NHRA Multimedia

I am surprised I haven't seen a lot of complaining about NHRA doing away with audiocast for members. Does that mean most have been suckered into buying the complete access audio/video package for $99?

Also, even though NHRA had live Norwalk coverage of two rounds on FS1, the follow up at 6:30 was on FS2 which as far as I could see is not offered on Comcast. AND the 12 AM broadcast on FS1 was bumped by soccer.

But ya know, seeing the same people in the hunt is getting boring, even for me.

Jack Issi

NHRA is losing fans

I attended my first race in 1962, first National event in 68. I am a huge fan. But retirement and old age is making me change my direction. I was in Topeka this spring and am glad they are open and rolling. The parking fee and the $40 for Friday really hurt. I am on SSI and pick up extra money mowing lawns, so $50 plus gas and food is an issue. I am 70 years old, diabetic and am not able to take any food in with me. I need to eat something every two hours (not funnel cakes). I spend a lot of time walking back and forth to the parking lot.

But I have found hope. Last year I attended some nostalgia events at Byron, Bowling Green, Cordova, and found they are very fan friendly. I am not sold a seat that is 9 1/2 inches wide. I am not charged to park and if I want to sit there and snack on some veggies they say OK.

Will I miss the pros? Yes, but these events fill a need for me that NHRA doesn't care to.

“Joe Cool” Keightly

NHRA ‘Safety’

Isn't it a bit ridiculous the state of affairs of the nitro classes? Short fields at almost every race. Why? Because it is way too flippin' EXPENSIVE! A few solutions:

  1. 1. Payouts - NHRA needs to increase dramatically
  2. 2. Efficient Combination - think Dale Armstrong low compression tune-up
  3. 3. TV Ratings - more sponsorship dollars with increased ratings (this remains to be seen if higher ratings will bring in more revenue for the teams)
  4. 4. Team Owners - We need more. If we do attract new sponsors they only have 3-4 (Kalitta, JFR, DSR, AJR) legitimate teams they can join, and there are only a few that can add new cars due to their car count (DSR). This is bad for the sport. The NHRA needs to cultivate more businessmen that can own/operate a team.

All the whiners and idiots that say, "we can't give them a new combination it will price low-buck teams out of competition..." need to shut their mouths. We are trying to save the sport for the LONG TERM, not short term. These team owners and crew chiefs are unable to see the forest through the trees.

The sad truth is that eventually someone is going to get hurt from all of these massive nitro explosions. Either a driver or a fan. What will happen next? NHRA will drastically slow the cars down...and guess what? They will stay 1,000-foot. So all the morons that say they don't want to go back to quarter mile because they don't want to slow the cars down will despise the day that the cars are slowed and still racing to 1,000 feet. It is inevitable.

Rather than spending all the precious budget money on more constraint systems and "safer" parts, why not spend the money on developing an efficient combination that isn't a distant cousin of an atomic bomb? All we are doing is escalating costs while trying to maintain performance stats. They are going 335 mph in 1,000 feet. In fact, I bet the average speed at some of these races are faster at 1,000 feet than they were when we were running quarter mile. Is that a cheaper and safer way to go? What does common sense tell you?

Mike Parsons

The Land of Reason and Accountability