[Jim Zeek]

As usual Maple Grove turns another Pontiac fan away for good! I know they could not control the weather for the original event date and can not hold that against them. Then they schedule the rain date to coincide with several other venues on the same day. Ok. We know it will be busy but we will be racing other Pontiacs on this day so we will bite the bullet. Then find out it will cost spectators an additional $5.00 fee because of the increased entry cost of the other venues. (I know its only $5.00, but how much would they lose for the few who paid and sat around for 4 hours in the rain on the original date?). Spend 1/2 the day saturday to finish cleaning the car and loading up before the torrential rains that are forcast come. Wake up at 4:00am to get ready to leave the house. Walk outside at 4:45 to a crisp, clear fall like morning for the 1 hr 15 minute drive to get in line by 6:00am for gates that won't open til 8:00am so you can get a good spot for the day. Not 1 single cloud in the sky, temps in the low 70's, most of your Pontiac friends in attendance talking about the great time that was had in Norwalk. Head down to tech which has not enough staff to cover the amount of cars in attendance. When you finally get teched you find out there is no Pontiac classes being run today at the Pontiac raindate! You will either run in Nostalgia 1 or 2, or in Mandra. What is nostalgic about my 92 Firebird? Payouts are $450.00 for any Chevy, Ford or other make who wins one of the classes. If a Pontiac wins they get $600.00. So the way I look at it is means that if a Pontiac is lucky to win the Pontiac event raindate you will win $150.00 for racing against Chevies and Fords etc. I wonder if Jim Butler knows he is sponsoring a race for $150.00 payout? If I wanted to race against Chevies and Fords I would have gone to Cecil County to try and win $2000.00! All this happened by 9:30am and I was loaded up and pulling out the gate by 10:30. I will never race at a non National or Divisional race at Maple Grove again. It is this kind of treatment that further fuels my desire to make the Pontiacs in the Park event the best Pontiac event east of Norwalk! This was the final nail. The coffin is now sealed!