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Nitro? Who Cares?

I hope you do not mind my e-mails but you bring my thoughts out when I read your article and have solved a puzzle that is plaguing our sport and auto racing in general.

Is NITRO itself the draw to our sport? i think for the time being it is but
I reflected on my own experiences and have come to some conclussions.

The Goodguys nostalgia events are thriving with new cars and huge audiences ever growing, year after year.

I asked myself why, why do i enjoy those races, what is the draw for me? and why at nhra events do the stands virtualy empty after the fuel classes? Is it the speeds we go to see? will the 85% rule or lower effect the fuel classes because of the decrease in speed? What fans, nearly all, want to see is good heads up racing and cars, different cars, cars that stand out and cause the wheels in our head to spin and fantasize, reflections on a car we might have owned in the past that resembles the ones we are watching, and innovation, maybe a weird two motor contraption that flys down the 1320 with grace and an impinging hell all at the same time.

Our sport is ridding itself (in the fuel classes) of that innovation that got us where we are today, IRL is the same way, basically kit cars that are all the same, Nascar, the exact same, all cars are the same, and now fuel cars wheather it is top fuel, or funny car they are all basically the same. We need to focus on this problem create differences, allow innovation, bring out the t.v. tommy ivo's or the "BIG DADDY" in all the fuel classes and the fan base will expand!

At this pace where will we go? Even at bonneville the shapes designs sizes etc. are all different, yet are safe(as safe as our sport can guarantee) and fit under the guidlines of the sanctioning body. PS trucks were cool for a bit because they were different, Pro Mod is hot because they are different and each car has a character of it's own. We need to create rules that allow innovation and different approaches to the same body of rules.

Change is good and maybe we can look at our past, and our present
nostalgia or pro mod classes and learn why the fans are so hooked, after all without the fans there would be no NHRA and without innovation there would be no drag racing.- Ken Becker

Thank You

First, I again want to thank you for your coverage of my accident in Atlanta.

The rear end assembly of my car was inspected last week and there were no broken parts. There was some question that my accident was due to a broken axle however this was not the case. As I use Mark Williams axles, spool, drive shaft, yolks, etc., I didn't expect to find anything broken. Mark makes a great product.

The car is being repaired (at a cost of about $17,500) and should be ready for late August. I am planning to finish the season with a grade 5 so I have a lot of racing to do. I am also planning to compete in the Keystone Nationals in Reading, PA and the NHRA event in Joliet, both in September. I may even compete at the finals in California, if my wife doesn't divorce me first.

And, thanks to your coverage, I believe the track will be a safer as they changed the Poweraid sign's construction.

If you are ever at one of these events, please stop by and say hello. I owe you, at least, a thank you and a beer. You are one of those people that I will always respect for your concern for the individual racer.

Take care and thank you for being there for me and my family.- Bob Cassella

Archives, Please...

I am late to your mag., and got interested in some of your past offerings in the archives, namely "Drag Racing 101," "Carbs 101," and "Classic Muscle Car Performance "Off the Shelf."

I thought that I was kayoed in my downloading procedure whe I no longer found your archives on your site. I was much relieved when I pulled up your site tonight, and found the archives lead was back. My only problem now is, how do you address it? I started to bring up past issues, but don't get any results.

If you could either fix this, or tell me how to successfully address this, I would be in your debt, as I am close to retirement, and I plan to go back to drag racing again. I need the help, as the technology has changed, and since I quit during the days of class racing, even the method of racing has changed.

Also, I like your magazine. I am an old Super Stock and Drag Illustrated guy, and we know that is shot to hell, and your mag fills in very well. - Kurt J. Boubong

Kurt, we must apologize but technical malfunctions created a problem with our archives. The problem should be fixed. The archives can be accessed at the bottom left hand of the cover. - Editor

Pulde's Predicament

I was on vacation this weekend and didn't get to watch the qualifying show and only about half of the finals show so I don't really understand what happened to Dale Pulde. Let's see if I've got this right, Dale Pulde qualified on E.T. and was in the show, but someone protested that he hadn't met the speed requirement for recert on his license so he was disqualified?
Do you get the feeling the tail is wagging the dog at NHRA sometimes? I love racing with them (IHRA too), but sometimes they make some really difficult to understand decisions. I was under the impression that a driver in the pro classes had to make a specific number of single passes in order to upgrade or recertify their license and that if they chose to do this at a National event they (the runs) didn't count towards qualifying. I'll have to look at the rule book. I really enjoy your website and read it daily. As a sportsman racer I appreciate your diversity in coverage of sportsman and pros as well as other forms of drag racing. Keep up the good work. - Ray Gottry

Garlits Done Good

Great interview with Don Garlits. If only people would have listened to him years ago, who knows what T/F would be today. He has always been the man and in my eye's he always will! Once again, great interview. - Staging Steve LeTempt

Comp Fans

I just read your article about being different in competition eliminator, and I am a fan of both Frank Aragona and Michele Costa - it is good to see thatthey are willing to try engines other than chevy's which have dominated the field for so many years. It shows that bigger is not always better. The engines and cars are not the run of the mill it takes hard work and great minds and many many hours to put them together. - Lore A.

What's Up with SUPER CHEVY?

Is super chevy alive??? I have been going to there shows for a long time.
I've been to three this year. Lets see. Is the midway full???? they were
not at INDY and have been going down each year for the last couple of years. and a big way this year. Turn out at the Show are also down, and so
was the swap meet end of the show. It was the same at Martin, MI., and
Norwalk, Ohio. To me that was the better show. Now if you have less cars in the class there all put in to one. Leaving the little guy out in the cold.
At Martin , Mich. they cut 2/3 of the class. So lets look at it now

1.) price up and no early registration
2.) 2/3 less trophy at some shows.
3.) Less midway venders.
4.) smaller show
5.) grab bags you can keep. Three pieces of paper
and a Dashboard sticker. or better they can keep it.
6.) and a fine shirt in place of a nice jacket.
7.) No sponsors are down all so.

So lets see are they up for sale or going under ???????? Don't know
I have enjoyed the shows and the cars and parts. Vendors were good. I hope they relook at it and make it better like before. or sll it to some one how
would. - D. Theodore

Loved the NASCAR Drag Racing

I love your website. I was happy to see the NASCAR and drag racing story. i have old original fliers from Motor City Dragway in Michigan and alot of the races there were sanctioned by NASCAR. Most of them are from mid 60's. Keep up the good work. - Rick Rzepka

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