NATTERING NABOBS OF NEGATIVISM?

Recently I was riding around in a golf cart at a National Muscle Car Association race with racer and friend Tony Christian. I was looking around at the distinct lack of race cars on the grounds and lack of people on the Manufacturer’s Midway. I mentioned something about this to Tony and he said "Burk you’re the most negative guy I know!"

That incident fortified a feeling I’ve had for a while. I’ve been feeling guilty about the negative slant my columns seem to have.

I would much rather write something bright and positive about the sport of drag racing than constantly being critical, but my problem is that most of the time I can’t find anything to be positive about and, really, it isn’t from lack of trying.

The fact of the matter is that my life as a drag racing journalist (and fan) would be much easier if I ignore what I see and hear and just write some fawning piece about how everything is just peachy-keen in the sport.

Believe me, that is what the powers that run this sport would like to see happen. From the men who run the sanctioning bodies to the men who run the press rooms the theme these days is "BE POSITIVE!" Don’t write stories about poor attendance, bad TV ratings, loss of corporate sponsors or anything else that is happening. Write something that will make people believe that everything is just fine. It’s getting so bad that if you are perceived as being negative you’re in danger of being a persona non grata in the press rooms.

The hard fact is that drag racing as a major league sport is going through some very tough times. There are some very dedicated men and women working as hard as they can to make it better. All that the legitimate press is trying to do is make sure that a little light is shed on all of the problems so that something can be done to fix them and maybe offer a solution along the way. Apparently, to some of those in positions of power the best way to solve those problems is not to admit that the problem exists and try to fix it but to instead tell the press and the public that everything is just dandy or deny that any problems exist and woe be to those who don’t drink the Kool-aid™ (metaphorically speaking).

Apparently, some of these people have forgotten that a journalist’s job and the job of those who feed info to journalists (publicists) is to report the news, not make it up to suit their plans. I don’t believe that journalists are the nattering nabobs of negativism that Spiro Agnew thought we were; I think we are just reporters of the news and we are responsible to the readers exclusively.

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And now for some good news about NHRA and Tom Compton.

I kind of picked on the NHRA and its president Tom Compton in my last column. Well, in the interest of fair reporting I’ve got to say that since I wrote that column I’ve seen some things coming out of that sanctioning body that really give me some hope.

First, Tom Compton bringing Len Imbrogno, Bob DeVour, and Ray Alley into his circle of advisors was, I think, a great move. For a long time many of NHRA’s racers have felt that many of the people making decisions which directly affected the racers had no clue what they were doing because they had never been racers themselves. These three guys have impeccable credentials as racers and business-men and have the confidence of the racers. Their presence will go a long way toward convincing both racers and manufacturers that NHRA really wants to work with them and will improve relations between the racers and the sanctioning body.

Second, NHRA’s decision, with Tom Compton’s stamp of approval, to add proven spectator-popular classes like Pro Mod, Goodguys A/Fuel dragsters, and foreign car classes is nothing short of brilliant in my opinion. For the first time in 30 years, NHRA added classes that will put new fans in the seats, bring new cars through the back gate and new racers to NHRA events.

Third, NHRA took the lead in American major league motorsports by proposing to replace carburetors with fuel injection in two of their professional classes in 2002. A gutsy move that will get them some heat from the manufacturers, but in the long run will gain them respect from both Detroit and the mainstream press. And wouldn’t it be cool if NASCAR followed NHRA’s lead for a change?

In my opinion these decisions are an indication of the new direction Tom Compton is taking NHRA. I’m not sucking up here, folks, I’m just reporting the facts, but I do have just one question. Tom, why couldn’t you have given us a few of these bombshells at that press conference?

photo  by Kay Burk

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