Jim Head thought he got the point across crystal clear last season. Just in case his attempts didn’t hit home, he’s going to repeat himself.

Jim Head wants out of driving and wouldn’t mind in the least stepping aside for another driver.

“I'm not sure I got the world to understand how badly I want to get out of my race car,” explained Head. “I want to furnish a perfectly operating race team- crew, crew chief, all the equipment to some lucky new driver who hopefully brings a new sponsor; they have to bring a new sponsor.  Too many people told me that I'm not really ready to get out of the car and they just don't understand.  I am ready and now unfortunately I need to get out because we're not going to make the year without some money.”

Make no bones about it this is not a knee-jerk reaction for Head.

Jim Head thought he got the point across crystal clear last season. Just in case his attempts didn’t hit home, he’s going to repeat himself.

Jim Head wants out of driving and wouldn’t mind in the least stepping aside for another driver.

“I'm not sure I got the world to understand how badly I want to get out of my race car,” explained Head. “I want to furnish a perfectly operating race team- crew, crew chief, all the equipment to some lucky new driver who hopefully brings a new sponsor; they have to bring a new sponsor.  Too many people told me that I'm not really ready to get out of the car and they just don't understand.  I am ready and now unfortunately I need to get out because we're not going to make the year without some money.”

Make no bones about it this is not a knee-jerk reaction for Head.

“Really the last four or five years I've thought about it a lot and now more than anything, I don't want to drive my race car,” Head said. “I want to see how good of a crew chief I can be.  I've been wearing both hats for a long, long time and we're okay at it but I think we could be a whole lot better race team if we had a driver that concentrated solely on driving and public relations. I can be a tuner that concentrates solely on tuning the race car.”

The demand for high-caliber crew chiefs can fetch as much as $500,000 per season with incentives. One would think Head’s logical decision would be to join that fraternity.
 
“I sure don't race for the money, I don't need the money,” Head pointed out. “I race for the love of the sport.  I don't think I would be a very good employee -- my team would be great as self contractors.  I'm not really anxious to go out and just hire my services.  I've been working with some of these guys for over 25 years, some for 10 to 15.  I want to furnish the men and the equipment.  I certainly don't need to own it. I'd be more than happy to sell it if they wanted to buy it.  We need a lot of new stuff actually.  We need new race cars because of the new rules and fuel cars eat parts, my tire bill I can't keep up with, my nitro bill I can't keep up with and I can't even keep up with my spark plug bill. 

“Everything’s doubled in price it seems like and we're just not going to be able to keep up.  I'd like to run all the races but again with a new driver.  A new driver would bring more money.  Too many times people have said I don't really think you're ready to get out of your car and they don't understand. I am ready.”

Head contends his decision is not based on the current state of safety in the class. Last year following John Force’s catastrophe in Dallas, Head fabricated a protective capsule for his chassis.

”I would be more concerned with my driver’s safety than my own,” Head admitted. “I couldn't live with hurting a driver.  If we were going to have a bad accident, I'd rather be in the car than have another human being in the car.  I'm always concerned with safety.  I think we have a really safe race car, not because of the rules but because we've worked on it pretty hard. 

“It's really not because of the money.  Last year my business was doing great so it wasn't that much of a burden.  It's just that I want to take the next step and I can't take the next step on the budget that I've been running on. I'm anxious to have an influx of green dollars so that we can get our race team to the next level.  Like I said, I think an owner, driver; tuner is an impediment to that so I'd like to just be the tuner alone to do what I have to. 

“I sure don't do well at the public relations and everybody knows that I'm not too good with autographs.  I'm looking for the right mix and the right chemistry.  I don't think I'm that hard to get along with as my reputation might suggest.”