Dec. 14, 2007 — Gary's Christmas Wishes

All I want for Christmas is...

• Modified racing with coupes and sedans, different engines and pits full of cars NASCAR to go back to Bill France Sr's days of presenting racing, not neatly packaged TV shows.

• To go to a gas station and hand the attendant a sawbuck and get a full tank.

• To have stock car drivers move up to Cup racing and sprint and midget drivers race Indy cars.

• To watch a race on TV without having to hear Jerry Punch, Bill Weber, Michael Waltrip, Larry McReynolds, Jimmy Spencer and Kenny Wallace.

• To watch anything on TV without Dr. Wayne Dyer and his six-hour talks.

• To see vintage racing and old timers gatherings continue to build up interest and earn the respect of contemporary racing people.

• To pick up my phone and not have either a telemarketer or a phone company selling its service on the other end.

• The return of affordable racing for the participants and the fans.

• The whereabouts of my friend Lou Brunell. Still no clues about him.

• A museum here on Long Island like the one at Saratoga Springs, which is quite impressive.

• A way to retroactively tape races from the past. The equipment for filming at night wasn't on the market and we could have so many races stockpiled.

• Have all those race tracks that have gone under, return the way they used to be.

• Have NASCAR realize that drivers are human beings and stop penalizing them for acting like one.

• To spend 2008 without a doctor's visit.

• The return of that unmistakable roar of the Offy engine.

• Have the Indy 500 and World 600 run on different days so more drivers can run both.

• Have 45 cars and drivers available for the Indy 500 so bump day can be the most dramatic event of the season.

• Have a class act like Keith Kauffman race forever.

• Have NASCAR eliminate pit stops under caution and make the races fair for everyone.

• Toss out restrictor plates for good, and come up with something better like narrow hard tires.

• Make the World of Outlaws be more creative in lining up their "A" features. Too many of then are won from the pole.

• The return of sprint cars on Sunday nights at Susquehanna.

• Have Lew Boyd write a book about every speedway that presented weekly racing. Get busy!

But mostly, I want Santa to bring you good health, happiness and good racing in 2008.