This great big family of ours has just lost another member. A sad day in the sport. I didn't know Darrell Russell; the man raced in our sport & he gave all there was to give. On some sites around the net people are asking videos or film from the crash. Why? Are these people doing this in the interest of safety? Sensation, we see it all the time -- road accidents some slow to watch what? People's pain & suffering? What really shows how a group people can live their sad little lives on pain of others. Come out from behind your keyboards, show yourselves & let us communicate our thoughts to you.

John Geltink

As a former racer I just wanted to send my deepest regrets to the family of Darrell and to Joe and the whole racing team. Words and prayers are all I have to offer from my heart to everyone there. I wish I could trade places so he could still be here for his family and fans, he was so talented liked and loved. God Bless you all through this time. I see on other sites message boards Doug is catching flak for his interview on -air (Do people ever think maybe he was in shock), people should quit the complaining about that and think about the loss to Darrell's wife and family and friends and what the sport has suffered and quit throwing stones. Also my thoughts go out to Pappy CJ Hart's family and friends we lost him also. This hurts as bad as when I lost my friend, NHRA photographer Les Lovett.

Jim M. White

Dear Jeff, When you do your story about the crash, Please sir, would you tell us what caused the crash to the best of your knowledge. Can you please tell us what caused his death. I just can not believe it was impact. Something had to hit him or penetrate his body. You have never been one to lie or b.s. folks that read your online paper. Please sir, don't do it now. Thank you and God Bless.

Joe Smith

Jeff, First, a tip of the cap for the fine work you've done with enhancing DRO over the years. I check it every day.

(NOW THE ZINGER) You guys represent the "credible truth" on drag racing's toughest issues. Please find a way to be more timely, though. I recognize that you are a monthly Internet magazine and not a "breaking news" website, per se.

However, I (like many, I'm sure) have been scouring the Internet trying to find out what happened to Darrell Russell above and beyond what the NHRA has released to the press. This is the niche that DRO is supposed to fill, in my opinion. Clearly, you have the inside connections and journalistic integrity to "get the story", and to get it QUICKER. On the ESPN broadcast, one of the NHRA Safety Safari guys let it slip that something had "violated the cockpit". That tells me that Darrell may have been killed by a wayward piece of the motor or tire, but no one has pursued this tidbit in the mainstream media. At the very least, I expected that DRO would have put its initial take on the tragic incident on its website by Sunday evening.

In summary, then: Keep up the great work, but please step into the gap and report on high-level breaking news in a timely fashion in your Agent 1320 column. And while you're at it, feel free to get us the "real story" on other tragedies that the NHRA has never disclosed the details of, namely Lee Shepherd and Blaine Johnson.

Thanks,

Jim Gledhill

Kudos to you guys on the Darrell Russell coverage...especially the poem by Mr. Fisher!! Those are the best words of remembrance that could be said! You guys have shown a LOT of class in this terrible situation.

Hopefully things change for the better as a result of this. NHRA had better wake up! Thanks.

Todd McGehee
Boonville, Ind.