Wondering Once More

10/9/2007

Just Wondering … Isn’t it just a little too commercial to charge $5 for an Eric Medlen tribute decal?

Just Wondering … Am I the only one who believes that Bruton Smith loves battling with the city governments around his tracks almost as much as he likes building new race tracks? 

Just Wondering … Is the RIF (reduction in force) at the Schumacher and CSK camps at least an indicator that, despite the propaganda, the NHRA’s PR program needs to find a way to promote the sport more strongly?

Just Wondering … Why hasn’t Mike Dunn been offered a ride in one of the Top Fuel or Funny Car seats that are coming open? Could it be his salary expectations or that he doesn’t bring money with him?

Just Wondering … Has there ever been a president of a major auto racing sanctioning body less visible that NHRA’s Tom Compton?

Just Wondering … Am I the only one concerned with the absolute lack of coverage by the mainstream media of the IHRA? There was a time when the IHRA and the late AHRA were viewed a close to equals by some of the NHRA; today, sadly, drag racing has basically become a one-sanctioning body sport with IHRA having roughly the impact with the media that the UDRA use to enjoy.

Just Wondering … Speaking of the IHRA whatever happened to the “super track” that was going to be built in Mansfield, Ohio?

Just Wondering … With Wally Parks’s passing will the folks at NHRA still have the passion for their Sportsman racers that Mr. Parks always had? He was the reason $100,000,000 of the HDP deal was earmarked for the continuation of the Sportsman program.   

Just Wondering … Has Alan Johnson replaced Austin Coil as drag racing’s premier nitro tuner?

Just Wondering … Will more new fans watch the NHRA broadcast now that it has a prime Sunday time slot on ESPN2?

Just Wondering … Still on the same subject, in these days of the short attention span wouldn’t the NHRA broadcast be much better if were edited down to a stellar two-hour program with more action and less repetition of interviews, crashes, etc.? 

Just Wondering … Will HDP see the benefits of devoting a little of the race broad cast to the Pro Mods?

Just Wondering … When will Don Garlits’s Hall of Fame honor a Pro Mod driver or tuner-team owner with induction? Bill Kuhlmann literally changed the sport of doorslammer racing with his 200-mph pass. Driver Fred Hahn and tuner/team owner Jim Oddy won every Pro Mod championship available including the NHRA Championship, and Oddy has a couple of U.S. Nationals wins on his resume. All of those guys are retired, right?   

Just Wondering … With the continued growth of drag racing in Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, and even the Middle East, isn’t the time right for a real World Championship of Drag Racing? Surely the NHRA could add an invitational race for the Champions from circuits around the world. Maybe even do it like golf and have an event every two or four years.

Just Wondering … Why not at least one 1/8th mile race on the NHRA circuit at a purpose-built track with seats for 25-30,000 people not extending past the eighth-mile mark? The concept works for NASCAR at Bristol, so why wouldn’t the same scenario work for drag racing?  

Just Wondering … When are we going to see one of the small block engines that Toyota has developed for NASCAR show up at an NHRA event? How about a Comp Eliminator Solara or even a BB/AT Solara with a turbocharged Cup motor? Are you reading, TRD?

Just Wondering … Wouldn’t it make sense if the NHRA is going to continue with the Chase to change the points chase and the points schedule so the Championship began at the first race after Indy and the Championship was ended at the U.S. Nationals? At least that way NHRA and NASCAR wouldn’t be having their “Chases” at the same time, which means drag racing gets the short shrift in the NASCAR-mad media. If the NHRA named their series champs in the middle of the year drag racing would have the stage to themselves and the U.S. Nationals would actually be “The National.” 

jeffburk@dragracingonline.com

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