WELCOME BACK
Now that's the 'Jeffy Burk' we all know and love.
Happy Holidays,
Keith Ferrell
NO CHOICE
Racers are FORCED to join the NHRA to race. If you are
not a member, no license. The numbers of subscriptions
to NHRA have fallen, and if racers didn't have to get it,
the paper would die. The Dragster just isn't like it used
to be. Keep up the good work.
Jeff Garvin
SEEING THE LIGHT
Jeff, What took you so long to see the candles melting
on the cake?
Jack Redd
(JA) Jack Approved
ole Drag Times Editor & Drag News columnist
CORPORATE SPEAK
Like most drag racers, our family has a very substantial
(proportional to income level) investment in our racing
operation. Just like the management at NHRA, we carefully
evaluate the investment verses the return on that investment.
In Corporate circles that would be considered "Return
on investment," or simply ROI. In racer terms we evaluate
it as "Cost to compete versus derived entertainment
value."
Tom Compton isn't the only one evaluating the ROI of the
NHRA. For the past several years that entertainment value
has decreased substantially while the cost to compete has
risen dramatically. Last year we reluctantly opted to drop
all the NHRA events, all the Division races and all the
National events. The primary driving reason was really
not the cost, it wasn't the extended time required to compete
at their events, it was the disrespectful, inconsiderate
manner in which Sportsman racers were treated at their
events. While not trying to sound like some sort of conspiracy
theory, there is a method to their madness, they just wear
people out. The few that can deal with the poor treatment
will simply pay more to compete. If they cut the field
from 100 cars to 50, the 50 will still pay the same amount
that the 100 did to race.
New "Income streams" will appear, "Hazardous
waste disposal" fees, and "Pit vehicle fees" are
but two of the new proposed ideas being weighed by the
current staff of bean counters at the NHRA. The current
2004 NHRA Corporate philosophy is to reduce the number
of customers, (both racers and spectators), you serve while
increasing the amount the remaining few pay, it's that
ROI thing again. In the end the NHRA will probably eliminate
all the Sportsman racers and the sport will die. By then
Wally will have passed on to a better world and no one
will remember why in the heck anyone drag raced in the
first place.
If anyone in America were to treat their customers as
poorly as the NHRA does, they would be out of business
in a New York second. There are a lot of other places a
family can spend their hard-earned money and not be treated
this badly.
A simple word of advice to Mr. Compton: have your people
improve their "people skills."
Bob Mendenhall
HOPE THEY'RE BRASS
Burk, you sure have balls! I have been saying the same
thing for more than 30 years. Thank you for saying it like
it is.
Joe Yarini
IF ONLY
Jeff, The only reason I'm a member is so I can keep my
competition license. I think your article is right on.
I love drag racing, but not necessarily the NHRA. I only
race outlaw so most of the BS doesn't apply to me, but
if I could keep my license without being a member I would.
Danny Humphreys
