Gas price going to affect attendance for you?

This is a topic I see on almost every auto related website out there.

Will these gas/fuel prices keep you from coming to Martin in June, or to Stanton in September? Will these prices force you to choose between the two event's?
Does anyone see attendance being higher with newbies who had to pass on going to events that were farther away?

In the meantime, quit buying CHINA:af: That goes for the Wall Street whores who fatten their portfolio's investing in China:blast:

 

Price of gas will not sway my decision to attend.I told my wife if last year the only two car events I was attending in 2008 would be Martin and Stanton.No Mopar Nats,no US Nats,no GoodGuys,no nothing but the two pure stock races.I had more fun spectating at Stanton last year than I ha at all the other stuff put together:TU:

 

Pretty much the same here since Martin and Stanton are nearby, but will even curb those a little by driving up the day of time trials and only stay one night instead of arriving the night before and staying two. Lucky to be within a 2 hour drive from each. Only remote one I'll be running will be the York Reunion in Pa. since I have to be out there for a wedding the following weekend anyway. Airline tickets are also quite high these days (what isn't?).

Will be attending others, but without a car. Hope to catch a ride with someone including the St.Louis Musclecar race Memorial Day, and have one lined up for the Olds Fall Nationals in Byron, Ill. the week before Pure Stock.

Glad you posted this, I haven't made a reservation for Martin, yet. Ended up not using two pre-registration entry fees last year, so not doing that anymore. Will pay if and when I get there even if a little more.

Don't think this is going to be a temporary thing...........

 

Was curious about that too Tom. For me, Martin and Stanton are permanently penned on the calendar as events I will attend every year. I have added other events this year (St. Louis, Olds Nationals, thinking about York), but am also thinking about cutting back on how many days I'll attend the Olds Nats. Over the next few weeks I'm going to decide on what to do with regards to my daily driver situation. My diesel truck is my daily driver and as most of us know, diesel is quite a bit more than regular gas. I'm going to be proactive because I think the worst is yet to come.

 

:gp:


I'm pretty sure I'm going to make Martin and Stanton ray: ! They are the bookend races of the season for me! Rusty's is a distant maybe at this time!

I look at it this way guys, the fuel prices are here to stay. They are not going to change that much, (maybe more, not less). We have caught up to the world in paying for petroleum. For anyone out their who thinks about attending next year because of lower fuel prices, I think you are mistaken.

We are trying to make adjustments in our daily lives to conserve. We pile up the list of errands before heading to town. Sometime a couple of cents are not worth going the distance to buy it cheap. I know I'm preaching to the choir. I wish guys the best in you decisions to make the events.

Jim Lerum

 

well, as usual, I wasn't attending martin or stanton from the west coast, but I DID want to run the new NHRA Heritage Series out here (which is just the NHRA-No Hot Rods Allowed -taking over the goodguys series here) but 2 of the 4 races are in the 300-600 mile range, so I am contenting myself with the closest one in september, which is only 105 miles, one way. Since LACR closed (80 miles one way for me) Fontana is the closest track. I had already adjusted my lifestyle quite a bit, gave up my 3/4 ton suburban 3 years ago for a MINI as a daily driver, the wife got a 30 plus mpg driver, our home heating is low as it is, especially compared to those of you in the cold climates. but we ran the a/c very little last year and likely won't use it at all this year. I agree, next year we will be wishing for four bucks a gallon as it climbs past 5 so get your budgets adjusted now...............

 

Just for laughs, look at some of the higher and lower gas prices around the world. These prices are in dollars and for a gallon of gas.

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/price.html

They must not have "stock market" guru's in some of these countrys. o No: Anybody up for Caracas Venezuela??

 

I plan on attending both Martin and Stanton. To curb daily fuel costs I bought a '97 S-10 with a 4cyl and a 5-speed. It's a cheap vehicle and it gets DOUBLE the fuel mileage my 2500HD gets with a 6.0 liter. Also, I am lucky (and thankful) the 2 races I attend are only about 3 hours away.

They are not going to ruin my fun this easily.

 

I'm a newbie and will be racing at Stanton for sure. Will not make Martin because car won't be ready by then but I plan to at least be a spectator.

