I read the article regarding NHRA event attendance and would like to provide you with my point of view. My age is 55, I am retired, financially secure, own a show/street/strip 7-second 1/8 mile ’68 Chevelle and enjoy drag racing. The top reasons for not making it to very many of the races as a spectator: 4-6 hours travel round trip makes a very long day stacked with a full day of races. Fuel, parking, food, drinks and t-shirts on top of tickets puts a big dent in the wallet for two people. Overnight stays with two days of tickets is safer (travel time) & less stress, but the decent hotels always seem to have the rates higher due to the special events, so the cost is prohibitive. Each year I try to get to Gateway or Joliet, and sometimes can make it to Indy, but the 'two day' trip cost or the length of the one day trip make it harder to commit to attend the events.

As a side issue, the online streaming of NHRA races is a great idea (I could finally follow the Super Stock classes from home), but at $99 I won't sign up. $10 or $15 would be more realistic. NHRA has truly become a rich man's sport, even to watch!

Thank you for taking the time to read my viewpoint.

Sincerely,

Jeff Whitfield

Boring same ole bunch of drivers in the clique

They just move around from team to team.

And they screw the alky cars and they are the 3rd quickest and fastest.

Guy Kelly

First of all, it is not a monetary problem for most attendees. Good Lord, a fabulous day of racing for the price, plus pit access and far better food than ever before!

Cripes, I just payed 98.00 to go to Disneyland, which by the way was lame.

We were just talking about this subject at the March Meet. Why do you think the March Meet is so huge now? Simple: one mag, one pump, small blower a myriad of cars, etc. Although as a youngster going to see Stardust cuda, at N.Y. National Speedway, Don (Schumacher) was my man. Still is. 

But, I’m afraid he and John Force have choked out all the other cars’ fans.

We go on Sat. to at least see our guys run! Tim Wilkerson, Gary Densham, Bode, Big Jim, and of course Jim Head and the Pedregons who will, for the most part, not be around for the finals.

Sadly NHRA has let cubic dollars replace cubic inches.

We are most certainly NOT all Force and Schumacher fans! Ya cannot show up and watch yer guys get punched out and watch a DSR or JFR final over and over again. Last two races were awesome because the tables were turned. These men fight hard to attract sponsor money for their teams and don’t even get camera time for their sponsor when they get a round win; they go and ask DSR or JFR why they lost!

Sadly simple: let’s get back to a simpler time mechanically and financially and all will even out...hell, it might even jump start the thrill once again if the average fan wasn’t looking at a damn "smog motor" and could actually identify some of the parts. Long Live the March Meet!!

Whew, thank you, Jeff I needed that...Oh by the way, I still have

my 67 Barracuda fastback!!! Thank you Stardust...

Respectfully,

Mike Koch