NO TEMPLATES
ADVERTISEMENT
I'm tired of watching moving billboards on both NASCAR and now NHRA. What happened to the creativity of mechanics and drivers to have the opportunity to rise above the pack and not be crushed by burdensome equality type of rules? The associations should make rules that still allow creativity and ingenuity and not how to build templates. I laud your position, and as an old timer, I believe the associations have forgotten what racing really means. The best driver and car should win, not the template, which destroys the true intention of racing.
Skip Hill
Souderton, PA
NO BRACKET FAN
I think you hit it right on. Outlaw 10.5 is a lot more fun to see, just because you don’t know what you will see. But they’re getting close too. It seems to me all classes are turning into bracket races. That’s just not something I want to see.
Travis
Trion, GA
TOO OLD TO COUNT AT NHRA?
I received an e-mail from the NHRA the other day asking me to participate in a survey. I filled out my age (55+) and my state of residence (Wisconsin) and I was then told that I was not eligible to participate in the survey. Since I doubt that living in Wisconsin disqualified me, I can only assume that my age did it.
I have spent a lot of money over the years at NHRA events and we currently run a Bantam altered in IHRA bracket racing. If NHRA isn't willing to include the voices of the old timers (a lot of whom have the time and money to attend races) then I think that they might be doomed to live with nothing but "tuners" in the future.
I'll really have to think it over now before I spend my hard earned money on the NHRA.
Tom Ales
Larsen, WI
ADVERTISEMENT
PROMOTION WOULD BE WORTH THE FEE
Jeff, I think the best idea from this column is the one about investing in an office in New York or other high-profile city with the sole purpose of soliciting new sponsorship blood for the series and its racers. I think it would send a big signal of professionalism, and I agree it could be a profit center, as I know racers are OK with paying a percentage to someone who can bring a deal to the table.
Nunzio Valerie, Jr.
Rochester, NY
BETTER THAN WATCHING PAINT DRY?
I appreciate your comments about all aspects of the NHRA and what it does. It is nice to read somebody talk about the good and the bad, and not beat one of them into the dirt. And, to not get all upset and concerned about being PC.
I have been following drag racing since the 1960's, and for sure it has changed. Better, worse, not sure . . . some of both maybe.
One thing you have mentioned, that I think is very to the point, NHRA needs to do something to boost the interest level of Pro racing. It is getting very much a replay of the last race, over and over. How long before us diehards start watching the Paintball Channel?
Keep up the good work and great writing. There are a bunch of us old guys who like what you have to say and the way it gets said.
Phil Scala
Billings, MT
KEEPING THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT
Re: Your rant about freedom of speech....my own personal take on this (and I have abundant evidence as I (used to) love writing letters to the editor of my home town newspaper), is that most media outlets are socialist in nature when it comes to government programs, but just let some polititian rag about reining in the press, and they suddenly become flaming libertarians. I know this doesn't have much to do with drag racing (or does it?, hmmmm), but I will use any excuse to write to my favorite on-line old-time drag racing goofball!
Jim Deorio
Claymont, DE