I can still remember the first time I went to a dragstrip. The sights, the smells, the noise, and excitement. I truly believe I was hooked from that moment on. When we started racing, our first truck and trailer were modest to say the least. We had a single-axle pickup with a 16-foot open trailer. Racing was fun, but all of the attention going down the highway was pretty cool too. People got to see your car. Enclosed trailers were seldom seen unless you were a pro. As the years went by, we slowly advanced our race program with faster cars and bigger trailers and trucks, but there was something special about our first car, truck, and trailer.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #188, the World Series of Pro Mod Issue, in May/June of 2024.]
Recently I came across a photo of our first racing setup and was amazed not only to find that picture, but to look at where we are now compared to then. I started to realize some things that have changed my perspective a little. Let me explain.
Back then, you were not financing. If you couldn’t afford it, you couldn’t have it. It was that simple. Today, if you can’t afford it, you can just finance it for 20 years. With the growth of financing, anything seems affordable now. I can remember when you hardly saw an enclosed trailer, but now our regular bracket races look like a John Force spectacle of trucks and trailers. The bigger the better seems to be the way we are going, and although from the outside it looks impressive, from inside, the truth is most racers are in financial loan agreements that will take them years and thousands in financing to get out from under.
I am not an expert, but rather a victim myself of falling into the trap of bigger and more is better. With a 90-foot rig that is, in my opinion, one of the nicest rigs in the country, I find myself looking at it now and asking why? Why would I put myself in that financial position?
What I have come to learn is that I, like most of us, can’t afford it. We can make the payments, but at what cost in the long run? Credit cards and financing things with wheels has left over 75 percent of our population living paycheck to paycheck with no emergency fund available to them. Another thing: they are all stressed out! I am only using racing as an example because most of us can relate to spending more than we should on the addictive sport we love.
Most of you know the story of Donnie Hagar pulling into one of the biggest bracket races of the year with a modest truck and open trailer, sleeping in a tent, and then winning the race. I, like most people, loved that story. When I look back at my open trailer, it just reminded me of how simple wasn’t such a bad thing, and also how the grip of comparisons and wanting more has added a lot of unnecessary additional stress in my life. The truth is, I would buy things I could not afford to impress people I didn’t know or even like. Sound familiar?
Sometimes the image you long for can make you broke. Now, for the people who are financially able to afford our sport a high level, it’s perfectly fine to enjoy the bigger things in racing, but for most of us, we may need to stop living the steak and lobster lifestyle because what we really can afford is the peanut butter and jelly lifestyle. I will tell you right now, I have had more fun and way less stress eating my PB&J while still enjoying the sport of drag racing.
I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore; I just want to live within my means, and that in itself will change your life for the better. I have put my big rig up for sale and I’m downsizing. Financing fun is not fun, and before you know it, you can be in serious trouble financially. I urge you to take a step back and see if what you are doing is within your budget, and if not, make some changes so you’re not stressed out about money. Not just in racing, but in all areas of your life.
Stress is a major killer in this country, and I promise the banks and lenders don’t care about you or your health. They will make it seem like you can afford anything even if you’re broke. Be truthful with yourself and make some changes. Less financial burden and stress can add years to your life. As always, the choice is yours to make.
This story was originally published on July 26, 2024. 
