In all 100 issues, our staff has been challenged with the prospect of speaking our minds on the things that need to change within drag racing. Whether it was a sanctioning body making a move that we disagreed with or a racer whining in the public eye, we’ve attacked the subject in this forum. In took a ride down memory lane and picked a few out of 100 to share with you. - Bobby

Roy Hill puts on a show for Bobby…

I really love what I do, but sometimes I wish I didn't have to see all the cutthroat dealings that go on behind the scenes. But, the funny thing is when I get ticked off at people in this industry, I have to rely on my laughter fix to bring me around and change my mode of negative thinking. Anytime I really get ticked off at life or this sport, my medicine is on VHS videotape.

I know some of you immediately jump to the conclusion that it's a porno or something. Wrong. I have something better and it usually garners more attention than a porno, as if that's really possible. It's my experience of driving a racecar at Roy Hill's school. Only six people have ever watched it, excluding those that went through the school with me. One of those six was Scotty Cannon and he was in the crabbiest of moods. Anyone who knows Scotty knows that only one thing can break him out of one of those and that's to win in convincing fashion. Well, he'd gotten so bad that I showed him the movie and he never frowned the rest of the weekend…despite the fact that the IHRA had taken away some of his overdrive.

So let's set the tone here. I had always wanted to drive and Roy had offered me a chance to go through his school because I came up and did some freelance work on his school and shop. I'd known Roy since I was a kid and I really thought for a moment that he wanted to take me under his wing and teach me the ropes like he did with Doug Kirk some years back.

That was the laugher. All Roy wanted to do was to get me into HIS arena and then he could find out what a journalist is made of. I never really knew how much racers despised journalists until I got to his school.

This was back in 1995 and things were pretty tough for me. I was going through a divorce and I really needed a change in life. I had some sporadic freelance jobs in the industry, and I decided to take an editor up on his offer of a story to go through the school. I should have known that I was in trouble from the start when Roy came up to me and uttered, "You writers think driving one of these cars is easy. We're going to find out what you're made of."

It couldn't be that bad, surely Roy wouldn't embarrass me in such elite company as Richie Stevens, Bob Tasca III, Dwayne Rice, Landon Jordan and a band of 15 Puerto Ricans complete with an interpreter.

I could look to shift the blame away from myself and immediately I made the Puerto Ricans that scapegoat. It was like, every 5 minutes Roy was overheard yelling, "Where's my GD interpreter. He's gonna tear my car all to hell."

Then it finally came my turn. Remember this, I had never driven a car with slicks on it. So I'm shaking inside, but I'd never let anyone know it. Then it happens…boom…I made my first mistake. I took my hands off the steering wheel because I couldn't get the transmission to shift by using the one hand. Maybe it was rookie lack of knowledge or it maybe someone's equipment was just shoddy. But, nonetheless, I should have been able to do it. After all, Richie Stevens and everyone were doing it. Heck Roy had him running eighth-mile runs by the time some of us got our first shot to do burnouts.

Maybe he was just that good. One person in my group piped up and suggested that we'll not get a shot because Roy smelled that Dupont money belonging to the Stevens clan.

Roy was yelling at me and for the life of me, I didn't want to open that door.

"This hand will put it in park, put it in reverse, it will do whatever you make it do," screamed Roy. "If something breaks and the accelerator locks up, you could run over me…the wall…and anything else. This is not a play toy."

I thought to myself…"if the accelerator locks up…I'd still run over him even if I did have two hands on the wheel."

So we got Kevin Bernard, one of Roy's instructors that later crashed a car, assuring Roy, "I didn't teach him to do that." Boy, he sure reminds me of a good yes man we have working in the industry these days.

The first task was to putt-putt down the track. I did so and I was still scared.

After the camera pans on my down the track running for what seemed about two miles per hour, Roy waddles up to the camera. 

"Bobby, you're living a dream. You're in a Pro Stock Probe with an automatic transmission. If everything goes well, you'll go to a clutch car with a Lenco."

The Burnout

Again, let's revert back to the part where I said I had never driven a racecar before. I did my burnout and it was not perfect, so Roy comes over and makes me turn off the car and proceeds to yell at me.

At this point I starting thinking, isn't the purpose of going through a school to learn? Or, is it to be yelled at for a mistake? Well, his yelling certainly didn't teach me any more than I knew before and I backed up and made the same mistake.

Roy in all of his glory comes storming over to the car, "Aww sheet. Does he not understand that when I say to release the button he is to roll forward and keep his foot mashing the gas?"

"Bobby, get your head out of your ass and put some heat in the tires like a man."

I made my mind up and I was plenty mad. Who was this man, who was feasting on a mountain of cantaloupe, and who was he to be yelling at me, when I didn't know what the hell I was doing."

Well, I put some heat in the tires like a man. The man would have been John Force. I nailed the throttle and he motioned to come forward. I stood there. I was content to boil the tires to the rims, after all, he had a tire deal for the school. When I let off, I had done a Force burnout that would have made old "Brute" proud.

Roy was blazing mad and you guessed it, I got pulled from the car. I got stuck in the corner because I had been a bad boy.

This was going to be a long class. Everyone was pissed, it was 95-degrees and tempers were flaring. Roy had cussed the foreigners out so much that it was downright hilarious. The interpreter went to tell one of the guys something Roy said, which had been a literal barrage of profanity, and Roy cut him off at the pass uttering, "No need to tell him, I think he understood."

One little old lady told him to go make love to himself and I was assured that it was going to be a fight at that point.

Well, I got switched over to the Thunderbird when the Probe broke. It had a problem with the carburetor and when one would do the burnout, they had to work the brake and throttle. Following Roy's instructions, the car kept cutting off and because of that, you guessed it. "Out of the car, ya long haired sissy." I asked Richie later what he was doing and he assured me that it wasn't what Roy taught him.

I had been a bouncer in a bar just a year earlier and I was really fired up and ready to go. The only thing that held me back was Roy installing the fear of God in me by proclaiming that he could karate kick over his head. That was enough for me. I couldn't have scrapped for laughing and I would have been a dead duck for sure."

I finally did get to run. I was shifted back to the Probe and after launching I ran an eighth-mile 6.41. The force of the launch startled me and caused me to lift and then nail the throttle again. Once again, Roy was a yelling, I will admit. That time I laughed inside the car. Don't tell him, he might kick me upside my head.

The next day I was back in the T-bird and I had to learn a whole new set-up. The trans-brake was located not on the shifter, but on the back of the square of the shifter. MY co-ordination was shot and boy this time…I had Roy yelling, "That boy can't drive past the end of this finger."

I think I did it at that point. "Roy went into a tirade and yelling words that couldn't be deciphered. He gave a graphic description of how I was locking it up and locking it up. They say if you get on and off the throttle, you could upset the chassis of a racecar. It still amazes me all that motion and the way his belly was rocking…how he didn't just fall over with an upset chassis."

For the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would pay good money to be yelled at like they are in the army. But, then again, that's me. I would just as soon stay at home and get yelled at by my kids. I don't have to pay them to yell at me.

