Wondering again ...

Just Wondering ... Has the NHRA finally realized that their TV viewers and the industry may not want to see only their pro classes? The answer is maybe. Recent broadcasts of their national events have featured some NHRA sportsman racing and racers as part of their big show broadcast. If the broadcast production team stay on their current path, devoting five or ten minutes of air time to sportsman racing and teams, they may start selling some advertising to those drag racing manufacturers and distribution companies who sell almost no parts to any of the pro teams but depend on sportsman racers for a large part of their sales. The NHRA broadcast crew reverted to previous form for their broadcast of the aborted Seattle event with no coverage of Sportsman racers at that event.

Just Wondering ... Are racing fans who tune into the NHRA broadcasts perfectly happy to watch 45-60 minutes of (in most cases) “fluff” features and interviews between actual racing? I think not.  I believe race fans watch racing on TV to see racing and I think it is stupid of the NHRA to dedicate more of the three-hour broadcast to filler interviews and drag racing 101 featurettes when they have plenty of great racing they could be showing the RACE FANS that tune into the show.  

Just Wondering ... Will the significantly improved (compared to the previous five years) NHRA TV Nielsen ratings suffer without the benefit of the huge number of fans watching NASCAR Sprint Cup broadcasts that preceded the NHRA broadcast? NASCAR broadcasts regularly have 4-5 million viewers. And the answer is, absolutely.

Just Wondering ... Can the proposed IHRA International Top Fuel Series be viable or even get started without a TV package on a major network? Nope!

Just Wondering ... Will Street Outlaws “star” Justin “Big Chief” Shearer -- who is currently doing public service “don’t race on the streets” announcements that are broadcast during the NHRA national event TV broadcast -- announce that he will be racing in the NHRA Pro Mod series? I think he will.

Just Wondering ... Will the fact that many of the lesser pro teams are making sometimes a single qualifying pass on the weekend eventually force the sanctioning body to reduce the number of qualifying sessions?  At NHRA’s race in Denver six of the 16 Top Fuel cars entered made just a single qualifying pass.

Just Wondering ... why would any underfinanced independent team owner in his or her right mind make four qualifying attempts at a cost of at least $40,000 if they don’t hurt any parts and then go  to the start line for Sunday’s first round of eliminations just to get paid $10,000 first round loser money? I hear from good sources that the NHRA is paying tow money and waiving any charges and fines to encourage independent Top Fuel and Funny Car teams to attend certain events. If that is true, kudos to the NHRA.