A MUTE POINT

NHRA-NASCAR STYLE: Bruton Smith, $4.00 NASCAR fries, $100 Sunday tickets, $5.00 soda; me, the wife and three kids = $545. (We are running right on down to the bank to take a second mortgage on the old homestead.) After all, MEMORIES are made of stuff like this.

That's not all -- you get to see indexed Top Fuel, Funny Cars bracket race their way to victory. (Don't take too much stripe now!)

Some deal, HUH. CAN'T wait. Suddenly, watching NHRA on TV, is a great BARGAIN, and the BEER is cheap too. Kinda hard to say NO, to that kind of bargain, HUH?

Isn't much traffic, or tolls, or traffic, or $10 parking in my den, and the A.C. is ICE cold, and when they put on the LAME commercials, there is always the MUTE button that not ONLY has NHRA installed in the PRO's mouths, but someone has thoughtfully built into my remote. Life is good.

Sometimes I crack myself up, (Must be the HEAT in South Florida).

Gene Wagner (former NHRA member)
Boca Raton, FL

A BETTER IDEA?

Good article on the Factory Funny Cars. I remember the Don Nicholson Cyclone's and the Mickey Thompson Mach 1's and how they looked stock. I think Ford would get involved more in all facets in NHRA if they hadn't been shut out with their Boss 9 Fuel motor. Look what happened with the Austin's Ford engine. NHRA banned it before it could run. Let's hope Bruton Smith brings some needed change. BTW his office is in his Ford dealership.

Regards,

Gary Blair

FUEL PRICES WILL AFFECT CAR COUNTS

Good as always to read (Jok Nicholson's) column. Like usual, we are thinking along the same lines.

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Fuel prices certainly will have an effect on car counts! Most affected in my opinion will be the NHRA divisional series. One would be hard pressed to find another series that costs as much to run as this series! Since Division 5 is so spread out, the typical race for me means 500+ miles each way at 9 MPG. Multiply that by 3 buck per gallon and you get 333 dollars for fuel alone. Then add in $150 entry, 50 for race fuel and 150 for food and you get almost $700.00 cost to attend! Compare that to maybe a total investment of $125.00 per race locally. Factor in the fact that the payout structure is better at my local track and it's a pretty easy choice to make!

I had planned on attending 8 divisionals and 4 nationals this year but have since changed my mind. These crazy fuel prices have changed my plans and I'll bet there are many others who are thinking the same way!

I had already sent in my entry to the Vegas National so I will be attending that....assuming I can find my trailer. It's buried somewhere under 2+ FEET of snow that fell yesterday!

Keep up the good work! I love your columns!

John Steffen
Littleton, CO
S/G 5200

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