seven tenths at a plate track is not huge, its a tweaked fender a missed half a line. you are starting to sound like pinecrest/joe chance.

The bottom line is that you have a guy who is purely a pay driver. I don't think anyone who knows his record would try to argue otherwise. He has bought himself a ride with one of the best teams on the ARCA circuit. There are many, many genuinely talented drivers (including a whole lot of Canadians) who could do a heck of a lot better with an opportunity like that. It may be a fact of life that mediocre pay drivers get top notch rides while really talented racers are unable to move up because they lack the B.S./P.R. skills, but that doesn't mean that fans have to like it. Of course, there are those who think that we "mere fans" should not express our opinions... From what I have seen, Mobil1fan has always expressed his views in a civil fashion and has always been willing to back them up. You can agree or disagree about whether 7/10ths is a big gap but those who disagree with Mobil1fan are free to say why without being attacked and insulted as they were by some now-banned past members. There is a very big difference between the views Mobil1fan has stated and the way he has stated them and the sort of thing Pinecrest/Joe Chance did - just as there s a big difference between stopping abusive behavior and censoring legitimate opinon.

Re. Andrew Ranger and supermodifieds: I'd love to see the kid run some dirt modified races while he's down there. He's done a few races in his Dad's car. I've seen Robert Ranger race a few times. He's a good driver. With a bit more seat time, I think Andrew would be pretty good in a dirt car.

Andrew seems to be good in anything he gets into, provided the equipment is up-to-par...maybe Bourque and Ranger should switch cars for a few laps...

ccs guy how can you call someone who gets in a arca car a purely a pay driver. he straps in and hits the gas and turns left,i do not car about his record. WE ARE ALL PAY DRIVERS. we all pay a cost some where to get into our cars. there is no magic to getting money it comes down to the right time and the right person. for the first time this year i will not have to fund day to day racing cost out of my pocket, i found a good sponsor to back three cars does that make me a pay team owner. give the guy a break wait until the green flag drops and see how he performs.

You're right hill3, racing is a sport that runs on money and everybody pays for something. You seem to think I'm attacking guys like you. On the contrary. I'm defending the guys who have paid their dues. The guy who shows up at his local speedway with a mini stock he's prepped in his own garage has put money into it. I wouldn't call him a pay driver. He's earned his right to be there. I'd say the difference between a real racer and a pay driver is this: the pay driver is only there because he brought a check. Without the money, just based on his racing achievements, no team owner would look at him. A while back, there was a thread about Jacques Villeneuve maybe buying into Bill Davis racing. One person (no longer with us) said he was just a ride buyer. I disagree. Anyone who has won what he's won has earned the right to race wherever he wants. I don't care if he has to bring money. He earned his spot on the track, as a racer. That's what counts. That's the difference between someone who is purely a pay driver and someone who has earned his shot (even if he has to bring some money). You say you don't care about Pierre Bourque's racing record, but his racing record is precisely the point. You say I should see how he performs. Well, that's what I'm basing my opinion on - how he's performed. This is a guy who has been racing over 25 years and has never won a race or even come close. He has never even had a top five finish. Up until 2007, he had a grand total of two 8ths and two 9ths - all before 1990. So I would say that when he bought his NCATS ride with Whitlock last year, he was purely a pay driver. Maybe I'm naive but I would like to see a bit higher standard for a top ride in Canada's top stock car series. I think that one 7th place finish Bourque got in NCATS last year was a good thing. But I don't think Eddy Sharp said "hey this guy got a 7th in NCATS, we better sign 'em up". No, he's there because he brought money. Period. If Bourque gets a NASCAR CTS ride this year, it will be because he brought money. Period. Meanwhile, there are lots of other guys, guys who have worked their way up the ladder by winning races, guys who have really earned a shot at NCATS or CTS. But they're not getting a chance while guys who haven't earned it do because they've bought their way in. I think that stinks. I think it's bad for racing.

P.S. Congrats on finding sponsorship. That's great. I have every confidence that, as a teamowner, you will pick the most talented drivers available.That's the way it should be.