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1/13/05
REMEMBER HAVING FUN?
Hi Jeff, I wish you and I could have a coffee together some
time and talk of how drag racing could go back to a better
time.
I'm 63 and just started drag bike racing at age 55, but have
enjoyed drag racing since the early '60s. I remember seeing
and hearing such drag racing legends as the Chi-Town Hustler,
Color Me Gone, the Snowman, etc., etc. -- not the crap they
try to stick down our throats now, "the Budweiser etc.
etc. dragster did real good." Quit with all the damn
commercials pllllllease.
And NHRA and their contrived wins make me sick. So how come
in the Pro Stock class they don't have the rules fixed up
so Fords could do better and some other brands besides GM
like they have in the Pro Stock Bike class so HDs can win
like they have. Sorry, I guess I've said that before to you.
Jeff, keep up the good fight for those of us that can't write
worth a darn. Make drag racing FUN again!
Dick Nichols
NOT SO SUPER RESPONSE
Re: Tim McCain's Letter to the Editor
Tim, you promised last year not to respond to any more anti-Super
Gas
attacks by readers. Temptation too great, I guess. Anyhow,
you challenged me (and some of my buds) to come spend some
time with you in the Super Gas pits and enlighten myself.
I went to the Infineon divisional race last July looking for
you, but could not locate your car. So, I just hung out, talking
and taking pictures of Super Gas and Super Comp cars in the
staging lanes. And, it was pretty cool. I questioned a guy
about all the electronics, and he pointed to another guy's
$80,000 piece. He said, "It is the only way we can level
the playing field, especially since I have only $30,000 in
my deal."
Everybody was very accessible and polite, and I learned a
bunch about your class. Racing Super Gas/Super Comp probably
is a lot of fun, just not fun to watch. I mean, hard launches
and the uncertainty of how the race car will react to the
surface is the cool part of street racing. The VRA set-up
is so much better, especially hot rod eliminator, because
no electronics are allowed. I go to VRA events and can never
get up from the seat (except for oil-downs) because every
class from Nostalgia Eliminator to D/G is FUN and EXCITING
to watch!
I do get over to Infineon and race my "beater"
for fun, but will probably never have the bank to do what
you are doing. So, when I do go and pay to see a race, I want
to see a 1/4-mile race, not what the Super classes do. There
is nothing "super" about it. Sorry. Don't plan on
much NHRA stuff this year, but will look for you at the divisional.
Note: did not see you at the National event, either.
Steve Justice
Pinole, CA
STILL TALKIN' ABOUT WHIT
I had the opportunity to meet Whit about 10 years ago at E-town
as a fellow racer at a national meet. He struck me as brat
with a severe attitude, and that was from just saying hi to
him. He's not the first "attitude" poster child
in NHRA. Look back at Prudhomme or Kalitta. Racing is just
like regular life, you meet some nice people, you meet some
real jerks. John Force, like him or not, has been the best
ambassador NHRA has ever had and deserves every accolade that
comes his way. In my opinion he treats NHRA better than they
should be treated. Sure we live in America and everyone is
entitled to speak their mind, but the poor attitude they exhibit
speaks volumes to the fans that pay for them to "play
with cars," and blackens the eyes of the sponsors they
exhibit.
Al Ritter
STILL CHILLIN' WITH TOCHER
That is such a great article to say the least... I just came
across it today, but wish I'd seen it before now. Keep up
the good work, and I'll be keeping up on your articles.
Peace,
Robert Harwell
Warpath Racing 410H/ S/G
New Orleans, LA
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