OLDER AND WISER?
Damn Jeff, the older you get the smarter you get. You are right on every point. Any death hurts the sport. Makes the "non-believers" want to keep their kids away.
I saw my first drag race in 1962 at Alton Dragway and while I haven't seen as many as you since then, I have seen a lot of races. One race that sticks out in my mind as the best ever was the night Alton still had class racing. Six cars and pickups with six-cylinder sticks raced each other in the Stock class when Stock was darn close to really stock. You could see them pass each other every time they changed gears on 19-second runs.
Another good race was the diesel truck race at SLIR in ‘79. Same thing except you could see black smoke out the stacks with the gear changes. Yes, we watched Fearless Fred Goeske go over the mandated NHRA speed limit for rocket cars at SLIR. (No score boards back then and I had my hand over the clocks so he wouldn't get in any trouble.) That was "Incredible" to quote a friend.
Racing is racing but a 330-mile run while the guy in the other lane pops the burst panel on the line is a lousy race, while a race decided by .001 with both guys crossing the finish at 120 mph is great race.
Keep telling it like it really is and you can sleep at night.
Phil Trover
Orlando
A BIT OF THIS, A BIT OF THAT
I agree, slow them down. No blowers, one mag and 80% nitro. And NHRA should require soft walls on their tracks just like NASCAR.
Kurt Sundberg
Kansas
LET THE RACERS DECIDE
First off I would like to say I respect your concerns about shorting the track for safety sake. I grew up in the south and still have many friends that race on 1/8-mile tracks. The reason that many of those tracks are 1/8 mile is due to room restraints. Many of those same tracks would be total dumps if they would be 1/4 mile. I have a 7.50 car and I realize I put my life on the line every time I strap in. The most thrilling part of the run is the top end. That's why I do it.
Eric was one of the guys I admired most. I would hate to see tracks reduced to 1/8 mile. If there is a change to be considered, it should up to the racers, the people that go down the track, not the media or fans.
David Ortego
RACING MEANS RISKS
Jeff Burk said: "Many of your letters suggest the drag racing is inherently dangerous and that the speeds and danger are what make the sport entertaining so let them go as fast as they want. So let see if I understand your point of view. Drag racing’s appeal is that it is fast a
nd dangerous and a certain amount of deaths are acceptable."
Fast and dangerous? Yes. Deaths acceptable? NO. Your implying the two go hand in hand is pure foolishness. I say, continue to learn from situations and make improvements. But you HAVE advocated a neutering type of response. WE ARE AMERICANS. We don't cut and run when it gets tough. We find a way to make it better and safer.
My thought would be cutting 50 CID if we had to do something. But I'd wager Eric would tell you to grow a pair or stay on the porch. My dad died in a Boeing 727 in 1975. Should we ban air travel, because planes can fall out of the sky? NO. Being human means accepting challenges and risks. Reaching for the moon, figuratively and literally.
Or let’s all live in shelters and ride buses. Buses crash too though. . . .
Mike Van Winkle
Lake Charles, LA
SC4400
