|
My best dining experience on the
NHRA tour this year was at William B's at the Stardust
Hotel in Las Vegas.
The dumbest "professional"
class move of the year is again awarded to the Pro
Mod class for feeling that validation for a great competition
series is somehow made real by buying their way into the NHRA
POWERade show. With all the money paid out, Pro Mod racers
can be repeatedly shit upon by NHRA and treated worse than
the Super Classes at National events.
 The
coolest drag car I saw all year
is Chip King's Dodge Daytona Pro Mod. (Photo
by Zak Hawthorne)
A combo award for the coolest
person I met this year who drives the most amazing car in
doorslammer competition is Monty Berney and his 6.96/202
mph Pro Street Œ55 steel Chevy shoebox.
The best rumor of the year with
the most hoped for result was Bruton Smith buying the
NHRA. This award is combined with the most humorous, tap dancing
denials from the NHRA.
The one NHRA show I missed and wish
I could have made this year was the second Chicago
event of 2005. The one Texas NHRA show I missed and wish I
could have made was the 20th anniversary at the Motorplex.
The just "Pull the Plug Award"
goes to NHRA when they finally dispose of the Sport
Compact series after the 2006-racing season. The biggest surprise
of the year was the NHRA settling out of court with the Pro
Stock Truck Owners Association.
Worst solution to a problem: 85
percent nitro and rev limiters imposed upon "unlimited"
nitro cars. Combine these with the "No Competition Award"
to official tire supplier Goodyear. Despite the mythology,
there really are other tire companies who will step in to
make that 340 MPH tire if Goodyear cannot or will not do it.
My pick for best NHRA Big Show PR
person is Ted Yerzyk for getting Larry Dixon, Tommy
Johnson Jr. and the Snake "Out of the Box" media
exposure. In addition to local newspapers, he's gotten the
Snake in Sports Illustrated, Stratos magazine and on Speed
TV's NASCAR Trackside Live from Bristol. Getting Larry Dixon
into Sports Illustrated's Pop Culture Grid and in Racer Magazine.
Also reading TJ & Melanie's articles on drag racing and
their relationship in DRO and local newspapers. Yes Ted is
a friend of mine, but he continuously thinks outside the box!
The most underexposed racing series
on the left coast is the Pacific Street Car Association.
The best new retro-style T-shirt
design of the year goes to Coby Gewertz (www.seeohbewhy.com)
for his Church design series.
Sorry I missed the Goodguys Seattle event where the Crazy
Horse Mustang nitro funny car set the new sub-six second ET
record. My biggest hope for 2006
is for the continued growth of classic nitro funny
cars and not to screw up the class with frequent over regulation
spearheaded by hidden owner agendas.
The biggest disappointment in Goodguys
was the continuous top fuel oildown delays for almost every
round of competition and qualifying. How about deducting VRA
points or hefty fines for slowing down the show or make the
offending oiler help to clean up the mess!
In my book the most missed retro
drag racing personality is Pammy Utterback.
The saddest moment of the year
was the death of nitro evangelist Mike Demarest, what a loss
to us all.
For me, the best place to camp out
on the left coast while attending a drag race is at
Infineon Raceway. Combine this with the best bonding experience
among fans and racers while waiting for the showers in the
early morning hours at Infineon.
The biggest turn around for a dragstrip
is California Speedway's Gillian Zucker and her new understanding
of the importance of drag racing to SoCal racers and fans.
The new facility will hopefully be finished by May 2006.
The best additions to SoCal drag racing are Kathy and Dave
Danish at California Dragway, the best-kept secret drag racing
facility.
And finally the Left Coast "Trust
Me I'm Building a Dragstrip Award" goes to the
promoters at Banning Drag-City.
Here's wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas
and the best New Year-- pass the eggnog, I think I'll have
another. 
|
