STAND BACK

Thanks for a much-needed article on crowd control at the races. It's always been a problem in the 30 or so years I have enjoyed the sport we all love but little has been said about it. The tragic Shelly Howard accident indeed highlights the unpredictability of these powerful and fast machines. I've seen Pro Mods go out of control just past the 60' light and take the entire 1/8th mile track, guardrail to guardrail, to stop the car. You'll never catch me anywhere NEAR the finish line at a race I don't care what class is running! I couldn't count the times I've seen blower belts shred and U-joints go out and send pieces of debris into the heavens, not to mention more than a few intense nitrous "incidents."

The starting line crew has enough to do to ensure the safety of the racing surface without having to deal with crowd control. Watching for fluids and debris is more important than the flow of the race and demands their constant attention. Anything that diverts their attention from the track surface is, in my mind, a safety hazard to the racer and needs to be dealt with. It's all about respect. If we respect the racers and their teams, we want them to have a safe track environment to race on. If we respect the starting line crew, we want them to be able to focus on the cars and the track, not the spectators.

Thanks for the great photos and article on the wild ORSCA race at Huntsville Dragway. I always know when I see (Ian Tocher) at the track that great photos and articles aren't far behind. Thanks for both and thanks to all of you at DRO. You folks do a super job! I'm sure looking forward to the big T/F race in July. No T/F photos near the guardrail on that one from me.

Ricky Nichols,
track photographer-Huntsville Dragway

FROM THE OLD LEXICOGRAPHER

Well, another astute observation from Mr. Martin. A review by the NHRA on the origin of the word "shit" could possibly have change the outcome on Bazemore's wallet.

In the days when sailing ships were opening up world trade routes, when commodities such as spices were worth as much as gold, some ships would also carry fertilizer. These ships would periodically explode and be lost at sea, and no one knew why. Once they realized the cause was due to a build up of methane gas in the ships hold (and probably some sailor with a lantern), they would stamp the words "Ship High In Transit" on the fertilizer so it would be lashed to the decks and exposed to fresh air, avoiding methane build-up. These words became common in use, and were eventually abbreviated to S.H.I.T.

Today in the word's literal sense it has a rather small range of common usages. Had NHRA been inclined to consult the Urban Dictionary (as Martin said, life in the big city) they very well could have been GIVING Bazemore 10 Grand if he would have reworded his comment just so. "This track is the shit." -- The best. This word is very interesting. The important part of it is without THE, an entirely different meaning applies. This track is shit = bad track. This track is THE shit = greatest track I ever drove down. Every one is happy. NHRA can't believe the compliment Bazemore gave and hands him 10 Grand for saying it.

Keep it coming, Martin. You are The Shit.

Glen Henry
Cedar Falls, IA

WHAT A WAY WITH WORDS

Martin, YOU'RE A %&$#@*&^@#%$ GENIUS!!! As someone who considers Carlin's "7 words" scripture, I think you hit the nail on the proverbial *&^%@#$*&^@##$ head. The PC Police have made life more and more difficult for those of us who find the FULL use of the king's English acceptable. Walk through the pits sometime when teams are thrashing against the clock or be on the top end when the win light is .004 and you're liable to hear words that would make any sailor proud. (My son is currently third generation Navy onboard USS Harry Truman.)

We're all adults (well...some of us are) and Bazemore was saying what he felt....Hell, sometimes tracks are shitty... nature of the beast. "special words for special situations" Martin...you're a @%$#&^%*^^%$$##%^ genius!!!!

Tazz Hines

YEAH, WE'RE HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT OUR MARK McGWIRE MEMORABILIA TOO

I know cheating has been around in everything for forever, but to look back, years later on winning a race, getting high marks on a school test, or winning a card game, you will still remember that you cheated to do it. In the end, you are only cheating yourself.

Al Booton