WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE?
Mr. Burk, I enjoyed your editorial as usual. However, I have to take exception to your suggestion that the NHRA ban any testing between events. Who the hell is the NHRA to dictate what racers and team owners do outside of NHRA events? They are not the only show in town. Why grant more power to the incompetent dolts currently heading the NHRA. This is America. If you have the money and ability to test every single day (and you secured your own supply of fuel), more power to you. Why punish the racers for a problem that the NHRA and their “exclusive” supplier largely created themselves. If the NHRA was concerned about operating expenses for the racers, they would end exclusivity contracts and allow competition and the free market to bring down the costs.
It seems to me that Mr. Schumacher will have the last laugh on this nitro situation and the penalty for “illegal” nitromethane.
If the NHRA board was made up of astute businessmen such as Don Schumacher and Bill Bader, I doubt we would be in this mess.
Michael Krajnik
Appleton, Wisconsin
IT WORKS FOR THE ADRL
Lotsa stimulating comments- one that sticks in my mind is the comment about CONCESSION REVENUE that should/could be realized - even if tickets were free.
I’m a newspaperman's son, and Pop always said the papers never made money off subscriptions (ticket price), only off ADVERTISING (attendance), it may seem backwards, but get 'em in, (like, read the ads in the paper) and they'll be enticed to spend their money - in drag racing's case, on food, beer, tee shirts and hats, etc.
Norm Porter
Southern California
DROP THE NITRO PERCENTAGE?
If indeed the NHRA did have a 6,000,000 dollar profit last year... maybe they could furnish the fuel. Don Garlits recommended several years ago 70 percent nitro. That would save fuel... slow the cars down and lessen parts breakage and I would think that would drive cost down. With only 15 Top Fuel cars in Topeka last weekend, that backs up Mr. Burk’s statement that the fuel class has big trouble, beyond the nitro problem.
I think we must find some ways to get 18 or 20 Top Fuels cars at each event, not the same cars at every event, but cars from near the event to back the company cars, and we all know who they are. Mr. Burk also brings up the monopoly deal and he is right; that is wrong. I would say any fuel or tire or other that meets spec should be allowed. If the NHRA is unwilling to do this, then I think they should furnish 16 cars for each race and sell the ride to the driver with the most money that weekend, it is not far from that now.
It appears that Force is not far away from building everything for a funny car but the tires, so he can run that class for the NHRA, as for Top Fuel I am not sure who has the most money of that bunch... but I will bet on Schumacher, and it looks like he has a head start on cornering the nitro market... all bad for the sport.
Robert Brown
Punta Gorda, Florida
PULL THOSE COVERS UP TIGHT
Burk, damn... I woke up in a great mood this morning, then I read Burk's Blast! If things are that bad maybe I should go back to bed and pull the covers over my head.
Hell... I can turn on the TV News and hear all the bad things going on in the world. That's why I don't watch the TV News.
Jeff, have a half full glass, instead of half empty one, on me.
Paul Romine
Indiana
LOST HIS HEAD?
Just Wondering, why wasn't Jim Head at Topeka?
Bruce Prater
Sandpoint, Idaho
MINITURIZING JOK’S DRAGSTER
RE: Agent 1320, "Project Dragster Gets LODRS Runner-Up". 5/29/2008
Just the car I am looking to build... in 1/10 scale. I like the no wing look. And for what I want to build, I won't need a wing.
Is there a link to a tech article? Wheelbase? I am looking at an 18"-20" wheelbase for my 1/10 car. That would be 180"-200" in your world. Close I am? Anyway, I want a bracket/2.50sec Index car for our 132ft 1/10 scale RC drag races. 'Project Dragster' looks like a good candidate to emulate.
BTW - I race a Top Fuel Electric RC dragster at the Regional and National level. Looking for a fun car to build for club events.
Thanks for any help you can provide.
Arnie "Oz" Hauswald
Arnie Hauswald Racing 1943
C Electric Drag Racing
Houston, Texas, USA
Arnie, we’ll have Jok send you the info. Be sure to send us a photo when your project is finished. Do you want measurement for a mini Jok too?