OUT OF MOLEHILLS?
Hi, Jeff...Your columns are always very insightful and interesting.
In the most recent one, you quoted Hemingway incorrectly,
however. The correct quote is that only MOUNTAIN CLIMBING,
auto racing, and bullfighting are sports, the rest are games.
As an avid mountain climber, and a one-time racer, I have
to agree with his assessment. Difficult to compare the level
of emotional and physical commitment of his "sports"
with hitting a ball with a stick.
Keep up the great work......thanks for a wonderful site
and a consistently interesting column.
Regards,
Gerry Harrison
A BIT MORE HISTORY
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Chris: Great article on the history of African-Americans
in the sport, but you missed someone that if you asked some
of the west coast racers in tour article, they would note
his influence on their careers. Milton Steward raced from
the mid Sixties to the Eighties, driving for most of those
years until a back injury during a fire at Pomona forced
him into an Owner/Crew Chief position for the rest of his
years in the sport.
During that time, he raced Gassers (check out his "Blue
Power" car in Don Montgomery's Gasser book), as well
as Alky funny cars with the likes of Veney, Armstrong and
Anderson in the heyday of the class. He and partner Tom
Ridings won the Winternationals in the mid Seventies, and
he has an amazing wealth of history in West Coast racing
on the touring circuit from the day.
He is currently residing in Vegas, and is involved with
his grandson's
Jr. Dragster project as a "phone-in tuner" just
to keep his chops sharp.
Thanks for the wonderful article and please keep up the
good work -- it is WAY appreciated!
Regards.
Martin Thomas
TECH TALK
My comments on NHRA Spec Engine for TF/FC: NHRA wants to
standardize parts so highly funded teams can pass (sell)
their used parts to lesser funded teams. This is supposed
to help under funded teams compete. I doubt anyone using
used parts will be able to perform at the same level as
the top teams. In some sort of obscure way it actually helps
the top teams as they are able to recoup some of their investment
by selling used parts therefore lowering their overall operating
cost. There will always be competitors that are operating
on a "shoe-string" and they will use whatever
parts they can obtain new or used. To think they will compete
is a joke! If NHRA needs more competitors in TF and FC,
increasing payouts would certainly help attract more entries
to these classes.
A closing comment on traction control: I would bet the
"Shoe" has traction control. Seems like wherever
they run, no matter what lane, Alan Johnson has a handle
on the situation; What a master tuner he is! I have seen
runs where I swear "Shoe" never got out of the
throttle (butterflies WOT), the car smoke the tires out
of the chute, and miraculously recover. I doubt even "Arnold"
could grab enough brake to get a 6,000 horsepower fueler
hooked back up.
Thanks.
Cid Vance
Massillon, Ohio
