RacingWest had the joy of interviewing the racing party animal, Dave Reed...just kidding...or am I?
I am...but if you remember when, well....
Anyway Reed shared with us lots of good stuff about the SRL, Craig Raudman, racing and a bit of trivia about why if your name is Reed...there is a certain hotel you may want to avoid! ;)
RacingWest: Any truth to the rumors that you and Craig Raudman might
be running some SRL races this year?
Dave Reed: For sure we will be running all the races that don’t
conflict with the West Series. We are excited to have a series to run our Ted
and Scott Davidson owned car this year.
RW: Awesome. What made you decide to run the SRL?
DR: Craig has raced a few of the SRL races over the past few
years and he really liked it, in fact I think he won an SRL race at Mesa Marin
a few years back!!! Plus as everyone has heard the SRL has some great people,
officials and all around a fun and well-run series, plus how can you beat the
tour cars that race in the SRL!!! There is nothing like it, these are not Grocery
getters. But haul ass race cars every lap... no riding at all. You are up on
the wheel the whole race. No offense to the heavier cars but this is where the
racing is at!
RW: What sponsors will you have on the car?
DR: Ted Davidson Equipment Sales, Approvedmemory.com, JDA and
whoever else is willing to come along for the fun and excitement that we have
at the races. Come on Jeff S this is better than the canal jump any day we need
you on board. We are always looking for sponsors for a championship team and
driver.
RW: Any idea of who will be on your crew?
DR: Craig Raudman driver and crew chief, maybe we can entice
Dan Press back for the year? Jeff Wood on tires, JR and Adam, former crew members
on Craig’s HPS team. Dave Reed Spotter/marketing, Scott Davidson and whomever
else will work for food and beer is welcome, the more the merrier.
RW: I know last year you were the spotter for Brian Ickler and Raudman
was maybe the crew chief for him? Now, are you guys doing any other racing related
stuff this year besides the SRL or is it too early for me to be snooping around
into that?
DR: HMMMMMMMMMM I better not say yet, but there will be an
announcement soon we are told!!!! Craig and I we will be very busy in a few
different series this year.
RW: OK...back to the SRL stuff...are you running an old Tour car, are
your renting a car or did you build a car?
DR: Craig and I bought a VC chassis a year or so ago,
and we got hooked up with Ted and Scott Davidson who now own the car and made
it possible for us to complete the car and go racing, Craig spent all last year
building the car and we raced it for the first time at the last Tour race at
PIR, we finished 3rd. Not bad for a brand new car and a driver that had not
driven in 2 years!
RW: So tell me...does the competition have anything to fear from you
two and why?
DR: I sure hope so, but I doubt if there is really any fear!
We have always had a strong program the race car has the best of the best, the
team is solid and of course we have a great driver. I think that we will be
a threat to sit on the pole and win wherever we go, not to sound arrogant but
that's just what we expect to do every time we race. Craig and I also work really
well together on the radio we know what each other is thinking.
RW: Do you think the SRL and SW Tour drivers will be able to race together
competitively?
DR: Yes for sure they will be able to race together. I think
that the SRL was kind of a feeder series for the SWS for a few years. There
is a lot of talent in the SRL, even without a huge budget they will be able
to race well together. A lot of the SWS teams don’t have a ton of money
they just manage it well and make the most out of it. I think that over the
years racing smarter than harder may be the payoff in the end. We all know that
a lot of times the best car or driver does not always win. We all want to be
at the right place at the right time. And I know that Danny Grill will use one
of his lines, and that is "make sure to give and take ".
If the drivers all do that, then we will have some great racing. Look at my old BMX buddy Mike Mendenhall, he was able to run in both series and be very competitive in all the races that he ran and he was on a tight budget. I know he had a ton of fun racing in the SRL and has a lot of respect for Steve Fensler. I really wonder how many people remember how the SWS was started? Ok that's another story I think that Janet can have answered for us!!!!!!!
RW: How far would you travel to compete in an SRL race?
DR: I am sure that we will go as far as the schedule will take
us. How about Bristol? Now that would be fun!!! OK, OK really I think Colorado
National is about as far as we should go, that is a really fun track and the
fans are fantastic, they pack the stands there that's for sure andTucson is
fun I would really like to see the Vegas Bullring be added to the schedule,
everyone always has fun in Vegas. Irwindale has the premier track and the market
that the sponsors all what to be in. I hope they can work it out for a few dates
if not just one at Irwindale. .
