FEEDBACK ARTICLE - STRAIGHT AHEAD by Jeff Wolf

Revamping the points system is an absolutely deplorable idea. You hit the nail
on the head with how exciting the Championship battles have been in recent
years, but my biggest issue is unfairness.  How can you penalize (regardless of
budget and/or number of teams under one banner) teams for doing well over the
entire season? If I was a sponsor with a king's ransom invested, I would
strongly consider pulling my funding from anything related to NHRA.  Better yet,
maybe these sponsors and teams should make a switch to the IHRA!  How about the
idea of big brother and little brother changing places?  The trend of crossover
teams has increased in the last two seasons, is anyone at NHRA paying attention
to this?  Typically, the NHRA won't care until something drastic happens
(remember the tire issues in Top Fuel?) or it is too late. - Tim Teper, Lisbon, CT
 

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - STRAIGHT AHEAD by Jeff Wolf

So what's the next step from Glendora's Ivory Tower to "improve" the quality and
excitement of drag racing? Past winner/series champion provisionals in
qualifying? Possible .... 'cuz if it works for N@$(@R then we should do it
tooo!
Booking in cars to fill the fields @ the 6 Clowndown races? Won't need
to since the teams that miss the Clowndown will LOVE the 6 extra test weekends
that NHRA just handed to them!

Hell, why even stagger the points @ the
begining of the Clowndown? Just add points to each Clowndown qualifier's total
to put them all 1000 points ahead of the 1st non-Clowndown qualifier ....
that'll totally 'level the playing field'.

Yessiree Jeff, you are
correct.  Can't Fix Stupid. - Mitch Osika, Indianapolis, IN. 

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - STRAIGHT AHEAD by Jeff Wolf

NHRA listens to no one, that is why you can't fix stupid. They are much to old
to be making decisions, yet they stumble along like blind drunks, robbing the
fans of their hard earned money and putting it in there lazy back pockets and
calling it non-profit. Six figure incomes and fancy cars. They think everyone
else is stupid too. That new points system shows the incompetency of their
leadership. But personnaly I don't like your points system either. Two lanes,
drag race to the finish line, period. He or she whom earns the most points is
the champion. Simple. As for Mr. Goodwin, it is time for an Iraqi hangin'.
And shame shame on the old men in NHRA that would intimidate a young lass from
her sponsorship. I would have told them to kiss my posterior flesh. We can't
afford to scare or push sponsors and their money away. Long live Nitro Floppers,
the dream I will never be rich enough to achieve, and now, with this assinine
points system there may not be any drag racing left for me to dream about. - Mark Elms, Kingsburg, CA

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - STRAIGHT AHEAD by Jeff Wolf

At a most basic level, NHRA's new points structure is a crock. All it will take
is any of a multitude of potential breakage (broken throttle cable, oil leak,
tossed blower belt, etc.) and a team who could have been dominating the season
loses the title to a possible also-ran who doesn't deserve it in the least.
The beauty of NHRA drag racing used to be that at season's end, you had a true
champion, that being the one with the most points over a 23-race season with no
"reseeding". The new countdown is what happens when you have people with
marketing and law degrees (notable achievements on their own) making decisions
for a RACING association who've never sat in bleachers in their lives. Weak,
phony bull****, as far as I'm concerned. - Bill Huseth, Minneapolis, MN

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - CHANGES ARE A COMIN'  

I have just read your messages about track improvements.  With Indy being and
becoming more and more the Drag racing center of the world.  IRP Oh I'm sorry,
ORP...needs upgrading the soonest of all NHRA tracks!!  I have been going to
National events there since they first came there in 1961 and much of the track
is still the same as then!  Yes I know there have been improvements down
through the years.  But Indy should have always lead the way and it hasn't! NHRA needs to rethink their thinking.- M.A.Speasl , Decatur, IL.

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - When the Lions Roared

Thank you!!!  Brings back so many memories!!!
  
Moved to Burbank in Feb of
1960, found my way to San Fernando the first weekend and Lions the next.  Jack
Chrisman set a new record of 8.85 in the mid to high 160s (I think) in the "Twin
Bear", with a piece of plywood in front of the engines providing some "aero". 
It took months before I saw anyone top 170.
  
Everything you said about
sitting on the tower side, with the cars just out of reach, the fog (sometimes
not knowing who won), wet seats, flames from the refinery, wondering if the
engines would fire as the cars were pushed toward the starting line, what
wonderful memories.  
  
Leonard Harris was one of my heroes, still hurts to
think about him ("Sneaky Pete" @ Pomona, Mulligan @ Indy, Sorokin @ OCIR and
many others, too).
  
Did some time as a "gopher" and sometime helper on a
Jr. Fuel car run by Sam Rose (Butch Maas crashed and went through the END sign
at "The Pond" racing Danny Ongaias - sp?).  That was in the mid 60s, the days of
the Allison bros ("The Wasp" and "The ______"?, Fedak and Crowe (right?),
etc.).  What a wonderful sound to hear blown fuel cars from the "far end" as we
got ready to push back to the pits.  Clutch pedal was so stiff it was all I
could do keep my leg straight.
  
Still have my original "Last Drag Race"
T-shirt, only wear it once or twice a year.  Didn't stay for the final,
spectators were sitting right next to the guard rail and I was scared to death
someone would crash. 
  
Although it's ben awhile, the sound of metal
grinding on asphalt is far too fresh in my memory.  Spoke to Herm Peterson a few
months ago.  I just happened to be at OCIR and standing at the fence near where
his car came to rest.  As I'm sure you know, Herm was trapped upside down, with
fuel pouring out of the tank behind the seat.  At first his arms were failing
around and then they stopped.  The fire crew did a lousy job!!!!  Amazed he
survived and if you want to ever speak to a person who doesn't know the word
"quit", Herm's your guy.
  
Bought what was left of Ed Pink's drag racing
parts in '86 and sold them at swap meets up and down the ocast.  Had a great
time and met some wonderful people.  
  
Thanks again, hope I haven't bored
you to death. - Jim Culp

PS - I still have four little reels of 8mm
movies I shot at Lions, Fontana, Half Moon Bay and Riverside in the early 60s. 
Haven't looked at them in many years, don't know if there is anything worth
while, but I'd like them to go to someone who might appreciate them.  Let me
know. 

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - Phil Burkart's 11th Hour Dismissal

That was a raw deal for Phil. But in today's business world money is thicker
than blood or friendships. If I was wealthy I would team up with Phil. He is an
excellent driver and started in the brackets just like myself. The only thing I
too have done the best in my life is drag race. Many track championships on my
dragbike proves that but I never had the opportunity to move up. So I feel bad
for Phil. If there are no folks that can figure out that you have to have a
capable driver to attract a sponsor, then we really have a lot of clueless
greedy people. Money don't make ya good and from what I have seen lately, it
just makes you a looser. Hang in there Phil and I will too, never have lost my
dream of driving a nitro car. - Mark "Hog Wild" Elms 

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - Phil Burkart's 11th Hour Dismissal

One has to wonder why Phil was released....Was he more successful than Del ???
Was it Phil made it to more rounds than Del ??? One ha$ to a$k why you would
relea$e a proven driver. - Frank Kaylor

FEEDBACK ARTICLE - Phil Burkart's 11th Hour Dismissal

Thanks for keeping Burkart's name in the forefront!  He's an excellent driver,
and as a fan, I'm hoping he gets another ride very, very soon.  I'm still
reeling from the news of his dismissal, especially after he was the one bright
light in the CSK team's performance for 2006.

Excellent article! - Lisa Edmonson