MAYBE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PAYING COMMERCIALS?

Interesting analysis on the NHRA TV viewing figures which maybe proves the old adage of "Lies, damned lies and statistics." Spin can make anything sound better or worse to meet a desired outcome.

Down here in New Zealand I guess I am not counted in the household numbers but I never miss a NHRA race on ESPN2. I consider their race coverage has developed nicely over the years with great camera locations, knowledgeable analysis, even aiding Steve Johnson get his deserved Nationals title!

That said, I am constantly frustrated when ESPN2 breaks away from their race coverage every few minutes to repeatedly self promote their other sports shows. Could this be contributing to the decrease in viewing numbers?

While I recognize their need to promote, the constant interruption to drag racing coverage destroys an otherwise quality product. In a sport of seconds, breaking away for frequent 2 to 3 minute self-promotions kills the flavor of the broadcast and, in my view, is unlikely to add new or casual viewers to our sport. Over a 3-hour show, there is a truckload of time allocated to needless self-promotion. I don't see it happening in other networks' coverage of NASCAR, Indy Car or NFL so why hang it on drag racing?

Hey ESPN2, I am very capable of following programming guides to see all the sport I want without these constant interruptions. Give us a break.

Tony Wilson
Lincoln, New Zealand

WHAT HAPPENED TO SUNDAY SPECTATORS?

I went to the IHRA race at Epping. The weather was some of the nicest I have seen for that event over the last several years. My question is about fan turnout. On Sunday, there were so few fans that you could sit (or lay down) anywhere in the bleachers. They were practically empty. It also appeared that car counts were down substantially from years past. I don't know if the economy, natural disasters or gas prices kept people home, but something sure did. Dodge was even advertising $5.00 dollar off coupons on the radio and TV, which brought the cost of an adult ticket down to $30.00, which is less than half of the cost of a ticket when the NHRA comes to Englishtown.

Keep up the good work.

Jerry Bittner

FOR THE BIRDS?

GUYS, GUYS, GUYS! I, like all other drag racing fans have seen the pics of Chip King's beautiful new Pro Mod. Everything that I have seen written about the car refers to it as a Superbird when the paint and graphics suggest it is actually a Dodge Charger Daytona. Back in the day, the Dodges and Plymouths were raced in NASCAR, and Chrysler Corporation had to make a certain number of cars (the number escapes me) for them to be legal. Really, the only way to tell the two apart was by the graphics on the very rear of the car. The Daytona had Daytona on the rear while the Superbird had a round decal with a picture of a Road Runner on each side of the rear wing.

Randy Spatz, Jr.
Wilmington, Delaware

FLOCKS OF MEMORIES

Saw your article on Superbirds; (it) brought back memories of another car that came out of the Ramchargers stable: one of the 1964 candymatic Dodges that they won the Winternationals with. Ted Detar of Wichita, Kansas, bought it from the Ramchargers. It had several of the same tricks, rear end moved forward, thick rear window with the top around the window leaded in, the car weighed 1600 pounds on both front and rear without the driver, never could tell if motor was moved back, had the two Bendix fuel pumps mounted in frame, tie rods and steering sector shaft were made out of tubing, cross-members and A-frames were aluminum or stainless steel, mostly plastic nuts and bolts held front finders on.

Ted named the car the Big Money Dodge and ran quite a bit of the match races in southeastern U.S., Mississippi and such. Most of these were the run what you brung, 3200-lb. on carburetors type deals. I remember Herb MCandless, Emmit Austin being at several of these races. Herb was one of the first that moved the rear end way forward as well as the front end, very much like the early funny cars were.

Good to see the articles on the older cars. Thanks for these memories.

Cheatin Charlie Cummins
Wichita, KS