TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
Jeff, keep shouting at the top of your lungs for a safer sport. I have been involved in drag racing since 1959; the "list" is too long, and we need to stop it now. Yes, the drivers need to take responsibility for safe conditions in their profession BUT... I'm a tool maker, safety is very important to all of us BUT in the business world sometimes it takes a back seat. In machine shops of any size to be "safe" you need an INDEPENDENT department to have the last call on safe practices without production pressures and repercussions.
I like your 1/8 mile guideline as a start. What can we do to help?
Craig Barnett
Santee, California
WHO’S TO BLAME?
Unfortunately Mr. Burk's comments are right on the money. I am a long time fan and I too fear for the future of the sport. Putting aside many of the problems that have beleaguered the sport in the past five years, I honestly do believe that with all of its inherent problems along with the deaths of numerous pro drivers, the sport is at a crossroads with regards to marketing, public relations, sponsor needs and the performance barriers we have crossed. How does the NHRA back away from $55-$65 a seat prices, and convince the fans both old and new that whatever product we are presenting them on the track is new and safe, and worth the price of admission?
A tough sell to be sure, and something I do not feel NHRA can afford to change. For God's sake, how did we ever arrive at this point? Our fellow race programs have managed to curb their deaths, and we march forward with each new fatality adding to the image of our inability to keep our drivers safe. What the hell happened along the way?
There is enough blame to go around. Myself for paying the prices, the sponsors for not demanding more safety, the track owners for allowing the facilities to linger in the ‘60s, PRO for not taking a stance against the slaughter, and NHRA for leading the organization around in a daze.
And now the road show moves to Norwalk. My thoughts and prayers are with the teams and the Safety Safari - as the mayhem continues.
Sincerely,
David L. Gutierrez
Dearborn, Michigan
ALKY INSTEAD OF NITRO
Get rid of nitro. Go to methanol. The average fan can't tell the difference between a nitro and a methanol race car. Thirty-two-car alky fields would be great and a hell of lot cheaper. TV would not suffer; in fact it may even go up. As a side benefit we could tell China they can keep their nitro. Just my $.02.
Steve Carter
Louisville, Kentucky
SLOWER IS THE ANSWER
It seems again we are confronted with the same trouble as we were after the last two deaths in fuel racing and the Force deal. Lots of talk and time has gone by and the cars are faster and the expenses are up. I am not in favor of shorter tracks; I do not think that will cut cost. I say slow the cars down. Like Mr. Burk says, the team owners can afford the new parts.
I still am in favor of a single pump with a max flow rating, a single mag with a max amp output, and a smaller blower that will not have to be replaced after every run. It may be necessary to do away with the electronics also.
If we will do this in the end the slower cars will be safer... provide a better show and increase car counts. If we can get the cars where they are not so radical and have to be remanufactured between each round... we might have a chance at a live broadcast which would help the sport also. I think in the end the people in the stands will get a better show with 5-second flat run at 275 mph than they do now.
This will not happen overnight and will require fine tuning and adjustments. We did not get where we are overnight, it started to be serious with Blaine Johnson and we have done nothing but get worse since then. I think there must be a way to make things safer and more cost-effective and that will help the sport.
The people that will not like this are the ones who sell one-run blowers, pistons that have to be replaced every round, blower dynos, fuel pump dynos, clutch dynos... How did Garlits, The Greek, The Snake, and their peers ever make a living racing without all this stuff?
Robert Brown
Punta Gorda, Florida
HE SEES THE LIGHT
Jeff, here's one outside the box. After qualifying just use win lights. Put the emphasis on winning rather than ET and MPH.
Like I said, it's outside the box, and most definitely... 1000-ft tracks.
Tim Herbst
Breese, Illinois
HE AGREES
I agree IT IS TIME.
Sil Cervantes
Sunnyside, Washington