Is the March Meet losing its luster?

 

My racing car class identity is headed by the TM/FC contingent: Too many effing Camaros. Can you sound like "bitter old guy" about a nostalgia event? I think maybe.

 

In my lone trek to Bakersfield Mecca it was 2009. I believe you were there that same year? If you recollect the funny car field that year it consisted of a wide array of body styles that closely replicated the factory intent. Vegas, Novas, GTO, several different Mustang year bodies. If I remember lucidly, Leah Pritchett was driving the Holy Toledo jeep that event. A Plymouth Satellite or two were thrown into the mix.

 

If you watched the streaming over the weekend, it was clear to anyone that the Pro Mod-style or new-look for the nostalgia funny car circuit is the narrowed, streamlined Camaro. I find this very disconcerting and troubling. In my way of thinking, which may indeed be narrow as well as the body of the new Camaro, it runs contrary to the concept of keep the nostalgia and recognition and variety long-time funny car fans have been clamoring for.

 

What the world needs now to make it a better place are less Camaros. Please! Whenever I see a "sneak peak" at a new race car coming out in some online drag publication, I roll my eyes and tuck my gut. What they should say is, "Here is the latest Camaro to be introduced to a bloated, saturated race car field!" Name me any class, any sanctioning body, and I promise you there are already too many Camaros...We need a moratorium.

 

Likewise at Bakersfield, I wonder if there was a message sent in fuel altered. I should hope so. The true fuel altered contingents were few this year, and the bastardized version of a funny car chassis runs amok at this nostalgia event too.

 

Changes not so subtle have changed the makeup of the March Meet, and they have come briskly.

 

What all of this equals to me is just how magnificent and true to form the Meltdown Drags at Byron is. It's a six- or seven-hour drive for me, but worth every roll of the odometer to attend a drag race with 500 cars and not a single TM/FC entrant.

 

Regards,

 

Richard Gebhart

 

 

Our last letter from the late Norman Hechtkoff

 

Bracket racing is not and never will be a spectator sport. No matter how big the purse.

 

Norman Hechtkoff

 

 

More cackle or else

 

I am very concerned with the NHRA’s limitation to only 40 participants at the CA HRR Cacklefest last fall. If that happens at Bowling Green this year, I will never return

 

John Martin

 

 

Higher cost means fewer purchases

 

I agree with Jeff's comment about overpriced stuff at drag races. I was at Pomona and about keeled over when my draft Bud cost me $10! Has the NHRA never heard of price elasticity? I am pretty sure I would have thought $7 was a lot, but I bet I'd have bought 2 beers during the day at that price, but at $10 I only bought one on principle.

 

I got lunch at a Pink's stand, and got a 9" hot dog with nice toppings for $8.25 and my soda was $2.50. That seems fair, and I was really pleased with that pricing, esp. given what I had paid for the Bud!!

 

Had a great time. Probably my 4th trip to Pomona, and it is always a treat!

 

Chris Williams

 

 

Learning more about Paul Murphy

 

Really enjoyed the first part! I didn’t realize she had done that much driving in the different venues! She is The First Lady of Racing! A much overdue recognition of the lady! Congratulations, Ms. Murphy!

 

Thank you guys for the great article!

 

Steve Stahlschmidt

 

NOTE: Part 1 of our 2005 interview with Paul Murphy is at http://www.dragracingonline.com/innerview/vi_10-murphy-1.html

 

Part 2 is at http://www.dragracingonline.com/innerview/vi_11-murphy-1.html

 

 

Also wondering about those 8-cars show

 

Re: (Burk’s) musing if NHRA dropped back to an 8-car show making a more interesting program, or would it be like 1981 or 2 when NHRA decide to drop pro classes at the divisional level and most teams quit racing.

 

Potentially the same outcome here, bottom half cars go away…maybe great opportunity for IHRA….Hmmm.

 

Jay Gilman

 

 

Of Top Fuel Harleys and Pro Stock cars

 

As if NHRA needs more “filler” for their 3-hour Finals telecast where they spend a whopping 5 minutes or less on Pro Stock eliminations... T/F Harley might be interesting if two bikes could make it down the 1/4 mile at the same time without breaking or crashing. Much like Pro Mod, T/F Harley is a class where a rider/driver can often win if their machine makes it down the track without breaking or crashing. I’m sure the breaking and crashing appeals to those who know little about actual racing but it gets old fast if you desire to see actual racing.

 

I don’t know why NHRA even bother’s showing 5 minutes of P/S as it’s insulting the way they disrespect the P/S class and then complain that they don’t have enough competitors after they raise the cost to compete by $200K per season and now have cars that aren’t any faster than when they had carbs and in most cases they are slower than when they had carbs.

 

Evidently NHRA management doesn’t understand that sponsors won’t support racers if the sponsors don’t get air time. Fewer sponsors results in fewer pro racer cars, especially in the very high tech P/S cars. The NHRA is just ignorant about racing and marketing a unique sport. NHRA management has no difficulty increasing their salaries, however, much like the U.S. Congress who votes their own pay raises. IMNHO it’s a sad commentary on where we are at as a society. Ignorance is bliss for NHRA management. Those in NHRA management who can tell the difference between the forest and the trees are exiting NHRA for obvious reasons.

 

Jorge Meister