Just Wondering ... Did anyone brief Clay Millican or Doug Herbert on the way the Autostart system works? Especially the part where after one driver turns on the stage light the other driver has just seven seconds before he gets the red light. It would appear, at least at first glance, that if a driver pre-stages and then stages after his opponent pre-stages he or she can't be burnt down.

Just Wondering ... Why didn't starter Rick Stewart make a statement and red-light both of those drivers. That would have sent a message to the rest of the drivers that what we are doing is competitive drag racing not competitive staging.

Just Wondering ... Am I the only person who finds it hard to believe that Mike Kloeber doesn't give Clay Millican advice on how to drive? I'd love to have been on the Werner team's frequency to hear what was said during the 67-second staging duel.

Just Wondering ... Why would Kloeber tell people that he had the biggest fuel tank in the sport? It may have just been coincidental but it sure made it seem like that they had planned for something like this.

Just Wondering ... Who goofed at ESPN2 concerning the Monday airing of the rain delayed Maple Grove event? They ran one announcement that said the show would air at 1:00 AM on Monday and another that listed yet another time. I tried for the 1:00 AM show and got the world skip rope championships.

Just Wondering ... Why, when NHRA sent out their 2003 schedule they listed every class that would appear at every race but not one mention of Pro Mod at any of the ten races? Can you blame the Pro Mod racers for feeling like NHRA doesn't care about them when NHRA's publicity department seems to go out of their way to act as if the class and racers are non-existent.

Just Wondering ... Am I the only one who thinks IHRA president Bill Bader's request for a public apology from Doug Herbert for his remarks about IHRA on national television will happen right after IHRA VP Aaron Polburn apologizes for some of the statements he has made about NHRA in his Drag Review column. What about the harm those words caused NHRA's sponsors, fans and members. Oh the humanity! My guess is when hell....

Just Wondering ... Did I miss the announcement that the Vince McMahon's WWE had made a return to drag racing? I mean, first a proposed match between the heroes from opposing federations (NHRA vs IHRA). Then an interloper invades the other federations turf and gets in a fight on the starting line. The skirmish takes place between a 6'5"/250-lb guy and a guy measuring 5'10" and weighing in at around 165. Sounds like the Big Boss Man versus Spike Dudley to me. Then trash talking at the finish line and in the pits, then a letter from the commissioner of the rival league demanding an apology or face disbarment. Will Vince McMahon's script writers for Thursday night Smack-down please call? Your missing script was found sealed in a POWERade bottle on the steps of the timing tower at Maple Grove.

Just Wondering ... Will IHRA adopt NHRA Top Fuel rules so that NHRA racers towing from Phoenix to Gainesville might consider a stop at the IHRA Winter Nationals in San Antonio, TX which will be run the week after the NHRA Phoenix event?

Just Wondering ... How long before IHRA's Pro Mod fans tire of seeing most IHRA Pro Mods running 6.40's on race day and IHRA Pro Stocks running 6.50's? Am I the only fan that misses Pro Mods that consistently ran 'teens at around 230?

Just Wondering ... How long will it be before Bill Bader makes IHRA a two division sanctioning body with sponsors and titles for the Canadian racers and another set for the racers in the states, with a big showdown at the end of the year with a second race at Norwalk?

photo by Randy Fish

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