A Texas Challenge for Jim Pantas and the SE Region!!!
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/3324/7708/179506.jpg
Jim,
I’ve got a bone to pick with you and your folks in the SE region. I’ve tried to work this amicably behind the scenes to no avail, so now I have no recourse but to call you out in public. (I’m sure once everyone hears both sides of the story, it’ll be clear as to who is right.) I realize the phone calls and emails back and forth have been amicable, however, without a clear resolution in sight, this feud has got to come to an end with a final decision soon.
Background
Many of our Texas CMC racers attended the “Pot-o-Gold Rush” at Road Atlanta the weekend of March 17-18 this year. They had an awesome time racing in the NASA Southeast at an amazing track,however, there appeared to be no gold at the end of the rainbow.
When the long trek to Road Atlanta began, our goal was to have an “All Texas” podium for a CMC race in another region. On that weekend, the podium winners were; Jeff Burch, Adam Ginsberg and Jerry Mac Neil who, in fact, claimed it was an all TX podium at the SE region event.
Mr. Pantas, you now claim that there were only 2 winners from TX on that podium – Burch and Ginsberg. I continue to claim that all 3 winners on Saturday’s podium were from TX thus staking claim to Jerry MacNeil as a Texas racer. Mr. Pantas, you claim Jerry MacNeil was from the SE region, and will not grant the “all Texas” podium bragging rights.
Although Jerry MacNeil resides in Mississippi, Team Warhorse (Jerry MacNeil & Micah Bishop) participated in 6 NASA events in the TX region in 2006 and raced in all but 1 of the 26 CMC races here. (The 1 race that was missed was after Team Warhorse rolled their Mustang at Texas World Speedway…and within 6 weeks, MacNeil built a new one to return to Nationals in.) Team Warhorse traveled to the inaugural Nationals at Mid-Ohio with CMC#44 and camped with the TX region and finished the year out at our Texas AI/CMC Awards Banquet at Motorsport Ranch in Houston.
Conversely, Team Warhorse participated in (how many???) East Coast events and who knows how many races???
Escalation
This feud has now escalated after Jerry MacNeil was deployed in April to serve another tour in Korea with his US Army unit as a career soldier. Mac Neil’s deployment left his wife, Kathy (AKA Red) and 2 young girls to live alone at their home in Mississippi. His tour of duty will be almost 2 years and he’s eligible for a two-week leave, however, would be responsible for the air fare home himself…a cost of about $2500 with the military discount. (Which is lot on a racing soldier’s income.)
Despite what Mr. Pantas thought was a regional betrayal with Jerry claiming himself a Texan; Jim claims that the SE region is where MacNeil obtained his racing license and is Jerry MacNeil’s true home.
Mr. Pantas claims his region stands behind him and that Jerry MacNeil is from the SE region. As such, I’ve challenged Mr. Pantas on his claim stating that the TX region could raise more donation money to bring Jerry home for a military leave.
I’ve taken this matter to the NASA National Series Director, John Lindsey who has agreed that “a duel” be the best way to settle this score. The feud will be settled by a contest to see which region can raise the most money to "bring their boy home". The winning region will have the right to stake claim to Jerry MacNeil and Team Warhorse for efforts past & present and all the monies raised will go toward the MacNeil family to get a much deserved soldier’s vacation and bring daddy home.
So…based on the information in this thread, please place your vote with a small donation for the region you feel Jerry MacNeil should reside with:
FOR NASA SE https://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_e.../?event_id=590
FOR NASA TX https://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_e.../?event_id=591
All funds go into the national account for Jerry MacNeil’s family and JWL is tracking them in secrecy.
JWL has vowed to keep the voting/donations open until he leaves for the 2nd Annual Mid-Ohio Nationals where the racers of the SE region and TX region will anxiously await the final results to be determined at a ceremonial presentation at the Nationals.
Voting is open to all regions, so please place your vote for the region you feel should claim Jerry MacNeil as theirs.
(Jim Pantas….if you have anything to say, feel free….you bastard) ;-)
-=- Todd Covini
