3/08/04

What's on your mind? Add your opinion to the mix. Send your email for publication to response@dragracingonline.com. Unsigned letters will not be published.

INTERNET BASHING

Jok, I read your article on Dead On and that is (as you can tell from the long letter) one of the things that frustrates me about the Internet. This kind of stuff goes on just about every car related (and I am sure anything related) message forum on the Internet. I frequent quite a few message boards and have seen that it is so common for a person (or persons) to make a claim or fire up an argument based on half truth, misinformation or happen-stance. I have had plenty-a-comical night at work reading posts where a misinformed or just plain ignorant person makes some kind of statement that, because this guy (or gal) is a "post whore" or has a cool avatar their comments are taken as gospel. If you get a chance there is a great article from the editor in the new Hot Rod (I think, haven't read it in a week or so) that talks about how the Internet is in a way "dumbing down" the grass roots and classic hot-rodder. It seems like everybody is a pro on the Internet and a true enthusiast or first timer that has a valid question either gets flamed because "THAT QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED A MILLION TIMES!" or you get ten different answers from people that don't have a frikin' clue what they are talking about! (or are posting an answer just to post).

It is kind of frustrating because the place where people go today (the Internet) to find help information and direction is the very place where the bench racer of days past is now the cyber bench racer.

I think it is a disservice to the guy that is a recreational Internet user that is new to a forum can be put down by persons that have little or no clue what they are talking about (people can be pretty mouthy when they are hiding behind their screen name!).

Unfortunately I have no control over what is said or done on the Internet. I tend to stay quiet and post only when I can really help the person posting (which is the way it should be).

One thing that I did read on a forum that I will never forget is this: REMEMBER! Arguing on the Internet is like being in the Special Olympics. EVEN IF YOU WIN

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YOU ARE STILL RETARDED!

Brian Kluck

DRO regrets the politically incorrect usage of "retarded" in Brian's letter, but the line was just too funny not to let stand. Besides, we hired Chris Martin didn't we?

RIM SHOT

"Just Wondering ... Why would NHRA make Pro Stockers that run 6.70's at 205 run 16-inch wide tires and bead-lock wheels, and allow alky funny cars that run 5.50's at 260 mph run 15-inch wide tires and non bead-lock wheels? Does that decision actually make sense to anyone except Ray Alley and Warren Johnson?"

'Cause we have to run a 45 psi inner-liner safety tire on a non-beadlock alcohol car which sandwiches the tire bead between the inner-liner and the rim as opposed to a Pro Stock car which only ran a bracket style rim where the tire is merely held on with sheet metal screws. I haven't heard of an alcohol car using anything but a 16x16 rim for a long time.

J.R. Chaput