Project Fireball debuts at the 2007 - and final - San Jose Grand Prix.

From 2005 through 2007 I served as part of the closed-circuit television broadcast and PA team on behalf of the Historic Stock Car Racing Series at the San Jose Grand Prix. What started as simple “color” commentary evolved into a significant part of the local television broadcast and on-track announcing. (That car is green, that car is blue, that car is black... real color commentary, huh?)

Working alongside Dan Rusanowsky, the renowned play-by-play voice of the San Jose Sharks for the last 17 seasons, and Todd Lewis, who does NHL games in his native Toronto, I became “the voice” of the HSCRS at the SJGP. In the 2005 inaugural event, the HSCRS on-track action was on camera for both of our Saturday practices, and on Sunday for our main event. Our booth was located on a balcony of the San Jose Marriott, where we did our commentary over a background of loud race engines. It was a little disconcerting for me to stand between these two professionals (who possessed nice "broadcaster" hair, I might add) while I was the hack (with no hair). On camera! Still, it was a whole new experience for me, but a lot of fun.

Surprisingly (to me, anyway), I was invited back to perform the same duties in 2006. The difference was that this time we were located in a trailer just off the race track's last turn, so we weren't competing with the snarl of the cars while chatting aimlessly. In addition, EVERY moment the stock cars were on the street course, it was televised. There was also a camera in the booth so folks could see the faces behind the voices once again. (Behind me, from left to right: 2nd place finisher Garland Self, Event winner Steve Barber, and 3rd place finisher Steve Schoellhorn.)

But for 2007, despite having 6 on-track sessions, the HSCRS was relegated to only ONE televised event, and it wasn't even our race ... it was our weekend-ending exhibition! Needless to say, we (the HSCRS) were pretty pissed. On a positive note, there was no camera on me in the announcer's booth, which means that the fans were spared a 30-foot tall image of my sorry face on the Jumbo-trons around the track! Here I am, getting wired for an earpiece that the director will use to tell me when my ugly mug gets to be projected live to the masses. (Behind me this time around in the below images, from left to right: 2nd place finisher Steve Schoellhorn, Event winner and HSCRS founder John Davis, and 3rd place finisher Tom Klauer.)

On September 15, 2007, I found out that the city of San Jose had lost the Grand Prix. It's sad because it was a first-class event. There was talk that the Champ Car Series would move the event to Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway in 2008. The on February 27, 2008, I found out that the Champ Car Series had merged with the Indy Car Series. Despite the fact the HSCRS (and myself) have a good relationship with Laguna's track management, I don't think we'll be working in conuction with the IRL. So much for my professional announcing career.

Something New This Time Around

Also in 2007, I got to do two things that, up until 2 weeks earlier, I had only dreamed would happen. First of all was the invitation by John Davis, President of the HSCRS, to display my stock car replica in the paddock along with the actual historic stock cars being raced that weekend by the group’s members.

It was quite an honor to park “Project Fireball” in the same publicly-accessed paddock at the San Jose Convention Center as cars previously raced by Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Buddy Baker and Alan Kulwicki.

I even had the honor of having one of the group's sponsors logo placed on my windshield. I had the logos for Marathon Coach, a builder of top-class, premium motor coaches displayed proudly on the car. Yes, the name of a manufacturer of motor coaches that sell for around $1.6 million each emblazoned on my $3,900 hot rod. Only in America!!

"Fireball" takes to the track at the 2007 San Jose Grand Prix.

The second thing I hadn’t expected was to be invited to drive Fireball on the track as the pace car for a charity race!

Imagine driving down a race track while your rear-view mirror is filled with the nose of Richard Petty’s 1992 STP Pontiac Grand Prix! If you're any sort of NASCAR fan, it doesn’t get much cooler than that, I’ll tell you!

I also have the distinction of leading the first lap in the first-ever outing of my race car. Not too many other racers can match that claim! Okay, it was a pace lap… so what? I was still out in front of the 12 other NASCAR race cars involved in that charity race! (A charity race where folks ponied up some big bucks to ride shotgun in these historic race cars... Over $30,000 was raised for early cancer detection as a result! ) Yes, in the picture on the left I am actually going into turn 1, the "Toyota Hairpin", with my right turn signal on... how's that for taking it to the streets?

Hot August Nights

For the last 20 years, the city of Reno, NV has played host to massive numbers of hot rodders and classic car enthusiasts early each August. 2007 marked the event's 21st year, yet the number 22 showed up in more than a few places...

"Project Fireball" appeared in the "Cruise of Champions", held at the Atlantis Resort and Casino. It was a purely accidental appearance.

Because I was actually working at a different venue, I really didn't get a chance to participate in the usual cruises and shows. Besides, Hot August Nights hopefuls have to put their names on a waiting list and hope that they get their chance to pony up some bucks and make the trek in another year. (Last I heard, anyone who signs up this year [2007] does so with the hopes of participating in 2009 !)

Funny thing was, my little brother Geno and I were looking for a parking spot near the Atlantis Hotel so that we could walk in and check out all of the participants' rides. As we drove towards the parking lot, we were ushered into the Cruise of Champions and became participants ourselves! Fireball did make quite a splash, I might add!

I almost didn't get to show off Fireball, though. Only the night before had I finished replacing the master cylinder and front brake cylinders and bleeding the brakes to make the mountain driving from Sacramento to Reno less of a white-knuckle experience. And this was on top of the replacement of the shredded right rear wheel bearing from my previous weekend at the San Jose Grand Prix!

It does help to have goals.

2007 Golden State Nationals

The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) recently updated their membership criteria to allow for vehicles 30 years and older into the organization, and into certain NSRA events. (Prior to this it was limited to cars 1949 and older.) As a result, this year I became a member of the NSRA and debuted Fireball at the NSRA Golden State Nationals here in Sacramento the first weekend of October.

1592 entries filled the California State Fairgrounds at Cal Expo. Fireball drew more than its fair share of curious looks, mostly from people wondering, "Is it the real thing?" Believe me, if they have to ask if it is the real deal, that is the highest compliment that can be paid to me for my efforts on my project.

I didn't have my camera with me, but I did later find pictures of my Proect Fireball from the event on a website called HotrodHotline.com . I am inlcuding them on this page, with thanks to the photographers.

Thanks to Lon and Lynda Key:

Thanks to Dean Court:

And Thanks to Brian Basquez:

If the above photographers do not wish to have their photos of Fireball on this site, please contact me and I will remove them.