As the old saying goes, “If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.” The NHRA Pro Mod teams are pro in every sense of the word and have earned the title. When is the NHRA going to give these guys the respect they have earned? If there is a legal issue that prohibits the NHRA from giving the Pro Mods the “official” professional status, why not just tell them so everyone understands?

And now for a little wondering

Just Wondering… If the number of explosions, fires and oildowns from nitro cars continue at the rate seen at the Phoenix event, is it just a matter of time before the NHRA re-instates the oil down penalty policy?

Just Wondering… Isn’t it interesting that almost none of the successful pro or semi-pro sportsman racers ever publicly badmouth the NHRA sportsman programs?

Just Wondering… Whatever happened to the IHRA sponsorship that was supposed to be announced?

Just Wondering… How long Feld Entertainment will keep the IHRA if that series doesn’t show immediate profit or at least potential to turn a profit early on? I can’t see the Feld management staying with a non-profitable series very long in today’s financial environment.

Just Wondering… If the NHRA has another relatively sparse crowd at Gainesville like those at Pomona and Phoenix, look for some drastic changes in ticket pricing.

Just Wondering… I know I’ve asked this before, but watching the broadcast of the Phoenix race just drove the point home. Drag racing, like all professional sports, is about setting and breaking records. What is the reason that NHRA is not allowing Top Fuel and Funny Car racers to set and break records? There is simply no good reason for not setting records and the sport needs all the drama it can get right now.

Just Wondering… Am I the only one who thinks the new black and white (and color) Full Throttle ads are maybe the best ever? Great vintage and current images and production values make these commercials good for drag racing and entertaining. They even got me try a can of Full Throttle!

Just Wondering… Are four cars just too many for the Force team to maintain like they used to when there were just two or three cars to service?

Just Wondering… With more hi-po Chevys and Pontiacs soon to become just a niche brand. Will that scenario be good or bad for those brands’ involvement in both the NASCAR and the NHRA pro teams?  If those brands are not going to have hi-performance cars or are going to be a much smaller group, do they, as a brand, still need to be involved with competitive motorsports?

Just Wondering… Was I the only one that noticed the small number of photographers on the starting line at Phoenix? The NHRA is responding to the fans’ long years of complaints about too many photographers blocking their view at the starting line. Kudos to the NHRA for addressing a problem fans have bitched about for years. We magazine guys will just have to adjust when it comes to photo coverage.