HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE

Was reading the Darrell Russell lawsuit you folks posted. Then I drifted off to a column you wrote about fuel, brackets, slowing the cars down. It was stated that nothing happened till a prominent player (my term not yours but the same drift) was killed.

Please don't get me wrong here, I liked Darrell a lot. Met him in his alcohol days. (He) was the kind of guy you are proud to call your friend. He was not the first. Why does NHRA and

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everyone else have such a short memory?

What about Blaine Johnson? He was well on his way to a world championship when he was killed on track at Indy. There was a moderate fanfare and a few dedications, but nothing like this! Then take your memory back to the Texas Motorplex a few seasons ago. What about Jimmy Nix? A nicer guy I never met. Jimmy even opened his house and shop for me on the road when my truck tossed a crank. When he died there was a line in National Dragster, Bits from the Pits. Jimmy was a two-time star having raced the early days and returning with Dan Olson to run a quality top fuel car. There was absolutely nothing, no tributes, didn't even name the scoreboard he hit after him!

I know this will be a very unpopular statement but enough with Darrell Russell, he wasn't alone. More popular racers have been killed at the height of their chosen profession. That is the ultimate gamble.

Rick Vogler, Aerton Senna, the list could go on. You don't hear of these people every time you read of a race.

I say let the man rest in peace. Julie was given a Queen's welcome by everyone in the sport, auctions, dedications, recognition. Now she attempts to bring down the house that made her anything but another Texas housewife.

OK, I'm done; let it fly. Geiger would kill me if he saw this but they are the facts.

Bill Dee

MEASURING PERFORMANCE

Whooah there, have you ever measured a 33.5 10.5W MT? It's only 11.25; that's just a smidge over 10.5. Now that said the days of wheelstanding overpowered chassis 10.5 cars are dying quick and lets face it a Pro Mod chassied 10.5 a 740 with 4 stages a slew rate rev limiter is about as exciting as any low tech Pro Stock. I am with you 100 percent. Maybe a claimer 10.5 class is the answer...Naaaaaaahhhhhh.

Sincerly yours,

Richard Gavle
Maryland
Outlaw 10.5 Monte Carlo

BEARD VINDICATED

After this weekend I think Lee Beard has vindicated himself in the eyes of any doubters. I never thought he was all at once brain dead. Look at

Bazemore's performances since Beard left, little changed, but Beard stepped up with a winner on a new team in just a couple of races.

Sometimes I wonder about Beard's tactics, like the deal with Force, but never his intelligence. With his new assistant, Mr. Cunningham, he should be in the hunt if the owner keeps the parts supply and enthusiasm up.

Schumacher should have switched crew chiefs for a couple of races rather than lose a great talent like that. The switch would have shown the problem was not in the head crew man!

Richard Burbick