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Guest Editorial by Steve Reasbeck
Once upon a time, in the land of endless sunshine, two young men arguing over whose home-built set of vehicles was quicker, decided to resolve the question by marking off a length of public highway and see who could accelerate over that same length quicker and faster. Thus, drag racing was born. And, it was good.
Over a period of time, this method of solving disputes among hot rodders became more and more popular in all corners of the nation. However, these events continued to be conducted on public highways in equipment that was not always up to snuff, and many accidents and other incidents occurred. Hot rodders developed a reputation of being in the same category as dope addicts and pickpockets. This was not good.
Then, a hot rodder of incredible foresight, Wally Parks from the Los Angeles area, decided to work with local Police organizations in an effort to clean up this emerging sport's act. Along with some friends and business acquaintances, he got together to form the National Hot Rod Association, whose motto "Dedicated to Safety" reflected its mission to conduct drag races in safe, well organized environments, so the sport would attain some legitimacy and grow with respect. This was good - very good indeed.
This fledgling band of pied pipers, traveling in a Plymouth station wagon and towing a small travel trailer full of equipment, then toured the country putting on regional events, working with local authorities, and allowing this burgeoning form of motor sport to grow with respect. Santa Ana , Caddo Mills and Seffner, as well as many other localities, had abandoned military airfields, and these facilities were perfect for these supervised acceleration contests. Under the "Dedicated to Safety" banner, this young sport and its participants enjoyed a new birth in legitimacy. This was also good.
Somewhere along the line, with regional champions being crowned, it was decided that this fledgling sport needed an actual Championship event, an event where actual Champions could be declared each year. The first event was to be held in Great Bend , Kansas , and a young man named Calvin Rice drove a Chrysler-powered converted sprint car to the first title of National Champion.
By 1962, the now-booming NHRA had decided to add an additional event on the West Coast, and the Winternationals would be held annually at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. The main event, however, would be the National Championship Drag Races, now moved to its permanent home in Indianapolis , Indiana , the actual capital of American motor racing.
Over the years additional events would be added; the Springnationals and the World Finals in 1965, more in 1968, until the series would expand to its present twenty-something. However, one main event would continue to mark the time, the National Championship Drag Races at Indianapolis Raceway Park , to be held each year on Labor Day weekend.
Somewhere over the course of the past fifty years, NHRA has crossed over the line from an organization "Dedicated to Safety" to one dedicated to slick marketing and indebted to big corporate money. Once an organization run by racers, keeping the interest of racers at heart, NHRA is now managed by accountants and market analysis experts.
No one is arguing against the continuing growth of this sport. Growth is good. No one is arguing against corporate involvement, corporate exposure, and corporate recognition. This is good also, as long as it is kept in perspective.
However, at some point, it must be asked, when did the NHRA cross the line and sell the best interests of the racers to corporate interests? At what point do the interests of corporate sponsors and the spectators become more important than the interests of the competitors themselves? These questions need to be asked.
In what many of us graybeards consider to be drag racing's "golden years", Indianapolis Raceway Park drew legions of drag racers, onlookers, and other interested parties. These folks were not drawn to the event by die casts or other trinkets, but by an absolute interest in what was going on. Although there was certainly no shortage of spectator types, most were fans drawn from their local areas to the "Big Go" to see how their local heroes will do against the other regional "heavies." However, many who attended were local racers themselves who knew or were acquainted with someone who was competing. In other words, most of the folks in attendance had a vested interest, somehow, in the sport. The sport was an entity in itself, and although pure spectators were certainly welcome, all major decisions by the sanctioning bodies were made with the interests of all competitors first and foremost.
Somewhere along the way, however, drag racing has made a paradigm shift. While corporate recognition is good, and certainly has brought opportunity and exposure to many deserving racers, it has its downside. Once any person, organization or entity becomes indebted to outside interests for its survival, it loses control of its own agenda. This is not good.
Years ago, there were four national events, and all classes were welcome at all of them. Although the fuel classes were admittedly the draw for the pure spectator types, all racers and classes were pretty much treated equally. The sport was not considered to be a pure spectator sport anyway, and spectators were expected to accept the sport for what it was, the largest and most participated-in motorsport discipline in the world.
Unfortunately, along with Corporate involvement came the bean counter mentality, the business mentality of today that puts more emphasis on slick marketing than the finished product. As a result, while the National event circuit has grown, it has become less of an opportunity for all racers in all venues to compete against others, and more of a showcase for professional types to draw more pure spectators and sell more tickets. Gone are the Springnationals, the Summernationals, and other historic events, replaced by generic programs that feature the name of whatever corporate entity is writing the check this year. And, for the first time, at some events, the backbone, rank and file racer who built this sport is no longer welcome. At most others, only a limited number are permitted to attend, just enough to fill the time but not enough to get in the way of the big boys.
Which brings us to Indy. Where NASCAR had enough foresight to preserve their heritage by declaring the Daytona 500 off limits to corporate involvement, NHRA has done no such thing. The Big Go, once the true National Championship Drag Races open to all hitters who thought they had a chance, has now become special only by memories and history, and hype pushed by professional marketing folks.
There are some upsides to the influx of corporate money. I don't miss the biker gangs that used to take over the drive-in theatre across from the track, and I certainly don't miss walking with my wife past the "Kentucky Winnebago" (you old timers will know what I am talking about). Despite that, however, I can't help but feel that we have lost more than we've gained.
Gone are the thirty-two car Top Fuel and Pro Stock fields, the open competition in all classes, replaced by obscene ticket prices, overpriced trinkets, and a venue that is totally designed to be "spectator friendly"- at the expense of everything else. Heaven forbid it runs over and cuts into the TV time. Many of the sportsmen are gone, replaced by basketball drill teams and other vaudeville acts designed to entertain the die cast collectors. Gone are the days when a Marvin Graham could come out of nowhere to win Top Fuel, gone are the days when Gary Burgin could do likewise in Funny Car. Gone are the days when any eliminator win at Indy would make one's year. Gone are many of the things, the little intricacies, which made Indy special, the place to be for drag racing folks over Labor Day weekend. Gone is much of the magic.
I am sure that NHRA will do a good job over Labor Day Weekend displaying visions of the past, and introducing today's attendees to the men and women that made our sport great. However, something is missing. The veneer of celebrating the past may be just another marketing tool, something to be sold to the highest bidder. I realize that this is life in the twenty-first century, but I cannot help but look at the past with some wistful longing.
At least, that's the way I see it.
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