 EVIDENTLY
DON IS NO YANKEE FAN
Well, I see that cry-baby George had his way and Mike
is gone from behind the butterfly of the Yankees digger, same for Ken
on wrenches. Here is my wish. I would LOVE to see Mike and Ken team
up again. Now I am not a stick and ball guy, so I cannot name teams,
but wouldn't it be great to see Mike and Ken in a AA, sponsored by the
baseball team the Georgie boy HATES THE MOST!!! God! that would be great,
especially when Mike and Ken would go out there and send Darrell and
his car back to Miami. Hell, Darrell could be just like McEwen was years
ago, and make his plane reservations to fly home every Sunday at 12.30
PM!!!!!! A Toast......may Darrell's car experience 25 DNQ's in 2002!!!!
Thanks for allowing me to vent.
Don Richerson
Somerset, Kentucky
KUDOS FROM A CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
Jeff, GREAT NASCAR vs. NHRA $$$ column! Drag guys need
to also figure in that Cup teams NEED more money since they could have
anywhere from two dozen to 150+ employees on the payroll, plus, they're
tearing shit up just about every week ...
Thomas Pope
PRO STOCK RULES CHANGES MIGHT SAVE CLASS
Any truth to the rumor that Pro Stock engine size will
increase to 550 inches? I'm aware of the weight being reduced to 2300
lbs. It seems like a good thing to me. Those rules haven't changed in
20 years. If something isn't done I think the Pro Mods just might replace
Pro Stock in a few years.
Thanks,
Gary Blair
50 POUNDS? 50 POUNDS!!! (letter
unedited)
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN;
YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!
WHY WOULD YOU WANT PRO STOCK CARS TO WEIGH 2300 LBS? YOU THINK 50LBS
WILL MAKE THEM RUN CLOSE TO A PRO MOD!!!! IF YOU WERE WARREN JOHNSON'S
SIZE AND WEIGHT WHICH HE IS ONE OF THE BRAINCHILD'S OF THIS STUPID MOVEMENT...THEN
IT WOULD BE GOOD BUT WHAT IF YOUR DRIVER ISN'T THAT SIZE AND YOU ONLY
HAVE 60 LBS BALLAST IN YOUR CAR, THAT WOULD LEAVE YOU 5 OR 10 LBS TO
MOVE TO BALANCE OUT YOU CAR!!!!!!! YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THINGS BEFORE
YOU BACK A RULE CHANGE!! BETTER YET MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET A JOB AND TRY
TO MAKE ONE OF THESE CARS GO DOWN THE TRACK!!!! YOU SHOULD REPORT STORIES
NOT MAKE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING YOU HAVENT A CLUE ABOUT.......
A CONCERNED PARTY.......
James Coakley
THE EDITOR RESPONDS
Hey James,
Kind of up on the tire here aren't you? We got the rumor,
repeat rumor, from a couple of Pro Stock car builders and they seemed
to like the idea. In fact, I'm pretty sure the Pro Stock guys are the
people lobbying NHRA for a weight break. As for the rest of your rant,
I did call a couple of fast guys and asked about the 50 lbs and they
all liked the idea.
Just for the record, I've been racing my own stuff from
Stock eliminator to Fuel cars for about 25 years and I'll take a weight
reduction whenever I can get it. Actually, getting a 50-lb weight break
might help some of us get a better grip.
Jeff Burk
REBUTTAL (letter unedited)
Racing stock elm and top fuel is nothing like a pro stock
car i've raced fuel nothing equates to pro stock that goes on with a
fuel car....... the guys you talked to weigh 150 to 175 they carry 90
to 100 lbs of ballast they would still have weight to move, having a
225 lb driver you cant do that!!!!!! And if you know anything about
pro stock having the weight in the right place is very important.....that
would envolve building more pieces out of lightweight material which
in turn drives up the now out of control cost!!! Plus not even thinking
of what safety issues would arise. These cars are on the edge now, with
the marginal tracks the nhra prepares.. Anyway it's a very dumb idea
and 50lbs wouldn't make squat to the et's it wont help fan appeal at
all. The nhra needs to get off of showcasing the fuel cars and helping
the prostock guys or we will be the next ones axed!!
Have a happy new year
Jim Coakley
NO NEED FOR WEIGHT CHANGE
NHRA tech director Danny Gracia says the Pro Stock weight
will remain 2350; you might call him. The Pro Stock assoc. did vote
for it but he says (and I agree) there is no reason to change it.
Regards.
Tom Roberts
NHRA GOT A SPONSOR AND NOW HAS TO KEEP
IT
NHRA have struck a great deal with Coca-Cola. Tobacco
sponsorship in motorsport is "easy money", since tobacco companies have
so few other places to advertise. Coca-Cola had no such restrictions
and, as a global player, could have invested its POWERade money almost
anywhere. It is to NHRA's credit that Coca-Cola was persuaded to see
drag racing's potential value.
However, NHRA must now deliver marketing results. The
POWERade deal runs through 2006. At the same time, tobacco money will
finally depart from Formula 1. F1 was criticised in (Jan. 3) Autosport
magazine for not doing enough to attract fresh backers such as Coca-Cola
to fill the coming tobacco void. F1 has five years to get its act together,
which it must do to retain its present, profligate form. NHRA's POWERade
deal is small change compared to an F1 sponsorship but the pressure
on NHRA, if it is to extend its Coca-Cola relationship, starts right
now.
Come 2007, I should hate to see POWERade's logo adorning
F1 cars at drag racing's expense.
ROBIN JACKSON
London, England
GOOD QUESTION, PHIL
I read in the NHRA rules that having a Gatorade logo,
patch, or decal on the drivers suit or car is a no-no. What about other
soda and soft drink advertisers like Pepsi? Could Evian or Jolt Cola
sponsor a team?
I found the rule prohibiting Gatorade rather interesting
considering Budweiser or Winston never stopped their competition from
sponsoring teams in the NHRA. Heck the Miller Lite car of Dixon won
the Bud Shootout at Pomona.
Is Bud still sponsoring the shoot-outs?
Philip R. Hutchison
SEMI-LAME ANSWER, BURK
Philip, very interesting observation and comment. I don't
think that any other soft drink company can be involved. Your point
is well taken but please bear in mind that we are talking about the
series sponsor. When RJ Reynolds (Winston) was the series sponsor no
other cigarette manufacturers were allowed.
Jeff Burk, Editor
SAY WHAT?
Re: Ian Tocher's column
I can tell you from the reliable sources within NHRA that
I know, Pro Mod will NEVER be a sanctioned NHRA Pro class. First reason,
GM's sponsorship of the NHRA Pro stock stipulates that NO doorslammer
class can be faster than Pro stock! Second, Pro Mod isn't the feeder
class that the former FM classes are. How many Pro Mod racers have moved
to the Nitro classes? Personally, I like the Pro Mods, I saw them at
Indy for the first time. However, if they don't get away from the blown
'63 Corvette concept, the class will suffer! The blown vs Nitrous war
got Pro Mod where it is. If that goes away?
Joe Sherwood
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