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5th annual Dot Com Awards
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Our Best & Worst of 2003
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By “The Staff” |
Each year, CompetitionPlus.com offers their Dot Com Awards after five go-rounds, the 2003 version proved to be the largest. The goal is simple. The abundance of CompetitionPlus.com readership is asked for their opinion on a number of areas and asked to vote on a few of ours. Since 1999, this unscientific presentation has brought out the best (and worst, in some cases) of all participants and candidates. We know take pride in presenting you with the Class of 2003 Dot Com Award winners… CompetitionPlus.com Contributor of the Year Dave Kommel… The hard working photographer who teams with Auto Imagery partner Rick Shute spends countless hours in order to provide the racing community with quality photos world wide. On more than one occasion, we've had to call on Dave to send photos on short notice, which he did and pulled us out of a jam. Of course, you've noticed him as one of the leaders of a batch of talented contributors that have put CompetitionPlus.com at the leading edge of electronic magazines. 1 st runner-up – Bryan Epps 2 nd runner-up – Ken Sklute Journalist of the Year… Phil Burgess… When you are faced with the task of creating a huge printed magazine in the window of one week, it takes a talented leader and an equally skilled writer to make it happen. With the growth of the Internet making it hard for some printed publications to survive, Burgess has done a great job of creating a publication that many want to read. While Burgess goes well beyond being a writer, a lot of his articles go without a by-line, but we can always tell who's writing it is by the quality of the work. 1 st runner-up – Rob Geiger 2 nd runner-up – Jeff Burk
Dave Kommel… As of 11:59 PM on the final day of voting, Dave Kommel was one point ahead of Les Welch for our Photographer of the Year award. Kommel, who was also voted to our Contributor of the Year award, began capturing the magic of the sport on film over three decades ago and continues to improve with time. 1 st runner-up – Les Welch 2 nd runner-up – Richard Brady National DRAGSTER… In the history of the Dot Com poll, no winner has gained as many votes as National DRAGSTER did in winning the 2003 Printed Publication of the Year. DRAGSTER has claimed the honor for the last three years. Just how convincing was their victory this time? The second place finisher Drag Racer magazine could have gained ten times their final tally and still not have won. 1 st runner-up – Drag Racer 2 nd runner-up – Drag Review
After an early vault by Eurodragster.com, NHRA.com thundered by to take the lead and never relinquished it. NHRA.com boasts the largest audience of unique readership in the drag racing community and provides the latest news for information-hungry NHRA fans. The hard-working ethics of writer Rob Geiger was enough to swing the vote this year. 1 st runner-up – Eurodragster.com 2 nd runner-up – Dragraceresults.com JohnForce.com… John Force may not have won the Funny Car title, but the hard work of his publicist Dave Densmore on his website brought home the honors after being shut-out last year. 1 st runner-up – Del Worsham.com 2 nd runner-up – SnakeRacing.com
Tony Pedregon leaving John Force Racing... When word leaked out half-way through last season, it came as a shock to us. In fact, until we asked some questions and got the press release, we weren't officially convinced. It just goes to show you that nothing lasts forever. 1st runner-up - Shirley Muldowney's retirement from drag racing 2nd runner-up - Scotty Cannon returning to Pro Modified
DragRaceResults.com… With the target audience of this website being bracket racers and fans of this style of racing, this was the year that the “little guy” site overtook the nitro-powered, two-time winner Nitromater.com 1 st runner-up – Nitromater.com 2 nd runner-up – NitroSim.com Now for the Drag Racer and Drag Racing Awards….
The Rain… 40 Days and 40 Nights…that's the minimum of drag racing events that were postponed by rain. We are often reminded that rain is what makes this world live and carry on…but try explaining that to a drag racer that has towed all the way to San Antonio or Memphis, Tenn., from the opposite coast.
POWERade… By an overwhelming margin, POWERade was voted the “Sponsor of the Year” for drag racing. The involvement of the Coca-Cola brand has been a major asset for the sport. In the second year of the sponsorship, POWERade filled the need that drag racing has longed for…even if the commercials did crack us up.
