As former sportsman world champion Monty Bogan Jr. sees it, if you're going to be busy, you ought to make it worthwhile.

Bogan, a former IHRA Top Stock champion and Stock/Super Stock standout, made known his plans to travel from NHRA's Division 2 to race in the Rooftec NHRA D4 Comp Eliminator Bonus Fund.

Bogan plans to drive the H/Super Modified Automatic Camaro of Lee Sharp and Tim Freeman in chasing the richest payday that Competition Eliminator has ever seen.

"There's a lot of money up for grabs, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it; we want to grab as much of it as we can," Bogan admitted. "Comp Eliminator is just a super class, and in signing up for this, we feel we are throwing our hat in with the best of the best. Besides, when you have someone like Rodger Brogdon investing in the class to make sure it stays popular, we, as racers, should be willing to support someone who makes that kind of effort to make our class stand out. What he is doing is important, and regardless of what division we race, should support someone making that kind of effort." As if this isn't enough, Bogan plans a few big money bracket races to hit along the way.

"I will be racing somewhere just about every weekend," Bogan said. "I do plan to take the month of July off to go on vacation, but otherwise, I plan to keep this deal on the road all the time."

This kind of effort will be what Bogan believes he needs to keep himself busy amid a considerable loss suffered last March when his biggest advocate and closest friend, his father Monty Sr., passed away.

"Me and my dad raced together for over 30 years, and I could count on my one hand probably the races he missed racing with me," Bogan said. "With the help of my dad setting it all up, running my own company here now, I can get away. I knew I had to do this because Dad would want us to do it. He'd want me out there somewhere every week. I want to do my best to make the most of the opportunity he set before me."

Bogan, in addition to his Top Stock title, won four IHRA world championships, two in Stock Eliminator and one in Super Stock. While Bogan said he is still just as championship-driven, he admits he's not the same Monty Bogan Jr. he was back then.

"I'm older, and hopefully a lot wiser," said Bogan, who turns 49 on Saturday, January 21. "I definitely don't drink as much alcohol these days. I cut back on the partying as we did back in the glory days of IHRA, but it is calmer now. I know I am lucky to be doing this. We realize how lucky we are to get out here and do this,

"That's what wisdom does for you. There's no pressure to perform. You do what you know to do. You just go out there and have fun. It's just a whole lot of fun these days. I can't wait. I really can't wait. It's the first time I've been excited like this in a long time."