NHRA SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE BATH

Burk, you're not a racer. You're a journalist, and you all as a group are afraid to criticize NHRA because you're afraid you'd get your credentials pulled. NHRA regularly steps on the sportsman racers from ET up through the national event level. If what they did was so good, how come so many racers went home? Why was SC and SG only a six round affair each? And why in your article don't you even mention Stock and Super Stock? They aren't 90 classes; so Jeff, you don't even have your facts straight. The only thing NHRA should have done was cancel the whole race and race when they could race everyone together.

To REAL sportsman racers, not mouthy wannabes like yourself, racing a big race like the Gators is a life long dream. That's why they come from such distances to race there. I'm from Connecticut and many of my friends went to race. And they went to race in front of lots of people (I've done it and its fun!) at a first class, safe facility, not a sh***y narrow short track like Orlando. If NHRA invested some money in the sportsman pits they would drain properly and this would not have happened. And yes, I've raced at both places; Gainesville when I first drove a car at Hawleys, and my friends 10.5 second 68 Cuda at Orlando. I own an 8 flat bracket dragster and have been racing for 14 years. NHRA owed it to the backbone of their sport to take a bath and do things the right way. Not surprisingly, they didn't.

Jeff, I think you're a wuss for taking their side, and I've lost all respect for your e-zine. I know the business end, incidentally, and I'm not arguing the facts, only the reality. Jeff, are you an anti-war protester, too?

Bill Horton

MORE THAN MONEY NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED

I was not there in person, therefore my time, money and ego were not directly effected by the NHRA's decision to split the venue. Further, I want to briefly approach this as a fan who as aspirations to be in those sportsman ranks very soon. This was a difficult decision that also impacted the paying spectators and the level of trust in the leadership of the NHRA. I know that this particular race is every bit as big Indy in the hearts and minds of many of the loyal fans that enter that historic raceway. For me, to lose the presence of the sportsman racers at any national event would be like skipping every other inning of the seventh game of the world series. (or maybe like ending the All Star game in a tie ... ) Yea, it's only a race

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(or a game) and in light of the horror in Iraq it seems insignificant, however I see more going on here. I see a diverse community of people wanting to be a part of something larger than themselves. Many of us, being brutes, have a hard time admitting this but I do think this underlies a lot of our love of this sport. That all the other more tangible aspects of our sport.

Having said all of that, I think that any future decisions made must consider more factors than just financial. To consider the common good for all, including the fans, will prove to deepen the trust in the leaders of this sport, which will give us all a deeper hope for the future. Especially in these uncertain times. Thanks for the space.

Regards,
Brett Porter

AT LEAST THEY GOT TO RACE

Those at the NHRA did what needed to be done. Those "racers" got to race, the HRA, did not do any thing except come up with another way and place to race.

Will Heritage