DragRacingOnline.com - Drag Racing from a different perspective!

6/24/04

Here are the variety of letters we have received so far concerning the death of Darrell Russell and the problem of too-fast nitro cars.

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.

Maybe it's time to consider putting some HEAVY DUTY rear fenders on ALL dragsters. Then weight could be added to the front of the car and that would compensate for the extra weight on the back. Attach the fenders to the rails rather than anyplace else and this in turn would slow the cars down.

I realize this is very simplistic but then so am I. Or could Goodyear build a better tire?

Jim Kelly

You're right on the button with your commentary about the nitro cars going too fast on tires that can't handle the speed.

I was impressed with seeing a fuel car go 330mph in a 1/4 mile for the first time a few years back, but I also could see the danger on the horizon. Decreasing the size of the injector and fuel pumps could be a possible solution in getting the cars to slow down some without taking away too much from the overall sensation of nitro racing. The risk, though, is turning the fuel categories into a Pro Stock-type scenerio. Sometimes close racing can be boring when all the cars are going about the same speed and e.t.- you know what I mean.

I'm done being impressed with records, I wanna see a more competitive alternative that is fairly safe. (Having just been to the Pomona Goodguys event, breaking records isn't the end all. I had just as much fun at that event than I do at the NHRA.)

Just some brief comments and a possible solution.

Mark Beauchamp

Fullerton, CA

It is rare in recent times for me to agree with Jeff Burk's editorials. What he has written about Mr. Russell's death and the safety crisis in nitro racing is very true.

There were plenty of warnings, plenty of injured drivers. Yes, the tires cause these accidents but there are other problems. The current wing construction is a bad joke. These wings collapse, all the downforce is removed in an instant and the car is out of control. The mono strut wing on Garlits car is one possible answer. It surely would be an improvement.

While less blower overdrive is an effective way to slow down alcohol cars, the best way to slow down fuelers is limiting fuel volume. There would be enforcement problems.

Fuel drag racing and therefore all drag racing is a critical point. Leadership must now come from NHRA.

Norman Hechtoff

Thanks for the story on the tire problems. Great job of getting IT right.

J. Newman

Jeff: Great article and I am sure you will catch some serious flak for having written it. It is a shame that NHRA waits until someone is killed to implement appropriate safety rules. After Blaine Johnson ran into the cut-off to the return road, NHRA mandated that all cut-offs be closed until the end of the track. Connie Kalitta survived a horrendous accident in 1990 running into the cut-off in Houston. When he was interviewed at the hospital, he quipped, "The Doctors tell me I am alert, conscious and stable. Three things I have never been before at the same time in my life." Blaine was not so lucky.

NHRA had six years to do something about the open cut-off problem and took no action. But when oil down's and the 90 minute between rounds rule threatened the TV schedule, the oil down penalty and the 75 minute rule were put into place very quickly. When Hines's dominance in Pro Stock Bike threatened the competition of the two-strokes, the weight rule for Harley's was changed in weeks.

Darrell was too good a guy to deserve this preventable fate.

Joe Holzer

As you realized last issue, drag racing is not bracket racing. Any racer is trying to go fast and every one wants to improve. But most us of decide what type of car to run on how fast you can afford to run. You purchase the pieces like everybody else, maybe make a few but you put your better way together and go run. The drag racer wants to be competitive first (qualify) then step up (go a round or two) and lastly to win races. When you buy the parts you expect a certain longevity from your money spent. Tires would last so many passes (10-14 alky car) like any other part. But five years ago when Goodyear corporate decided that Racing Division has to turn a profit (I kinda remember 10 or 12% of investment was the goal) and they started moving production out of the United States and prices went up and more importantly quality has suffered with each new number tire.

Darrell died because a tire failed (The tire coming apart cut the wingstrut & threw a piece of it through the cage & it penetrated his helmet). I've wondered for years why NHRA let the nitro cars get away from tubes & liners, why is the rear wing so far back as to make the chassis bend. (How many times before it work hardends and fails?) Why you can only run a hemi and no smaller than 490 ci, why a lot of rules that only make it more expensive. (Why does anyone need 45 lbs. of boost at the hit if the clutch doesn't lockup till three seconds into the run?) Tires were a problem in the 60's when someone figured to slip the clutch.

Thanks,

Danny Hunter

Ian, I'm glad someone spoke up about the vultures. John Bisci, our PR person, is always scanning e-bay looking for LVMS and Drag Racing related items and found a Joe Amato/Darrell Russell autograph card going for more than $200. It is sickening.

On Monday our local WB news station decided that they needed to do a story about the tragedy in drag racing. I refused their request to be on camera. I don't remember this crew coming out to our event to cover the racing; they only wanted to cover this tragedy. They replayed the crash and put their little story together that ran at 10:05 p.m. on Monday.

In Tuesday's Las Vegas Sun columnist Ron Kantowski made this statement about the WB coverage: "...If you're wondering when will be the next time local news shows a drag racing replay after the circuit leaves Las Vegas, the answer is simple: The next time someone gets killed."

