Ask for it All!

I've said opportunities are there and you just have to find them...And have patience!

The patience paid off with getting National Sales Manager for Richard Shute's AutoImagery...
LOOKatDragRacing.com! Richard has had this inside his brain for quite awhile and finally a press release on Feb. 17 was posted...The New, Fresh and very fan, team friendly baby was born!
Check it out! New things will be added, from updates daily to MAYBE a ladies only page.

As you know..The Dokes don't sit still!

Follow me more because this is going to get exciting!

Ask for it All BUT be content with what you receive....That came from a dear friend...Thank YOU! :-)

Change! We all need a "Change" in our Lives! What will your 'Change" be?

Change. What will your change be? Will it be a new hairstyle? New hair color? A new outfit? A new challenge, be it a new look, new surroundings, a new job, whatever it is. make it soon!
It will make you feel, look great, stand tall, smile more, and have more bounce!
Tell me what yours will be!

The changes I've had is to lose weight, new hairstyle and color...did all that! Even changing the paint in my kitchen (a little change but it works). I'm always up for something different, the ones that know me knows that's very true.

Make your change and someone you know will make changes..all for the better. Go out and have with fun, have a date night, girl's night out....Live it!

Bits and Pieces from Racing....

Some silly things have happened at  the NHRA events....from 1994 to present!

Like a fire extinguisher going off in the back seat of a Team's van.
Falling alseep in a Team's Tractor while they finish after a 2am run in Topeka. Then they shut off the generator and waited to see if I'd climb out...SHHH, see if she'll notice!
Getting to Reno..and a team decides they want to go Lake Tahoe right then...of course I went!
Having  truck trouble in Oregon State and a Team Member waits for my truck to get repaired...making us arrive in Somona CA at 4am the next day...Dougie didn't want me to travel by myself (have done it for years).
Going on bike rides in Arizona for 4 days....this became a yearly thing! Great!
The rain in Memphis where the water was up to my knees..just happened to have my rubber boots! Got laughed at but whose feet were dry?
Stopping at a rest area and a race team had tons and tons of "Ben and Jerry's"...Yum!
In Indianapolis, St. Elmo where the Shrimp Cocktail takes your breathe away! And burns the hair right out of your nose! LOL
Going to Pikes Market in Seattle and spending $5000 on fresh seafood for a race team..(not my $$$, theirs! How fun!) Buying Flowers, Flowers and Flowers to go along with it!
Working with Monaco Las Vegas..in Seattle another time...having a Seafood Feast...(I may say so myself, I did an incredible job on it).
Having a Wine Tasting for D.R.A.W. in Somona, CA and the only decorations I had to work with were grapevines, fake grapes and....plastic burgundy tablecloth..Made some beautiful roses! The wine tasting was a success!
Making a Coffee Table with headers and having it sell for D.R.A.W. for $900!
Sitting around after shutting down the midway display... with the Guys...cocktails and cigars!
Taking Gary to starting line and watching his face the first time when the cars took off! Priceless!
The first time my daughter went to Memphis with me and stood on the top of the Suite Tower....with her saying
"If I was a guy, I'd be having a hard-on".LOL
Kodi, my granddaughter, melting the hearts of the Army Race Team...especially "Big Joe"..
Running with Big David, Jeff, Dougie after an event with me being the lead...
Getting the Headers that were left after Denver from Gary Scelzi's car..
The Margarita Machine in Worsham's Pit....ran on nitro! Made 5 gallons at a time!
The Parties in Jim Head's pit at the Pomona Finals...with the disco light!
The time at the Sheraton Fairplex when Youngblood drew on a bar table and table just  seemed to disappeared! Hmmm?
When Kenny Bernstein...REALLY knew my name!
The Junior Dragster in our display in Seattle with Monaco Las Vegas as his sponsor.
Helping the same Junior Dragster  get a sponsorship for 2011...
Going into Mexico with a rent truck and bringing back goodies..Scary, it was after 911!
The restaurants in Spokane.....going with Denham's team!
Shopping in Chicago, Indianapolis, San Francisco, LA, Orlando.....Priceless!
Going to dinner with friends for cocktails and dinner where the tab was over $900...Whew, glad I didn't have to pay it!
The NHRA Awards Ceremonies! Have been going.since 1999! Even crashing a few!
Meeting "KISS" in Vegas!
Being in the same hospitality as "ZZ Top"!
Getting Gary Scelzi shit-faced on "Shine" in Bristol...and Whit!
Having a "Garden Party" in Schumacher's pits with real street lights, fish pond, flowers, FUN! FUN!
Having the opportunity to run Schumacher's Hospitality
All in all...The long lasting friendship in the racing community is what counts! Drag Racing is like no other...Sorry not into NASCAR!
Thanks, Karen, Bob, Big Chuck, Little Chuck, Randy, Steve, Big Jim, Jeff, Stacker, and all the others! Whoo Hoo!
And I've got the whole family hooked on the sport now...LOVE IT!

