SPORT COMPACTS HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA

AMEN, brother. I have been saying the same thing for years. Show me an auto manufacturer that has produced a carbureted car in the last 10+ years? Then ask yourself why the supposed "factory hot rods" are holding on to the prehistoric carb. It is ridiculous that NHRA and IHRA have not seen the light.

ALLOW EFI NOW! It is not passing fad...it is here to stay. EFI alone has been responsible for the advancement of Turbos. That brings up another point...why be scared of turbo/EFI? The sport compact guys have shown what kind of potential is there and, truth be told, they are closer to a "factory hot rod" than both Pro Stock classes ever hope to be.

While I myself am not a fan of neon lights, large exhaust, FWD and bubble pits you can not ignore the performance of these cars. Create a class to showcase them and get them in the fold. When 170-ci, 4-cyl, 2300-lb cars are running in the 7's in the quarter even the BB Chevy fan has to take notice. The serious racers of this group deserve a quality place to race alongside the rest of the drag racing community.

Tom Drake

WHAT THE FANS REALLY WANT

Great column, Burk. Some long-time racing buddies and myself were at Infineon last weekend for the Goodguys meet, and this exact subject came up. . .again. Our feeling is that NHRA is missing the boat in respect to giving the fans a show they really want to see. We were all brought up beginning with Lions in the very early '60s, and a combination of everything drag racing until the '80s. We parted ways for many years, and the drags brought us back together again, and had to absorb the current status of the sport before feeling qualified to sound off again.

Personally, I cannot see why NHRA hangs onto Pro Stock like a suckling infant any longer. Sure, the cars are swift and costly, but the allusion to them as "factory hot rods" is absurd. They have become boring, boring, boring. All the way too similar runs, as cast from nearly the same mold, with often hundredths separating the field, would be acceptable, if there were some sense of adventure to the class anymore. Listening to the same shift points, same RPM and engine tones, and typically featureless runs has run its course.

Damn, do something to help us relate; STOCK bodies, 4 to 6-speed manuals, OEM engine size limits etc. The cars would not even have to be as fast to be more entertaining, a built-in safety feature I am sure NHRA would silently love.

Changes of that nature would only be second to my first choice of corrective action: Dump the class altogether, and let them promote factory hot rods in Super Stock, with no freaking electronic devices allowed. For entertainment value, blown, alky burning AA/GS running 6.70's (Pro Stock compatible times) are far more entertaining. The cars are unique, loud, and a handful to drive, which of course suits about every fan's interest.

There are many ways to make the show better, but improving a class that is considered "Pro" and bringing it to a point where the fans and factory boys may actually rekindle an interest should be on a very short list. . .right below IMMEDIATELY BANNING any kind of electronic devices (outside of pro categories) that are not safety related. (Hey Super Gas guys, go watch the A/B/C/D Gas guys that launch hard and have to deal with any unplanned sensation of speed at the far end - it's much more entertaining to watch, and probably more fun to drive!)

30-35 years ago, I remember wishing so often, that I had the bucks to run down and buy a Hemi anything, or a big block Camaro, or even a hot rod Ford back in the days when you could relate to what happened on the track. Today, I openly wish the "factory hot rods" served the same purpose of demand for both the fans, racing and especially the auto industries, but they don't. Most of the "hot rods" that are anywhere within the typical fan's budget has 4 cylinders and maybe a turbo. What on-track competition is there among the 30+K Mustang, the 55K Vette, the GTO, or new Hemi Charger etc., and what influence will Pro Stock have on any of these purchasing decisions. . .none!

NHRA - with no direct marketing purpose and extremely diminished fan involvement, why don't you move Pro Stock to the Sportsman events? Use this class of pseudo "factory hot rods" as a valuable tool to increase the paltry attendance at your second tier events. Give the fans paying top-dollar at your national events a full day of entertainment, keep us glued to our seats. . .for at least a little while longer. You KNOW we all bail out once the thrill of the RPM dropping after a 60 ft. (or less) launch sets in.

Respectfully,

Robert Runne