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DEAD TIME IN THE DEAD-O-WINTER
January is never a good time to write an auto racing related column. Christmas, and all it's wallet straining excesses are a too-fresh memory, and it's cold just outside the window. Despite the ever increasing number of test dates on the winter schedule, racing seems a long way off, from a Midwestern winter perspective. Unless you actually have a race car to get ready for the coming season. You all are probably already working in "behind time," if you know what I mean. Anyway, the 2003 season approaches, and one can only wonder what awaits us, the drag racing community. Let's take a glance at some of the issues still on the leading edge of the drag racing scene.
PRO MOD
The overall IHRA/NHRA Pro Mod situation is being overshadowed by a new development -- the race to become the first "doorslammer" in the five-second zone. All well and good, and congrats to whoever nabs the laurels. But when it happens, what's next? Other than a possible dollar parlay for the "winner," I can't see this barrier busting doing the sport one ounce of good.
The car that runs the number will most probably be a one-off combination, unlike anything else currently being run. And how exciting will actual Pro Mod racing be when the fans compare a 6.20 lap that legal cars will run to whatever ET the no-limits circus throws out the back flap of the tent? Maybe the fans will be satisfied by the exciting racing Pro Mod Elim offers. Who knows? Hey, I know! Somebody should hook up a blown alky motor to a hydrogen peroxide rocket, set the whole thing off and disappear over the horizon--and take the five-second circus with them!
NATIONAL EVENT TICKET PRICES
This is a popular subject on the talk-talk circuit. Should ticket prices be lowered at NHRA national events? Sure, they should. Will they be lowered? Come on, you know they won't. If you have ever spent more than two minutes talking with any promoter (of anything) you must know how right Barnum was. You know, the 'nother sucker born every minute deal. Believe it, the promoters of the world live and breathe the sucka mantra. They firmly believe there is a never-ending source of customers willing to buy whatever is presented to them.
How do you think alcohol funny cars got started? Some promoter got tired of paying nitro prices for booked-in cars, figured he could pay some anonymous alky-burner less, and the paying folks would be none the wiser. Did it work? Well, twenty years later we have Alcohol funny cars, but no nitro match race circuit. So you tell me if that was a good thing.
Back to the dollar thing. If it makes you feel better, rant about ticket prices, go on ahead. It isn't going to change.
FEATURE CLASS, LOCAL VENUES
Maybe nobody but me is bothered by the utter lack of weekly drag racing shows that can attract paying customers to the nation's drag strips. Oh, and those thousands of fans disguised as empty bleacher planks. It is probably my fatal flaw as an observer of present day drag racing, but I remember when going to the drag strip every week was the thing to do in many communities around the country. At least for the gearhead segment of said communities. I cannot accept that no one in the sport can come up with a fix for the problem.
With all the skill and insight that undoubtedly is on tap at NHRA, surely they could take a stab at it. And fellas, the answer ain't import racing. As soon as that age group gets a kid or two, or a mortgage under their belt, they won't be busy being the future of drag racing. Maybe it's up to a racer, whoever he or she may be, to think up drag racing's unifying concept, a car that racers can "afford," and one that can draw paying customers to drag strips far and wide. Don't laugh. Dirt Late Models got thought up, and they draw more fans to tracks than bracket racing does. Personally, I like the idea of a class for injected nitro funny cars. What's your idea?
THE YANKEE-ZATION OF IHRA
Maybe that should be "Yankee-izing," I am not sure. If I was going to move south to run the IHRA circuit, I think I'm already too late. The Canadians should be happy though. Great racing fans up there. I met many of them on my treks to Spokane, Washington. They pay cash and get mad only when you won't let them into the race track. Kind of like Tulsa, come to think of it!
Anyway, it seems IHRA is getting a bit far away from where most of their racers and tracks are located. Actually this could be a good thing. North versus south has some promotional value, if you ask me. Maybe they could split the whole deal into two. Run a north national schedule and a south national schedule, and have the top dogs from both face off in a season-ending special event. They could keep their southern base and expand their Northern track roster all at the same time. Sounds like a plan to me! In the words of Bill O'Reilly, "What say you?"
Shoot, it's time to quit writing a column and go back to selling ads. Gotta
eat, ya know! At any rate, it will be fun to
see what develops during the 2003 season, even
if it has nothing to do with anything I have
discussed here. Later!
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