Volume IX, Issue 6, Page 113

NEW REVENUE STREAMS FOR NHRA

Here's another obvious way to increase revenues. Instead of just streaming audio from the national events, how difficult would it be to stream the video feed to the (umm, I forget who sponsors it these days, but it used to be called WinstonVision) big screen out on the internet?  Heck, I'd even join the NHRA to access that show.

Or, if as some have suggested, the final eliminations are run on Saturday night and rebroadcast on Sunday afternoon, how about an option to get the race feed live (Friday and Saturday night) via DirecTV...one could easily envision a season package ala NASCAR.

There are lots of unexplored possibilities available to satisfy the fan at home without gouging the folks who are actually at the track. 

Also, when will we begin seeing the awesome ‘60s vintage races from the archive that were on ABC Wide World of Sports? Is this material covered in the deal they made with Diamond P?

Thomas Squires
Oklahoma City, OK

LUCAS TALKS, WE ALL SHOULD LISTEN

Thanks for running the Forrest Lucas interview. Anyone that wants a real world evaluation of NHRA drag racing, there it is. All the BS around the sale of NHRA PRO racing has not included one word about bigger purses. Lucas's words about that should be required reading for anyone that cares about the future of drag racing. The idea that HDT will suck up cash for a while and sell the real estate looks more realistic when the man tells you 5 more races = 1/4 Million dollars.

And the sponsors are not anxious to lay out more money.
Much is said about NASCAR's success. Gee whiz, they do pay money!

Norman Hechtkoff

EXPAND THE CLASSES AND THE PAYOUTS

I think Pro Mod and Nostalgia F/C, T/F, and AA/FA should be at EVERY  NHRA race! It gets real old having the LONG down times between PRO rounds, while some clowns shoot T-shirts into the crowd!

At the very least the HD--- Errrr, NHRA could rotate AA/FC -A/FD with the Pro Mods/Nostalgia cars at each race so we fans could see a 'full' show at every race. LOVE the idea of bigger payouts for the Championship.

I think HD 'stole' the NHRA in the sale. I bet there were 'lots' of deep pocketed folks that would take that deal in a heartbeat . Well done, HD. Here is hoping you ‘drag' my favorite (pun intended) sport into the future!!

L.P. Morgan
Denver

BETTER OR AVERAGE?

Re: NHRA Top Fuel Qualifying: I agree with Randy Watkins that Top Fuel qualifying in NHRA competition lacks something. With the advent of the night qualifying sessions, teams

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put their best run down on Friday night and most of the other runs are tire scorchers that don't improve on performance and are a poor display for fans. Of course, the teams are learning something even on those poor runs, but they aren't much to watch.

This may be a crazy idea, but what if they were to use an average of the four qualifying runs instead of the best of the four qualifying runs? Of course we would probably see fewer attempts at breaking records, but we might see teams tone things down just a tad in order to try to make four consistent runs that would get them in the show. Might make Top Fuel qualifying more like the very close Pro Stock cars with everybody just a few thousandths difference? Wouldn't that be something to see?

David Smithers
Sault Ste. Marie, MI








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