ESPN2 broadcast still ignoring the racers

From DRO editor, Jeff Burk:
As is my tradition when not on the road, I tuned in the ESPN2 broadcast of the NHRA national event this week from Seattle. I started with the Sunday half-hour show. The Force family dominated the show AGAIN. Once again, no time for those pro racers racing on their own money without whom there would only be 12-13 cars in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock instead of full fields. Those racers just don’t warrant or need any exposure from the ESPN2 crew? The NHRA and ESPN owe these guys some air time for saving their broadcasting butts!

Ah, but there was time for a five-minute segment dedicated to TATTOOS! Now there is a segment germane to the sport. We also got the obligatory Ashley Force Hood update and shots of her holding a baby. Awhhhhh! The half-hour Sunday morning show was predominately fluff and stuff -- I say enuff!  

How about a little real journalism? Ask David Baca why his race team is for sale. Why not ask “It-sure-is-good-to-have-him-back” J.R. Todd how much it costs to sponsor his car for one or two races? Naw, let’s do tats instead. I thought for a moment I had accidentally punched the channel changer and ended up on the Miami Ink reality show.  

I have to ask, is there no story line more interesting to drag racing fans watching than tattoos, the Force family, and more John Force? How about asking Force if Ford backing Bob Tasca is siphoning off some of the money he might be getting? Naw, that would be too personal.

I had about eight hours to cool off between the morning ESPN2 show and the broadcast of the main show Sunday night. Again they insulted the intelligence of their audience with two or three segments on John Force’s scooter! His scooter is more important than how the number 15 or 16 qualifiers in the pro categories are able to make it? And we had to watch the stupid tattoo segment one more time.

I about broke the buttons on the channel changer hitting them so hard. Oh, yeah, there was some racing. The racing in the finals and the Troy Buff story line were absolutely excellent. It is just so sad that as viewers with a working knowledge of the sport we have to wade through 150 minutes of battered and deep fried crap to get some real racing and information. Grade for this Sunday: D. [7/20/2009]

Joosten getting new Pro Mod from G-Force Race Cars

European Pro Mod racer Robert Joosten bought Jim Oddy’s last C-6 ‘Vette with the Billy Leverentz-built Hemi engine. He has had real success on the FIA Europe Pro Mod tour with the car but he recently crashed it. He has contracted Buffalo racecar builders G-Force Race Cars (who built some of Oddy’s Pro Mods) to build him a new car, reportedly another C-6 ‘vette.  The new car will still have a Leverentz engine and we will get you a look at the new car as soon as we can.  (DRO file photo by Rose Hughes) [7/20/2009]