I have to go back to the TV coverage. Why in the world don't they use some Sportsman racing to fill in between rounds of tire smoking fuel cars? A little tech insight on some of the Sportsman cars would interest more fans than watching Del Worsham walk around the pits with a baby stroller and Gary Scelzi interviewing him from inside an upside baby crib. If technical things aren't what a race fan wants, why do you think the American Choppers, Monster Garage and other hands-on mechanical shows are the fastest growing shows on cable TV today? Show us the Manufacturers Midway, teams swapping engines and converters in the Sportsman pits, we want to see something beside Dick LaHaie telling the same old stuff.

Come on NHRA, give the race fans what they want. If you can't give them side by side Nitro action because of the junk track prep or rules that have gotten so out of control the power cannot be controlled on a regular basis, then at least fill the void with some interesting tech features. Show us just how tricked-out those Featherlite transporters are; go into the sportsman pits and show the TV audience that there actually are other racers there. Show the final rounds of the Sportsman classes, the uniqueness of Comp Eliminator cars and some heads-up wheel-standing Super Stock action. And one last thing I have to mention --- why didn't you do a feature on or at the very least show Ashley Force making a pass in her A/Fuel dragster? Yeah, yeah, I know you have Sportsman coverage. Not that Alcohol dragster and Funny Car are Sportsman by any means! How small is the audience that watches those shows? Teeny-tiny-itty-bitty is my guess.

I am sure I am not the only one who is tired of seeing the same interviews with the same old 65-year-old crew chiefs that really say nothing technical. Why not show the viewers the clutch system that is so crucial in making the cars get down the track? Show an inside view of the cars (under the sponsor's decal laden aluminum body). And the last thing I can't get over, get someone else to help Mike Dunn announce ... maybe someone who has actually raced a drag car would help.

I know I am supposed to be the bracket-racing editor but this is a subject I just could not ignore anymore. I hope they do something to at least make their TV coverage interesting. If not, forget it, as I cannot believe anyone who tuned in for that two hours of torture will be eager to watch the GatorNationals in a couple of weeks. It is just about as exciting to watch the results show up on Summit's Drag Race Central ... and that is a sad situation.

Hoping for more. (Yes, I'll probably tune in to see for myself. Too cold up here to race yet.)

nicholson@dragracingonline.com

P.S. NHRA, please quit turning down the sound when the Fuel cars run, OK!