionally.

A couple of years ago I chanced on a Canadian Outdoor National - I nearly wept. It was still the pure sport.

Road Racing as it is today, with SCCA, Conference in the NW, NASA, and other regional sanctions is likewise a pure competition - without much jackassery (setting aside the occassional chicane, and the imbecilic crashing of the Pro's. At Laguna I couldn't believe that way off the back late in the race a Lexus driver was trying to bump his way past Monterrubio).

I don't have any fear that new young members threaten our way of life in racing. But the club can waste time and money on them - to the general detriment what we consider the core focus of the club. That I fear.

Scott, who knows that many find their way into road racing thru hot rodding, it's been happening for more than 50 years. I know that these issues are never ending. But I want to keep the stunnas at a comfortable distance - I only want to see enough of them to chuckle a little and shake my head. And when one of them see's the light and wants to join us, we can welcome them.

 

I gotta give those two "fella's" a little credit.

They had an episode in which they were visiting Adam Carolla and his street racer 510. They were joined by John Morton and his Trans-Am championship 510. They paid appropriate homage to him.

Then they gushed all over the Nissan GTP car in Nissans museum collection.

They're not unredeemable.

Scott, who says "why don't you boys grow your hair out a little"...


Modified by RR98ITR at 10:26 PM 10/26/2003

 

Look at the history of hot rodding. In the 40's and 50's most of the serious customs with chopped tops, paint, pipes and all the other stuff the racers were doing at the time were stock base model cars with no real mechanical modifications due to needing to be daily transport. Sound familiar?

The cars of choice and the specific modifications done have changed, but it's still the same basic thing.

 

scott,
the people you saw on tv don't have the werewithall, nor the compass, to find our sacred little island of import motorsport; therefore, those of us who traverse these circles, will always come across, and will deal with (indefinatly), other likeminded enthusiasts. road racing's been pitted against a lot of "fads" and still we have people like bob woodman, and publications like grassroots motorsport thriving in the the midst of such gloss saturadted time, lastly, i don't see any shortage of young enthusiasts who will take the torch when it comes time.

 

I used to be a stunna. I followed a few "fads" and "trends" in my younger days. I have managed to wade through the BS and ended up here. I am sure there are many others out there who will follow the same path. Some will stay in Stunna land, some will find out that they were truly just following a fad the whole time and don't even have true passion for motorsports or cars at that. Yet some will end up here, I am sure this story has come around full circle and will continue to do so. I have no doubt that "others" will carry the torch when we no longer do.

-Jeremy, who has seen the light....

 

Hehe, drifting is to roadracing as synchronized swimming is to water polo. Both take some physical skill and practice, but one involves pleasing the judges while the other involves beating the other team.

As for moto-x, I think the outdoor series are still pretty pure, but the supercross stuff..... Either way, whether its the AMA at Laguna Seca or Moto-x at one of the historic tracks, chicks dig bikes - must be the thought of something powerful between their legs......

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RR98ITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I believe there's a place for Autocross, Road Racing, Rally...but I don't think there's a place for Drifting, Showing, and Bouncing. We could leave that to others.

I watched Motocross debased in the early 80's - turning into a dangerous aerobatic timing event. Even the greatest outdoor tracks in the country were spoiled with gimmicks and obstacles.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bb6h22a &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">lastly, i don't see any shortage of young enthusiasts who will take the torch when it comes time. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Adam&lt;----- One such youth...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RR98ITR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've been paying attention to Sooper Tooner TV over the last couple of months. And today I had the special pleasure of watching NOPI Toonervishun.

I'm concerned that as the import racing scene continues to grow and develop, many of us are stuck in the past.

Shops like King, OPM, P1, R&D, IPS, and others really have to be looking ahead.

They have to ask themselves: "Am I really taking the lead to position myself for the next phase of explosive growth in the import tuning revolution?"

I'm afraid the answer is no.

Do they have Hydro setups in stock? Neon lighting?

And while they can't forget the Dyno - have they forgotten about showmanship?

When I call King and get Bob on the phone it's all fine and well...for me. But face it - won't the next generation be more likely to order more from a pushy hot young bizzle?

I'm talkin about hot girls in bikinis!

Let's go further. Picture Bob Endicott being interviewed on one of these shows. It's just not gonna work is it? PD? Nope. Even Pierre is over the hill.

You know how surf guitarist Dick Dale is enjoying another round of fleeting coolness? And how OLD he looks? Let's not kid ourselves. It's just about over for most of us.

Scott, who's seen the future...we need to get working on a time machine...NOW!</TD></TR></TABLE>


hey i resemble those remarks...i was on super2nr...... and it was a blast....wish they would have more shows like the one i filmed

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


hey i resemble those remarks...i was on super2nr...... and it was a blast....wish they would have more shows like the one i filmed</TD></TR></TABLE>

Im with chad, go hang out at a NHRA sport compact event

why would u just believe tv shows as a representive of growing racers?

u believe what they are feeding you?

that is the big corportate companies trying to tell youth how to have your car setup. not what the racers or just normal guys have

 

I believe that everything I know is wrong.

I believe that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are an important part of MY life.

I believe that we are at a "critical juncture" in world history.

I believe that GW is the gravest threat to the wellbeing of the US in the nations history.

I believe that if we pull out of Iraq, world peace will be achieved in a nanosecond.

I believe that we are being infiltrated by colonizing aliens.

And I believe that, yes, these shows accurately portray the stunna milieu.

Scott, who doesn't know what he's more troubled by: stunnas, or alien colonists...and don't you dare tell me that stunnas are just racer hatchlings...I'M OUTRAGED!...I'm logging off now, I don't need another episode ending in re-institutionalization right now...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by C_A_T &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">must be the thought of something powerful between their legs......

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't get it.

 

But you have to admit, it read well. Just don't tell my date tomorrow that I posted it....