So how long do YOU keep writing “2007” in the date space on your checks? It usually takes me until around late February to get my brain into the current year. 2007 was fantastic for me, but time won’t stand still. Here’s to hoping all of us have a nitro-filled, Wally-laden ’08.

There was a time when I felt like I had missed out on lots of life because of my racing. I tend to immerse myself in things that interest me, and I gave up what many would consider a normal lifestyle to pursue my passion. Amongst my sacrifices were: normal relationships, travel, close friends, spending time with family, leisure time, and, well, the list just goes on. Not long ago I had an epiphany of sorts; I realized that my life is extra fulfilling BECAUSE of my racing. Sure, I’d love to go on a cruise or spend some time overseas sightseeing, but RV’ing across America with your wife and child is pretty special. I hit the jackpot in the wife department and married someone who loves and supports my racing (and has whipped my ass twice on the quarter-mile). How many people can say that their mother-in-law loves to hang out at the races and doesn’t mind cleaning the car? I have developed so many great friendships from the racing that I otherwise wouldn’t have had. My family now gets to come out and cheer for me at several of the races, and it saves the embarrassment of drinking too much before dinner and forgetting the words to the dinner blessing (not me, of course). Leisure time? I haven’t done s#&* the last week! Anyway, who needs leisure time when you get to drive a fuel Funny Car? No, drag racing really has exposed me to a life I love.

I mentioned that I have been trying to work out more often when my 41-year-old torso cooperates. Jason likes to hang out with me and drool on the floor while I make funny noises. I just have to make sure he doesn’t put anything in his mouth that doesn’t belong. The back room at my house is set up as a weight room. Before the painting was done it even had nice mirrors on three of the walls. They break fairly easily. New ones are really expensive. I’ve seen enough of myself and can do without.

I am hooked on the UFC. I’m not into gratuitous violence, and I really dislike hockey at times because of that (I just lost a couple of fans; sorry). But this Ultimate Fighting Championship fascinates me. Mixed Martial Arts is kind of like “scissors, paper, rock” in that anyone can win against any opponent. I’m not trying to justify it, I just dig it. Poor Jenna. Last Saturday I went up to Scott Keough’s house to watch the pay-per-view (You didn’t think I would open my wallet, did you?). I have known and raced with “Naughty Scotty” since we met at LACR back in 1989. He’s “between rides” right now (that means he’s married with children). I don’t see him enough anymore, so it was worth the 60-mile drive. Scott Sharp rode with me. We have known each other since the fourth grade. Lest you think there’s no racing connection, we’d draw pictures of cars for the rest of the day after we finished our school work. Jeff Tildahl met us at Scottie’s. I met Jeff in 1988 just after I got out of the Air Force. He and I worked out at the same gym, and he would help me at all of the races for years after. He currently drives the CIFCA Funny Car and nostalgia dragster for Dennis Murphy. See, it’s all about racing! How ironic that while we watched guys who could probably knock Superman out beating the crap out of each other, we feasted on beer and pizza. We men truly have simple needs.

Sunday Jason was dedicated. No, not like a Casey Kasem Top 40 Countdown, but rather the Christian thing. The Pastor that performed our marriage, Jim Willoughby, and his wife Ireta did the honors. YES, he IS a racer. It’s just how we roll. My cousin Jason and his fiancée Steph were holding the torch for my family, and both of Jenna’s folks as well as her step-mom Joan came out. The Cannon family also came, and Jason was a trooper (actually both Jason’s were well behaved).

New Year’s Eve also happens to be my bride’s birthday, so we celebrated by doing nothing. Actually we did get out to a movie, thanks to Cindy filling in on Jason duty. Then we came home and did nothing. I call it leisure time. Jenna calls it lack of spontaneity. She should just be glad I didn’t revive my old tradition of streaking up the block for New Year’s. God, she’s lucky!

New Year’s Day we decided it was time to do something. We went through all of the file cabinets and threw lots of stuff away. I whined and complained the entire time. Jenna said it was necessary (the work, not the whining). I missed the couch and my History Channel.

Since we are supposed to get one of those Biblical floods here for the next five days, I decided I better get out to Pomona and do some work on the motorhome while the ground was dry. I am the king of the zerks, and my forearms are worn out from all of the chassis fittings that I had to grease, but I sure like to be able to cross stuff off of the “to do” list. I also put Rodger’s transmission in ... twice. Seems that when it was rebuilt the shift arm had been rotated 180 degrees. It was faster to fix it on the workbench then drop the pan and lay under the car with a flashlight in my mouth (not that I’ve ever done that). Now I just need to find all of the hardware to complete the install and his digger is good to go.

So there it is. It’s not ALL about racing. There is the UFC, my RV, and shows on History. Clever!