It was the same old dance for the rest of the day and I was the only driver not to get licensed that day despite running a 5.71 in the eighth. I was angry and mad. But, looking back on it, I have a powerful tool against Roy. Anytime he decides to get smart with me, I'll just threaten to go through his school again.

That should hush him up. I think Roy's still mad at me. I think it's time for me to make peace. A peace offering of cantaloupe would be a good start. (Originally published March 2000)

The Day the Fuelers Died (Bye Bye Miss American Pie)

We all loved it. It brought us excitement and enjoyment for many years. The mere mention of the name conjured up the most vicious and unforgiving piece of machinery to ever enter the motorsports realm. Over the years it held its own and created tons of memories for those of us that grew up knowing it. It kills me to write this obituary, especially before the thing is dead. But let's go over to the respirator and pull the plug and put our friend out of its misery.

With a tear in my eye, I'm pulling the plug, but it doesn't die immediately. However, I know that the Grim Reaper is going to be there soon.

Let me start on that obituary…

Top Fuel, of 1320 Quarter Mile in Drag Racing Land, died today. The popular category of both the IHRA and NHRA, and formerly the AHRA and UDRA died of natural causes after nearly a half Century.

Survivors include Nitro Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Modified, and Alcohol Funny Car. Top Fuel leaves behind one child, Alcohol Dragster. Pro Outlaw, the youngest child of Top Fuel passed away at the end of the 2000 season.

Services will be held this season at all of the national events in 2001 and beyond.

Donations may be made to the pockets of those who have financed everything to keep up with the Joneses.

It sounds pretty grim and if it looks a bit comedic, that's not my intent.

I just happened upon this editorial subject by working on a story for this issue. As you know, we have fun doing our pre-season predictions and truly get a challenge when we get together to pool our thoughts on whom we think the champion will be in their respective professional divisions. Our great plan turned to mush when we tried to predict our first category - Top Fuel.

Why? You might ask. Do we just not know enough? I think we do, even though some might argue that. Remember last year when I wrote an editorial saying that we needed to unify the rules among Top Fuel for the simple fact that there wasn't enough to go around? I rest my case on that one. Rather than beat around the bushes here let's get to the point. Top Fuel is done and you can stick a fork in it.

You can't blame the sanctions. They've done all they could to prevent this. My contention is that they got started too late and allowed Top Fuel to turn into an uncontrollable monster that is too tough to tame.

What prompted this obvious negative way of thinking? I can open up my eyes and see what's going on around me. When we sit down to predict the top ten of one sanction and we don't have a clue as to the participants for the upcoming season because they don't have a sponsor, then there's a big problem. What's even more troubling is when you have to call another to see who all is running, so you'll have enough to list a top ten. Now some might take my comments as meaning a big "I told you so", but that's far off of the mark. It burdens my heart that this is happening.

Some might counter that the sport has its ups and downs and Top Fuel will certainly rebound. I'd have to disagree this time. I believe this is the point in the history of drag racing where it has become the most crystal clear that this is a class for the "haves" and not the "have-nots."

If you'll recall, the class began to really separate into its own caste system back in the early-Eighties. Once upon a time there were guys that could run as independents during that era, but things have changed rapidly. Even back then, the ones who could run on their own buck were few and far in between.

The Top Fuel class was in such trouble back in those days that the IHRA killed it in 1983 and opted to field a 16-car Funny Car program. The NHRA program suffered as well. The class was eventually resurrected in 1987 on the IHRA side, and actually rebounded to some extent, but I don't see it happening this time. Regardless of sanction, Top Fuel is in trouble.

The class is effectively divided now. There's no middle of the road in this as there is in some of the other professional divisions. You either have it or you don't.

There are so many talented drivers in the class sitting on the sidelines because they participate in a class than can give legitimate participation only through multi-million-dollar sponsorship. Then there are some of these Top Fuel drivers from the NHRA side, without sponsors, that refuse to run on the IHRA series just to stay in the loop. We're still stuck in the pride thing it seems.

Let's start by assessing some problems that exist in today's Top Fuel world that could potentially lead to the class taking its final breath sooner than later. First off, we need unified rules that would allow these teams that lost backing to jump back and forth between sanctions. One side needs to agree to go one way or the other, and I think this crisis is serious enough that both Tom Compton and Bill Bader need to get together to preserve the drag racing world that they profess to love. It could be somewhat akin to the agreed ban on nuclear testing that the major superpowers all subscribed to decades ago. Regardless of how much Bader and Compton think they live in separate racing worlds, they don't. They are both fighting for a piece of the same pie.

Secondly, we need to kill some of these races that we are having. I think once you get past having 15 national events a season, you make the product so costly to present that it kills the supplier. I have no doubt if the NHRA offered 15 races, they would have no problem filling the programs. I predict that half of the NHRA Winston events will have less than a full field in attendance.

I think a good gesture on the IHRA's behalf would be to increase the purse per race. I know the IHRA is doing their darndest to keep the prices down for the spectators, but I think if more money were available per round and for making the show, some of the displaced racers might be able to justify making the necessary switches to adhere to the IHRA's rules. The really sad part is that even at the IHRA races this season, there may be a short field or two.

I know I can sit back and criticize and say that I think it should go this way or that way, but the fact of the matter is that the two sanctions should get together and universalize some operating procedures. Let's put aside the pride, and I know very well what I am saying is falling on deaf ears, and fix this problem.

Or, we can keep going as we currently are, and let the drag racing nature take its course and kill off the Top Fuelers. I can hear the faint heartbeat and it isn't getting any stronger.

As a journalist, should I begin writing a feature about how the two major sanctions saved the Top Fuel class? Or, shall I start on my obituary?

Looking at it realistically, I'm just going to go ahead and say - Top Fuel R.I.P.

(Originally published January 15, 2001)

Lay off of John Force…

John Force has earned the right to own as third car if he wants.

I have watched a drama unfold, fold back up and unfold again. The past two years, I've watched a Funny Car team owner brim with excitement at the potential of adding a third car to his successful team and then catch so much grief that he decided to abandon the effort. He finally said "to heck" with everyone and his show is back on. Unless you live in a racing cave, you know this up and down, roller coaster scenario belonged to John Force.

I've found that people really enjoy this magazine's "tell-it-like-it-is" philosophy and while they might not always see eye-to-eye with our final conclusions, they are able to see another side of things - the one free of propaganda. I am a student of the sport and as such, I am still learning. I will say I honestly never knew that drag racing had as many hypocrites as it does. I'm not going to attempt to project a "holier-than-thou" image and say that I'm one who continuously practices what he preaches. It's just if I have a change of heart, I try to remain more low-key about it.

I often like to visit the www.Nitromater.com chat room and bulletin boards because it's a cool website. The people there are great and from time to time they have guest chatters. I've watched chats with everyone from Gary Scelzi to Mike Dunn to Johnny Rocca and they've been quite entertaining to say the least. When I read that Chuck Etchells was going to be featured, I wanted to be there. Etchells had already been vocal about Force's decision and I was interested in hearing some of what he'd have to say.

