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I heard the news in early January from FEAR President
John Zaretzke that we (and the Hornets) would now be required to join
NASCAR - just to enter the pits at Evergreen Speedway this season. I
contacted both Mickey and Terry at IPI for clarification and
confirmation, and was assured that it wasn’t a “take-over” of the club,
nor do they have any interest in running FEAR. It is about insurance,
and also IPI’s new contract with NASCAR, and, well, about business. IPI
did allow us to survive for a very long time – to remain independent,
make our own rules, fines, dues, and even our own mistakes. Every time I
needed space in the program to celebrate our history, or food and drink
money for our Longhouse “Reunion” parties, Mickey was always there, and
happy to help.
So, as it was discussed at the latest (and final) FEAR
meeting, EVERYONE apparently must join NASCAR to race at Evergreen from
now on! With that said, Figure-8 drivers no longer have a “financial”
reason to join FEAR, as a Membership is no longer a “requirement” to
race there. We, as a rare, independent racing club, and after 42 years
of fun, have been served the proverbial lemon! And, as with our ’85
surrender of the “oval racing” Super-stock membership, can still “make
lemonade”- and survive for perhaps another 20+ years! I volunteered to
“manage” the Club, to re-create FEAR, keeping it intact for the next few
years, and John accepted! I asked him to stay on and run the “Auxiliary”
but sadly he declined.
Fellow FEAR members, let me welcome you to the “new”
FEAR! It will ONLY cost $10 to join for those FIGURE EIGHT racers who
“had to” join NASCAR, and “Old-Timers”, as usual. The regular FEAR
Membership cost would drop to just $25 ($20 with a program coupon) if
you’re a fan, sponsor or family member who won’t require pit access, and
simply want to enjoy the NEW benefits of the Club. This will protect our
43-year history at Evergreen AND support the racers and racing that we
all so enjoy! 100% of the funds raised from membership sales will go to
the new FEAR point fund (for FEAR members), after some minimal expenses,
such as Rule book and new sticker printing costs, website fees, and a
reasonable donation to a new “annual” FEAR History/Reunion picnic. In
fact, the 2008 FEAR43 party is already scheduled for Saturday, July 5th…
when we will celebrate 43 years of Figure-8 racing at Evergreen
Speedway! Club Historian Tom Claibourn will be bringing over his
incredible collection of pictures, models and FEAR memorabilia (as he
will hopefully do each following year), and all current and former FEAR
members and Evergreen racers will be invited to join the celebration, of
course!
I envision a fun, non-profit Club that simply supports
the DRIVERS! It won’t require ANY meetings (pit or otherwise), no
storage, legal or mailing costs; no board member coat costs, no
“fund-raising” events, or needs. We won’t need trophies or an expensive
banquet, either, since those – like the tech tools, protests, fines and
tear-downs, can and should all be handled by NASCAR, for all we are
going to be paying them! Even the PICNIC is no longer needed! I’m
offering up the idea that the “new FEAR” can be more like a figure-8
racing “fan club”, that you and your racing friends can join to get,
(1.) the new FEAR Membership card, that provides a FRONT GATE discount,
so it pays for itself, thanks to Mickey and Lex (2.) a FEAR sticker or
two (which will, of course, be the “original” design) and (3.) an
updated FEAR RULES & HISTORY book! My hope is that John, or someone else
will continue to run the “Auxiliary” and hopefully help with our
Champion’s point fund too, because we are still running for the FEAR
Championship at Evergreen Speedway – now sponsored by Pawn Exchange! In
the center of this “new FEAR” would be our website, NOW: FearRacing.ORG,
which I will continue to utilize, with thanks to Vern Foster, at Foster
Press. The new website will replace mail and meetings, provide updated
and current information about the Club, and our events each week, while
cutting costs big time! We did “freeze” the current (updated ’08) rules,
and will let Track officials handle all Tech issues and fines. John Z.
and Doug Delfel worked hard together and came to terms with IPI for the
“final” FEAR contract, so that “Guaranteed” payouts and point fund
monies will be “locked in” for the next three years as well. Check your
new NASCAR figure-8 rulebook for the exact amount! So help me, Doug and
John save our Clubs’ rich racing traditions by joining FEAR again this
year! 2008 Memberships will be available live at the Track, in my
“top-dead center seats, “under the FEAR banner”. Thank you, Ben
Chandler. Former Club President – current staff writer, and your “new”
2008 FEAR Club manager.
Phone # 425 747 4736 /
bchandler@rentonhonda.com |
