I love Pro Stock and the trucks getting fuel injection. Keep after NHRA. Someone needs to be a watchdog and you're good at it.

Sincerely,
Dan Stitt

Dan,
There is a history of 200-mph Comp eliminator doorslammers. Jerry Haas drove an A/Altered that did well and there is a 6-second A/GS '63 Vette that also runs well. - Jeff Burk

WE'RE TALKING DRAG RACING ON A TRACK
I am thrilled Chris Martin was able to report on the fastest man every in drag racing…but what about the fastest person? I am referring to Kitty O'Neal, H202 pilot and, according to Bill Pratt at the Drag Racing List, THE fastest ever in the quarter-mile at 412.50 mph.

The rockets were and still are fascinating vehicles that don't get the coverage that they deserved.

Charles Jolliff

Charles,
Our sources indicate that Kitty ran her speed at Bonneville, not on a dragstrip. Splitting hairs perhaps, but…

SUPER CLASS EFI
A quick note about EFI in the super classes. Jerry Gore won Super Comp in Florida (Orlando divisional?) several years ago with an early EFI system. The Folks, TJ Tracy, Joe Covert, Steve Matusek, and many others are currently running EFI in Super Comp or Super Gas.

I love DRO. Keep up the good work.

Kyle Fickler

ANOTHER WONDER WARTHOG FAN
Mygawd, another fan of Wonder Warthog…. Loved that hog of steel. My Bonneville partner, Butch Morris, ran his turbo/Corvair daily driver at the SCTA half-mile drags at Riverside Raceway as "Wonder Warthog" (I lettered the car). We even made up a custom mask with a half-used roll of TP as the "snout." Twas 1965, methinks. Sure wish I'd a kept those old comix. Thanks for rekindling some fond memories. I'll look forward to the Gilbert Shelton drawings!

Bill Holland

P.S. The SCTA geezers did not always appreciate our sense of humor. We ran a 409-powered '53 Studebaker in B/Gas at the salt flats and called it "Yuck Foo." They made us cover it up. So I promptly painted "Yuck Foo Too" on our push car. Take that!

Bill,
Send us a photo of "Yuck Foo." We're not afraid.

FAR OUT, MAN
Yay Jeff!! That Gilbert Shelton thing is so right on I can't believe it. It should be required reading - maybe FORCED is better - for all those who take themselves too seriously!

John Raffa

ONE MORE LETTER ABOUT BUY BACKS…
I was a bit confused by some of the comments in Jok's column. I've never been to a bracket race where the buy-back competitors didn't race each other for at least one round before being "let back into" the race. The buy-back round always went before the round of "real racing." Those that were left after a buy-back round got back in. At least that's the way it is done around some of the Midwestern tracks.

Ron Leek (Byron) was a big proponent of buy-backs and it got his car count up a bunch. I haven't been to Byron in awhile, so I don't know how they are doing it these days. I did attend one race there last year and he had a huge car count. They had buy-backs and big money.

Purchasing a buy back before the event starts sounds like a good (great) idea. A racer's pride (ego) will either prevent him from doing it, or the desire for money will make him buy a second chance.

Look at it this way…you are paying a few bucks more for a time run during eliminations if you lose early. One more chance to dial the car, your head, delay box, and t-stop.

Kaazi

OK, LAST LETTER ABOUT BUY-BACKS
OK, Jok, obviously you have some credentials, however, the personal opinion should stay with you. All you are doing is to stir up controversy. The owner/managers like myself have difficulty as is getting the same guys to show every 2 weeks at our track. The racers generally make this a hobby and want to have fun. Those with the big bucks are the ones out to go fast and get the money.

The buy-backs are a definite good thing for the owner/managers. This keeps money coming in for overhead and improvements. We don't believe in the multi-card program, but do a first round buy-back. The buy-backs race the buy-backs in the second round. However, if there is an odd number of cars, then that vehicle must run a first round winner.

Many of the racers consider this is an expensive time-trial, but it keeps them coming and helps track overhead. We guarantee a purse and have our entry fees set accordingly. The buy-back is half the cost of the initial entry fee. In the end the owner/manager must do what it takes to keep the gates open. Look at it from this point of view and remember those days when your livelihood counted on it.

Burnouts are Great…Look, Listen, and Smell…Ahh

Cliff Nichols
Idalou Motorsports

Copyright 1999-2001, Drag Racing Online and Racing Net Source