If drag racing ever decides to reward individuals for whining, Etchells might be the runaway winner for this season. For nearly an hour and a half I watched a grown man cry. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. He whined and wailed about how Force was taking advantage of Gary Densham's need for a sponsor for his own gain. I can only think of one person that will benefit from this whole deal - Jerry Toliver. Since his debacle on SummitRacing.com in which he proclaimed to lose the points lead because of the NHRA running on crappy tracks, he'd enjoyed the honor of being the largest crybaby. Step aside Mr. WWF; you have officially been bodyslammed by larger tear passages. Etchells has wept enough tears in the pits that we might actually see Force dropping the third car in favor of a Top Fuel drag boat.

Etchells complains about Force's decision to field a triumvirate of entries in Funny Car, but that leaves a lot of room for him to be a hypocrite. Would he accept the driving offer if it were a lucrative one – one that he couldn't refuse? I tend to think he'd take it in a New York minute. You can't convince me otherwise.

Chuck Etchells gets our vote for whiner of the year.

Now I've kept my opinions of what has transpired with Densham last season to myself. It just seems odd that a man so concerned about the welfare of the class and the detrimental effect that it might have on the lesser-financed teams, would just abandon the principles that he so boldly proclaimed last March in Gainesville. Densham even alluded to their longtime friendship going sour if Force went through with his plans. Now Etchells speaks of his friendship with Force as he bashes him. I've heard an old saying that suggests, "who needs enemies when you have friends like that." Seems like I recall Tommy Johnson, Jr., losing a shot at a ride because of Densham's bellyaching.

If we are on Force about his decision to field a third car because it's going to push the lesser financed teams out, then let's be totally straight up here. Let's limit teams to one car. After all some of the lesser-financed teams might get "forced" out. You can wave bye to Tony Pedregon, Jim Epler, Tony Bartone, Tommy Johnson, Jr. and Frank Pedregon to name just a few that have been able to remain in Nitro competition because of a two-car team. Densham is now able to race because of a multi-car team. Force made it cool to have a two-car team, did he not? That may have driven the cost up, but it also improved the quality of the show to the level it is at today.

The ones who have complained so vocally about Force's success and his decision for the third team should get off of their butts and go look for the funding for a third car or simply shut up. It's out there and can be found with a lot of patience and perseverance. I remember Scotty Cannon used to catch grief from the other Pro Modified racers because he used to beat them up pretty bad. Should Scotty have had to apologize because he raced every week and got better than the competition or should he have been limited to so many wins because his competition couldn't keep up with him? If he shouldn't have to apologize, then Force shouldn't have to either. After all, he learned how to sell himself enough to get the sponsorships. He didn't do it by going in chatrooms and in front of the media complaining.

Drag racing is survival of the fittest. I commend Force on having the intuition to re-invest in the class that he "saved." Force has earned the right to run three cars if he wants to, and people like Etchells should have the smarts to realize that. Personally I think Chuck is doing it all for attention, but that's my take.

More power to you Mr. Force, you certainly have my vote of support. Don't worry, people still like you. (Originally published March 15, 2001)

CP takes on “The Fast & The Furious”

It is called “The Fast and the Furious,” but if you ask my opinion, it should be called the “Clueless and the Ignorant.” Wow Bobby…we wish you would speak your mind sometime and don’t hold back, some of you might say in a sarcastic tone. I won’t apologize for my comments about the latest movie to hit the silver screen that portrays illegal street racing as a glorious thing to take part in. Just when we thought we had the non-straight line media convinced of the major differences between illegal street racing and organized drag racing.

All that it would take, is one fatal accident as a result of this film, to set us back.

I had heard rumblings within the drag racing circles of the new forthcoming movie by Universal Pictures that followed the illegal street racing. I never bothered to draw an opinion until I saw promo commercial the other night glorifying the culture of fast imports and out of control teens with more horsepower than common sense. Toto, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore. The thought of the majority of teenage auto enthusiasts participating in this should scare the bejesus out of us as much as the trend of settling disputes among the youth with firearms is present.

Who should take the blame for this? Well there is enough blame to go around, and while the respective sanctioning bodies are taking steps now to get more youth involved, the sad fact of the matter is that they waited too late. The junior dragster concept was great, and still is, but was never pushed the way it should have been. The sanctioning bodies might contend that they have done a lot to promote the deal, but did they really?

Was there any attempt to keep the program affordable for parents that may not be of the rich persuasion? Why weren’t the tracks willing to buy dragsters for kids that couldn’t afford them, so as to get more kids involved? My answer is simple. Greed got the best of everyone. Pride did it as well. The large majority of parents spent upwards of five figures to keep their children at the head of the pack.

Now you might say that junior racing is largely bracket racing and that such a monumental investment is not required. That’s bull. When people are willing to shell out the big bucks, it only serves as an incentive for companies and proprietors to command top dollar for products and services.

Did junior dragsters work? You darned right they did, just look at stunning examples like J.R. Todd, Richie Stevens, and Amanda Hill if there’s any doubt. Yes, I know, not every child has the opportunities that they had; but I’ve had the pleasure of watching at least two graduates from my local track in Greer, S.C., advance to real race cars. My kid has even started a savings fund for his first “real” racecar, and has even started his own grass-cutting and shop-sweeping business to fund his racing endeavors.

I thank goodness for the vision that the late Vinny Napp had involving children at an early age in the sport. I dare to say; not one single character portrayed in “The Fast and the Furious” would have had a junior dragster background.

Leave it to Hollywood to glorify a train wreck. I cannot think of one single positive thing that could come forth from such a movie. I can only see an increase in the support of the culture that will lead to innocent and not so innocent victims.

Will it promote the street-racing scene? You bet it will. Did “Top Gun” make people want to become fighter pilots? Did “Days of Thunder” make others want to become NASCAR drivers? We all know how much a picture on the silver screen can inspire us. At some time or another, we have all displayed an emotion of some sort while viewing a flick.

I took the opportunity to view a few of the websites associated with the movie and they made me sick to my stomach. One read, “Since we have no corporate involvement, we don’t have to answer to any (expletive deleted) body,” while another forces browsers to agree to a terms of service, which essentially attempts to safeguard itself from any lawsuit from someone that reads of an illegal street race on the site, then attends and is injured. The sad part is, it solicits participation from members of the following for yet another movie slated to come out.

Some might argue that we are being hypocritical because we have not proclaimed American Graffiti to be evil. With all due respect, the movie was created in an era when there was no alternative. The dangers witnessed in the crash scene at the end of the movie led to advancements like the creation of NHRA. Besides, the difference between those cultures were world’s apart. Back then, you knew how to give a butt whipping and most importantly, you knew how to take one. These days, our children get shot. Wonder how long it will be before someone makes a flick glorifying mass school shootings?

It had floated by me that one of the major sanctioning bodies had been approached in the early stages of the promotion of the movie for their support, and once the fact had been revealed, they stepped back with a “Thanks, but no thanks” response.

