Quite simply, thank you. May you find “An official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time” under your tree this year.
Best regards,
JC Flugger
Fowmaster
Drag racing needs more self-insurance and less corporatism in the literal defined sense. I think even the ADRL is too big, but I'll support their right to contract with indie track businesses. . .as the law allows in America.
Philip Bradford
Tacoma
It seems to me that the larger the sanctioning body, the less progressive they become. The variation and diversity of smaller sanctioning bodies offer the fans and racers more of a choice. I like all the pro categories but the faces don't change too often.
Bill Wiechec
Cleveland, OH
Where is the UDRA when you really need them! I would think the threat to remove the sanction from a track would never pass muster with a court (legal or of public opinion) as the long history of the sport has shown (as you pointed out) the practice of race tracks booking other "organizations" without any oversight or approval from the major sanctioning bodies. In addition it would seem the ADRL cars would fall under the Advanced ET, exhibition, or PM/TS rules of either major bodies for purposes of safety rules and therefore not violate the insurance coverages that the race tracks pay as a part of doing business. I doubt very seriously that a race track owner who can make decent money with a show would drop it just to save his sanction.
As far as the major sanctioning bodies, it would be counter productive, after all would not the step of removing the sanction just drive the track to the other sanction? So IHRA would force Steve Earwood to drop his two IHRA national events and join NHRA just for hosting a Pro Mod show? I don't think so. IHRA's concern is understandable as it has Pro Mod as a key part of its program and identity. The NHRA position is not so easily understood as it
has only a limited stake in what is to the NHRA an "exhibition" class.
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My original mentor in this sport, the late Cliff Riley, founder of Milan Dragway, always taught me that other tracks’ and organizations’ success in the sport was good, as the end results were more race cars and more fans, some which may come someday to support our track and sanction body. It's a lesson that some in our sport still need to learn.
Thanks for listening.
Edward O'Reilly
Retired Announcer/Race Director
Well, I am impressed with what you had to say; the nail was squarely hit on the head. Drag racing on ESPN will be nothing but filler after NASCAR gets done chewing them up. How much money goes to the suits and not to the people who've helped build this money monger for them. If we don't show up, what happens to them at their $50+ ticket prices?
Best article I've ever read, but they will never acknowledge it because they don't care about nothing but themselves.
Ted Croy
Cedar Rapids, IA
Why would NHRA change their ideas? They have been a Scrooge for years. It wouldn't be NHRA if it acted in any way other than being the dominant person. They think they have the only show on earth. Just ask. My two cents.
Art Gravatt
Bainbridge, GA
