CATCH 22?
Jeff I guess I am slightly confused. On the one hand you say that the NHRA is a not-for-profit organization and then you say that Tom Compton and his board were hired to make the NHRA "profitable".
Mike Crippin
Holland, Michigan
Mike, not for profit means they can’t accrue the money; they have to spend a large part of what they take in every year. In other words they can make it and spend it, they just can’t keep it. And spend it means paying large salaries to the board of directors and other execs or paying for building luxury boxes, box seats, new towers, etc. They have to make a profit to do that. –JB
SHEDDING SOME LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT
Did Graham Light forget where he came from? Canada, Top Fuel and ran on a budget in the 1970's like everyone else. Oh yeah, I think he ran what fuel was around at the time!
Brian Christiansen
Mariposa, California
CLOSE TO HOME
What a GREAT last statement - "barbarians ALREADY at the gate". You need to ask Don Long to give you his take - about an old house, falling apart, and the aged occupants, now in their SENILE years, not knowing or caring. (Personally, he NEARLY described my house and ME!)
Norm Porter
Southern California
RIP VAN HECHTKOFF
If you are correct, and you are, all that will happen is a slow death. I have said for 15 years now that NHRA is on a fast track to death. I have been laughed at and told about big race day crowds. Your column tells the tale. Bigger ticket prices, no growth, miserable TV profile. Who steps in when Powerade comes to the end of their contract? Drag racing has a great future. A chance to renew and prosper without the greedy, inept bozos in Glendora. Wake me up for the 2020 match race season.
Norman Hechtkoff
DUSTING UP MY RESUME
Jeff! Wow! That’s it! The old adage that everybody has a boss doesn’t seem to apply here. If there is really no boss for Compton and his crew, then the desire to excel in order to keep your job is not there. And, if you get a raise anyway, where is the incentive to do it better or differently? Where do I sign up for this gig?
Terry Spencer
Covina, California
AND ANOTHER THING…
The NHRA is step-by-step killing the sport in the present day and by default alienating their future by the myopic and capricious dealings of the overpaid humans (Compton, Gardner, Light) that pretend to know what they are doing. These morons are a perfect example of a monopoly in play. When they are through "having fun" my sincere hope is that SOMEONE with money (125M) and a modicum of business sense will purchase this moribund sporting franchise and do something spectacular and respectful with it.
The entire ESPN debacle is... well, a mental embarrassment... come on, they PAY ESPN two million for each boring broadcast and make the viewers sit through a litany of commercials so that they can watch a "free" broadcast? Don't the viewers pay for the cable in the first place? I know I do.
Don't get me started on the pro pay-outs, $40,000 to win, $10,000 to qualify, and the NHRA has the temerity to call itself a professional sport and brag about payouts on the broadcast. What are they comparing the payouts to? Maybe ice fishing in Romania or hay tossing in Spain? Apparently, they are not aware of the year in which we live. Even non-professional college sports people make more than the champions in the NHRA. There is great potential in the franchise, BUT NOT, with the present management. I could go on, but...
James Williams
Apple Valley, California
JUST SAY NO TO RACING?
Do the fuel guys (owners and sponsors) have the balls to get together and just not show up for one of the races? Like the drug thing, Just say NO. Think about it. If they would show that they are together on this, NHRA would have nothing if the fuel guys didn't show up. All them people would have to get their money back.
Gene Terenzio
CHECK THE TRACK, NOT THE BARRELS
NHRA never ceases to amaze me. But accusing one of the premier teams of cheating was ridiculous. If anything, NHRA should have paid more attention to a little more in track prep than the "Who’s got what, in what barrel." The Bump in Houston was unbelievable and the Strip at Vegas has never produced such poor times. Jeff, your view is a hell of a lot better for the sport than the "Old Fart" board of directors in Glendora. The insult NHRA dumped on Don Schumacher, was a disgusting, low blow.
Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that Bruton Smith does take over, NHRA. Oh, keep writing your view it really counts.
Chris Dunn
Henderson, Nevada