Greetings blog faithful. It is yet again another Thursday Blog Day and it’s yet again another fine day to finish copy-editing my book. Doing it myself was pretty much of a “no brainer” after I learned it would cost me more than $5,000 to have a professional do it. I also knew it wouldn’t be perfect, because copy editing is hard work and I’m a “big picture guy” who isn’t all that great at it. And, I had no idea how long it would take me. I’m still not done.
I can only do it one or two chapters at a time, because the focus has to stay sharp or you miss things. So, after putting chapters 29 and 30 behind me this morning, I’m taking a break to write this. It feels good to just let it flow and write again. It’s been all editing for me, for weeks. It feels right to write. Or is it a rite to write? Or is it a rite to write right? All of the above.
Anyway, I have three chapters left to do and then I’ll resubmit it, with the photos I’ve selected, to Outskirts Press. And I’ll cross my fingers that I’ve caught at least 95 percent of the typos.
So what’s on the docket for today’s nonsense? More questions from readers! I’ve started saving them as the emails come in, so we can do this regularly. Let’s dive right in…
Dan from Denver asked: “How many races are you going to this season? Will you be in Pomona?”
The answers are “I don’t really know yet” and “No.”
I’m sure I’ll get to more than a few, and I’ll probably get to a decent number of races right after the book comes out. Until then, I’m giving the process 100 percent of my attention. I am starting to feel the pangs of sadness that I won’t be in Pomona, but I’ve been so busy with “Bats, Balls, & Burnouts” and now it’s kind of “too late” to even think about it. I’ll be following along.
Beth from the San Francisco Bay Area (San Rafael, to be precise) wanted to know, “Will your book be for sale at the race track?”
We’re working on that. I plan to have it in a souvenir trailer on the tour, but it’s still up in the air which one it will be. I’ll keep you posted.
Art, from my hometown of St. Louis, asked “Who’s the best baseball player you ever played on the same team with?”
That’s a hard one to answer. I played with Neil Fiala on the Sauget Wizards semipro team for many years. He had made it to the big leagues with the Cardinals and Reds, and it was obvious how good he was just being on the field with him. After my junior year in college, I played summer ball in the Central Illinois Collegiate League, for the Danville Roosters. Andy McGaffigan and Charlie Liebrandt were both pitchers on that team, both really good guys, and both destined to have great (and lengthy) Major League careers. In the minors with the Tigers, I played in Lakeland, Florida with Howard Johnson. In terms of sheer athletic ability, he’d have to rate right at or near the top. Plus, he was a great guy. I played against guys like Cal Ripken, Jr., Lloyd Moseby, Dave Stieb, Julio Franco, Jesse Orosco, Bret Boone, and a lot of other guys who went on to play very well in the big leagues, but that wasn’t Art’s specific question.
To Art, though, I’ll ask this question: “Where’d you go to school?” I’m betting he laughs out loud at that. It’s the first question two St. Louis natives ask when they meet for the first time, and “school” means high school. It’s how you establish first or second degrees of separation.
Corrine from Virginia asked: “What are your predictions for Top Fuel and Funny Car champions in 2017?”
Great question, although it felt really odd there to type 2017. I spent a great deal of my life looking forward to 2000, and now we’re in 2017. Sheesh! And as a disclaimer, whether it’s drag racing, baseball, or any other sport, I’m terrifically awful at such predictions. It’s hard to look past Antron Brown and Tony Schumacher in the long cars, but a sentimental favorite has to be Doug Kalitta. As for Funny Car, I think old Forcey still has another left in him, which would make his new nickname 17x. But who knows. We’ll just have to wait and see. I’ll be actively rooting for Wilk and Del, although Del doesn’t look to be doing the full tour this year so that counts him out for the big trophy. If Wilk gets off to a fast start, he can keep everyone behind him all year.
Carl, from Dallas, asked this gem: “What was your first car? And, what was your favorite car?”
My first car, bought for me by my parents in 1973, was a brand-new powder blue VW Beetle. I think it cost around $2,000. I put red shag carpeting in the front and installed an 8-track tape deck in the glove box. My favorite car is probably the 1985 Saab 900 Turbo I bought new after I’d been dreaming of owning one for years. It was my first real “dream car” and I was finally making enough money (working for Converse) to afford the dream. I even took delivery of it in London, then drove it around France and Belgium for a week before dropping it at the docks in Antwerp to ship it home. Considering that time in my life and how much I adored that car, it probably ranks at the top. I was still young enough to be kind of starstruck by it.
Another Carl, this one from Topeka, asked: “I know you’re a big Rush fan, but did you know Kansas has a new album out?”
The answer is “I do now, and thanks for the tip!” I got that note from Carl a week or so ago, and downloaded the album yesterday. It’s entitled “The Prelude Implicit.” Only two members of the original band from Topeka are still involved, but the album is pretty darned good. And I’ve been mesmerized lately by the documentary “Miracles Out Of Nowhere” that chronicles the band’s history. It’s absolutely brilliant. I think I’ve watched it 20 times. If you liked Kansas even a little bit, you should watch it. Carry on, my wayward son…
Ashley, from right here in the Twin Cities, asked: “How long are you going to keep writing your blog? It’s amazing you’ve done it this long and I’ve read every one, I think.” Well, first of all the answer is “As long as I can and as long as it’s still feels right.” But the most important thing is to say “Thank you!” to Ashley and countless other readers, who have been with me since August of 2005. What an unexpected and life-changing deal this has been.
Finally, Stanley from Boise asked: “What sticks in your mind as your favorite NHRA moment or memory?”
That’s pretty easy. I had 20 years of great moments and memories, but winning the Skoal Showdown and then “doubling up” by also winning the U.S. Nationals, with Del and the CSK team in 2005, is tops. I’ve never been part of a World Championship, and can’t say definitively if I’ll ever again have that chance, but Indy in ’05 was really special. Getting ready for the final round on Monday I was more nervous and more excited than I’d ever been. Winning it seemed inconceivable, even after the fact.
Trivia time: Who did Del beat in the final round to complete the double up? Answer at the bottom.
And Stanley’s question made me think of how I’d answer that if it was about baseball. Hitting a 3-run homer to dead center to help the Sauget team beat the USA National Team, in Millington, Tennessee, would have to be right at the top. That was basically surreal, and beating those guys was astonishing. Many players on that USA team went on to play Major League ball, including Bret Boone, Jeromy Burnitz, Fernando Vina, Dan Wilson, and a bunch of other guys. And we beat them. Baseball is a funny game.
I think (hope) I described that game well enough in the book. It was a major highlight of my entire career in sports and my life. And playing with these guys for so many years was one of the most rewarding things I ever did. Six of us had played pro ball (Neil Fiala in the big leagues) and the rest of the guys had all been great college players. We’d play as many as 70 games a summer, all for the love of the game. This photo was taken at the USA ballpark in Millington, just a few hours before we beat them.
Answer to the trivia question about the final round at Indy: Frankie Pedregon, driving a car tuned by Brian Corradi. We beat him by about two feet.
That’s it for this week. Back to these last three chapters…
Bob Wilber, at your service as a proud alumnus of the Sauget Wizards.