On TV at least, the grandstands at NHRA's Brainerd  track looked far from being full. I can tell you this for sure: the grandstand at the Firebird Raceway Boise were at or near capacity both Friday and Saturday and a decent crowd but not a full house showed on Sunday. Make of that what you want.

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There sure were a lot of ex-NHRA "Big Show" drivers and crew members on the teams at the Boise Nightfire Nationals. Among those seen were Paul Romine, Gary Beck, Steve Plueger, Bucky Austin and Cory Lee.

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Just in case you might have the idea that these racers and teams are just "country clubing" it, how about this item. The Paul Romine team had to change two pistons after their second round win over “McCain's Bomb Squad” AA/FC and driver Mindy Fry. The team, which has only four crewmen, R&R’d both heads, changed two pistons and the clutch in just about one hour and 10 minutes.

A subject of much conversation in the fuel pits after the race was the rumor that John Force Racing employees had taken a pay cut to keep their jobs. Wasn't there a rumor earlier this year that Force cut the wages of his teams in order to keep all four teams running in the NHRA?

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Even though there were just nine Top Fuel cars at the Nightfire Nationals (where there was a full field last year) the nine teams that did show put on one hell of a show with 5.70 ET's and speeds over 250 mph. Maybe the News will have to go to an eight-car Top Fuel field and enlarge the F/C field in 2010. I heard from some good sources that the idea of enlarging the AA/FC field was at least on the table for next year’s races at Firebird.

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Steve Gibbs was at Boise Friday because the event was a Hot Rod Heritage race. He let it be known that he is seeking teams to make exhibition laps at the World Finals at Pomona and at the U.S. Nationals at Indy. I was told by a couple of racers that Gibbs is looking for eight AA/FC with period-correct bodies and paint to do exhibition racing the 50th Winternationals next year. Free tickets and no pay, as tradition dictates.

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After a chat with Mr. Gibbs regarding the car count, I think that if the numbers of Top Fuel cars and teams continues to decline you may see a change in the format for the NHRA reunion races at Bakersfield and Bowling Green. I'd say the Top Fuel teams will make that decision for Gibbs and the HRH. If they don't turn out in sufficient numbers at the Bakersfield Reunion October 16-18.

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Bill New, the founder and builder of Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho, turned 75 on Sunday. A belated Happy 75th to Mr. New from all of us at DRO.

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John Force leaving his crew of Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly to start driving Robert Hight's car for tuner Jimmy Prock with Hight driving Force's car with (I think) Coil tuning has to be a very difficult situation for all involved, especially for the crews on all of Force's teams. And then there is the controversy brewing over Robert Hight testing John Force’s car with no testing days left to his credit. What a zoo the Force camp is right now!

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The fact that there are still no 1,000-foot records for NHRA's Top Fuel and Funny Car teams just contributes to the chaos that is the NHRA these days. As long as the NHRA holds off on establishing records, the threat/promise and confusion over returning the NHRA fuel cars to quarter-mile racing seems real.

I'll say this, if the NHRA really believes that fans are staying away because of 1,000-foot racing, why don't they tell the teams immediately that beginning at the U.S. National they would be restricted to one fuel pump and one mag? Drop the testing ban and let teams test this combo immediately and see if this would slow the speed and ETs enough to consider returning to quarter mile racing.