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Re: Youngsters

To: DOUG ODOM <popms@thegrid.net>
Subject: Re: Youngsters
From: Glen Barrett <speedtimer@earthlink.net>
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 08:31:26 -0800
Doug
 My daughter has been working with me in the timing trailer for 12 years. Three
years ago my granddaugher started working on the salt giving out time slips on 
the
short course. My son in law also works in the timing trailer as the short course
timer. When my grand daugrter returns to Oregon with that great tan her girl
frinds don't understand why she does this each year. She loves the sport and now
her mom and dad are thinking about building a lakester. Those of us lucky enough
to have kids that follow on  in the sport of land speed racing is what it's all
about.
Glen

DOUG ODOM wrote:

> Jim, I have three daughters all in their twenties now. Went racing with
> me from before they where born. We tried to always take an extra day on
> the long race trips and find something that was of real interest to the
> girls. One day at school I asked the teacher if missing a few school
> days a year was bad. She told me my daughters were the envy of the other
> kids because they got to go places and see things their parents never
> took them to see. She also said that she did not hear other kids brag
> about their dad (even when we didn't do good). So take her every chance
> you get and some day when she tells you that some of the best times she
> had growing up was going racing you will know how I feel.
>                         Doug Odom in sunny cal.
>
> JAMES CANNON wrote:
> >
> > You guys sure hit me at home with this discussion, after 1 trip to Maxton
> > last Oct my 8 year old daughter has now dubbed herself land speed mama, at
> > least has written it all over her school books.
> > p.s. dads a little tickled by this but mom may need a little work
> >
> > Jim from Salem VA
> >
> > no snow, no heat, no sun
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Louise Ann Noeth <lanspeed@west.net>
> > To: Keith Turk <kturk@ala.net>; dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>; DOUG ODOM
> > <popms@thegrid.net>
> > Cc: Land-speed@autox.team.net <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > Date: Saturday, January 29, 2000 3:22 AM
> > Subject: Re: Youngsters
> >
> > >Because I have been 50% deaf since childhood, the melodic sounds of a
> > finely
> > >tuned exhaust note were not only heard, but felt by this young girl. Many
> > of
> > >my tactile encounters are partnered with sound. Quite different than the
> > way
> > >most people "hear," my "listening" is a more involved process of sensing,
> > >interpreting and analyzing. It has driven people crazy over the years
> > trying
> > >to figure out how I understand so much about ICE's, rockets, jets and other
> > >propulsion energy devices.
> > >
> > >If my life depended on it, I could not translate my level of spatial
> > >comprehension to the satisfaction of an empirically trained engineer, but I
> > >can talk their language with relative ease. Always have, always will, no
> > >book learning required.  I understand people like Preston Tucker, Red
> > Adair,
> > >Amelia Airheart, Madame Curie, et al. It is my opinion that these folks
> > >immersed themselves in the process and the process revealed itself to them.
> > >
> > >At age 7, when I first recollect becoming aware of engines, that
> > >"ruppety-rup-rupp-pup pup" that leaked out from the warped wooden boards of
> > >the garage across the street, it was as if the Pied Piper had taken up his
> > >flute, as if the moth detected the blazing bright bulb and I have been
> > >following the tune ever since.
> > >
> > >Crazy as hell, but it is a journey loaded with tales of many splendid
> > >trips -- fast trips usually, but even the ones that crawl along have given
> > >me cause to pause throughout my life.
> > >
> > >Best of all, the sounds that have given me the greatest joy have always
> > been
> > >brought to life by the most amazing people I have had the good fortune to
> > >know.  When I stand in the pre-dawn quiet, all alone in the middle of the
> > >salt flats, I smile to myself thanking God for his gifts to me as the sun
> > >spills out over the Newfoundland mountain range and ignites the crystalline
> > >surface with colors galore.
> > >
> > >It is a great time to be alive.
> > >
> > >
> > >LandSpeed Louise
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: Keith Turk <kturk@ala.net>
> > >To: dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>; DOUG ODOM <popms@thegrid.net>
> > >Cc: Land-speed@autox.team.net <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > >Date: Thursday, January 27, 2000 3:57 AM
> > >Subject: Re: Youngsters
> > >
> > >
> > >My High school shop teacher was a guy Named Gary Densham..... I think he
> > >races funny cars now.....
> > >
> > >Not that I don't remember polishing aluminum on his car in auto shop and
> > >going to the next class with the smells of Nitro.... and yes that was an
> > >impetus to racing for a young kid.
> > >
> > >This thread is exactly what I was trying to start with my constant
> > harassing
> > >folks to do the Intro's... wanted to hear how we all got into cars in the
> > >first place.... for some reason I enjoy hearing the tales.... Keith
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>
> > >To: DOUG ODOM <popms@thegrid.net>
> > >Cc: <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > >Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2000 5:23 AM
> > >Subject: Re: Youngsters
> > >
> > >
> > >> Real nice thought even if they never race a car in their life..Kinda
> > >> what is all about in the big picture..I remember working on Nascar
> > >> Modifieds as a very young boy and will never forget the 'chances' to get
> > >> a ride while they pulled it up on the trailer.. My neighbor had one that
> > >> Carl 'Buggsy' Stevens drove before he was famous. An injected SBC, at 12
> > >> I could do the air density stuff and come up with the right pill size
> > >> while my buddies were struggling with their 'hill buggies' LOL..  Those
> > >> sounds and smells are what got me in the racing business for life. All
> > >> started at the tender age of 8. Later in high school as a senior we had
> > >> a substitute auto shop teacher that claimed to drive a TF car. He had
> > >> pics and brought in the fire suit and we talked a lot about racing and
> > >> safety but all thought he was BS'ing us all. He finally brought it in
> > >> and fired it and did a short couple of burnouts in the parking lot. I
> > >> got the honor of priming the blower with alky to fire it while two
> > >> buddies wrestled with the starter.. A real hoot if there ever was one. I
> > >> thought we were going to break every window in the building.. Oh well
> > >> sorry to ramble but this thread reminded me of some nice days gone by
> > >> now..
> > >>
> > >> Dave Dahlgren
> > >>
> > >> DOUG ODOM wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> > Dick, Your message about your crew member in school made me think. I
> > >> > take our car down to the local high school auto shop once a year. The
> > >> > shop teacher makes arrangements with the other shops and even the math
> > >> > teachers to have a small assembly. The kids ask a lot of questions and
> > >> > are interested. We try and explain how much math and calculations it
> > >> > takes to run fast or for a record. The fact that an attractive woman on
> > >> > the team drives the car with the E motor in it and is in the 200mph
> > club
> > >> > brings extra interest from the girls. At lunch time the word has spread
> > >> > and a lot of non shop kids come down and take a look also. I think if
> > we
> > >> > can get some of the younger people interested more people will enjoy
> > the
> > >> > sport.
> > >> >         The shop teacher will have one or two kids that are the top of
> > >his
> > >> > class and I'll let them come over to the shop on a weekend and help
> > with
> > >> > some little thing on the car. I'm no teacher, but if you show some kid
> > >> > how to make a fender brace with the shrinker - stretcher and you put
> > the
> > >> > part on the car that he made, you will see their eyes light up.
> > >> >                 Just a thought, Doug
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >




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