A 'SUPER' RESPONSE

As a Super category racer, I am sick and tired of being accused of having a "video game" or "remote control car. These comments are based on ignorance and a stubborn "that's not like WE used to do it" mentality, nothing more. If a person took a minute to figure out what was going on, and really understand these classes, maybe there would be less hostility thrown our way. My throttle stop does not "tell me what I am going to run",(in the words of Ken Becker) any more than Austin Coil's tune up "tells him" that John Force will run a 4.85. There are always variables. Look at the numbers in National Dragster for any of the Super Classes, most people run between 9.80 and 10.20. Not very automatic, is it?

As far as the crashes at the finish line, attributing that to Super classes is inaccurate, and a cheap shot. Overzealous racers will always dynamite the brakes at the finish line, no matter what class. I have seen exactly ONE Super category car crash for this reason in the 15 years or so that I have been involved.

Bill Sterling's simplistic idea to "fix" the super classes shows that he has no idea what he is talking about. A car that goes 9.90 running flat out at 600 feet corrected altitude has no chance of running 9.90 at 3600 ft. when it is 100 degrees out. We must have power in reserve, and a way to control it, in order to run the number under all the varied conditions at all different tracks.

The money argument is idiotic as well. Electronics add so little money to my racing operation as to be a non-issue. Do all of you that advocate heads up classes think that I could be competitive with the 2004 RJ cars with Reher-Morrison motors that are in Super Gas today? These are the people who should go race Comp, not me with my car that costs as much as some of their paint jobs.

Finally, have some compassion will you? Most of the time, we Super Category racers toil away in anonymity, at divisional races, association races, etc. I can't speak for all of us, but that is fine with me. I understand that most people, probably upwards of 95 percent, at the National Events don't understand or care about what we are doing. Again, fine with me. I'm sorry you can't get your mind around what I am doing, I just want my one chance a year to play on the big stage with the big boys, and a chance for a Wally. Could you please just allow me that one thing?

Tim McCain #7131
Super Gas racer and proud of it.

FUMES FROM DEEPSTAGERS

The little guys are getting a royal shaft at big money footbrake races and we don't like it. Some tracks seem to think that deep staging is a crime or illegal. If John Force can do it at national events, why can't we? You can build a very competitive/consistent car for little money and should be able to put that car on the starting line where you want to optimize your reaction time. No one wants to sit loaded on the converter watching the temps peg your gauges on in either lane. The faster cars with lots of gear and three speeds can hit the tree consistently shallow. Give the guys with a lesser combo the right to deep stage fairly -if a shallow racer jumps in staged the starter should let the other guy get deep!

WE NEED A COURTESY RULE LIKE SUPER CLASSES! Have the first guy in pre- staged wait till the next guy is (deep being considered pre with both lit) and then have the starter throw the autostart for 7-10 sec. Make it an e.t. rule and keep it the same track to track. There are too many different rules for e.t. breaks now. Let's at least get the start of the race consistent! My husband has built two cars for us to stage either way and use what the rules allow -- not cheap!

Mary & Adam Smith
Atco racers for life

P.S. Great little guy/big money win at Maple Grove. Mr. Montgomery we miss you all.

WASHINGTON = GLENDORA?

I like the idea of the "Speech Pass" so drivers like Whit may continue to say it like it is.

I also agree with you about sending some politicians overseas to steal oil (take fire) under the guise of combating terrorism in the U.S.

Washington and Glendora seem to be operating in the same mode. "Forget what our supporters think, they can't live without us!"

I wish your wish list would come true!

Sam Makitra