|
A COUPLE OF THINGS
I agree with (Ian Tocher) 100%. However we
know that profiteering has become a way of life.
I was reading about the Street Car Shootout
at Gateway. It makes me cringe every time I
see "Street Car" connected with racing. Our
family owns a '69 Camaro and '88 Corvette. There
has to be a better title than Street Car Racing.
Even cars that never see the street are called
Street racers. This causes more problems with
the public than anything I can think of.
I read the entire web site regularly.
Thank you.
Bill Sterling
SPORT COMPACTS ARE A FIRST
STEP
Dude, that is what I've been saying. Not to
diminish the efforts of those folks, but it
isn't as big as the marketing gurus and sponsors
would like for us to believe. I see it as entry
level hot rodding, not a new or evolved version.
How many that are into the sport compact stuff,
and are serious about hot rodding, end up graduating
to bigger motors with more cylinders?
If the sport compact deal can lead them to
the track, that is great. Once you get them
their, open their eyes to other types of cars.
How many would like to get into a super gas
type car?
As far as the high dollar/high tech cars running
in the "pro" categories, I've been saying all
along that they should get a place in Comp.
Can ya see Nelson Hoyos up against Dean Carter?
Now that would be cool.
Did ya read the cover article in last month's
Hot Rod? Some interesting stats on the sport
compact market.
Dale Smith
SPREADING THE WORD DOWN
UNDER
G'day, my name is Geoff Crisp and I am the
publisher of Dragster Australia, a fortnightly
colour drag racing mag from Australia. I am
impressed with (Darr Hawthorne's) comments about
the US Sports Compact deal and how it's not
living up to its promises. We are having the
same deal here in Australia and I would like
to reprint your comments in my magazine as it
shows exactly what's happening here but some
of the people have blinkers on and cannot see
the forest for the trees. We keep saying "Sports
Compact is not the next big thing".
Kind Regards,
Geoff Crisp
Publisher Dragster Australia
MORE TO SPORTS COMPACTS
THAN NHRA
I read your recent column on sport compact
racing, as compared to the 50's and 60's hot
rodders (and even the NHRA Big Show). While
many of your points were on target, you should
look beyond the NHRA Sport Compact Summit to
get a fair idea of where sport compact racing
stands.
While the NDRA (NOPI Drag Racing Assoc.) DOES
have all of the "lifestyle" elements as part
of its show (bikini contests, sound competitions,
etc.), it also sees a lot more professional
drivers and attendance numbers at many of its
events. Do attendance numbers always match those
of the NHRA Big Show? Of course not. But how
long has the Big Show been around and how long
has sport compact racing been around?
The numbers really do speak for themselves...
more sponsors (both automotive and "mainstream")
are hopping on board with the NDRA each year,
more drivers are joining the NDRA each year
and attendance numbers continue to grow at each
NDRA event. The truth is, the sport, and the
series, are growing.
Jim Sias
Alan Taylor Communications
New York, NY
|
