In the interest of the long term history of drag racing, I believe the sport's decision-makers need to find the answers to improve the economic feasibility of professional drag racing as well as better attendance at all events.
Changes which do not include the planted rumor of a potential part-time return to 1320-feet racing for the nitro divisions.
I'm reminded I must keep emotion out of my presentation, but I just cannot help it when it comes to the latest banana-in-the-tailpipe trick by ESPN regarding their ESPY award for Best Driver.
Drag racing fans get hyped for at least one NHRA driver in one category (it's all the sport seems to be eligible for), only to feel what it's like to be in a small state when the Presidential election comes along. Yes, your vote counts, but only so much,
COUSINS COMPETE IN MOUNTAIN MOTOR PRO STOCK – Johnny Pluchino and cousin Vincent Nobile grew up on Long Island. His father Johnny is Nobile’s godfather, and Nobile’s father, John, is Pluchino’s godfather. And now the cousins are racing together in the NHRA’s Mountain Motor Pro Stock class. Pluchino made his NHRA debut at Bristol Dragway this past weekend in the third of four exhibition appearances for the class this season. The final race for the Mountain Motor Pro Stocks will be July 5-7 at the New England Nationals at Epping, N.H. Nobile had competed in April at the 16-car show at the Charlotte Four-Wide event.
For a long time, the NHRA hasn't gotten the benefit of the doubt in controversial situations. And, to be honest, in previous administrations of the sanctioning body, they didn't deserve it. Decisions made out of arrogance or for fear of legal ramifications, basically made the bed they must sleep in all too often.
This weekend's NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio provides another no-win situation.
I see you sitting in the back seat of a massive Pontiac, on your way to see your first national event, the 1981 Spring Nationals in Bristol, Tenn. You are anxious, have stars in your eyes and with good reason. It's the first time you'll ever see the stars you've read about for two years in those major magazines. You'll see the colors; hear the beautiful sounds of drag racing at the highest level and for the first time in your life, inhale nitromethane.
For my first column for competitionplus.com, I want to take you back nearly 42 years to my introduction to drag racing as a part-time sports writer/student at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer.
In the summer of 1977, my local track was to host a sanctioned event called the NHRA Country Boy National Open. It was to be headlined by the Pro Comp class, which (for you young’uns out there) was a class that combined what you now know as Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car.
“Hi! Thanks for being here! Come on in, have a seat, and make yourself uncomfortable.”
If Tami Powers, director of business development/operations at Alan Johnson Racing, could gather team owners, sponsorship-procurement specialists, and the NHRA marketing department and top executives, that’s probably how she would greet them at the door.
She has rebounded from the heart-sinking disappointment of an impressively innovative Top Fuel deal for Ashley Sanford that imploded on the threshold of the season-opener. Her experience and observations tell her something in drag racing’s business model is broken. But her intuition also tells her the problem is fixable.
Salinas dancing? Schumacher prefers dragsters. The NHRA has rules, and Ron Capps has someone to look up to.
OK, JUST ONE DANCE – The sun had set on the desert, and the glare of TV cameras no longer had trapped Top Fuel winner Mike Salinas in what he would call his most uncomfortable situation. Blathering in front of media members never has been the intensely driven Bay Area businessman’s cup of Folgers. Neither is showing his vulnerable side. Don’t you know? He’s a tough drag racer and nose-to-the-grindstone businessman, and don’t forget it.
Salinas, nothing like emotional Terry McMillen when the Amalie Oil Dragster driver finally broke into the ranks of NHRA Top Fuel winners at Las Vegas in October 2017, told reporters after his Denso Spark Plugs Four-Wide Nationals victory Sunday, “I’m going to go home and cry by myself.”
Don Garlits hogged so much of the ink spilled throughout 1959 that, in fairness to everyone else, we’ll devote two of these installments to drag racing’s biggest season yet. Garlits gets his own story because his first trip from Florida to the West Coast—indeed, the first cross-country tour by any drag racer—was the story of the year, if not of the young sport’s history thus far.
Camshaft sponsor Ed Iskenderian negotiated with three Western promoters to create open events in California and Arizona. Win, lose, or fail to stage for first round (Don’s fate at Bakersfield), the stranger was guaranteed today’s equivalent of around $40,000. The late Pat Garlits often remarked that nice homes in Tampa could be bought for less. Her husband often reminded reporters that Wally Parks had been giving away some real nice trophies, a Norge washing machine, tools, and other donated merchandise to Top Eliminators of recent NHRA Nationals, but no dough whatsoever. The young couple still held nearly all of that loot when their worn-out ’53 Buick limped back home, too, because Mr. Isky sponsored new speed equipment and new racer friends offered lodging and meals at each stop.
Their historic season was best documented by Drag News contributors and advertisers, particularly Iskenderian Cams. The accompanying clippings track drag racing’s first touring professional from March's humbling Bakersfield debut through December's triumphant California return at Riverside. Next time, we'll steer the column back into the groove and review what the rest of the sport was doing while the Swamp Rat was hogging these headlines in 1959.
