© 2001 Dwight Drum

Cool Contributors

Introduction by Dwight Drum

We are especially proud of avid fans, those going beyond spectator status to deliver images and words that need to seen and read. Tony Rovito Jr is one such enthusiast in special company. We call them Cool Contributors here at StripBike.com and Zoomster.com, because all they ask for is recognition, and some even shy from that. None, however, are bashful about working hard at the fun of motorsports, and most have skills that transcend their regular jobs. Many more like these Cool Contributors would like to add their version, their work to promotion of the sport, but they don't always step forward. We urge you enthusiasts to do so. Tony Rovito Jr stepped forward to bring us many drag racing moments. He stepped away momentarily from his job as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor to bring us images and words. Our nation needs his regular work, but when Tony steps out to bring us all closer to racing…we all benefit. Please welcome the images, interviews and words of Tony Rovito Jr.

Images and Story by Tony Rovito Jr…..

Mike Janis

2001 IHRA Pro Mod Champion

Yeah, it's awful; when I was waiting in the lanes I was like the second to last car, while we are sitting there waiting I think I went up to 15th, you know bumped back to 15th and I was like "anything can go wrong! Is it going to start, is it not", you know, I get worked up. But once you get rolling, it's alright. But then when I did the burnout , the car basically went sideways, almost took the tree down, you know and I'm like "Aw, here we go, the omens back!". We just gotta keep plugging away!

Laurie Cannister

"Well it means "breaking through" like Shirley did for us; trying to be a role model for some of the girls that are coming up. It really feels good when you can see the glimmer in a little girl's eye's. They really like the fact that there is a woman drag racing and they want to do it; they want to follow you and follow in your footsteps; it's just a really good feeling to be that!"

"Actually, no, there really aren't barriers other than the extra pressure that I think women put on themselves to do well in this sport. I think that would be the only big hurdle that you really have to make; is for me I'm constantly trying to prove myself so that the guys can't say I don't belong here."

"Well, I just know that I've been competitive all my life, in sports and everything and have always competed with girls; and then coming into a man's world, you know that everybody's watching you, everybody's eyes are on you. You have to do well; if you don't it just gives them more bad things to say about you or whatever. I always find myself putting alot more pressure on myself; probably than I have to, just to make sure I don't go out there and look like a fool; and so far we have proven alot...proven that a woman can do this, you can drive this (funny car) and a lot of people had doubts about whether I could drive a funny car because they ARE very hard to drive. They are hard to steer, it's like a wrestling type of feeling that you've got to hang on to the car!

Oh, yeah, it's a totally different driving experience; the rear-engine car had a very "finesse" type driving; you held on to the steering wheel very light. You didn't turn the steering wheel a whole lot because if you did it would really get out of shape; with the funny car if you DON'T steer them alot, you don't move anywhere! So, it's probably because of the big tires and the short wheelbase, and everything, but it's a little bit of a learning curve for me because I catch myself trying to "barely" correct the direction that I'm going and you can't, you have to just TURN the steering wheel and just go that way!

I don't think; I think you'll probably see me in a dragster first. Because I'm just, I'm still partial to the dragster; I've done that more. Maybe the longer I'm in this I'll stay here; I really don't know; right now I'm just trying to deal with this and trying to be the best I can at it first and then move on from there.

I say if they are interested they need to try it. Don't go through life not trying it and wishing you did. Because you definitely , once you get in the car, no matter which form of motorsports, if you want to do it, try it. It's just like anything else, if you want to do it bad enough you'll do well at it. They need to try it because you never know, they just might love it like it do!

Bruce Litton

Oh, It's a thrill! And it's a really neat thing; what everybody really doesn't see, behind the scenes, is there's so much work that goes into these racecars! There's also alot of pressure too, but what happens happens and if you put your best foot forward thats teh most anyone can ask you to do.

The fastest I've ever been is 318 (ed note..!!!) It's unbelievably quick, the MPH is something that you probably never really get used too; it's a really neat thing to see how fast everything really does go by you. At the same token you got to stop the thing and once you go over the finish line, you'd best be prepared to stop. Usually if they go that fast they really don't like to stop that well. So you really have to be on time with both of the parachutes and you have to get used to the negative G's..at 318 you're still maintaining a positive 2 G's and when both parachutes open it's go a negative 4 G's so it's a good 6 G change or maybe a little bit more, and that's what you gotta get used to and you just have to concentrate on getting the thing stopped. But , no, the MPH thing is a really neat deal. We've held the mile an hour record two or three times, and right now we hold the e.t. record!. The mile-an-hour is neat, but usually when you go that fast, run them that long, usually there is something hurt too; you beat-em up is the price to pay so-to-speak....it's expensive real estate the last couple hundred feet of the track!