 PRO
MODS REMIND HIM OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS, BUT . . .
Just read (Burk's) article, and you are right about the
Pro Mod class being the most exciting; they make me remember the good
old days when racers weren't a bunch of corporate sponsored damn millionaires,
they were regular hard working people who loved cars and wanted to race,
and everyone didn't have the same damn car with a different paint job,
and after every round you didn't have to listen to a commercial about
how well the XYZ toilet plunger dragster ran.
I have been a life long drag racing fan and do a little
bracket racing myself, but recently I have noticed I don't have the
same interest in watching the Pro classes as I used to and its because
of the cookie cutter cars and corporate B.S. involved. I just wonder
how long it will take for NHRA and corporate America to suck the life
out of Pro Mod?
By the way, great web site, I read it all the time.
Sincerely,
Paul Wolfe
PRO MODS ARE FUN - FOR NOW
Thank you, Jeff, for saying what is true. We have enjoyed
competing in the AMS Pro Mod class this year. Qualifying in the top
16 but not making the field. But we know the fun will end when this
class is pro and we can no longer compete with the big money. Hey! But
we are having fun now. Who knows, we still might qualify this year and
if not it's a kick trying and entertaining the fans.
Thanks again for noticing the class.
Dennis Radford
Baker City, Oregon
HOW LOW CAN THEY GO?
Did anyone notice the LOW car count in La. at the IHRA
event, especially in Pro Mod......I know some were in Atlanta such as
Vick who won BUT....is this the quick beginning to the END.....Pro Mod
is IHRA....without them what do they have 9 TF,16 AF/C, 9 TF Harley's?????
(actually they have 3 TF and 6 "junkers").......SAD....and it is not
even JUNE!
Steven Sink
WELCOMES MR. WILSON
It's good to see Dale working with a quality magazine
like yours. He is a great writer and knows his bracket racing well.
Should be a great addition to DRO.
If you get the chance, tell him I said hello. He may remember
me from the BRUSA races held at Indpls. Raceway Park.
Tony Neu
MR. WILSON BRINGS IN ANOTHER READER
Just saw your site for the first time, excellent! I heard
it mentioned on Perfectrun.com and found out Dale Wilson was here so
I HAD to check it out.
Will this be the replacement for BRUSA/DRUSA? I didn't
notice any fees, how do you get paId? Just ads?
Anyway, good to see an excellent drag site, I'll be back!
F.J. Miller
P.S. You can put me in the anti-import category!
P.P.S. I bracket race an '83 GT Mustang (footbrake)
Yep, we just rely on advertising, which is why all
you loyal readers need to support our advertisers and tell them you
read Drag Racing Online.
¿DONDE ES EL CAMINO NITROUSO?
Jeff, where are the El Camino stories? Did you sell it
or NOS it to death?
NM
El Camino is in the shop getting a few missing pieces
put on. I have been to every IHRA and NHRA race except one this season
and haven't had time to take her out. I'm off the road for about 6 weeks
and will be taking El Camino out to Gateway for Wednesday night racing
in a couple of weeks. An update will be coming soon! - Jeff Burk
WHY LEAVE LOUISIANA?
We all know that IHRA has a few tracks in the Texas and
Louisiana area, but to pull the plug on having a top of the line race
is dumb. If they (IHRA) had any sense they would pick another time of
the year when the weather is better. The track is as nice a track as
there is. Now if the big time racers can't handle the weather (that
includes the president) then they should stay home in beautiful Ohio.
I do know that 90% of all IHRA is east of Louisiana but to tell everyone
we aren't coming back because of the rain (in your words) is a little
hard to take.
I do hope that the Red River Raceway can get NHRA to come
in with a race and show IHRA how to run and promote a race.
John Dearmore
A SHORT HISTORY OF DRAG BIKES
I'd like to recommend the Bud Hood & C.B. Clausen motorcycle,
the "Brute", ridden by Jim Hunter as one of the outstanding bikes. Chet
Herbert's "Beast" was the first noteworthy bike, but in 1952 the Brute
was #1, Frenchy LeBlanc's "Beauty" #2, and Joe Fernandez's "Saint" (ridden
by me) was #3. Engine dislacement was also in that order (from the Brutes
about 95 down to Joe's 80 cubic inches). The Brute did 172 mph on Avenue
5 in Pomona around 1958, and the engine was installed in the John Cooper
streamliner car at Bonneville in 1954, where it destroyed the transmission
and vibrated a large percentage of the beautiful aluminum body rivets
loose without making a good run - Cooper couldn't get the engine to
run clean due to starting in 4th gear.
By the way, Sam Parriot won the very first official drag
race event ever on his Ariel square 4 motorcycle at the Santa Ana blimp
hangars - I watched it. Just for fun, I'll mention that I was top eliminator
(over cars and bikes) at the Pomona drags in July of 1952, riding Blackie
Bernal's 650cc Triumph motorcycle - I was also almost killed on it the
next month at Bonneville. A head shake enabled me to get a 139 mph official
time sliding in my bathing suit without the bike. I am the reason bikers
now wear leathers at Bonneville. Was this the last time a bike was top
eliminator? I almost got run over from behind by the car (supersonic
Sam), who crossed over into my lane. Luckily I didn't know it until
someone told me after the race.
Tom (Tommy) Smith
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
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