CLEAN UP YER ACT, NHRA

We consider Norwalk Raceway Park to be our "home" track. I and two friends attended the 50th US Nats as the guests of Mousie and the Winged Express. On Saturday morning at about 6:30 am we went to the showers. The bathroom was filthy. There was no toilet paper to be found. The shower stalls were filthy and there wasn't any hot water.  The adjoining restaurant was old and stuffy, and not much cleaner.  Compare this to Norwalk: attended, clean showers and rest rooms, and better than average concessions and food.

NHRA needs more than luxury boxes.

Denny Corso
Senile Delinquents AA/Fuel Dragster
Kent, OH

MOVING A STEP UP

I attended my first drag race during the summer of 1953 at Pomona, CA, the current site of the Fairplex. I have attended all but two of the U.S. Nationals since they moved to IRP in 1961. So I have been around for some time (72 years) and have observed the tremendous growth of drag racing, particularly on the NHRA side.

Following my first visit to IRP for the 1961 Nationals, I recall writing NHRA to advise them that I had been in numerous livestock barns in the state of Indiana that were significantly cleaner than the restroom I had to utilize at IRP. In the following years, NHRA has made tremendous facility improvements at IRP and many of their other "company tracks."  These improvements have benefited both racers and fans.

Your piece asking if NHRA shouldn't spend more of their money for track

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improvements to benefit the racers rather than adding luxury boxes raises a valid point. Assuming that the mission of NHRA is to "grow the sport to the next level," which I guess means providing a product more competitive with those of NASCAR and open wheel racing, I can understand NHRA's desire, as well as need, to attract more and bigger corporate sponsors; hence the luxury boxes. 

Personally, as a fan as well as occasional bracket racer, I like the state of NHRA as it is today. Being able to get out of the parking lot following a race at IRP, Gainesville, Bristol and Columbus in 30 minutes or less sure beats the 6 hours or more that my NASCAR-loving friends spend getting out of some of their tracks following a Cup race.  However as many have said in the past, "It ain't gonna stay the same; it's either getting bigger or it's going downhill." So, if I have to choose, I'd advise NHRA to keep pushing toward that next level.

Stu Carey
Cincinnati, OH

WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE REPORT TOO

What was the cause of death in the Darrell Russell accident? Fire? Shrapnel? Body damage? What is the latest on the lawsuit?

Calvin Rutledge
Houston, TX

NASCAR NO MODEL

Let's hope that the NHRA doesn't make the same mistakes that NASCAR NEXTEL [or whatever they are calling themselves today]. They went big business and it has cost them a lot of diehard fans, myself being one. If the brass wants to see a mistake look at NEXTEL. 

Robert Thacker
Virginia

COOL IN THE SHADE

I don't know how you can complain about the new boxes that they added at INDY, after all, they do give shade to the fans!

I have thought for a long time that all NHRA cared about was themselves and the heck with the racers.

Lanny R Hoke
Illinois