ECONOMY AFFECTING RACERS?
Fri, 2008-05-02 12:27
One of the more noticeable absences from the season opening IHRA Texas Nationals in San Antonio
was the two-time IHRA Pro Stock champion Brian Gahm. The Lucasville, Ohio-based driver had a good reason.
He was working. Plus, the current state of the economy and his disdain for eighth-mile racing were contributing factors.
“I just couldn’t see going down there for an eighth-mile race and spending all of that money for fuel,” Gahm said. “I’m just not doing it this year. We have a lot of stuff going on at home. We’re going to race but we’re not doing a lot of things like we used to – like driving all the way to Edmonton. It ain’t gonna happen.”
Gahm is a veteran of the mountain motor Pro Stock wars, having migrated over from the rough and tumble world of racing nitrous Pro Modified. He’s reached the final round in eighteen IHRA national events with eleven victories. One of the more noticeable absences from the season opening IHRA Texas Nationals in San Antonio
was the two-time IHRA Pro Stock champion Brian Gahm. The Lucasville, Ohio-based driver had a good reason.
He was working. Plus, the current state of the economy and his disdain for eighth-mile racing were contributing factors.
“I just couldn’t see going down there for an eighth-mile race and spending all of that money for fuel,” Gahm said. “I’m just not doing it this year. We have a lot of stuff going on at home. We’re going to race but we’re not doing a lot of things like we used to – like driving all the way to Edmonton. It ain’t gonna happen.”
Gahm is a veteran of the mountain motor Pro Stock wars, having migrated over from the rough and tumble world of racing nitrous Pro Modified. He’s reached the final round in eighteen IHRA national events with eleven victories.
He may have won world championships but his racing is now based on dollars and sense, not cents.
“I am just as competitive as I’ve always been,” said Gahm. “Business is first for me. I’m not going to make a living drag racing. We have a lot of stuff going on at home and things have tightened up. The price of fuel is high and there are all kinds of factors I’m weighing in on my decision process.
“Having won a championship or not shouldn’t weigh in on the common sense decisions. I want to win every race I go to.”
Gahm other factors outside of helping with the family business aided the decision-making process.
“We’ll still race; I just can’t see spending all of that fuel money, about $3,000 per race, and still racing for the same amount of money we were racing for fifteen years ago,” Gahm explained. “C’mon. The race cars are twice as expensive as they used to be and the motors are too. The rigs have gotten expensive too since then. The money hasn’t changed. Does it take a rocket scientist to figure that out? I don’t think so.”
Gahm is running the same car he had last year and admitted he didn’t do a thing to it over the winter.
“All I did was make a couple of test laps in Darlington before I headed here,” Gahm said.
BETTER OFF THIS YEAR – Last year Gahm limped into the season-opener, literally. He broke a bone in his ankle.
This season he kept all the bones intact but this was of little consolation as he battled a severe case of kidney stones.
“Spent my share of time in the hospital,” Gahm said. “I had to have surgery to correct the problem. It seems every winter there is something going on. Maybe next year will be better.”
Brian Gahm sat out the first event of the season in San Antonio for what he calls economic reason.
He was working. Plus, the current state of the economy and his disdain for eighth-mile racing were contributing factors.
“I just couldn’t see going down there for an eighth-mile race and spending all of that money for fuel,” Gahm said. “I’m just not doing it this year. We have a lot of stuff going on at home. We’re going to race but we’re not doing a lot of things like we used to – like driving all the way to Edmonton. It ain’t gonna happen.”
Gahm is a veteran of the mountain motor Pro Stock wars, having migrated over from the rough and tumble world of racing nitrous Pro Modified. He’s reached the final round in eighteen IHRA national events with eleven victories. One of the more noticeable absences from the season opening IHRA Texas Nationals in San Antonio
Brian Gahm sat out the first event of the season in San Antonio for what he calls economic reason.
He was working. Plus, the current state of the economy and his disdain for eighth-mile racing were contributing factors.
“I just couldn’t see going down there for an eighth-mile race and spending all of that money for fuel,” Gahm said. “I’m just not doing it this year. We have a lot of stuff going on at home. We’re going to race but we’re not doing a lot of things like we used to – like driving all the way to Edmonton. It ain’t gonna happen.”
Gahm is a veteran of the mountain motor Pro Stock wars, having migrated over from the rough and tumble world of racing nitrous Pro Modified. He’s reached the final round in eighteen IHRA national events with eleven victories.
He may have won world championships but his racing is now based on dollars and sense, not cents.
“I am just as competitive as I’ve always been,” said Gahm. “Business is first for me. I’m not going to make a living drag racing. We have a lot of stuff going on at home and things have tightened up. The price of fuel is high and there are all kinds of factors I’m weighing in on my decision process.
“Having won a championship or not shouldn’t weigh in on the common sense decisions. I want to win every race I go to.”
Gahm other factors outside of helping with the family business aided the decision-making process.
“We’ll still race; I just can’t see spending all of that fuel money, about $3,000 per race, and still racing for the same amount of money we were racing for fifteen years ago,” Gahm explained. “C’mon. The race cars are twice as expensive as they used to be and the motors are too. The rigs have gotten expensive too since then. The money hasn’t changed. Does it take a rocket scientist to figure that out? I don’t think so.”
Gahm is running the same car he had last year and admitted he didn’t do a thing to it over the winter.
“All I did was make a couple of test laps in Darlington before I headed here,” Gahm said.
BETTER OFF THIS YEAR – Last year Gahm limped into the season-opener, literally. He broke a bone in his ankle.
This season he kept all the bones intact but this was of little consolation as he battled a severe case of kidney stones.
“Spent my share of time in the hospital,” Gahm said. “I had to have surgery to correct the problem. It seems every winter there is something going on. Maybe next year will be better.”
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