 BURK
IS NOT ALONE
Jeff,
You are on to something, most spectators don't care about
side by side competition, if they did Sunday would be the largest drawing
day.
At Epping's IHRA National event, Saturday had to be the
largest single day in that track's history, with over half showing up
after five in the afternoon.
Seems to me they cannot tell the different between a 4.5
Top Fueler or a 4.9 Top Fueler. So slow down the cars, to reduce the
cost and built up the drivers identity not the e.t. NASCAR fans drive
around with "24" or "3" on their cars not "198.07 mph." Now you got
me on the soapbox.
ROLE REVERSAL in sports today. Saw a story in USA Today
about NASCAR's Jimmy Johnson and how important image and appearance
has become in motorsports today. Seems 50 years ago, NASCAR guys were
moonshiners and drag racers were leather jacket types and the role models
of the day were baseball, football, and basketball guys. What kind of
role models are these guys today?
Now motorsports is all about being "family oriented" and
building fan base. Drag racing media needs to help the drivers build
their fan base like they did in 60's and early 70's and not worry about
who going to break the 4.30 barrier in Top Fuel.
Sorry Jeff, will get down from the soap box. Keep up the
good work and I liked the "no whiner" decal.
Paul Weiss
BINA #2
Burk, I like your style. Don't change it on my account.
There are two types of fans. One that goes to the national events for
the spectacle, and one that is a diehard drag racer who probably bracket
races locally and likes close racing. But I agree with the promoters,
fire, smoke and a crash or two will bring in the crowds. Give me drag
racing in the purist form, get rid of the super classes at the national
events, they are a waste. Put in pro mod and keep the no throttle stop
balls to the wall stuff and have fun watching it to the end.
Doug Wallace
BINA #3
I read your story on the Drag racing online site. I too
have become bored with some of the rules and even the TV coverage. I
sure miss the days of Bob Glidden and da Grump squaring off. Air shifters,
delay boxes and pretty soon computer manequins will be driving!!! There
was just something about the old drivers that actually drove the cars.
Not just steer them. I'm not saying that it doesn't take balls to drive
a top fuel car or a Funny but something is missing and I'm not sure
what it is. Maybe it was Factory involvement. Why is it that Mopar stays
with it (they don't even sell a rear drive car} and the others in a
smaller capacity. (Force's Mustang Funny does not make a factory effort
in my book). I know the others (Pontiac, Chevy, etc.) are in the mix
but it use to be a big deal when a Chevy raced a Ford. Now it's what
Movie that's coming out can we paint on the car or what rock group and
lets see if we can sell the die cast version of it.
Maybe I'm just getting old. Times do change. Just take
a look on the street and see the Hondas with big mufflers running around.
I'm glad I saw Gapp and Rousch and The Snake back in the day. (Just
loved the Tijuana Taxi). You get the picture.....
Geoff Bradley
BINA #4
The main reason I read your stuff is it always hits the
nail on the head. Both NHRA and IHRA have hood winked the racing fan
and competitor alike. When you bully everyone around people just give
up. Fans continue to come because they just need to see racing and have
a party. Racers are the same they need a place to race and just give
into the bullshit. So don't stop trying to change things maybe we all
will wake up and join you for change in our sport.
Thank you.
John Pizza
BINA #5
Hey Burk! Get back on that soapbox. You need to keep it
going. This sport has grown very stale. If this keeps up you won't even
have to run qualifying. Fly in Saturday morning, do a half dozen burnouts,
make one half-assed decent pass and do the same thing on Sunday and
fly the private Citation home. I rather see side by side, all the way
to the lights 5.80's, than one 4.50 and a slew of up in smoke, rod pitching
corporate billboards.
Bring back the 8-71's, one mag, no computers, the Dick
LaHaie's and put the hospitality trailers where they belong.....in the
parking lot. Hell, a track operator could go broke just buying the real
estate to park the "stars" hospitality trailers and intimate castles
on wheels. I am not against someone having or spending their money....I
just long for the day that when you were either racing or going as a
spectator; it was fun and not some grandstanding extravagance of excess.
Don Richerson
Somerset, Kentucky
BINA #6
The absence of side by side Pro racing is terrible for
any of us who take our racing seriously. But seriously, most of the
fans I talk to at the races are there for their once a year fix of nitro
and don't see the forest for the trees. Very few fans go to more than
one race a year (National Event wise).
Two years ago at Indy during the Big Bud (or Big Dud as
it was in 2001). There was only one side by side race during the 8-car
show. Either one or both cars went up in smoke. Apparently the people
in the stands didn't care as they were screaming their lungs out for
whoever won.
The Fuel classes have needed a clutch management system
ever since NHRA outlawed them. Marginal tracks, hot days, boring...
Philip Hutchison
'OPEN COMPETITION' WOULD BE FUN
I love drag racing, but it has become so corporate and
homogenized that I think that it needs a dose of adrenaline. Here's
how: Once per year, possibly at a "super track" such as Dallas or Maple
Grove NHRA should hold an "open competition" event. They should allow
any pro racecar to enter as the owners see fit. There should be no compromise
in safety rules, only performance limitations. 100% nitro, unlimited
cubic inches, computer management systems, etc. Wouldn't that be interesting
and FUN? This would give the fans and the racers a real idea of what
these cars can really do! This could be a test of the limitations and
perhaps a compass of the direction the rules should take. What do you
think?
Sincerely,
Steve Cody
Lakeside, CA
|
