Nowhere is it written – not even in the NRHA Handbook – that when you are telling a friend about a win you have to disclose your score and/or how many were in the class. Of course if you scored a 74.5 and there were 50 other contestants in the class, it is perfectly permissible to say so.

By the same token, it is not cool for one friend to ask another friend what she/he scored and how many were in the class. That’s just basic Reiner Etiquette 101.

While we’re on the subject of Reiner Etiquette, do you know how to react if your best friend in the world has the wreck of all times? Do not follow your basic instincts and head for the food court or jump in your truck and drive home fast with your cell phone off. Do what my best friend in the world did when I had a wreck. Of course, this goes back to the ’70s and ’80s, but her method of handling the situation holds true today.

She was the wife of a horse trainer, had a great eye, and she’d watch me show – every time. She always gave me a critique after my go and I always valued her opinion. If I had a wreck, I knew it. She did too. Yet she was fearless. She’d meet me at the out-gate, look me right in the eye and say: “That’s a great shirt. You looked marvelous!”

Moral of this story: Don’t ask too many questions and always wear a great shirt.