The thing that disappoints me is that I am the only one that I know of that has stepped forward to voice my displeasure of this movie? Why have the major sanctioning bodies not stepped forward with a statement of condemnation for such a venue? It’s too late once a person dies as a result of being influenced into this culture.

I don’t plan to attend the movie, even as an investigative measure. I will not support it. I hope you follow my lead as I think you will. Personally, if a parent can sue a record company saying that a musician influenced a suicide, I see no reason why a lawsuit couldn’t follow this one if death occurs as a result. I’d never wish bad fortunes on anyone, but this movie is my one exception. I hope it flops bigger than Water World.

I know the sanctioning bodies are doing what they can through teen drag racing programs and an import series. I applaud that, but I think they really need to take up this fight.

Haven’t we worked hard enough to get drag racing out of the dark ages, for some clueless producer with dollars in his eyes to try and put it back there?

I challenge both Bill Bader and Tom Compton to address this issue.

When the Pro Stock Trucks got the boot…

How’s this for the shocker of the year? The Pro Stock Trucks will not be returning for the 2002 season as a professional category. Were you as shocked as I was? I apologize that my sarcasm is shining through. In this day and age of electronic media and racing gossip, one had to literally be living in a cave to not be able to see that coming. Then again, who can rightfully understand what the NHRA is doing these days. The NHRA is going to have to make the best of a bad situation and in case they haven’t figured out, these guys are not going to leave without a fight. I don’t think these guys approve of the, “Oh by the way, you’re outta here” method.

There has been talk of lawsuits and even rumored death threats, although I don’t put much stock in the latter, against the NHRA and Tom Compton. I think all of this could be avoided if it had been handled differently and this headache comes in the midst of one of the most trying periods in NHRA’s fifty years of existence.

I can sympathize with the Pro Stock Truck guys. Overnight, their investments have been made obsolete and now $75,000 engines have dropped in value to $30,000 or lower. I’d be hopping mad as well. However, when the stability of the class first came into question, I would have went to someone that had the answers and started asking questions before I made such a monumental investment. That makes all the sense in the world.

Telling these guys they could run Comp and the Super classes was akin to Billy Meyer telling the IHRA class racers, “We’ll have a 7.90 through 12.90 class, you can simply pick a class and go racing.” Those of us that remember that debacle can recall how well that one went over.

Let’s rewind back to the time when the trucks came in. The class began on an exhibition basis shortly after NASCAR opened with their roundy-round trucks. NHRA, who felt that they had to keep up with the Joneses (more commonly known as NASCAR). The NHRA was so worried about offending their Pro Stock cars that they made the monumental mistake of forcing small blocks into these machines. I don’t think it was ever a performance issue, as at the time, according to various sources, truck sales accounted for nearly sixty-percent of the big three manufacturers sales.

It was a manufacturer push, with the NHRA seeing dollar signs as well.

It all appeared good on the NHRA’s front with Chevrolet, Ford, and Chrysler showing support. However, the Fords started lagging and eventually fell by the wayside. Since Ford was not offering much money to the NHRA at the time, they let them fall away. That was their second mistake besides putting the small blocks in them. There should have been some kind of a weight break or incentive for them to remain in. I guess money talks, so they let the you-know-what walk. Then, up until recently, the Mopar program was far from being competitive.

In my opinion, the NHRA made no effort to properly market the category, as they should have. They let it become overrun with the Chevrolet S-10s and Chevrolet Sonomas. Yes, I know I said Chevrolet Sonomas because essentially they are S-10s with a grill change.

But, it did have a buttload of participation, even though it was monotonous to watch.

However, most of these Truck racers as I said, had to be living in a cave to not see this coming forth. The first thing that they should have seen is precedence and what I mean by that is the banishment of the old Modified eliminator. The funny thing is that most of those guys used to run the class. Many of them may recall that a parade of protest took place during Top Fuel eliminations during Indy in 1981. Each one of the Modified racers took a ride down the return road while the fuelers were on the line. Could we see that again?

Then there’s the issue of a potential lawsuit against the NHRA, which is stupid and could be detrimental to our sport. I rank this right up there with old Lori Johns “You crashed into me” lawsuit back in the middle Eighties. Such litigation would provide the lawyers with more of a place in our sport than they already have, which doesn’t need to happen. I think the case would get thrown out of court because the NHRA hasn’t denied these individuals a place to earn a living. They just relegated them.

If the Truck guys won this lawsuit, providing that it happens, it could hold the sanctioning bodies hostage to the special interest groups such as the Pro Stock Truck guys. Realistically, who is making the fuss? I haven’t seen an outpouring of fans demanding for their trucks. I have seen a tremendous amount of response from the racers and those associated with them creating the gripes.

My solution for the Pro Stock Trucks was to put the blown nitro motors in them, but hey, what do I know?

Now, the word on the streets is that the NHRA is going to backpedal and put them back in, which I think would be a monumental mistake as well. Remember, I never said canceling the class was a mistake, just the manner in which they did it. They should have given these guys one more season to use everything up and cease and desist from ordering parts.

The NHRA is losing credibility in the industry because of some of the decisions they are making and that burdens me. I want all of drag racing to succeed, regardless of what letter comes before the Hot Rod Association. They announced Winston’s departure before a replacement was intact and their handling of the Pro Modified exhibitions has pushed several of their potential “steals” even closer to the IHRA. With all the hoopla surrounding the introduction of the Pro Modified, the racers are as just as uncertain as to whether they will be an exhibition in 2002 as they were at the start of the season as to whether they would be part of the program. Several teams frowned on the rescheduling of the Gainesville exhibition on top of an IHRA event as well as the new loosened criteria for getting to run at Indy.

I am a fan of the “friendliness” of the new NHRA, but I am not a fan of some of the decisions made lately. None of us are perfect in this business, but some ideals need to be changed for the good of the sport. This Pro Stock Truck incident is just one scenario.

The Pro Stock Truck guys just needed a little advance notice. In the end, maybe the NHRA needs to write the Golden Rule 1000 times on the chalkboard.

Or maybe, Tom Compton needs to go sit in the stands and be a fan for a day.

(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 2001)

In my drag racing world…

How many times have you ever dreamed of winning the lottery or what would happen if you became independently wealthy overnight? Aside from the fact that many would instantly improve their life, make investments and help their family and loved ones, what would you do if you had a surplus of cash that could allow you to do whatever you wanted? I've often wondered what I would do if I were put in that unlikely of situations.

Okay, here's my fictional scenario.

My Uncle Otis had always been a man that was sharp with his money. Little did I know that he had been a mentor of sorts to Bill Gates when the future computer wiz was a teenager. When the young Mr. Gates had sought advice from the man he had admired, it my uncle that had loaned him the money to keep his fledgling dreams afloat. Knowing what we know today about Gates, we'd venture to say that he was more than appreciative of Uncle Otis' support. In the end, Uncle Otis had made just as good investments as Forrest Gump did.

