2/20/03

GET REAL?

Collectively you guys need to pull your heads out of the sand (or elsewhere) and look around at the reality of our sport.

You advocate bringing the imports to national events, but in your reply section you admit to only receiving one request in four years for information about imports. I believe the import races are participant races that draw a lot of competitors but very few fans. They belong at the track on their day, not lost in a national event.

The super classes are killing themselves with the poor show they put on at the races. They will always be included because their entry fees pay a lot of expenses. Look at the stands when they run, nobody is there. I know they run at bad times, but if they drew any fans they would be moved to better times.

Bracket racers are complaining that tracks are dropping the bracket program. It is their own fault. They do not look to see how they can help the promoter make the program grow. They are only interested in what is in it for themselves and after a while the track gets tired of the whining. The promoters have found they can make more money with no hassles on a test and tune night. So that is what they are doing.

NHRA is growing because of their fuel shows. Without them they would not have the huge crowds and the TV package with ESPN. Traction control has no place in drag racing. The fans get the most exited when there is a pedaling contest between 2 cars. Why? It puts the drivers' skill squarely into play. Fuel altereds were always popular because they were always doing something different. Early funny cars were the same way. Spectators cannot tell a 4.90 run from a 4.60 run unless the 4.60 is ran next to the 4.90. The cars are too fast and too expensive to run presently and some of the recent rule proposals would have made it more so. We need to simplify the cars to get more entrants, which in turn will make the fields more competitive.

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The fuel classes are necessary at any event that you want to draw large crowds so that the other classes can get exposure. No sanctioning body will have continued growth without them. Even Super Chevy put nitro into their pro mod cars to sustain their following. I can prove these statements with tests that I ran for Carlton Phillips and IHRA a few years back when they were considering dropping top fuel. Or you can keep your eye on the stands at Pomona as the different classes run. Better yet take pictures of the stands in the middle of each session of each class and post them so that everyone gets a chance to compare them.

I am not a rich person by anybody's standards and I have competed in a lot of classes of drag cars from bracket 1 to comp, ta/fc, tad, to fuel funny car and top fuel. I race fuel because it is what the majority of the fans want to see and it gives me an opportunity to make a profit racing. And no matter what class I participate in, the racing has to pay for itself for me to continue.

Virgil Hartman

REMEMBERING CLEO

I am a new comer to your site. Read the article about Cleo Chandler and it brought back some great memories. She was truly one of the sports finest. Her competitive spirit made her a champion, but her compassion for life, family and friends made her a winner! I still miss her.

Anne Flynt

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