6/24/04

SLOW DOWN??

What's this I read in Agent 1320 about slowing Greg Anderson down??? Has NHRA ever penalized any competitor for being better prepared to race in a class? Greg has found something, maybe several little things to make his car out perform other Pro Stock cars at this time, but someone will find the answer and catch up, just as they have in the years past with other pro cars that have dominated any class for a period of time. I hope Greg has told NHRA what they can do with their suggestion.

In a recent issue of National Dragster, in an interview with Bob Gliddon he said there is no way Greg Anderson is cheating. I know there are a lot of people that think he is, but NHRA has torn the car down countless times and haven't found anything yet. I say let him run, make the other teams work just a little harder to catch up -- someone will.

Kenny Bonnell

HOOKED ON COMPETITION

The article that I just read makes me sick to the gills. The NHRA is pressuring Jason Line and Greg Anderson to back off their combinations because they are dominating! Give me a break. If the WJ's and KJ's and the Jeg's consortium can't come up with a better combo, then, too damn bad. As long as Misters Line and Anderson are not cheating, and there has not been any proof that they have been, then more power to them. Pro Stock is the closest racing on the track, and if someone busts their ass to get better than the rest of the field by a few tenths, then, so be it.

Willie Wade

A FEW SUGGESTIONS

I read your column a lot and I can't agree with you more about the fuel cars. If they want to slow the cars down the simplest way to do it is reduce the cubic inches of the motors.

I also think the Pro stocks need a large makeover. How many cars on the street have carbs and hood scoops from the factory. That would be none. Another factor to make them

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look more like "factory hot rods" would to make them run the actual sheet metal from the cars they are actually mimicking. Allow front and rear spoilers and let them race. Since so many cars run Pro Stock now why not a 32-car field and run a round of elimination on Saturday for the spectators?

Sportsman racing is a whole different creature. Drag racers are like any other racers; they want to go faster. I think the IHRA is way ahead the NHRA running the Top Sportsman and Top Dragster classes. At least you have to qualify for these classes on a ladder and you run as hard as you can. Comp eliminator is a joke since it is so expensive you might as well run Pro Stock. Get rid of it.

The Super classes are obsolete. Any junker can run 10.90 and the 9.90 class for a good car is nothing. Change the index to 8.90 for Super Gas and 7.90 for Super Comp. Spectators also like speed so I believe this would be a good move.

Kurt Carlson

OH. . .THE BENJAMINS

Jeff, I think I can answer some of your wondering's. The reason 30-year-old seat belts are OK but 3-year-old harnesses aren't probably has to do with money more than anything. I remember the first time they told me my Aluminum Trans Shield was out of date and needed replacement or recertification. I didn't see how a metal shield could go bad or what they would do to put it back in shape to recertify it.

The Million $ purse for the fuel cars is probably coming. Please don't give your readers the idea that there is a Bracket Race that pays a Million $. The race is called "The Million" but never pays out close to that amount. Just Race Hype.

I have a wondering also. I attend the Topeka event every year and wonder what those people are thinking. Do they see the crowds returning to the parking lot to eat and drink? I cannot and will not pay $4 for French fries or $8 for a sandwich. We won't even discuss $25 hats. I would gladly pay $5 more for my seat if I could take a small cooler with me to the stands. The fans I spoke to said they would like to bring their children but felt it would be hard to make them understand the costs of eating from the vendors.

I also attend the fall race in Vegas. They have always allowed me a small (6 pack size) cooler in with me. Definately a fine facility. I guess I should have studied economics but this practice baffles me. On the same note I see very little activity at the vendors booths.

Just my opinion. I could be wrong.

Joe Keightley

$1 MILLION TF RACE

Yehhhh!!! Run it at Joliet. Let's see what Tony/Alan can do against Connie et al. or Tim and Kim. I'll pay to go see that! My money's on et al.

Lee Sheets

LOVE THAT CHICK!

Just wanted to drop a note since I don't know how to e-mail Pam but her column is GREAT. She is a riot. Tell her to keep up the good work. Too bad she doesn't write a column every week.

Thanks.

Liz

There is a link at the end of all columns so you can email each of our columnists. There are also links in the staff box on Burk's Blast. -- Ed.

AND MR. PAMMY, TOO

The Utterbacks' two columns are great. Keep up the great work.

Peter Kumble

MORE BENJAMINS

The reason Friday attendance is down is because 1 pro qualifying round on Friday at 2 o'clock so people who get off at work at like 3-4 o'clock can't come. The format for nationals won't change. Want to know why? 500 sportsman racers at $150 entry fee apiece -- you do the math.

Eric Street

AND YOU CAN QUOTE HIM

Burk, Lot of good stuff there. My favorite (Just Wondering) was "Limit the speed and even up the competition" -- Reminds me of PARITY. Anyone who uses that world in the same sentence with RACING should have their mouth washed out with soap.

I really enjoy your "Quotes" from the National events -- This is something we can't get from watching the coverage or from following the race report on the Net. Good stuff.

Frank Oglesby

Thanks, Frank. Ian Tocher spends a lot of time sorting through a lot of press releases, looking for the gems. We certainly appreciate all his hard work too. -- Ed.

DOUBLE-SPEAK?

