[Hal Copple]

Well, i can offer a different tale. I was talking recently with a paint and restoration shop near the Olthoff's, up in NC. I asked about having some "rookie" stripes put across the driver's front fender, and he told me how he had heard these came to be put on race cars.

He said that race cars used to have tapes on things that had to be checked prior to a race, like an airplane has straps and warning tapes on things to be checked prior to flying, of course, the tapes are pulled off as that item is checked. On a rainy day, someone noted how nice some strapping/tapes looked when plastered across a left fender of a race car, and just thought they added a racy look. Hence, more decoration to a race car.

I would suppose if indeed this was how it started (i wouldn't of course know), how the "rookie" stripe could be used for many things on race cars. He said to do the stripes right, they would have to paint the front of my car, for over a thousand dollars.

I spoke with Dennis Olthoff, and while my car is up getting a new rollbar and other "tweaks" he is going to have some tape put on to replicate the stripes on the front "wing."

Interestingly, i have asked any number of people what color would look best on my red/white stripe car, and got very different opinions!

God bless our Astronauts, and their loved ones.