Chris Blair, Director
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

I just read Susan Wade's column on Darrell Russell. First off, thank you, Susan, for writing the story. I got the honor of meeting Darrell and his wife Julie at the 2002 Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, OH. Tony & Cara Schumacher introduced me to the both of them. It was after Tony was beaten by Larry Dixon in the semi finals. Darrell had red-lighted against Tony in the second round. Tony was the one who actually introduced me to them. I found them both to be just how Susan described Darrell, very quiet and did not need to make an entrance. Tony & Cara always talked about Darrell and Julie and only had great things to say about them. I am so thankful that I got to see Darrell's last WIN in Columbus this year. Tony Schumacher could not have lost to a better man or team. To say there is an empty space in my heart would be a major understatement. Losing Darrell is like losing one of my own family members. Drag Racing and mototsports has lost one of the best. Darrell Russell was a STAR in the making. Please keep the Russell Family and the entire Joe Amato Team in your daily prayers.

God Speed,

Kevin A. Bennett
Wilmington, OH

I agree with everything (Burk) just said. My solution to the problem is to shorten the track for the Nitro cars, Run them to the 1/8 and shut 'em off!! But to still do a good show take away a few of the restrictions that have been used to "try and slow em down" like gear rules and fuel limits. Just my .02 cents

Thank you.

John Brady

I do totally agree with your analogy to NASA about crying wolf over the tire issue. Putting "butts in the seats" became the focus of all the sanctioning body people. I personally have noticed that tech (NHRA and IHRA) has not been as tough as it used to be for a couple of years and it has concerned me, wondering who was cutting corners and would wind up in my lane with me at 180 mph.

I do not feel sympathy for Mr. Russell; he died doing something he genuinely loved to do. My sympathy is for the "family"; not just kin and racing, but all those non-racing friends he had away from the track and who just knew him as Darrell Russell, not a race car driver. Mutual friends that knew us both and knew we both drag raced were always asking me questions because they were amazed to know he raced at the level he did as he did not wear it on his sleeve. He and I were not acquaintances; we talked a couple of times that I remember as fellow competitors many years ago in the Super Comp staging lanes.

Unfortunately, our sport has lost another piece of its future. Right up there with Darrell Gwynn and Blaine Johnson. We will get another rule change written in blood.

William D. (Dee) Kruse

Dear Jeff: My hat is off to you sir, you are TRULY a spokesman for us ALL.

NHRA stated that ONLY 2 drivers have been killed (in NHRA NATIONAL EVENT) competition, but failed to state that there are quite a few that are killed in this sport at the various local NHRA tracks on almost a weekly basis.

Orlando Speedway comes to my mind as I have been there racing on a few occasions. The antiquated guard railing that they have there is REAL SCARY, and I for one wouldn't want to venture into it with a Dragster (or with anything else for that matter). Update guard railing or impact resistant materials (like NASCAR uses), might be of some benefit.

NHRA needs to address these problems, and bring in the necessary talent to rectify these safety issues. NHRA needs to spend less time counting the gate receipts and NEEDS to remember WHY this sanctioned sport was started in the beginning.

Eugene Wagner

Jeff, you're right on the mark with your editorial on forgetting safety. Our ability to make power and apply it is way ahead of the tire technology. Granted, Goodyear has and is doing it's best to design and build a product to support the speeds and loading, but there are limits. Frankly, I can't think of a real or perceived need to compete at over 300mph. Maybe it's flawed logic, but wouldn't it be nice to see once again what we had some years back when common people could and would build top fuelers for a Saturday night deal at Lions? 60-70 cars going for 32 spots at a weekly race?! Hell...we had a nice show at Motion Raceway (IL) every Saturday night with an eight-car qualified field and paid $150 per winning round! Was it that long ago when we competed for the love of it? Granted, corporate $$$$ has elevated our sport to the level we find it now, but the question still is, are we better off now when we struggle to fill a 16-car field?

Personally I'm not so sure. I'd much rather see the pits full of fuelers attempting to be part of the show than what we have today. Call that antiquated if you must, but the days at Drag City in Springfield where Stan Lomilino sold nitro out of the trunk of his 47 Ford tow car for $2 a gallon and Jim Paoli still showed up for a weekly race wasn't all bad.

Thanks for being the voice of all of us that love this sport....more than the need for 350mph fuel cars.

Ron Evans

Jeff, thank you for not mincing words. As you have alluded, the nature of the commercial safety net of the sport has been discouraging resolution of the tire problem in fuel classes for years. I just read an old Pete Millar cartoon on the topic from, I believe, 1997. It gave me chills....

The likelihood that the paradigm will shift with or without cooperation of all parties is standing in front of us. Insurance of CLU special risks can only create so much underwriting lattitude. It's time for the sport of speed to reach down into its bottomless (pit?) solutions...and be brave enough to change. My personal opinion that multi-mag and pump motors are akin to multi-engine dragsters would gain only scoff from the under 40 set. I don't have the magic answer. I DO know that an untapped market to view 350 mph speeds in a safer, evolved, engineered and (gasp) hot rod oriented environment that can only be created by dire and immediate need is out there. We love speed. We've known --and have felt pressure not to discuss the obvious -- that the quarter-mile format is not the long range home for progressive twilight zone times.

I'm all for spending as much as folks like to go as fast as humanity is capable of tolerating...but not at National Trail....not on "rubber". We need minds willing to create an all new playing field for limitless runs. I want to see a new push for some sort of LSR-oriented venues. The time of standing start restrictionless activity may need to cease until the 'Goodyear' problem is dealt with. Meanwhile, hot rodding and its 21st century spawn will need a set and setting to evolve..and it will evolve whether or not we do it on a traditional drag strip.

Philip Bradford

1020 ft. It would not cost a dime and could be done tomorrow...save motors and lives....and I think everybody would be happy...how simple is that.....plus all the race tracks in the USA would love it. Who else do we need to talk to?

Dan Horan