Wide open
November 17th, 2008Greetings from the foothills of the Tennessee Smokey Mountains. It’s gone from brisk here to flat-out cold. Somebody told me the other day that this weird form of condensation on my truck in the early mornings is actually frost…or frozen water. Well, when I let my oh-so spoiled dogs out for bathroom & breakfast, they walk gingerly across it, then usually stop, turn around and glare at me like they’re being punished. Oh well, I can’t do anything about the weather, cold paws, (or the air conditioner that’s still running in my office) and in spite of it all, we’ve managed to get things pretty heated up here in the Performance division of Coker Tire.
Next week I’ll be taking off for the warmer climate of Daytona Beach, FL with my friend Ricky to work the annual Turkey Trot Rod Run. Hopefully we’ll sell enough tires to make it all worth while, and who knows, maybe between slinging white walls to guys in Hawaiian shirts, we’ll get to enjoy some good ole turkey chow-mein/turkey taco’s or the equivalent from one of the local eateries on the beach. Ricky and I always seem to make the best of it, and have a good time. A couple of months ago we went up to a show in Indianapolis and instantly became inspired by the brickyard, which is the racing capital of the world. Therefore we decided to try our hand at the local miniature golf/arcade/go-cart track. Although it was open wheel racing (not exactly what a couple of NASCAR and NHRA inspired Southerners were looking for) we decided that it’s still better than no racing at all so we’d give it a shot. Ricky got put in the wall early on by an 11 year old with a bad attitude and corn dog grease on his fingers. Enraged by my fallen teammates misfortune and fighting back the tears, I put it on kill and managed to badly wear out a dozen or so pre-pubescent teens, lapping the field at 25 mph and taking the checkers. Nothing speaks the truth like victory, and that’s what I spoke in Indy. ‘nuff said.
If you get a chance, tune in to ESPN Radio Channel 1370, Monday November 24th at 6 p.m. Shaun Whitfield of Whitfield Oil Co has invited me onto the Valvoline Racing Radio talk show to discuss my plans for the rest of this year and next…which among other things, includes the opportunity to try for my NHRA Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car Exhibition license in Houston, TX towards the end of December. Every once in a great while, something comes across your path that stops you dead in your tracks. It’s as if at that particular moment in time, your whole life has been preparing you for what lies directly ahead. Having been propositioned with the ultra-rare, once in a lifetime opportunity to strap myself into a 4,000 hp nitro fuel altered and try for my license is just such an occasion.
Henry Guitterez owner of Texas Jungle Racing Team based out of San Antonio, TX and also owner of the world renowned “Jungle Jim” Funny car, along with the help of Mitch King Motorsports, has graciously offered to provide this opportunity. Although a lot of resources, people and weather, must come together to pull this off, Henry assures me it’s the real guacamole and that I had better not have any second thoughts and a very clear mind when it’s go time.
I met Henry over the phone this past Summer as I was working with Casey Coker (the bosses daughter) on getting him some Phoenix Drag slicks for his “show” version of the Jungle Jim 1972 Nitro Camaro, which was to be displayed at the Coker Tire/Honest Charley exhibit at the historic NHRA Museum in Pomona, CA. The legendary Jungle Jim Camaro is highly relevant to Honest Charley’s heritage as the car was primarily sponsored by Honest during the ’72-’73 racing seasons. Henry got the tires, Casey put together an AMAZING display featuring Jungle Jim and a host of other memorabilia, and we all became friends in the process.
Fast forward a couple of months and Henry began talking very seriously about putting together a two Funny Car team and campaigning the red-hot NHRA Nostalgia series, Hot Rod Reunions, and various match races around the country. If anyone has the talent and resources to pull it off, it’s Henry…just ask Spencer Massey, who as a rookie and sponsored by Henry’s company Bexar Waste, and Mitch King Motorsports just won the IHRA Top Fuel World Title for 2008!
Upon Henry first mentioning the idea, I asked him if the car had an engine diaper (if the motor explodes this keeps debris and oil off the track), he said yes. I then told him that he might want to consider going ahead and getting another diaper installed in the driver’s seat! Mechanical and biomechanical issues aside, this is an amazing opportunity for Coker Tire and me to fully participate in nostalgia racing all the while building a formidable race tire business. Along with Phoenix, we also distribute M&H (the first drag tire, founded in 1954, and wildly popular with period correct drag racers), and are partners with Honest Charley Speed Shop. Look for a 1,2,3 sales and marketing plan that will maximize all of this history and relationships for 2009.
Also on the immediate horizon, December 3rd Officer Joe Warren of Beat the Heat and I will be giving our biggest talk yet to a group of over 300+ high school kids. That same night I’ll be giving my testimony to a local group of people involved with alcohol and drug recovery. The following week it’s back on the road again to Orlando, FL for the Performance Racing Industry trade show December 11th-13th. Then finally, if the stars align, I’ll be headed to Texas the following weekend for the chance of a lifetime. If anyone would have come up to me exactly one year ago, and told me that this is what I’d be doing in 2008, I would have told them that I was all stocked up on crazy…so try selling it somewhere else. Unbelievable.
Well that’s about it for now…all we’ve got left to do is everything. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, enjoy your family and friends and let the good times roll. I’ll check back in a couple of weeks with an update.
Best,
EG