Dean Skuza… Fire and no major sponsorship attempted to wreck Dean Skuza's 2003 effort, but that didn't deter the rock and rolling Funny Car driver in enthusiasm and determination. The 2004 tour appears to be clouded, but there's no doubt that Skuza earned his Ironman Award.
The Makeshift Crew… The apple didn't fall far from the tree when it came to this season's Sportsmanship Award. When Dean Skuza blazed his flopper to the ground after winning the semi-final round in Memphis , several teams eliminated from competition were waiting in the pits and helped Skuza to get his hot rod up and running again.
Brandon Bernstein… There's no way to describe the horror we experienced when the Budweiser-sponsored Top Fuel dragster lost control and went atop the concrete barrier and came to rest on the opposite side in the grass. The second-generation Bernstein suffered season-ending back injuries. Other notable crash finalists included Tony Schumacher's Memphis , Del Worsham at Reading and Larry Dixon's Bristol mishap.
Team Schumacher… The determination is very evident on the faces of all the drivers and riders for the Team Schumacher camp. Maybe this could be the season that Schumacher could take home a Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock Motorcycle title. If only there was a Pro Stock car team in the picture.
David Baca… Brandon Bernstein was voted the NHRA's Rookie of the Year, but CompetitionPlus.com's reader voted this tell-it-like-it-is racer as their Rookie of the Year. Our favorite quote from Baca when asked how he felt about being the oldest rookie of the year candidate in an article responded, “I can out-lift you, out-run you and even out (blankety-blank) you.
Greg Anderson – The real challenge for Greg Anderson is not in repeating as champion, but in repeating as champion at the same level that he achieved in 2003. After scoring 12 national event victories in one season, it's no wonder that Anderson captured the honors. However, only one vote separated him from Tim Wilkerson.
Shirley Muldowney… No other female driver can effectively be called the First Lady of Drag Racing more than Shirley Muldowney. Though Muldowney failed to win a national event, the impact that she made on the racing community in her final season was enough to crown her the winner.
Frank Manzo… On ESPN, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Chris Carter is always recognized with the phrase, “All he does is catch touchdowns.” For Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Frank Manzo, “All he does is win races.”
Greg Anderson… See Frank Manzo's caption above and replace his name with Greg Anderson and you'll get the idea.
And now the big winner…
Shirley Muldowney… As aforementioned, no other female drag racer has made the impact that Shirley Muldowney has. Outspoken and not a person to mince words, the multi-time Top World Champion has earned the right to be ranked in the Top 10 drag racers of all-time and she's certainly a winner in our books. Muldowney credits the fans for helping her to reach the top and extends a sincere “thank you” to all that voted her to “Person of the Year” honors. 1 st runner-up – Bob Frey 2 nd runner-up – Greg Moser
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Photographer of the Year… 
Printed Publication of the Year… 
Internet Site of the Year… 
Racer Website of the Year… 
News Story of the Year.... 
Internet Message Board of the Year… 
That Sucketh Award… 
Sponsor of the Year 
Iron Man Award 
Sportsmanship Award… 
Worst Crash… 
Look out for them Next Year Award… 
Rookie of the Year… 
Most Improved… 
Female Driver of the Year… 
Sportsman Driver of the Year… 
Professional Driver of the Year… 
Person of the Year… 
The “Hey Big Man, Let Me Hold A Dollar…” Award 
In with a bang and out with a flutter Award… 
Cross-Dresser of the Year Award… 
Wrong Place at the Wrong Time Award… 
Change of Underwear Award… 
Have to get up early to get one by him Award… 
Brady Bunch Award… 
Do your homework Award…. 
The “I call him Mini Me” Award… 
Most Expensive Way to Tell Someone They're Number One… 
#1 Reason to watch the POWERade Commercials… 
Went to a fight and a Drag Race broke out… 
Marketing Ploy of the Year… 
Exxon Valdez Award… 
The Heck With This Award… 
And finally…”Take the picture with the dork so we can go on about our business Award”….