The comment about Earnhardt only traveling at 35 mph has no merit in my book. They were going close to 200 mph when he was turned sideways and then hit the wall. If my memory is correct, NASCAR did not have so-called ‘black boxes’ in the cars at the time of his accident, so his speed is just a calculation.

On the 4-wides, love it, and drag racing on TV is always hard to follow. How many explosions or accidents are missed because the cameraman has just followed the winning car? Drag racing on TV is bad no matter what, unless they invent smellavision, TV chairs with bass boosters, or something so you can feel the power, and unbelievable surround sound. To put it into perspective, ever watch an F-15 take off on TV and then in person? Not the same.

Roger Nelson
Langhorne, Pennsylvania

All jammed up?

Nitro Jam? Nitro Joke is more like it. I guess if you have never seen a nitro car then it was awesome like the event writer so excitedly wrote, but in typical IHRA fashion you can’t get two cars down a track at the same time. Some can’t even get the darn thing to start.

So I know you preach about NHRA charging too much to come to a race (and I think you're right). I would gladly spend 60 bucks to see the Gatornationals, which I do every year, then to spend 30 bucks to see two top fuel cars with that huge rivalry they have amongst themselves I guess? Or one funny car at a time go down the track... although the nostalgia cars are a real treat if you got a chance to see the originals that made drag racing what it is today. I still think bringing back dry hops would make the show ten times better. The biggest pop at the Bradenton jam came from Grave Digger -- maybe he should help them out and do just that. And while you’re at it, throw all those stutter box classes in there too.

Michael Anderson
Clearwater, Florida

Chicago Jon weighs in…

Well, I'm sure more than a few folk are going to weigh in on the live broadcast this weekend from Houston, and since I know how much the Burkster appreciates my pithy emails, I didn't want to let him down so I thought I'd join the fray. 

Now, first of all, what did I think of the beginning? Can't tell ya, 'cause I missed it; we were at Flea Market. (Yep, you heard that right, me & "Bran-Deen" was at the FLEA MARKET, had a good time, couple corn-dogs.... Seriously though, found a copy of the March 1971 issue of S/Stock & Funny Cars Magazine, which had the Sush crashing Joe’s Camaro at Ontario, only a sequence I'd NEVER seen before, amongst other treasures within, but I digress...)

OK, is the tight turnaround a bad idea? Yeah, pretty much, but is getting the results to the fans faster better for ratings? Uh, YEAH... pop-quiz Hotshot: what was the first video aired by MTV? That’s right Sparky, "Video Killed the Radio Star", and this little gadget you’re reading MY ramblings on, Al Gore’s Internet, is what killed tape-delayed broadcasts. Who the hell wants to stay up ‘til 11pm (on a SCHOOL NIGHT) to see the broadcast when you can just log on & find out? So, getting the news out there when it’s actually NEWS, well, yeah, people will tune in for that, hello-DUH!