A NUMBER OF THINGS

I have some observations/comments about the idea of a strike or other

actions against the NHRA:

1. Who are the drivers/owner who conceived this idea?
2. Agent 1320 should publish their names so we can know who is behind this.
3. Anyone who understands basic economics, knows that it is not possible for NHRA to pay purses like NASCAR.
4. Anyone who thinks that breaking the NHRA financially to prove that the drivers/owners have the "power" is wrong.
5. Why would Mr. Force and Mr. Schumacher think that supporting a strike will take the sport to the next level?
6. A strike will set in motion a chain of events that will take the NHRA "down".
7. This idea comes at a critical time when the tire-chunking problem also threatens the future of the NHRA.
8. What do Wally and Barbara Parks think about all this?
9. Do the PRO drivers/owners that support a strike really care about the future of the NHRA?

Thank you.

James F. Williams

ONE IN A MILLION

The timing of these events makes me wonder...  John Force was shocked a couple years ago and maybe of some of the other team owners and drivers recently were too, when they found out the winner's share of the past Million Dollar races. I know the flyers for the Million were mailed out a few weeks ago. Maybe someone on the PRO board got a copy and decided they just couldn't stand for a bunch of bracket racers to earn a larger purse than even Gary Densham earned at Indy! 

And yes, this note is meant to be sarcastic of the situation.

Your deranged sportsman/bracket racing reader,

Greg Stanley
Brentwood, CA

SMALLER TEAMS NEED BIGGER PURSES

I think it's good if the PRO members do what they need to do to keep NHRA in check, and while purse increases will never be enough to keep the big, modern pro teams on the track, it is important that they go up. Increases in round money won't make a difference to the Bud car's budget, but there are a bunch of lesser funded teams out there that may be able to maintain or increase their participation with better round money.

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I don't think there's a racing series out there that can support its participant's through its purses. You couldn't have the chance to win the NEXTEL CUP money (not sure how much that is; well over a Mil) if you didn't have the $15MIL or so to burn chasing it. With regards to the NHRA, I think purse increases are way overdue, and not just in the Pro ranks. The Alky classes, which are supposed to breed the future nitro stars, race for the same peanuts that they were years ago, and we all know how much it costs to run those cars. But I guess that's another story...

N. Joseph Valerie Jr.