THE 'WRITE' STUFF

At the recent Goodguys Hot Rod Happenin' straight axle proponent Paul Soliz asked our Left Coast correspondent, Darr Hawthorne, if he'd help out with the driving chores of his big block '66 Chevy II. Before the question had been finished, our DRO scribe yelled, "SURE!" Since the hot rod was already entered and had passed tech, Hawthorne grabbed his helmet and jacket heading for Pomona's staging lanes. After dialing in the red Chevy II, Hawthorne made it two rounds in the VRA Hot Rod Eliminator only to receive the red bulb due to a faulty line-lock. (Yeah, we've heard that one before.)

DRO photog Zak Hawthorne also had his altered wheelbase '64 Chevy II out at the Fairplex race and he shaved three tenths off of his best time so far. Zak's "Hat's Off" goes to his new Mike's Transmission Powerglide and torque converter.

Who says we don't walk the walk here at DRO? (photo by Zak Hawthorne) [7-7-2003]

I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, MR. COMPTON

Remember when we used to wait by the mailbox for Drag News or National Dragster to arrive so we'd get the results from a distant drag race? Well, now we've all been spoiled

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by the instant streaming results available through Internet access and by IHRA's Speed Channel and NHRA's ESPN coverage on a regular basis.

Apparently instant is part of the reality-based television world we live in as, according to the Los Angeles Times Sports Section, the finals of the Sears Craftsman race from St. Louis beat everything but Mets-vs-Yankees.

On Sunday, June 29, cable and satellite ratings in LA showed the live cliffhanger race beating horseracing, Formula 1, a couple of other Major League Baseball games, bowling, and even the NASCAR Busch Grand National race.

Ingredients in this drag race were that it aired in Sunday's prime viewing time, had a live final round, didn't have a beer car, Cinderella Top Fuel runner-up Scott Weis had lane choice over Doug Kalitta, Worsham beat Force, Pro Stock had a car driven by somebody other than WJ, KJ or GA, and it was Harley-vs-Suzuki in Pro Stock Bike.

Many of the recent ESPN broadcasts have been tape-delayed. When we can get our instant results online, why wait to see the outcome after you know who won? When still photographs of the NASCAR race lead ESPN's RPM2Nite show, you've got to wonder where their collective heads are. Come on ESPN, take the lead in promoting your number one motorsport, NHRA POWERade drag racing -- it pays! [7-7-2003]