Agreed Paul, Jakes grandfather (my dad) had trouble seperating the racing from the hotels hence his racing career fizzled rather quickly. It's my goal in life to keep my kid from doing the stupid things like street racing and boozing and all the rest of the crap that goes with it. If it just happens to perhaps entice a few other kids along the way than so be it. I'm amazed that number of Father and son and daughter teams that around. These kids keep the relationship going well into the next generation. Nowadays this is a rare commodity with the way world is.
You don't seem to build these partnerships in stick and ball sports, which I why I'm so devoted to the sport. I can't certainly think of other ways to piss away my money, but I don't think I'd have as much fun!!! ;D

in response to jworacing....our father had a similar philosphy "if their working on cars there not in the hotels" it's better for the kids to have something to do rather than sitting around and getting in trouble.

In the same vane to quote the ledgendary Ted Nugent. "Take your kids hunting and you won't have to hunt for your kids."  ;D

In full agreement with JWO. Darrell played hockey and baseball grwing up for awhile. Was a pretty decent hockey player. Not so much baseball. He started coming to the races with me at about 7 years old. Bought a parking lot go-kart at this time so he could learn how to drive. Bought one of Mike Ling's old 440 micro sprints next to play with and he started racing on a dirt track with a 5hp motor outside of Belmont at 9. Then Cascar Junior arrived and with help from Pete Vanderwyst and Loctite we were able to get into that series. His second year of junior he had to decide between a hockey try-out or racing that night. He chose racing without any pressure from me. He started coming to some of the Cascar Super Series races with me while I was travelling and working as an official. It wasn't long before he became Pete's gas catch can man on pit stops when he was about 11. Not really old enough to be in the pits but Mr Novotny gave his OK. By 12 he was doing most of the maintenance on his car. Your right Jim. We worked together thru all the years and I am sure it kept him out of some of the problems his friends encountered along the way. It was also his incentive to do well in school as that was part of our deal. He still managed to get into some perdicaments but at least he was never brought home by the police. He is now a university graduate and has begun his carrear in his chosen field. We are also best of friends. I don't believe any other sport would have given us the opportunity to grow up together in this way. Expesive? Hell yea! But what price can you put on the times we have had and the great people we have met.

My son's a computer whiz, so that's where we hang out. He has no interest in roundy-rounds, so World of Warcraft (Player VS Player) is where we go out and hunt other people and smash em!!!

 ;D UMM Smashin people is good ::)...I think :-... Isnt it? ??? Hey man just kidding what ever it takes to keep them off the crack, oxy,crstal,dope,x,herione. The stories I hear about other peoples kids :'( sad to say the very least.

Laker you guys are top shelf and I got a go i'm getting misty dammit