Otis died in early 1987. He never got married or had children, so he had no direct heir. Much to my surprise when I was working at the textile factory, I got a call letting me know that he had passed away from a heart attack just two hours ago. I was heartbroken and needless to say, I left work that day, although I really couldn't afford to.

At the funeral, his lawyer approached me, one that I never knew he had. My uncle lived in a mobile home and drove the same old 1959 Chevrolet Bel-Air that he purchased new with only 3 miles on the odometer. I honestly figured that he was too tight with his money to retain a lawyer. Money was never an issue when he took me to the ice cream parlor or when it came to loaning me the money to buy a racing magazine when I was a kid. The funny thing is, when I tried to pay him back, he'd never take it.

Imagine the look on my face when the lawyer informed me that I had just inherited 10 Billion dollars, give or take a Billion or two. He had just one stipulation, though. I had to somehow invest in drag racing in a way that would help people, advance the sport and in the end make myself successful. It was his goal to insure that I gave back to the sport what happiness it had given to me over the years.

It was no secret in those days that Billy Meyer had hoped to purchase the NHRA and settled for the IHRA later. Let's say that I had purchased the NHRA in 1987, the sanctioning body only had 14 races at the time. I would have probably been just as snowed as many were in the belief that Billy Meyer would have been the one person to take the IHRA to the next level. In the end, I would have stepped up and purchased the sanctioning body from him.

So let's fast forward our tall tale to modern day. What would I have done over the years? Where would it be today?

The first thing that would have been the primary goal would be to unite drag racing, while allowing each sanctioning body to maintain their own unique identity. In other words, we would have pooled our efforts into further advancing drag racing. I would have brought Wally Parks and Larry Carrier to the table in an effort to better understand why they made certain decisions and to gain feedback on certain areas.

Both sanctioning bodies would carry 14 national events on their respective schedules. The NHRA would host national events from the west of Texas and the IHRA would go east. I would also create a third and smaller sanctioning body that would serve as a "minor league" for the two major conferences. This would be called the American Hot Rod Association and would cover seven events to provide rookie drivers and lesser-financed entities the chance to be a part of the national event atmosphere.

If there's one thing I've learned in business, the key to success is to not micro-manage. That's why I would keep the current leaders in place. I could think of no better individuals than Tom Compton and Bill Bader to carry out my methodical plan. Since the old adage suggests that a house divided will inevitably fall, I would be very adamant to the two that we would work together for the same common goal. Another requirement would be that the respective Commissioners would have to take one race a year, and attend as a fan. There would be no pay, and no credentials. They would be just like a fan in every aspect. The following Monday, they'd go in and have a staff meeting with their experience being the topic. I feel that this could greatly improve the morale for not only the sanctioning bodies, but the fans as well.

I haven't forgotten my AHRA program. I would put that program into the hands of IHRA VP Aaron Polburn and provide him with the task of sharing excitement of the unified drag racing world.

I think it is possible for each sanctioning body to maintain their own identity while becoming separate venues. Case in point, Major League baseball and the designated hitter rule.

So what we do in terms of scheduling? Number one, there would be no conflicting dates unless a rainout mandated such.

My NHRA schedule would follow: January - Pomona, February - Las Vegas, March - Phoenix; April - Dallas; May - Houston; June - Topeka; July - Denver; August - Brainerd, September - Seattle; October - Las Vegas, Sonoma; November - Pomona.

The IHRA schedule would follow: January - Gainesville; February - Shreveport; March - Commerce; April - Dinwiddie; May - Bristol; June - St. Louis, Chicago; July - Grand Bend; August - Norwalk, September - Englishtown, Reading; November - Rockingham.

The AHRA would have seven races starting in March and make its way from West to East. The schedule would follow: March - Bakersfield; April - Tulsa; May - Cordova; June - Darlington; July - Martin, Mi; August - Memphis; September - Bradenton.

We would have two major common events. There would be an All-Star event during Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis, which would bring back meaning to the U.S. Nationals. The top eight IHRA and NHRA points earners would meet in a required event. This would not be a problem, as I would have already universalized the rules in the common classes.

In November, both series will have crowned champions earlier in the month allowing for a Super Bowl at season's end. The champions from each conference will meet on alternating sites. One year, it will be Gainesville and the next year it could be Las Vegas or Pomona.

In a one-day event, the best of both worlds could run a two-out-of-three match to determine a true world champion.

So what classes would we run? Top Fuel, Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley-Davidson (great marketing potential there), Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Pro Modified, Pro Comp (Top Alcohol classes combined), Super Modified (NHRA Comp and IHRA Modified), Super Stock (which would also include Stock), Top Stock, Top Gas (8.90), Super Gas (9.90), Hot Rod (10.90).

Pro Comp would be a professional division.

There will be the limited classes, which will run part-time at five select events. Those classes will include Nostalgia Top Fuel, Sport Compact Pro Stock, Pro 5.0, Pro Street and Fuel Altered.

The IHRA's popular Quick 32 classes, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman, would run on the AHRA circuit as well as the divisionals. In both instances, a Quick Eight will be offered.

I think one way to make my program further work is to regulate some other areas. My Nitro classes would be limited to eight-car fields and ownership of teams within a class would be limited to two per sanctioning body. A driver would have to commit to one sanction or the other at the beginning of the year. The only way this rule would be rescinded would be through changing teams; outside of his/her current operation. For instance, if Gary Densham was committed to the IHRA program with John Force's California Triple AAA, he couldn't come over to drive another Force car in the NHRA. If Force were to field four cars, he'd have to run two in each sanctioning and not all in the same. This rule would also be enforced in the other professional classes.

I'd also create a special marketing task force in addition to my current one, and earmark this program for team sponsorships and helping my stars gain the marketing programs that they need to remain solvent. With the pro racers on the NHRA side racing half of the races that they are accustomed to, we'd also develop a match race program designed to generate extra funding for the independent teams and increase our exposure in potential new markets.

When it came down to entry fees, I'd have to make that decision based on what kind of sponsorship programs. If I had a major sponsorship that permitted me to do so, I'd prefer to let my Top Ten points finalists in the professional divisions have free entry. In the sportsman ranks, I'd reward the top five points earners.

I would also enforce a strict oildown policy. My theory is that if I am paying these guys a more than fair purse that they could take the necessary steps to insure that I am rewarded with the most efficient program. A driver will be fined in points for each oildown, with one maximum in qualifying and one in eliminations. A second oildown in either qualifying or eliminations would lead to a disqualification from the event. This rule would extend from the Nitro ranks to Pro Comp eliminator.

Probably the one area I'd love to see improved the most would be the cost of using drag racing as a means of family entertainment. I would be in favor of more favorable seating areas for families. There would be no alcohol permitted in these areas and we'd certainly work on our fan interaction during downtime. I'd also be considerate of the handicapped and make sure that they didn't have to worry about drunken bozos blocking their view of the race. I'd want to give the fan more than they paid for.

I'm all for making a buck or two, but our food vendors would not be allowed to gouge people. In other words, if you paid $6 for a hamburger, I'd make sure it was worth it.

I'd also go to my drivers and remind them that the fans are the reason that they have a place to race and to treat them with the utmost of respect.

