A FEW SUGGESTIONS
I have to say I completely agree with your take on NHRA
drag racing in its current state. The fuel classes have
become a nitro-burning version of Stock Eliminator with
"spec" parts. I can understand a lot of the reasoning
for safety and to control a lot of cost but they have taken
innovation, creativity and unique thinking out of the equation
and unfortunately that is what makes people stand up and
cheer. It seems as though NHRA needs some forward-thinking
people with a vision of the future to think about rules
changes before implementing them. They have done so much
point and shoot rules making in the past two years that
most teams can't keep up. Example, what's next? Additional
bars in the floors of Pro Stock cars to prevent the damage
caused to Bruce Allen's car in Dallas? It was a fluke deal.
NHRA does need to make a lot of changes to keep butts in
the seats at National Events. Your 10 changes you suggested
last month was a great start and should be implemented but
the ears in Glendora have a tendency to have swinging hinges.
I have a couple more suggestions for you to add to the
list regarding sportsman classes and making them more "FAN"
friendly. I offer these because I am a long time sportsman
racer in everything from Brackets to Top Comp/Sportsman.
Stock and Super Stock are pretty
much okay in their current states and wouldn't change much
about them. They are still a lot of fun to watch.
Super Classes. Can you say "Total Makeover"?
In the past 4 years they have taken these classes and made
it so everyone can cut a light and run the number. My suggestion
would be: One: take all the indexes and drop them one full
second. 90 percent can run that fast and it would eliminate
the throttle stop time to make the race appear more like
a race, not a hare chasing a rabbit. New indexes SC=7.90
/ SG = 8.90.
Second: A .300 Pro Tree or instant green. With LED's and
the current chassis available, any car can go red on a .400
tree taking a lot of the "racer" function out
of the equation. TRUE you still have to react to the bulb,
but if you have any consistency at all, you'll be .400-.410.
An "Instant Green" or .300 bulb would put some
chassis tuning and driver reaction back into the equation.
Currently, the Super classes are almost like slot car racing.
Let's make it a driver's race again.
I have a whole three page document I've been working on
for about a year that would be a total restructuring of
the NHRA sportsman racing format but may just be a wish
list because I don't see NHRA making THAT BIG of change
any time soon but I will tell you it would let the local
bracket racer (the little guy) eligible to race at an NHRA
national event with out having to travel to several divisionals
before becoming eligible with enough grade points and have
to have a "class specific" race car. I'll have
to share it with you and Dale Wilson some day.
My goal for such a change would be to allow a local racer
a chance to participate on the NHRA grand stage without
sacrificing his livelihood and family life to do it. There
are a lot of local bracket racers that attend national events
and know they will never get to participate because its
not a class specific car. It's just a bracket car. Yet they
are the "backbone" of the sport and they are the
ones filling a lot of the stands.
Anyway, sorry to make this so long. I love reading your
features and believe you see a lot of things going on that
could use a lot of correction. Take care.
Brandon Lundeen
WHERE'S THE INNOVATION?
I think you echo the sentiments of just about everyone who
has invested a significant number of years watching nitro
drag racing. I have two NHRA national events in my backyard,
but I'd much rather travel hundreds of miles to an independent
nostalgia race, where I can still see tuners who have a
free rein. I can also walk right up to the car, perhaps
talk to the driver and crew, take a picture, etc. The pendulum
has swung too far.
Jim Deorio
Claymont, DE
