Just wondering… Why doesn't NHRA start eliminations for all their events at 10 AM Sunday like they've done at several races this year due television requirements. When the first rounds start at ten, the race is usually over and done with by 3:30 or 4:00 PM. That scenario creates benefits for all concerned. The deadline media, both print and electronic, have more time to file their stories and meet the deadlines, it allows the AP get the race report out on the wire. The fans and racers are able get home at a more reasonable hour. NASCAR has been doing that for years and it is one of the reasons that they get more ink and TV time than drag racing does.
Just wondering…Instead of making the Pro Mod racer's life difficult by waiting so long to make a decision about the rules for 2001 concerning cylinder heads why don't the rule makers at IHRA just makea rule stateing that any billet head except a billet hemi head is legal for Pro Mod in 2001. Hell Chip King has already went into the 6.20 zone with a cast head. And the only thing Mopar cares about is cylinder heads with a Mopar part number. What's the big deal here?
Just wondering… Why hasn't National Dragster and NHRA taken advantage of the fact that one of their freelancers - second generation racer Todd Veney whose dad just happens to tune the New York Yankees' Top Fueler - is a talented driver? It can only benefit the credibility and status of NHRA and National Dragster that one of their contributors is a certified hitter and chooses to race at NHRA events. Wish DRO had someone like him on our staff. (Sorry, Jok)
Just wondering… Since the brass at NHRA took the leap and hired a new production company for their 2001television program why stop at that. How about getting the production company to audition some of NHRA's retired drivers to work on the shows. One of the things that made the TNN NASCAR broadcasts so good was the insights offered by former drivers like Bennie Parsons, Buck Baker, and two time NASCAR Champion Ned Jarrett. Why couldn't NHRA at least approach people like Don Garlits, Shirley Muldowney, or Bob Glidden. These racers could offer viewers insight and expert analysis plus they are names that even casual fans of other motorsports know and respect.
Just wondering…Has anyone but me noticed that there are professional bracket racers with yearly winnings exceeding $100,000 and some which have won in the $200,000 to $400,000 range? Wonder how many Professional NHRA or IHRA racers can match that even with the year end bonuses.
Just wondering… On that same subject, how is it that bracket racing has two races and a rumored third in the works that could pay the winner $1,000,000 and regularly pays over $200,000 to the winners without a televison package or spectators.? I wonder why NHRA or IHRA couldn't put on a race for nitro burners only, charge a big entry fee like the bracket promoters do, and pay the winner a couple of hundred grand to win. I'll bet there would be plenty of takers and it could make great television. All Nitro All the time
Just wondering…If the honchos at NHRA still want to co-exist and even help IHRA as they did prior to Bader and company taking over the sanctioning body. I'd bet a few bucks that isn't the case now.
Just wondering… What has happened to the relationship that NHRA used to have with the Indianapolis Star, Los Angeles Times and other newspapers? For many years the Star would regularly run front-page photos and stories from the U.S. Nationals at IRP, as did the L.A.Times on the Winternationals and the World Finals at the Pomona Fairgrounds. The amount of space given to drag racing in these major papers has noticeably dropped in recent years. I hear that this year L.A. Times reporter Shav Glick, for whom the Pomona Fairgrounds press room is named (!), has scheduled his vacation for the week of the Winternationals. National Speed Sport News's Chris Economaki doesn't attend these events anymore. Does anyone but me think something is wrong?
Just wondering… On same subject as above. Why the IHRA, who stage their longest and largest race (the World Nationals) at Norwalk Raceway Park just an hour's drive from Cleveland, Ohio can't get the major paper for that region, the Cleveland Plain Dealer or anyone from that paper at the race. A check of the Sunday and Monday editions after that race by myself found Zero, Zip, Nada. about the IHRA event. Can anyone see a pattern here?
