LET 'FREE ENTERPRISE' FIND THE WAY
Isn't it about time NHRA held an open competition to see if any other tire manufacturer can make a safer racing tire? I get the feeling this has been an on-going problem and is being addressed wrong. Maybe Goodyear would work a little harder if they knew they might lose their No.1 spot. Nobody wants to see any one hurt or even scared but with all the technology available today we should be able to build a safer and more reliable racing tire.
Mike Healy
New York
A FEW SUGGESTIONS
Jeff, you are so hopelessly wrong when you say the 0 angle changes as the car goes down the track. Yes, the tires grow but not as much as you think, and the chassis flex keeps the angle close to zero, as the chassis bends in the middle and forms a bow, so the wing pretty much will stay the same. The cure would be to limit the rear gear to a 3.90 to 1 then let's see Alan Johnson and the rest of the crew chiefs beat that. And if they can, then put them in the car and let them make 6 runs and see if they feel safe.
Another point: get rid of the scoreboards. The fans don't know how fast the cars are going, let the announcer tell them. I remember in the old days the suspense of not knowing and then the word came over the P.A. system, and everyone went wild when it was an outstanding run. Now someone runs a 4.48 and everyone goes nuts and the next guy runs a 4.49 and nobody cares? The point is nobody really knows the difference except for the scoreboard.
And the next guy that gets killed, God forbid, I hope he has a nut in his family that goes after the NHRA assholes that make the rules the Italian way.
Gene Terenzio Sr.
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GOODGUYS REDUX
Dave Wallace sure has some beef with the Goodguys. Went to the nitro nationals at Pomona and these are my thoughts. Arrived at 9 so I could cruise the pits and get a sniff before the advertised pro session at 10. It did not start on time, no big deal. But 1:15 is when Top Fuel came out to qualify, that was a bit late. They did have a big car count but with a minimal delays the program did seem to drag a bit.
First round was to be run at 4; it wasn't and then I knew it would be a late day. Another headscratcher was the funny cars only making one pass for the day. At around 5:30 the first round of Top Fuel ran and that's when I thought so what is running late the track is cool, the weather is right and this round could be good, and it was a fun round to watch.
Yes, it was a long day, but so what? I was glad to spend a day at the drags. A rare treat to go to a southern California nitro show so close to my house and see many old friends. In closing that John Powers firebird is ridiculous!
Mark Hendon
Granada Hills, CA