11/30/04

ROUTE 66 BLUES

I have heard the rumors about having one national NHRA event at RT 66 Raceway after the 2005 season.

What a shame this may happen, because there are a ton of drag racing fans in the Chicagoland area. There are many reasons why the stands are not filled to capacity and the track management at RT 66 need to look in the mirror for most of the reasons.

Granted the weather has not been kind during the major NHRA events at RT 66. There have been many rainouts especially on Friday nights. I have not seen a full Friday night session in three years and the weather can be a bit cold during the fall race. The weather for hard cores like myself will never stop me from going to the races.

The main problem for RT 66 is that it is the most expensive venue of all of the tracks visited by the NHRA. Go on Sunday and reserved seats will cost you $65.00 for adults, $10.00 for kids and $10.00 to park.  Throw in $6.00 beers, $5.00 hamburgers, concessions and souvenirs, and for a family of four this could easily come out to $250.00 to watch a drag race. 

What happens is that many fans go out to the parking lot to tailgate and have a good time while most of the non-nitro classes are running.  I believe this track can hold over 25,000 fans. I think there is an illusion of empty seats because most of the fans are either tailgating or in the pits. Put the same amount of fans in a smaller venue like Reading and the place will look packed to the rafters.

RT 66 management, it is time to wake up.  There is a lot of competition for entertainment dollars in the Chicagoland area. I refuse to pay you outrageous prices for a day at the races. The money that you could be getting is not going to you but to my local liquor and grocery store.

RT 66 is the crown jewel of all NHRA sanctioned tracks. World records being set each year with 28 top fuel and 23 funny car fields that rivals even the event Indy. Many fans agree with me that it is too expensive to watch a drag race at RT 66.

And what the fans need to do is bring family or a friend to a RT 66 NHRA national event. I brought my son to his first drag race ever during the RT 66 fall event. You could consider my son the anti Christ of auto racing for he has absolutely has no interest in any type of auto racing whatsoever. He absolutely loved the race and now is hooked.  He cannot wait to go to next year's event!

There is hope for the world!

Bruce Lewis
St John, IN

ATTA BOY KEPNER

Just going to say thanks for a great story on my race. Anything I can do for you let me know.

George Howard
Huntsville, AL

A WELL-READ READER

Mr. Martin, (I use the term "Mr." with humbled respect)

As one who rarely responds to the written word, I found myself obliged, nay dare I say...compelled, to write you in regard to your latest "mind-fuck"(with apologies to Richard O'Brien) "Lightning in Gray Clouds". Not since the glorious days of "Dr. Gonzo" in Rolling Stone and "The Great White Shark Hunt" have I read prose my minds "chinese" eye could see. The base subject matter, tax returns?!?!, didn't deter me from continuing past the first paragraph. I was tempted to break out the Wild Turkey, grapefruits, 'ludes, poppers, or even the cobwebbed hookah from the back of the closet. I only have one small complaint... did you have to shoot up the barrel of young "buds"... MY GOD MAN!!! every life is sacred.

If it means another story like this, I will mail MY tax returns from the last decade post haste.                                                            

James Hines