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6/9/04
Wondering some
more in June
Just Wondering ... Is
the only thing more boring for the professional drag racing
fan than watching the same big budget, fuel cars and drivers
win over and over, watching big budget professional bracket
racers dominate a series? I mean, bracket racing isn't really
a spectator sport but watching the same cars run the same
number relentlessly at one event? Yawn, snore.
Just Wondering ... Speaking of the same drivers and cars winning
everything, why not have a rule at big dollar bracket meets with three
races over a weekend that limits a racer to winning just once? The
promoter might lose a few entry fees from the professional racers and
teams, but I'd bet they would pick a lot more entries from racers who
knew they wouldn't have to race the Pros every race.
Just Wondering ... With NHRA making a spoiler rule designed to slow down
the 333-mph Funny Cars of Gary Scelzi and Whit Bazemore, how long will
it be before the tech committee makes a wing area reduction for the Top
Fuelers to slow them down?
Just Wondering ... How long will it take for the major sanctioning
bodies in drag racing to realize what almost every other promoter
already has? In order to attract casual racing fans from away from other
forms of racing there have to be fewer "breakout" classes and more
heads-up classes where the first car to the finish line is usually the
winner.
Just Wondering ... Why not have a series of "SportsNationals" races?
Drag racing's Sportsman racers need a support series like NASCAR's Busch
Series that race at a few major venues with television coverage. Most
track operators will find room on their schedule for a race that would
guarantee them 500-800 entries. I know, I know, we already have division
races but those races don't have the prestige of a "National event"
which is what Sportsman racers and their sponsors crave. NHRA already
has the tracks, a series sponsor and a television package to support
this series.
Just Wondering ... How can a 30-year-old OEM seat belt pass an NHRA
Safety inspection and an aftermarket belt be junk in two years?
Just Wondering ... Is NHRA really trying to sell off some of its
properties and will Atlanta be the first to go?
Just Wondering ... I love old fuel cars as much if not more than the
next guy but am I the only one that thinks the cacklefest act is getting
stale? Now if they would let a few of those old nitrogeezers and their
cars make a lap, that would be entertainment.
Just Wondering ... How about a "cacklefest" for old Pro Stock or Funny
Cars just to spice the deal up a little?
Just Wondering ... Did you know that the last 32-car Top Fuel field was
at the 25th annual U.S. Nationals at Indy? Wouldn't it be cool if they
did something like that for the 50th?
Just Wondering ... What's up with the writers at Sports Illustrated or
perhaps more to the point what up with Joe Gibbs? SI did a big story on
Gibb's return to the NFL and went into detail about his NASCAR career.
Not one word about his NHRA career and the fact that his was the only
Funny Car to derail the John Force freight train before Force's own
teammate did so last year.
Just Wondering ... It's really a shame when the "suits" and neophytes,
many with no real history in drag racing, who are in charge of the sport
go to such great lengths to limit speeds, and even-up the competition
"For the good of the sport." I would love to know where the hell they
got the idea that real racers and real fans of drag racing are more
concerned with close competition than they are with who has the quickest
and fastest hot rod.
Just Wondering ... Shouldn't
Dickie Venables be in line for a crew chief of the year
award nomination for the job he has done for Tony Pedregon?
Just Wondering ... Why doesn't one of the major sponsors of NHRA or IHRA
drag racing cough up the bucks to bring back the Car Craft All Star
program? Am I the only one that thinks professional drag racing needs a
non-partisan All Star program to honor the stars of drag racing?
Just Wondering ... When is someone actually going to have a real race
with qualifying and a ladder for jet dragsters? I'd pay to see that
show!
Just Wondering ... When
are the professional nitro classes in drag racing going
to get a million dollar purse race? When sprint cars, bracket
cars and who knows what else can get races with $1,000,000
purses, why can't drag racing. I say put the money up, make
it a 32-car field for any nitro-burning car, charge an entry
fee if you have to and let's have a race that would attract
national attention from the electronic and print media.
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