FORCE LETTER #15, PAGE LETTER #2
Outstanding column this week. Let me address a few of your points. First of all, I could not agree with you more about the John Force "reality" show - it makes him look like a jerk, frankly. Guess that is "reality" TV, huh? If you are right and he is getting $100,000 per show, then I believe he really is doing it just for the money. Since that show seems to be about a dysfunctional family, and not about drag racing (except to hype crashes as if Ashley were involved), I'd say few, if any viewers will end up watching NHRA drag racing.
I agree that Paul Page is improving, and, having written negatively about his earlier performances (not about him, though), I will give him some credit. Still, I feel he has a long way to go.
What you wrote about Doug Herbert was something I wrote about in a post on a drag racing board - Doug owns that data, not Wayne, and legal measures could be taken. It may not seem right, but legally, the notes are Doug's. Good call.
Yes, the races without stellar e.t.s do seem to prove that good, close, exciting, challenging races and tracks make interesting drag races, not low e.t.s and big top ends, though those can be nice once in awhile.
Another good call on J.R. Todd. Although he never won a national event, I recall Rodney Fourney, and also Leon Cain, both of whom I believe were African-Americans. Todd seems like a great guy, but he sure didn't do it without a good tune-up from Jimmy Walsh. As for more coverage of that story, I sometimes think ESPN is too busy "reporting" conflicts, usually between Whit Bazemore and Capps or Force, to actually cover a story like J.R. Todd's. It is too bad, really, since that sounds like an interesting story.
As for the heat, one wonders if the NHRA could possibly reschedule some of these races, and maybe take a break during the hottest part of the summer. Tough to do, I know, but maybe worth it to keep/bring back the fans.
Unfortunately, local papers will never cover drag racing, since it doesn't involve a stick or a ball.
As for telling Schu or Knoll they have too many teams, my guess is no way would that ever happen, which might be too bad. Too few teams could really hurt, especially if one of them decided to leave the sport for any reason.
Keep up the great work.
John R. Murnan II
St. Paul, MN
FORCE LETTER #16
You are very kind concerning Force's new show, watched five minutes. What a waste of time.
Michael Dakin
Ohio