LOOK FOR THE UNION LABEL
Jeff Burk accurately describes the disconnect between the
drag racing "product" and automotive marketing
today in his April 21 column. Among the many reasons for
this is one he missed: the massive health care liabilities
for active and retired union workers which are literally
bringing these companies to their knees. Simply put, GM
and Ford don't have any money left to spend on drag racing
(as a form of R&D, marketing, or anything else) after
funding health and pension benefits widely known as the
most generous in the US. It's not that people aren't buying
enough new cars (unit sales are just fine with respect to
historical trends), it's that the Big Three can't make any
money on them because they cost too much to build when fixed
costs (such as retiree health care) are amortized and considered.
This is not to say that NHRA could not do a better job
re-establishing the connection to new cars in its competition
structure and marketing efforts. How about a Pro Sport class
where stock-wheelbase Vipers, Corvettes, and Mustangs shoot
it out? How about promoting the modern pony cars (Camaros,
GTOs, Mustangs) in a new Super Stock Eliminator? But the
fact is the Big Three are run largely as a corporate welfare
state where shareholders are in the game largely as a bet
against the actuarial dice.
John W. Rollins, FCAS, MAAA
Consulting Actuary
Gainesville, FL
NO RACE CAR LOOKS LIKE A FACTORY
CAR
Hey Jeff, I love your
magazine and especially look forward to your editorials.
I think it's a great idea that you don't wait for the next
issue if you have something to say. I don't always agree
with you, but I always enjoy reading what you have to say.
I have questions about your Win on Sunday, Buy on Monday
editorial.
How fast would you envision this 'premier class' be? What
modifications do you suppose would be necessary to order
to make factory cars go that fast? Once those modifications
were done, how much would they resemble the factory cars
and their drive trains? Would these cars be fast enough
to entertain the typical NHRA or IHRA fan in person or on
TV?
The reason I as is this, there are no major automotive
series that I'm aware of where the vehicles raced resemble
or even have much in common with their street driven counter
parts. Look at NASCAR, ARCA, Champ Car, Indy, World of Outlaws,
or even IMSA. None of those cars look anything like the
vehicles the manufactures are building, yet they all have
drivers who are supported by manufactures. Why do you suppose
that is?
One of your favorite topics seems to be how NASCAR has
bloomed and that NHRA is wilting as far as media exposure
and TV are concerned. However, we all know that even an
NHRA Pro Stocker is closer to a real production car than
anything that NASCAR runs. Neither of us really believes
Joe Fan watches Mark Martin win on Sunday and says "I
have to go buy me one of those Ford Taurus's like Martin
drove this weekend." I believe that is an accurate
paraphrase of your thoughts on John Force and his Mustang.
It seems to me that your two ideas of expanding the fan
base of NHRA and building a 'premier class' of true factory
hot rods seem mutually exclusive, but perhaps I don't understand
your concept thoroughly enough. That's why I asked those
questions at the beginning of this email.
I have several other questions regarding these topics,
but I appreciate you taking the time to read this far, so
I will end my diatribe now.
Keep up the good work and thanks for listening.
Bob Cireddu
IT'S KENNY'S FAULT?
Jeff, while 90% of the average fans will agree that FC bodies
don't (look like) street vehicles, why do the Big 3 sponsor
them? JF is making big bucks for running a "mock"
Mustang. You can thank Kenny Bernstein for the transition
to the new body styles. Since '85 when NHRA allowed him
to bend the FC rules for aero purposes, FC bodies were lost
to performance.
Joe Sherwood