I'd also sit in the stands and watch our presentation and I'd never let anyone know when I was going to be there. After all, if you own a restaurant, you have to eat your cooking every once in a while to see how you're doing.

The one thing I like about living in fantasyland is that you can come up with ideas and throw them out there without this person and that person telling you something has to be this way or that way without any substance to back it up. They'll throw the idea out there that it has to be a certain way because it always has been that way. Maybe it is time we stop thinking outside of the system.

Haven't we been standardized long enough?

If only I had a real Uncle Otis. (Originally published in February 2002)

Steve Grebeck deserved better…

The TV business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long and plastic
hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like
dogs"...Hunter S. Thompson

Steve Grebeck

William Holden starred in the movie "Network" and his most famous line of "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore" really suits the mood that I'm in right about now. I'm mad as heck and I'm not going to take it anymore. In drag racing, we are accustomed to certain things. For instance, we are aware that this is a sport that can break a person financially before it will make them rich. Of all the pros and cons, nothing hits home harder than the reality that people can and will die from this sport.

I remember getting the email from one of our reporters informing us that Steve Grebeck had been killed in an accident during the Fun Ford Weekend event in Orlando, Fla. It was followed by a telephone call from our photographer at the event that confirmed our worst fears. Another member our drag racing family had been taken from us.

One thing that I think we in drag racing understand but the rest of the world cannot understand is that we are an extremely tight-knit family. When someone passes away such as Steve did, it hits us hard, whether or not we knew them closely. I think the one thing that we always do is relate the individual's death to someone close to us.

I don't think I could have been any sicker than I was when I saw the following move across the Headline News ticker, "Drag racer Steve Grebeck killed in accident…" I saw what was to be the start of a media feeding frenzy, with something reminiscent of musician Don Henley's "Dirty Laundry" playing in the proverbial background.

"I make my living on the evening news…just give me something, something I can use."

We live in a society that now gets entertainment out of watching others die. Pretty sad, isn't it?

"Kick 'em when their up…kick 'em when they're down…"

I started to lose faith in mankind not long after Steve's accident, when I happened across a photo of the remnants of the crash posted on a message board. How people become so shallow and disrespectful of someone just appalls me. Some might cry that it's newsworthy…but, for me…it's just sickening.

Get the winner on the set…we need dirty laundry…

As a magazine editor, I sometimes rely on the particular sanctioning bodies to provide an official release, so that we have the accurate and correct way to present the news story. In my quest to put up the newsworthy story, I went to the Fun Ford Weekend website, where I was met with the headline that was along the lines of, "Grebeck killed in fiery crash." Maybe it was the truth, but could be a little more graphic? In the interest of fair reporting, it was changed shortly after that.

But, the damage was done.

I really honestly think the deal that probably irks me the most is how the local television station handled the Grebeck incident. That evening, a video of the crash leading to his death was broadcast. Did they have a camera crew at the race? Get real. Nope, they did what they usually do, they wait and find out something happens and then they start combing the grandstands for someone that may have the tell-tale video. Someone sold out Grebeck's memory, because the two-car crash with Rimmer was on the evening news.

It's a sad shame that if Grebeck had won the race, hardly anyone outside of our racing realm would have ever known about. However, let someone get killed and they'll get more publicity nationwide than ever. A team of wild horses could never have gotten that television crew out there. The fact that they had to comb the grandstands looking for videos should tell you something.

The unfortunate incident where Johnny Rocca struck the photographer in an accident also brought out the wolves. In that instance, the local news offered a videographer a sum of money for the video. He told the station to stuff it in their ear. It turns out, the gentleman with the camera was Rocca's son.

If the situation ever presents itself, do me a favor…tell the television station that you appreciate the opportunity, but that you're going to respect the deceased and their family. In the end, you'll be able to feel better about yourself when you look in the mirror at night.

What really raised their level of class is the fact that they put the video on their website. I'm not even going to put the station's channel number or call letters, because I'm not going to glorify their classlessness.

I will say that they station was based in Florida. If memory serves us correct this was the same state that had a court case to publish Dale Earnhardt's autopsy photos. The mere sight of Dale's wife and son walking into court to have to fight this ludicrous and uncompassionate example of man's inhumanity was enough to give me a heavy heart.

I just wonder if the jacklegs at the television stations and those websites intensified the pain and suffering of the family and friends close to Grebeck. In this world of competitive journalism, let me be the first to say that have the story doesn't always mean everything.

In the end, CompetitionPlus.com reported the obvious and left the graphic details mute.

Why? It was the right thing to do…and we felt that Steve's family deserved the utmost of our respect. Respect…something the mainstream news industry knows little about. That's why I rarely watch my local news.

In the end I think Hunter S. Thompson was right on the money when he said, "The TV business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long and plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs."

Steve deserved better. (Originally published in March 2002)

Men who drag race and the women who love them…

No supportive women = No men in drag racing.

The title sounds like the intro for a talk show, huh?

They are the unsung heroes. They work all night to help us to achieve our goals. They stand behind us, even when we act like idiots. Many times, special appointments are missed and anniversaries get lost in the shuffle. Other times, they are left alone while we are off gallivanting from race to race. The unsung heroes that we are talking about are the wives and/or girlfriends of drag racers.

As much as men hate to say it, a woman can make or break us. We may not want to admit it, but it is the truth.

When I first started freelancing and traveling to the drag races, I was a married young man. I would often drag my wife around to the races with me, and yes, she complained. She had a reasonable excuse, she was pregnant in the dead of summer. I guess that's why my daughter hates drag racing. She loves her daddy, just hates racing. Now that I'm much older, and have been returned to bachelorhood for nearly seven years, I take notice of a lot of relationships at the racetracks. I'll admit it; I get envious. It takes a special person to tolerate the lifestyles that we live within the drag racing community.

I wrote an editorial similar to this one in the second issue of CompetitionPlus.com and I went back to see if I felt the same way. The sad part is, I'm not that same person anymore. I'm a lot less chauvinistic and a lot more attentive. Some things I see the same, and others I just don't subscribe to anymore.

I still feel that there are three types of women by what I have noticed. Before our female readers get up on the tires, I understand that goes both ways. I'm a man and I have never been a woman, so I'll never understand what it is like to look at the world through Miss Daisy's eyes. I'm writing this from a male perspective.

First, there's the believing kind, which are the ones that accompany their men to the ends of the earth on the drag racing journeys that they travel. Then, there's the "whatever" kind that don't give a rip what their men do as long as the bills are paid and she's pampered when she asks for it. Finally, there are those that are known as the "unbelievers", who refuse to support their men and inevitably give them the choice of racing or being married.

What did that old bumper sticker say? If memory serves me correct it read, "My wife told me that it was going to be fishing or her...God, I'm going to miss her. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what choice I made when given that ultimatum."

Sometimes I regret that decision, but I knew it was my destiny, besides I think we're both happier now.