Next time...maybe some juicy stuff!
Betty

Mind Cleansing...One Day at a Time!

Private time alone....everyone needs to clear their thoughts! In their car, reading a book, just "quiet" with no TV on, dead silence! Nice sometimes, isn't it?

Clearing your thoughts with a mini-getaway from yourself and the world ....you really appreciate it...then, you can get back to reality!

Just know that those getaways are for your mind and your  inter self., keeping your sanity and everyone elses'!..Love it!

Today, you need to make a promise to "YOU"......."I promise to give myself my undivided attention to what my mind, body and soul needs today! I promise to shut the outside world out of my thoughts for 10 minutes!"  Go ahead, try it! You may even like yourself better...and everyone else will see the change.
The saying "Life is too short"....so true....Make this your world! Live it!

Betty

P.S. Get rid of anyone in your life that causes you to be negative...surround yourself with the positive and you WILL be positive..You are NOT worth the negative!

One Holiday Down!

After yesterday, I don't want to see another plate heaped high, or the desserts that were never ending!
NO CALORIES, NO CARBS, and NO SUGARS! Diet time!

We stuffed, bloated ourselves, crammed, tasted everything in site, had seconds, even desserts,
listened to stories, played card games, did dishes, dishes and more dishes...
And just think in less than 4 weeks....we do it all over again...

Prozac was a hit in the turkey! LOL (private joke)

Thanksgiving....Family that only sees each other all together a couple times a year!
Christmas.....Additional Family added that only sees each other all together a couple times a year!

Hmmm....

Catching Your Breathe!

With the last NHRA race in the history books, the last night at the track BIG party with Lucas Oil Gang, Sammy Eubank  Band ,In N' Out Burger Wagon, great friends, the awards ceremony done and the after party over...everyone now is counting the days for the 2011 NHRA season to begin...I guess the 2011 season began the night the World Finals were over. Now everyone has a clean plate. Here we go again!
Who's going where? How many teams will Schumacher have? Who's leaving? What will he have? What other teams are leaving our sport? What new sponsors are coming on? What NEW face even? January will tell all or a tongue will slip!
Whatever the case may be....one thing for sure, parts will be ordered, fuel will be purchased, fans be be back, and the "SMELL OF NITRO" will be there!
So, see you all the end of February with more and maybe some exciting news!
On to the next Chapter....

On the Road Again Part 2...

Made it to the track in time to watch the nitro cars...YEAH!  Thought the session was going to be a repeat of Vegas...Oildowns! The cars got down with only a few this time...thank God!
Made my appearance at the Lucas Oil Hospitality then off to Chino Hills to check in with the cousins .....now waiting on some friends to go to dinner which they said it was going to be surprise! Hmmm...Sushi? Steak? In N' Out...a Double Double?..LOL!
Tomorrow....sitting in on a few meetings...all is going well for my buddies...now for someone to sign on the ...........line!
Till tomorrow...'Smell the Nitro"...
B

On the Road Again.....

