Drag Racing Online- "Burk's Blast"

NHRA, The Racers Friend?

I know. You’re saying to yourself "Here goes Burk again, he’s going to get up on his soapbox and start bashing NHRA" (or as my friend Dave Densmore calls them "The High Sheriffs of Glendora.") Can’t the guy find something funny or in his case mildly amusing to write about, you ask, instead of boring us with more rants? Well, guess what? I’m not here to gore Glendora’s ox; I’m here to blow some beer in its face.

What’s this you’re probably asking yourself? Has the old Burkster been drinking Kool-Aid with the Glendora gang, has he been brainwashed or something worse. Well, I’m here to tell you that I’m still the same cynic I’ve always been, but there are actions being taken by the top guys at NHRA that have given this old curmudgeon some hope. Hope that, based on conversations I have recently had with racers and sponsors, some NHRA executives at the highest levels are listening to the racers, sponsors and the fans and then making decisions that are beneficial and fair for all parties.

Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. Before this year’s U.S. Nationals NHRA circulated a proposed set of rules that covered a wide area of subjects regarding how and where alcohol funny car and dragster competitors would race in the 2000 season.

The content of the so-called proposal itself is not important other than to say that it was totally unacceptable to most of the racers who compete in those Federal Mogul sponsored classes. What is very important and virtually unheard of is the fact that after a meeting between some of the racers and a group from NHRA that included Graham Light, Tom Compton, and Carl Olson, NHRA rescinded the proposed rule changes. As one racer told me, "That is the first time I can remember that something NHRA has printed up and circulated hasn’t become a rule." NHRA even took further action. In a press release posted on NHRA’s web site and written by Graham Light, the sanctioning body not only froze the current rules for the Alcohol dragster and funny car classes through the 2000 season, but announced that NHRA would also review payout schedules, tickets, parking and the rest. Hallelujah!

This action by NHRA is unprecedented on a lot of levels. This is the first time in memory that a printed proposed rule change that has been distributed to the racers has not become a rule.

More importantly and most encouraging is the way this reversal of an NHRA edict came about.

Basically, a group of alcohol racers including veteran racer Bob DeVour got together at the U.S. Nationals with NHRA management including Graham Light, Carl Olson, and Tom Compton and talked. The results, I am told by some of the racers, was that not only did NHRA decided not to implement the proposed rules, but the racers came away from this with a feeling that NHRA and specifically Tom Compton and Graham Light really were trying to help the racers.

One veteran racer actually said to me, "I really believe that Tom Compton is a straight shooter and that perhaps I’ve misjudged Graham Light." It’s been a very long time since I’ve heard a racer say that about NHRA officials. I don’t know if NHRA’s action concerning the proposed rules helped, but consider this fact. There were over 20 entries in both Alky dragster and Funny car at Topeka. That’s more than I’ve seen at a National Event in a long time. I’m betting NHRA’s action toward the class had something to do with that.

But the Federal-Mogul deal isn’t the only good move made recently by NHRA. No sir, these guys are on a roll. Within the last couple of weeks NHRA floated another proposed rule change that would have seriously affected sportsman doorslammer racers. Basically the rule change would have required any doorslammer racer whose car exceeds 170 mph in the quarter-mile to have a 25-1C chassis for the 2000 season. Enforcing that rule quite simply would have put a lot of racers out of business. I talked to several prominent chassis builders who told me that it was not only an expensive proposition but at this late date a nearly impossible one. In the past NHRA has not let those kind of racer problems keep them from making a rule.

As I sit here at my desk I’m looking at an official letter from NHRA dated October 4, 1999 retracting the afore mentioned rule change until 2001!

My friends, there is a cool breeze blowing through the halls of 2035 Financial Way, Glendora, CA. Maybe it is being created by the coattails of Tom Compton as he starts moving through those halls. Whatever the cause NHRA, its racers and fans could stand a little coolness. As I said a little earlier in this column, Hallelujah!

photos by Kay Burk