KUDO TO NICHOLSON
Excellent article on buy backs, finally someone who has thought this out. Thanks. Maybe we should forward your article to all the track operators, I am, that’s for sure.

Mike Cooper

WARNING TO NICHOLSON
Jok,
As a graduate electrical engineer with 35 years experience I can only wish you good luck in your decision to eliminate fuses (on Project 4-Link). I have seen everything from race cars to submarine control panels melt after using a similar design philosophy. In nuclear subs they have a battle override which shorts around the fuse/circuit breaker. As the name implies, this is in case of battle damage where if the equipment doesn't come on you die. Fusible links are O.K. only if the wire connected to them can take about double the fuse current for a very long time. I have been racing and wiring race cars for quite awhile and have never had a fuse go bad unless it died protecting the circuit it was attached to. I usually use 3ag slow blow fuses. My current hard tail dragster,(real men don't drive 4 links), has been run every weekend for five years with no uncaused failures. I have heard the " my fuse blew and cost me the race" story many times. After removing the fuses in favor of fusible links or straight wire I usually hear " my wiring sure smells bad and looks kind of black". I hope you do not get to be in the latter category.

Ron Burke

WHERE’S BOB GLIDDEN WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
Being such a big Ford fan, I was just wondering what happened to the Fords in NHRA? It would make it a lot more interesting with Fords in the Pro Stock series. I'd also like to see some Rangers in the truck series.

Greg Lewis

GOOD QUESTION
Hey there, is this a mag or what?? Looks like a similar to Drag Racing Monthly?? I know that the magazine became like a dodo, extinct (at least in my area) so I guess this is what has taken its place?? Great reporting and great articles!! I`ve been in the great underground (so to speak) because we just got a computer a couple of months back! It’s kinda cool being able to directl e-mail racers and actually get a response from some!! Anyways, great job to you all and a quick question to Agent 1320. Are the nitro racers expecting a (body) controversy soon?? Thanks again.

Clipper Wallace at clipperw@yahoo.com

NEEDS AN APPRAISAL
Hope you can help. I work for a credit union and we have just repossessed what was a restored 1971 SS 454 that now has been converted to a dragster. Bored out 350, racing transmission, racing wheels, double pumper fuel system. Body is in great shape. Fuel system needs some work. Will crank, but won’t run for long. Sounds great. Need an avenue to sell and someone honest to tell me a ball park figure of value. I've been given anywhere from $4K to $8K. I haven't been around drags strips in a long time; I'm a "turn left, go fast" fan. Hope to hear from someone soon.

Contact me at francie@memberscreditunion.com

MOTORCYCLE RACERS LIKE DRO TOO
Thanks for your coverage of the good old-fashioned Wednesday night match race at E-Town. We were one of the “couple of bikes thrown in for good measure,” having the distinct privilege of being invited to match race Bob Spina’s Top Fuel Nitro Harley with our “underdog” injected alky turbo Suzuki funnybike. What an honor to line up and run in the grooves laid down by greats such as Muldowney, Herbert and Pedregon!

By the way, our first round 6.771 at 207.24 is believed to be the quickest/fastest run ever by a Suzuki funnybike (We’ve not received any notice disputing that claim!) Thanks to the great clutch setup by our crew chief John Weimer, we went on to defeat Spina 2 out of 2.

Just wanted to let you know that we motorcycle drag racing enthusiasts enjoy your e-mag, too, and really appreciate even the glancing mention of the bike action at E-Town. Also, it was nice to catch up with Todd Dziadosz…we hadn’t run into him since the early ’90s at Beaver Springs.

Thanks again and keep up the great coverage!

Wendel Douthat
Team Douthat Funnybike

Subject: A Name From The Past
Dave:

I have just learned of your website today, it's great!  I'm still kicking and will be involved in York US 30 Musclecar Madness on July 12-13, 2002 at the York Expo Center at the York Fairgrounds, York, PA.  We will be presenting a tribute to York US 30 Dragway, and the Land of NED along with musclecars of the era.  Relive the 60's and 70's with plenty of drag racing memorabilia.  

Our website Yorkus30.com should be up and running within the week.  Bill Stiles of Super Stock fame is my partner and we are moving along quite well with a title rights sponsor, etc.  I won't bore you with all the details, but it has my adrenaline going again as I haven't been to a drag race since '91.  Hope to hear from you. Best regards.

Darwin Doll
Ole NED

WHERE HAVE ALL THE CARS GONE?
Very good food for thought by Ron Burke.......as much as I dislike "bracket racing"....al la Mini Van beating 4.90 dragster....he has a valid point....Here in North Carolina about the only real heads up racing is the Quick 8 Pro Modifieds...and I attend almost all races within 100 miles. Within the last two years fields of 18 to 22 cars as a norm are down to 6 to 11 sometimes not having enough to have a qualified field of 8 and the operators having to use T/S or cars out of class there for test & tune to complete the field of 8??????????Next??????

Steven Sink

WE RECEIVED THIS BEFORE THE ADRA DEBACLE…
I had the pleasure of attending the ADRA's second event at Cordova Dragway. I was embarrassed by the lack of turnout.  The car count was horrendous.  This new organization has "put on the line" so to speak to bring nostalgia drag racing to every part of this great nation.  It was almost criminal to see the lack of doorslammers at this event.  As a Nostalgia drag racer myself, I fully expected to see a large contingency of bodied cars at this event.  If people don't get out and support this organization, they could quite possibly be the last to try to bring nostalgia racing to us at this level.  The “wait and see attitude" won't work anymore.  It takes a lot of time and money to do these races and it is quite obvious by those who attended, that this group has the right idea and should be supported to the hilt.  So come on racers, get the cars out of the sheds and garages and make that next race or we won't anywhere to go except the bull shit race the Goodguys run at Indy every year.  If you live in the Midwest and on the East Coast, where else do you have to go in order to live in the past and have a blast.

Dennis  Kennelly
AA Gasers Association

LOOK, UP IN THE SKY…
Hello. I'm from England and over here it’s difficult to keep up with what's going on in the real drag race world. Us Europeans are just as keen on drag racing as yourselves; it’s just harder here.

I must have missed something so I have a question:  Over the last couple of years I have seen a number of cars and bikes temporarily carrying  'Superman' graphics all over the bodywork. I particularly remember Warren Johnson, Mike Myers, and John Force (who else ...). What's going on? Have they won something? Is it a special, temporary sponsorship deal, and if so, with whom? Who gets it, when, etc.

This question has been bothering me for a while now - please help.

Phil Minion

PS:  I have only just discovered your web site but I am sure that I will be a regular visitor from now on - keep up the good work and remember it’s not just the United States that's listening.

BURK REPLIES
Phil, welcome to the magazine. Glad you like it. As to your Superman question, here is the answer. A couple of years ago the die-cast company Action Collectibles had a cross marketing program where John Force, Joe Amato, Warrren Johnson and I believe Matt Hines all had their race car or bike painted with the Superman images. The idea was to sell Action Comics books and Action collectibles with a large portion going to the free Lex Luthor fund. It was just a one-time money scheme and nothing more.