November 11, 2002

Ladies and Gentlemen today’s event has been postponed due to rainy weather.

This season we have seen more rain than I can ever recall seeing or hearing about at any time in the history of Winston Cup racing. The current procedure for dealing with this issue is costly and time consuming to say the least.

Jet Dryers take to the track in a ballet of wind and heat that points me to the couch in which I am in a dream land watching Kevin Harvick and his motor home. Endless moments of boring interviews with people that truly believe they are actors. Countless little jokes that sound like weekday radio with the morning zoo are more than we need.

What ever happened to the ANCO setup?

In 1999 at Watkins Glen it was announced that NASCAR would adopt a “rain or shine” policy. That must have been just an amendment to a rule because we have never seen it placed into action.

The ANCO setup involves a wiper motor mounted under the dashboard within the car. The connecting shaft is fitted in a hole drilled through the bottom of the windshield. The wiper arm and blade are mounted vertically on the windshield to ensure maximum aerodynamic efficiency when not in use.

Goodyear has tars standing by in case the sanctioning body ever calls for their use.

There was one more part of the ANCO setup that we need to mention and that was a goofy little brake light that is placed in the rear window of the car. I make a motion to amend the amendment to do away with the brake light.

Now let’s call for the question.

Why is it that we can’t run in the rain? We have the setup

Oh yes I will get mail that claims Goodyear can't possibly have that many tars mounted in preparation for such an event. You will tell me that I am a crazy person because this idea is too far fetched. You will claim that I have lost it because it is just too dangerous to run these cars at high speed in the rain. (seen an SCCA race lately?)

Folks where there is a will there is a way. Believe me if NASCAR wanted to have the rain setup on every car all the time they would do it. Slide into the pits, install the wiper blade and slap on the rain tars and you're out and racing in the rain.

Ask yourself, would you rather see where Kevin Harvicks cat does its business during a rain delay or see racing in the rain?

I for one tend to believe that this added jewel of driving excellence could add something to the sport. Keep an open mind and imagine what this would look like. Try hard to forget about a spinning car in the grass sliding ten thousand feet with rooster tails emitting from the rear spoiler. OK, fine! So I don’t have all the answers, work with me here.

OK, OK maybe it’s just me but ever since Allen Bestwick figured out where the half way point of an event would be he has to enlighten us every week now. Last week they had it figured down to the inches. Every time Allen tells us where the half way point of the advertised distance is he says it like a little kid that is about to get out of church early.

Please let me know what you think. Am I all washed up?

When I meet with Mike Helton next week for lunch (never returned my calls) I want to tell him what the fans think. I want to tell him that the fans want a race no matter what the weather is. I want to tell him that the spotters will be fine up there next to the lightening rods.

Help me out here folks, I am not a very good talker (ya right) and, I want to be able to tell Mike that I reviewed this idea with the fans. Mike the fans want an all weather sport, they don’t want to hear Allen trying to knock off from work early.

Well I guess there is a difference between want and need. I want a lot of things but when it boils down I have a need for speed that no gas turbine powered track blower can satisfy. That’s just a bunch of hot air, this ANCO setup is the real deal. Think about it.

You can contact Joe at: Insider Racing News