RW: You sort of have a reputation for having a good time both on the track and
off...ha... what was the most fun you ever had at a race?
DR: Oh Janet that’s a hard question... there are so
many fun memories. I am going to start back in the mid 90's at Mesa Marin when
after the race Doug McCoun's sponsor/car owner Ken Mukia (SP) would BBQ for
everyone until the early morning. Sears Point was a great time, and I have to
give a mention to Portland the road course. For those of you that heard about
it you will know what I mean. The Burrito Banner. I think that most of the racers
that raced with us will remember the race at Colorado National back in the mid
90's we all went back to our room at the Holiday Inn for a kind of an after
race party OH WOW that one cost me some cash, but what a great time we all had,
I think im still banned from there. I know that even Mark Reed was not allowed
there the year afterwards just the name affiliation (Reed) did him in. Thank
goodness Craig won the arm wresting match with Kevin Harvick's car owner that
night , the prize was his race winnings check for the night , that helped pay
some of the bill... I mean damage.
The last one is the LA Street Race after winning that we took the whole team back to my brother’s house for an all night party; we watched the tape of the race that night. Of course the 2001 Championship was the last Party and it was a good one!!!! I will say that racing has to be fun we all spend our hard earned money and put our heart and sole into it , I always said that if I'm not having fun I’m outta here . Well I just can’t stay away. I tried but could not do it , I am thinking of starting the equivalent of the Betty Ford center for racers , that way when we need to get out we have a place to help us move on in our lives , yea right that will never happen, first of all who will have the cash to pay for it ? HAHA.
RW: Is the party at your hauler if Craig wins a race or are we all
going out to dinner? And will it be Italian, Thai, Mexican or American?
DR: We have always been the teams hauler or pick up truck
to go to after the race we always have more beer than water or Gatorade in the
ice chest. But we always leave it outside the track :) Normally when we run
outta beer we will venture to the local hangout that sponsors racers for a little
more fun if needed. Mexican food is always good; if there is a Chevy's then
we have to go there for Craig. Win or lose we always have a party, but the winning
ones are somewhat more fun.
RW: Do you even have a hauler anymore or didn't you sell that right
after you won the NASCAR Southwest Tour championship as a car owner?
DR: Yea I sold everything I had soon after the year end in
2001. I’m really tempted to just show up the way that I met Craig with
an open trailer, now that would be fun. Having a hauler is nice but not needed
for sure it is a want and not a need for us. We are fortunate to have been hooked
up with Ted and Scott as they have a nice 5th wheel trailer that we took to
PIR.
RW: Are there any tracks that you would like to see on the SRL schedule
and why?
DR: Vegas = great racing and a lot of fun before and after
the race. Altamont is good for all the regular SRL drivers as well as Madera,
Shasta is fun plus Craig’s home track and Roseville. That will help with
costs for sure. Colorado National, Tucson has a great track and some even better
BBQ, LIL Abners is the best.
RW: Of all the races you have been to over the years as you traveled
in both the NASCAR Winston West and Southwest Tour, which race was best promoted?
DR: The LA Street race and Colorado National they--sell out
every time I have been there. Vegas does a good job as well
RW: Along the same line, which promoter treated the drivers the best...and
yes they are all nice...but if you had to pick just one...
DR: I’m going to have to give a mention to the LA Street
race for the few years that it ran, they did a GREAT job promoting it and we
were also treated well. Last year while working for BMR as Brian Ickler's spotter
we went to Kyle (TX) where CT Helmund promoted a great fan fare and race, there
was a ton going on. That guy must have worked his butt off to do all that. The
fans really wanted us there and enjoyed the race. It is great to see the stands
packed it makes it worth while to go to places that are far when they do as
good a job as he did.
RW: Being you are a car owner...which car owner do you most admire
and why?
DR: Junior Johnson was an inspiration for me; he started with
nothing and built a great team. I love to hear all the fun things he did to
beat his competition. He was for sure an innovator in our sport. I have always
admired Richard Childress for the same things. I really tried to bring an element
to the SWS that those two car owners would have done. Image, integrity, lLeadership,
positive attitude, fun, and most of all the desire to WIN!!!!
RW: Well, I have a bunch more questions...but I think the keys need
a rest...this was fun. Want to do a part two in a few weeks?
DR: I would love to.