Have you ever watched the  people in an airport? Everyone in their own little world! Some like me, with computer on lap, some with their smart phones in hand (and can't put in down) not looking where they're going, the ones that are really in a hurry...like everyone else doesn't have a flight to catch! Everyone has an itinerary for their mission.....family, business, pleasure...with their baggage in hand..if it's bags or kids..their sites are set! 
Even the airport staff can't get away from the ipod or cell phones! Getting paid to be on the ipod, cell phone, FB??? Hmmmm......As you see I'm people watching..
From the teen groups...making remarks about their surroundings to the husband and wife who's not sure if they're in the right concourse. The next two hours will be amusing!
Watching the faces show pleasure knowing new grandparents  are on there way to see their new grandtwins, the solider that is getting shipped out for the first time leaving his new bride in a strange place, the woman going to stay with a sick friend, whatever it may be....faces here show it all! Pleasure, happiness, sorrow, stress, love, or loneliness. We are  a dead giveaway to the emotions when we don't think others are watching....writing on the wall!
Hopefully, my face is showing pleasure, happiness and excitement..lol! As, I'm headed to my familiar place, the drag strip in Pomona, CA, The NHRA World Finals! The smell of tires burning and the nitro during a warm-up...why I like those smells, I really don't know! The tires on a burn-out gets black stuff (traction compound, VHT) all over your clothes and your face, when you try to wash it off your face it smears from one side to the other... and the nitro burns your eyes and you CRY( and you can't help it), you can't breathe....COUGH, COUGH!
I guess, if it really matters I am sitting in Denver waiting, waiting, WAITING for my connection to LAX...which I'm to arrive at 12:30 pm. Then off to gather my ticket & PP  at the Wally Parks Museum, then hopefully catch the session this afternoon.
Of course there are places to hang out when you are around the track, the Sheraton Fairplex, the Mexican restaurant on Foothill, the sushi bar, the sports bar outside the back gate of the track...Cask & Clevers to name a few!
And by the way, when in LA, is the ONLY place I LOVE to drive CRAZY, cause everyone does! lol...
Back here soon with updates...and MORE!
B

How I Got "Hooked" !

Austin (my son) and I were on our way to California to a tradeshow...stopping in Laramine WY for fuel. There IT was....the most colorful tractor/trailer we had ever seen! Smokin' Joe! WOW, Austin said! He asked me if I thought they had shirts and hats..I said "go ask", you'll never know if you don't ask! Austin came back all in tears, said they didn't have any! "Bull" I said...got on the CB and asked where they were heading...answer came back.."Somona, CA"..!
I headed out when they did, stopping at the rest stops, diners, etc...when they did..Needless to say, by the time we all crossed the State of California  line, I had shirts and hats and "friends".

The tradeshow we were going to was outside Somona, CA...what was the luck of that? We were able to  go to the track on Thursday of the event...We both got hooked..Thank you Big Jim Coakley and Jeff Mackey...with Jim Head Racing. Have been friends with them ever since..and for the love of drag racing. That was 16 years ago!

After that trip, I started scheduling my tradeshows around the drag racing events. Eventually I had a
showcar program with Tom Martino PS..travelling to all the NHRA National Events.

It just shows if you are determined enough anything can happen!

Don't ever give up! If you want it bad enough, you'll get it!

Till later....I just may spill the beans!

B

P.S. For our tradeshows, I had a "Kodiak" truck and a 40' 5th wheel trailer! Travelling over 40,000 miles a year and doing up to 54 shows a year..Gary had a dually and a 24' tag trailer. We did the tradeshows for over 15 years for our living.

Vegas...Racing Style!

Vegas...Glitter, Lights, Gambling, Drinking, and the most Important Thing! NHRA Drag Racing!

We arrive at Las Vegas Motor Speedway just in time for the last session on Friday! While Gary goes off to the stands, I consume myself with all the familiar faces, smells, and touching base with my
"road friends"! What a feeling! Really making me want to  come back to this circus even more......
Dale Creasy Sr. sits with us..and if any of you know Dale, he has a lot to say! After about 30 minutes or so, we were laughing so hard that my face hurt! That man can make a bad day have humor!
After this session, we head to the hospitality area to enjoy the gracious company of the Lucas Oil Group, visiting with the other guests and making  new contacts. Then off to P.F. Chang's for a cocktail and a few appetizers....MY favorite chain restaurant. Lettuce wraps and seared tuna...Yum!
Thinking Saturday was going to be a normal race day...NOT! It was a very long day due to all the oil downs! Wow, the first run with the nitro cars ONLY lasted for 3 hrs. and 15 minutes...the crowd was getting restless and impatient..can't blame them, so were we! But we made the best of it making conservation with our bleacher friends.
Saturday ended up to be GREAT! Thank you fuel cars!
Scheduling a few meetings on Sunday for my friends, talking of the 2011 NHRA season with sponsors...everyone left happy! Going to be a great NHRA 2011 season for sure...You all will see soon!
You know Vegas just isn't about the casinos, lights, Halloween weekend...it's about the new friends and lasting contacts! Get it!

Love it! Betty "Boop"