 

The Kentucky guys will be a no show at martin this year because of the price of EVERYTHING!
We will be in full force in Stanton with at least 3 cars and 8 guys coming up for some unorganized parking lot fun and festivities. Trying to bring a couple of newbies every time and get the hook set in them.
Blue lemans convert is for sale so I can finance the T-37 resto. Dont know if it will be ready or not.
See you guys soon.
Don:3gears:

 

Martin is out for me this year, but I am doing St. Louis and Stanton with a couple of other local things mixed in (BOP race outside of Omaha is a maybe?). It always cost for me to go up north, but I am going to write this out on tape and put it on my dashboard--- SLOW DOWN, STUPID!!!!! The old truck can get a lot better mileage if I keep it between 60-and 65. In fact, we could all do the same thing. Take a little more time and let the trucks sip rather than gulp!!!:idea2:

 

Akron,is still on the fence as to making Martin or not.My new car is not done yet.Spent so much time trying to make extra dough this winter,it put me behind on my car.Might race my Catalina It will be an expensive trip,not sure if i can afford it. This economy sucks.You would think our Government would do something about these gas prices,its killing everyone. We,ll see what happens.

 

I'm thinking about doing the same with my diesel now.Have to decide what we are going to get to drive.Here in N.Y. it is at $4.57 and climbing. We are over 500 miles away from Stanton but will not miss this event.I'd skip others just to go to this one.We will be at Stanton this year and if all goes good(I'm in the housing industry) I would like to go to York.We were planning on going to Martin too but when we planned out our vacation(N.Y. city to see the Yankees) I thought Martin was the weekend of the 13 and 14.So that is out.
Ty

 

You better quit spending so much time working and get busy on the Bird!
You need a hand give me a shout!

 

Hw in the hell is CHina paying a buck fifty? Are we not in a gobal market that has everone paying the same for oil? I saw a "energy expert" today that said oil will top 200.00 before next summer! Gas wioll be 7.00 here then or more because of speculators driving the prices up

 

I just got my PSMCDR flyers today. Planning on making both Martin and Stanton. :beers2:

 

The economy sucks, fuel prices are a bite in the A$$. I'm actually spending close to $1,000 a week just to get back and forth to my job sites way out here in the wild west. Been thinking about getting a used 98-02 SS Camaro just for a freaking work car (26 vs 13mpg). I have scratched the spring Musclepalooza from my plans, due to fuel prices and the need to be at work.
St. Louis, Martin, and Stanton are definitely on my calender. I'm toying with the idea of pulling a "Rusty" and driving my Hemi Challenger to Stanton and back, just save $$$.


PS Drill for oil everywhere, the birds & bees can fend for themselves.

 

Yup,
I'll pass on Martin and plan on Stanton.

 

I like the links to similar old postings at the bottom of this, like in 2004 when fuel was $1.65/gal. Man, those were the days!
I managed to blow a whole wad of cash when I drove my Hurst/Olds to Stanton on nothing but race fuel (mostly) - 750 miles in a weekend - was around $250 to $300 in gas money then. That is what it would be now with a tow-rig!

Regardless of where fuel prices were I always longed for a closer commute and I am now just 2.5 miles by car - or 2 miles by BICYCLE! I don't ride in the winter or the rain (I'm a wuss - and part of my path is unpaved) and I am probably going to dust off the old bike next week. I say save the money for the fun weekend/trip stuff!
I cannot stress how much of a benefit it is to live close to where you work. I know - many cannot do so, but it IS important. The benefits are psychological (no time/distance for road rage), financial, environmental, social (more time for everything), less wear and tear on the vehicle (debateable, as the vehicle doesn't have time to warm up - I'm usually at work in 10 minutes) - I could go on an on. My wife is only about 3.5 miles from her work, so she saves bucks also.

To answer the posted question:
I'm going to as much as I can - I usually only have time for Stanton and maybe Martin. I am in a very good situation now - here's how/why:
1) That short commute
2) 2000 GMC K2500 is now my tow vehicle, and is driven mostly in winter. We bought it last October knowing full well that fuel will be $4/gal this summer (it's just about that now) and even higher in the future.
3) 94 Caprice LS cop car is my summer driver/SCCA Autocross car - driving this means I go from the 10-11 MPG truck to around 15-16 MPG. What a percentage increase! (HA!)
4) My work is BOOMING - high efficiency white LED linear lighting; sales are both domestic and foreign - because the dollar is in the toilet there is much request for our stuff in places like Dubai and China. If there was any mfg. business that is darn near recession/depression proof it's where I work. Wife's job (office supplies) still also busy enough.
5) Wife's car (2000 Monte Carlo) get in the high teens at worst.
6) So we have the buck to get my GP back ON THE ROAD. I just have to move my butt!
7) I may buy my Hurst/Olds back.

For those that have a diesel, I cannot stress this enough:
http://www.greasecar.com/
Budget, budget, budget - and stay positive!

 

It will affect my attitude :rant: but not my attendance for the events I will be going to. It may be cheaper for me to do another "Weymouth Rental" this year :grin:

JHOdy