What would inspire me to write such an editorial? Whether the "he-men" will admit it or not, we all get lonely on the road. The faithful men are always the loneliest. The unfaithful men…well, I can't speak for them.

I've long noticed that beside most every successful man in this industry is a supportive and equally determined female at his side. Some years back, I did a story on a Super Stock racer named Jerry Jennings and his wife Elaine. Her words touched me. She told me, "If one of us has to go, I hope I go first because I wouldn't want to have to live without him." He said the same about her.
Anyone who knows this awesome couple is aware that Jerry could have been successful as a single man, but having someone at his side such as Elaine only enhanced the champion that was

I even find myself including in my stories little tidbits like "the car owned by Ken AND Sylvia Westbrook. There are two reasons for that. First, Sylvia would jump my butt next time I walked by the "Grave Digger" pit area if I didn't. Secondly, I'm sure she's put in just as much blood sweat and tears as Ken has. It's just a matter of giving credit where credit is due.

Now I know that there might be some feminists out there that will take offense to what I have written and brand me just another chauvinist pig. If you do, then you don't understand the point I am trying to make.

The point I am trying to make ladies, there are some of us out there that appreciate you. I only wish that us guys were as supportive in our mates as you are in us.

I can remember my good friend Malinda Bertozzi, whose husband Anthony, recently fell short in winning an Iron Man for me, corrected me once when she heard me say, "Beside every successful man is a good woman."

I could see she was not impressed as she looked at me and said, "a great woman."

She was right.

I don't know. I grew up in an old school household where Mom ran the house and Dad worked. He worked the long hours, so we could have the best things in life. His hours were 7 AM to 10 PM, five days a week. Needless to say, that put a lot of the workload on her. She never complained about cleaning house, cutting grass or taking the time to teach her son how to hit a baseball. We may have taken her for granted, but he never did. I often saw him tell her that he appreciated all that she did for him. She passed away when I was 13 of cancer, and I'll never forget the heartbreak that he endured the day that she died. They had been married almost thirty years and he was never the same after she left.

Think about it. Guys, where would you be without your significant other? Some might joke and say that they would be better off. In some cases, that may be true. It very well could be correct with the roles reversed. They might be better off without us.

Be thankful for what you have. You have a blessing. (Originally published March 2002)

Heroes…

We live in a world filled with heroes. In the drag racing world, I am privileged to meet many of those that are proclaimed to be the heroes of others. Most of those are legends that earned the status through talent and a winning record. They are also known by their candor in television interviews and friendliness when signing autographs.

As I said, I am privileged to get to meet a lot of people that have earned their niche in the sport. I think the one thing that touched my heart was the feature on Blair Patrick. One moment in time, the Super Stock racer was a normal person within society, just like you and I. He worked long hours, loved his family, was obsessed with his racecar and had to be coaxed into taking a vacation. One bad decision by another individual led to a dramatic change in Blair's life. When faced with the decision to live life to its fullest or lay around as someone hoping for their life to end, Patrick didn't have to think twice. The only doubt that he ever had was in understanding how he was going to do all the things they said he'd be able to. He became more intent on proving those wrong that limited his potential.

When I thought about how Blair lives his life, I was just a bit jealous. Though he can't walk as I can, he has better eyesight than I do. I don't mean physical vision. I mean the spiritual vision that allows one to appreciate the simple things in life that we all take for granted.

He's learned how to live a life of humility after the accident as well as one of humbleness. I'll admit that I probably never would have met Blair if it weren't for his accident. That's a sad commentary on my behalf. I'll admit it, I am attracted to those that take on adversity with everything they have and accept the outcome for what it is, good or bad.

The one thing that probably touched me the most is that Blair said he holds no resentment to the individual that caused the accident. When asked if he would have allowed the accident to happen, I was shocked to hear Blair say that it was a tough question to answer.

I used to be intimidated to talk to people like Blair because I felt so remorseful for their condition, that I had failed to do the one thing that they had long before - accept it.

The first drag racer that I ever interviewed that was confined to a wheelchair was a gentleman out of Dunlap, Tenn., named Wayne Barker. If the name doesn't sound familiar, Barker built the first supercharged Pro Modified to ever qualify in a Pro Modified national event. He didn't make excuses; he just accepted life and found his place in it.

The one thing I learned is that gentlemen like Blair and Wayne can actually map out their entire day in their head before getting out of bed. Again, another thing that I take for granted, is the ability to get out of bed. Looking at the ceiling actually added to their creativity of any particular project that they pondered.

I never knew Blair or Wayne before their accidents, but I did know Darrell Gwynn when he was an energetic and up-and-coming Top Fuel driver. To hear that he would never walk again tugged at my heart. Why? I would repeatedly ask. At the time, I was just 23-years old, and I thought I knew everything, but I hadn't yet come to grips with the fact that all things happen for a reason.

At 34 years old, I shed a tear standing on the starting line unbeknownst to anyone, as Darrell drove his electric-powered dragster to the finish line at Indy.

I guess we can all control our destiny in life, to a point. When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, or so they say. When you're someone like Shirley Muldowney and a crash has taken you down as much as her 1984 one did, you make the decision to play the game of life or quit. She made the decision to walk again and ultimately compete. That makes her a hero as well as anyone that looked disability in the eyes and whipped it. Hero status is achieved by accepting your limitations and still pushing forward.

Or John Force, who refused to let a childhood illness get the best of him.

There's my close friend Mike Aiello, in the face of numerous handicaps thrown his way, still makes the decision to get up and live his life everyday. We all have as personal story to tell.

I used to be a ball player and I competed in numerous softball tournaments. At times, I played as many as six games in a week. Outside of my family and drag racing, I loved playing ball more than I loved anything in life. I nailed more than my fair share of shots over the centerfield fence and I scooped more balls out of the dirt at first base than I care to remember.

On Tuesday, September 22, 1998, I was headed around second base on an easy triple when I felt something let go in my ankle. By the time I got back to the dugout I suspected that I had torn my Achilles tendon or hurt something serious. My competitive spirit pushed me to continue playing on my wounded foot until I inevitably did so much damage that once the doctor examined it, he told me that I might not ever walk normal again.

By January of 1999, I began to walk without the use of crutches. Still unable to stand on my feet for extended periods of time by September, I gave up a job I had held for 13 years to become a professional drag racing journalist.

Just like Blair, I often wonder what my life would have been life had the accident not happened. In the interest of fair reporting, I did manage to play ball again last year and it may have been for just two games as a fill-in, but I made it back. I look back on that September evening and do I have any regrets about the injury? Of course I do. I wish it had torn coming across home plate. I wish we had won the game. (Originally published May 2002)

Message Board Crew Chiefs…

The Message Boards have their place in our racing world.

I’ve sat back and watched various entities bash message boards over the course of the last few years. The fact is that message boards and chat rooms are as much a part of today’s computer culture as the Dot Coms and the Internet Service Providers. Just like in anything, you have the good, the bad and the ugly. I’m going to take a look at all areas of this culture and I will present my opinions thoroughly. After all, I got my start on the Internet back in the early 1990s on message boards and chat rooms. Hey, I was one of the first 12 people to visit the NitroMater.com.