Just wondering…Why does drag racing have so much trouble getting many of the major daily newspapers to print anything about the sport on their pages on a regular basis despite the fact that between NHRA and IHRA there are a more than 35 National Events staged in most of the major markets. And why, while drag racing gets little or no coverage on the sports pages in those markets, NASCAR, IRL/CART, and even Formula 1 get plenty of ink. Maybe drag racing's sanctioning bodies should swallow their pride. buy space in selected major papers and place results and features similar to what appears in the syndicated "racing page" program that NASCAR promotes and is widely used in papers across the country.
Just wondering…Final thought on press coverage. When will the NHRA and the IHRA figure out that before they can get big viewer numbers for their televised drag racing they have to find a way to convince the daily newspapers and local sports shows that drag racing is a major league sport that warrants coverage even when the circus isn't in town. A good start would be to treat the Pro teams' public relations people with a little more respect. Those people are the men and women whom most print and electronic journalists depend on for inside information and story ideas, not the sanctioning body press personnel. They are also the same folks that in many cases spend the week before the race smoozing the above mentioned TV and print guys trying to get their clients and the sanctioning body ink and camera time. NHRA and IHRA should consider the PR people and their contacts an asset and use them. Attention sanctioning bodies: not putting these guys in the same area as the deadline press is a mistake.
Just wondering… Will all those fuel car racers who wore John Force out about forming a third team be just as hard on Don Schumacher if he fields a three or four car team in 2001 and will Force reconsider adding a third car to his entourage?
 DRAG RACING Online will be published monthly with new stories and features. Some columns will be updated throughout the month. DRAG RACING Online owes allegience to no sanctioning body and will call ’em like we see ’em. We strive for truth, integrity, irreverence, and the betterment of drag racing. We have no agenda other than providing the drag racing public with unbiased information and view points they can’t read anywhere else except in the bathroom
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Just wondering… Can anyone honestly say that fining top fuel teams points and/or money has done anything to speed up the program or mitigate the number of explosions at either sanctioning bodies events? The money and points fines won't change the way racers race. On the other hand, the 90% rule has had a real positive effect. Why not institute more tune-up restrictions instead of picking the racers' pockets?
Just wondering… Why doesn't NHRA and IHRA take a page out of the IRL/CART book and put half of the money that RJR and Summit give them for the points fund into the purse payouts where it can help the low-buck teams? Usually the teams that really don't need the money end up with the big bucks out of the points fund instead of the little guys who are struggling just to pay off the bills at the end of the season. If the sanctioning bodies would, it would be a win-win deal for them. The under-funded teams get some help, the sponsors and sanctioning bodies get a lot of good will and the tracks don't have to take any money out of the till to increase the purse.
Just wondering… If the fans who come to big time professional drag racing really want to see close racing instead of speed and low elapsed time (which evidently many of the people in charge of the sport and the television coverage seem to believe) why aren't there more stands and premium seating at the end of the track? Just askin'.
Just wondering… Will the NMCA, NSCA, and NMRA be forced to reduce the number of races they put on next year in order to cut the budget, attract more racers and fans and thereby start making a profit? There are just too many races and not enough racers and fans to support all of the races. I keep hearing that is the case.
Just wondering…Why did NMCA decide that the ten year tradition of having their final race of the season at wasn't a good idea. Memphis has a lot going for it as a place where the racer could take the wife and kids at the end of the season for a good time as a reward for putting up with his racing during the year. Instead they ingnored a decade of tradition and moved the race to Commerce, Georgia located almost a hundred miles from downtown Atlanta and certainly not a tourist destination, unless you like Outlet Malls and fast food.
Just wondering…..Is there any truth to the rumor that Billy Meyer is trying to sell the Motorplex for about $10,000,000 to a group headed by Dallas Ft. Worth car dealer magnet Buz Post. Rumor has Texas Raceway track manager Bob Hutchison as the point man and a rumored connection with Dallas Cowboy Troy Aikman….Ten Million for a drag strip whoo-ee partner.
See you at the drags…
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photo by Kay Burk
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