Jeff Burk: I was just curious how you can justify your diametrically opposed positions on Pro Mod and NHRA Pro Stock recent issues. In the Pro Mod program, you want to unleash the blown cars, yet in Pro Stock you want to throttle them back by restricting use of technology (metallurgy specifically). If you are going to "get up on the tires" about beryllium because of its carcinogenic characteristics, why didn't you get upset when racers started using beryllium copper valve seats ten years ago? Those things are machined in open air.

I am not arguing that you are "wrong"; just that I see inconsistency in your stand on these two issues.

By the way, I think they should do something to achieve parity between the blown and nitrous cars, not just sure what it is as I am philosophically against slowing down a heads-up class yet see the need for both types of cars to remain. I am opposed to the removal of technology from Pro Stock. Last time I looked, this was not an "econo" class. Anderson is dominant, but so what? It did not kill the class when Glidden had the world covered by a tenth, did it? And his comments in National Dragster pretty much told the story that Anderson deserves to be on top because he and his team earned their way there.

Concerns about costs have been with auto racing since the days of Barney Oldfield. It is not new, and it will never change that these machines run on money. Either get the money or do like me and become a bracket racer. And I do not remember it being more "fun" in the old days either. I remember the open trailers, sitting in the pickup watching it rain (now I sit in the RV and watch the TV with the AC going) and wondering if and when we would race. Borrowing the towels from the motel so we could dry the car. Enough memory lane.

I do enjoy DRO and keep it up.

William D. (Dee) Kruse

BURK RESPONDS

Dee, First, I think you need to go back and read any and all references in this magazine to the use of Beryllium. We didn't come down on either side of the issue of whether racers should or shouldn't be using it in engine building. We simply reported the fact that it was extremely expensive and that it was a serious carcinogen and took no editorial position one way or the other.

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On the issue of the valve seats (by the way I think there are some valve springs that have been built with Beryllium as part of the alloy material used to make them), the fact is that I never knew of Beryllium's heath- hazard properties until this subject came to light recently. Had I known earlier that Beryllium was being used and that exposure to it could be a serious health risk, I would have been way up on the tires about its use. I have brought the subject up with several people and have been told that virtually every Pro Stock head has these seats. It is something that NHRA will have to address and I will remind them of that.

As for Pro Mod and Pro Stock issue I am diametrically opposed to slowing these cars down for a lot of reasons but mainly because IHRA Pro Stockers are in increasing numbers running laps in the 6.40 range at over 215 mph and at the race in Canada the final round of Pro Mod saw a 6.34 win over a 6.38. Yuck! These are cars that were capable of speeds over 232 mph and elapsed times in the six-ohs. I have no interest as a fan in seeing a '63 Corvette, '41 Willys or Viper bastardized version of Pro Stock.

One last thing, using the word parity in the any sentence relating to any kind of racing is just ridiculous. There isn't parity anywhere in any motorsport that I'm aware off from box stock go-kart classes to NASCAR's restrictor plate races. I'm of the opinion that trying to achieve the nirvana of parity is simply impossible. -- Jeff Burk

A MINOR CORRECTION

If you look a little closer, it was a Larry Minor-owned car that unseated Force in '92. Not a Gibbs car.

Chris Kelly

IT WAS GRAND AT GREAT BEND

I love seeing the articles about early drag racing history. Thank you for keeping the younger readers informed of the history of the sport.

Not to be picky, but obviously I am or this wouldn't be sent, but I noticed a couple of times in the article (the page 1 photo tag line and the page 2 first photo tag line) both have the typo of 'Grand Bend' instead of 'Great Bend'.

Darn Canadian IHRA event mixing in common names .

Also, if you ever run across more pictures of the old 'Triple Nickel' from Amarillo, don't keep them to yourself. My father has owned that car since 1966 and it is still in fairly complete condition in his garage in Kansas City. My son and I keep the name alive through our IHRA bracket racing cars.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

Wayne (and Bryan) Darlington
Triple Nickel Racing
Akron, Ohio

MORE PRO MOD

It is amazing that NHRA can't see the value of Pro Mod. The stands are just about empty when Pro Stock Bikes run, but, boy, do the people run back when the Mods come to the line. The Mods are one of the reasons I returned to NHRA meets. Big money for a day of watching racing, but the Mods and the other top pro classes make it worth while.

Go Pro Mod, keep the stands full. Thank you.

John Pizza

HARLEY MUSCLING IN?

Now that Screaming Eagle (Harley-Davidson) has put money up for the nitro "Harleys" to run in NHRA, that has all but assured the in line four (Japanese bikes) will not be running any exhibition. When we were running the exhibitions, there was a great deal of interest by the fans and especially, the fuel car people. I guess what I'm trying to ask, "Do you think that we will be able to run at any of the sanctioning bodies (NHRA or IHRA)?" I think that the main drawback, besides the long dollar, is that there are only about 6 in the U.S.

Thanks again for your insightful editorials.

Regards,

Sharon Hand

JET WONDERING

Jeff, to answer one of your "wonderings"..."When is someone actually going to have a real race with qualifying and a ladder for jet dragsters?"

When you can find a track that will run a show where the jets are the only cars in competitions. No racer I know wants to run after the jets have gone down the track. And that's after a single pair. Can you imagine what the track would be like after four or more pair went down. UGLY!!

Your deranged, sportsman racing, west coast nut-bar reader,

Greg Stanley