I understand fully where another Internet website was complaining about anonymous posters, but to downgrade the whole realm because of a few bad apples is truly unfair. I honestly believe that if the author had also been introduced to drag racing via the Internet, that column might not have been written in the same way.

We must all understand that it was the message boards on Compuserve that led to the modern convenience of nearly live updates as provided by entities such as the FastNews Network. That kind of audience of race fans, who frequented the message boards, led to the upgrades that we now enjoy today on the websites of the major sanctioning bodies. There were some chat rooms that eventually sprouted off and I was a regular on the Friday evening chat on AOL.

I think my background in that arena is what helped me to fit right in with the many message boards that sprouted up along the way. It was also through that involvement with the various members of the racing community on the Internet that many people had access to the rumors, gossip and stuff by way of those who attended races. When I went to the races and came home, I often found myself hopping on the computer and sharing the pit area chatter that I had acquired over the weekend.

It was that kind of feeling of sharing the latest news with others that led us in the direction of CompetitionPlus.com. That, and the prodding of a friend from a “chat room,” led me in that direction of doing an e-zine. By the way, I met Roger Richards in a chat room, too.

Of course I have found the message boards to be a great motivator for our e-zine. We always have to stay on top of the game to scoop the masses and while other entities may have a problem with that, I certainly don’t because it gives us the heads up on news and that allows us to get the word out. Those stories in the printed era would be two months old by the time they reached your mailbox. I think one of the great attributes of the message boards in today’s modern era is the increased availability of drag racing exposure.

In that one commentary it mentioned that websites with message boards and chat rooms shouldn’t be allowed access to national event press rooms and starting lines. The website also mentioned that these many use these message boards to inflate numbers. Never have we figured those numbers into our 3.5 to 4 million hits per month figures because we haven’t needed to. To be honest, we only put up a message board as a courtesy to our readers and the same holds true for our chat room.

Of course, the one irritant to everyone involved is the anonymous poster that lurks behind a bogus name and makes snide comments and basically makes no constructive contribution to debates. That is what gives the whole message board scene a bad name. I think one of my pet peeves is to see people bash organizations and people when they don’t know the full story. Just one scenario of dozens that continues to entertain me is how some will insult certain sanctioning bodies and spout doom and gloom, yet they have never attended one of their national events in their lives.

That’s the funny thing - I know one such website that actually calls themselves a news site under the guise of a message board. To me, the majority of the message board frequenters never claim to be journalists, but this one actually places the word news in their title. I have never seen this entity credentialed at a national event, yet they criticize others and cry that press releases don’t tell the whole story. Yet they are too lazy to go out and investigate the issue themselves. The only speculate in a forum and call it news. Reminds me of that line I heard in a movie when two ladies were insulting each other, “Girl, just because you perform sex acts in a phone booth, it don’t make you a call girl.”

I for one, I’m grateful for message boards and chat rooms. They have made me better at my job and have darn sure improved our product. To me, it’s the next generation of bench racing…even if it does have plenty of good, some bad and a little bit of ugly. (Originally published December 2002)

Let Freedom Ring…

EDITOR'S NOTE: When I took over as Editor of CompetitionPlus.com last year, I asked Bobby Bennett to continue to write the editorials for the magazine. In light of recent events related to the war in Iraq and the sacrifices our brave troops are already making in the face of mounting opposition to the war around the world, and at home, however, I have no choice but to speak out. This may not have anything to do with drag racing, but it does have much to do with the way of life we enjoy in this country, a way of life that allows us the freedom to do what we want without fear of reprisal. - Brian Wood

Just what kind of fantasy world do the American people protesting against the war in Iraq live in? Have they already forgotten the horrifying images of planes loaded with innocent civilians crashing into buildings full of other innocent civilians? Have they put the sight of countless flag-draped bodies being slowly carried away from the remains of the World Trade Center out of their collective minds? God help us all if they have.

It seems incomprehensible to me that the patriotic fervor and sense of unity that swept over this country in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks is already nothing more than a dim memory. Incomprehensible, and disgusting. What does it take in this era of self-serving individualism to bring home the point that we are at war with one of the most brutal and sadistic regimes in history; one that is led by a megalomaniac bent on the destruction of the very way of life the anti-war faction professes to love so much.

Saddam Hussein may not have had a direct hand in the 9/11 attacks, but it would be criminally gullible to deny the fact that his regime fully supported and financed the training and deployment of the hijackers and their compatriots. The cruelest irony of all, however, is the fact that his malevolence is just not directed towards the non-Muslim world, but against anyone who stands in his way, including his fellow countrymen, and indeed, his own family.

Hussein killed his way to power by purging and murdering all his opponents, much like Joseph Stalin did in Russia, and he has continued to butcher, torture and repress the people of Iraq ever since, all in order to fill his own coffers with the proceeds of his country’s oil resources. He uses the money not to provide a better way of life for his poverty-stricken people, but rather to buy and develop weapons of mass destruction with which to carry out his twisted plans to terrorize the world.

Have no doubt that any of the countries that currently protest our involvement in this war would find themselves on his list of targets if it suited his purposes, bar none.

Saddam invokes holy war and whips the zealots in his ranks into a religious frenzy in the name of the Muslim faith, but it is a well-documented fact that he is a secularist who rejected any belief in God at any early age. Now, totally through the use of cleverly stage-managed theatrics, he incites the masses to resist the Coalition forces that seek to free them from his murderous reign, weaving Hitleresque hypnotic verbal trances that the weak-minded among his followers find impossible to resist.

Sadly, it now also appears that his bewitching influence has inexplicably spread to much of the rest of the world, including not only the French, Germans and Russians, but many otherwise rational people in the United States as well. At the first word that war had broken out in Iraq, they rushed to the streets to protest, ridiculously over-simplifying the situation and demanding an unconditional end to the hostilities.

They just don’t seem to realize that there can be no peace in the area until Saddam’s regime is destroyed – period. He is the catalyst of all the problems in the Middle East, and has been for many, many years. He is a master of double-talk and deception, playing one side against the other over and over again. It’s painful to realize that many people in this country have now been charmed by this smooth-tongued devil, and been turned against their own government and those fighting to bring true peace and security to the region.

Their favorite slogan is “No Blood for Oil,” but I’m sorry to say that more than enough blood has already flowed for that oil – Iraqi blood – the blood of the hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children Hussein has shot, gassed and bombed into submission since the first Gulf War ended. We sadly failed to finish the job 12 years ago, but we won’t make that mistake again.

So to the brave troops now fighting for the freedom of the Iraqi people, and all the countries that support our efforts, I send my heartfelt gratitude. To those who seek to undermine their morale and effectiveness through protesting, I say shame on you. This is a war for the perseverance of our very way of life, and the enemy you are supporting today would not hesitate to cut your throat tomorrow. There is a timeworn but very relevant saying that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and it’s up to freedom-loving people everywhere to do all in our power to break this ugly and destructive chain of events once and for all.  (Originally published in April 2003)