FEEDBACK ARTICLE – SUSAN WADE: SEATTLE RACE DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THE STANDARD

I don't want to highlight any one part of your article because, literally, the whole article is brilliant.

Thank you for so eloquently stating what I am sure many, many, drag racers like myself and race fans in general are feeling about the recent safety issues and the NHRA in general.

Just brilliant. - Paul Reiter

FEEDBACK ARTICLE – SUSAN WADE: SEATTLE RACE DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THE STANDARD

I don't want to highlight any one part of your article because, literally, the whole article is brilliant.

Thank you for so eloquently stating what I am sure many, many, drag racers like myself and race fans in general are feeling about the recent safety issues and the NHRA in general.

Just brilliant. - Paul Reiter


The RACERS have the power to force 21-st Century changes - without racers, there is no Nhra.

Brainstorming brings innovation, and racers are by nature innovators.

Regarding those tracks that cannot meet thorough new safety standards - and there are MANY in the Nhra community, which is a hidden reason Nhra balks at enforcing competent safety changes: Those tracks must become eighth mile racing facilities or lose their sanctioning.  Parachutes will always fail, and brakes, tires, and in certain of those instances, an extra 320 feet stopping will not safe massive injury or lose of life with racing cut to 1000 feet.  But a full 660 feet PLUS advanced safety at the end of strips will.

Yes, some have grand heritage in the sport - Englishtown, Pomona, etc. - and they always will have that heritage, just at a new shortened length now so no one else will lose their life for that heritage.  The quarter mile length doesn't make for good racing, any length does.

Alexi DeJoria was almost added to the list of deaths - I've never seen something so devastating come that close.

Racers should not have to die to live out their passions, or suffer massive injuries because the corporate overseers are inept and ego and greed driven. - Ken Tesoriere



NHRA has been way, way too slow to drop marginal tracks from its schedule.   Bringing the sport to these various markets, with the cost being compromised racer safety, is BS.  Some of these tracks are sold old (I won't even get into short or land-locked) that the only solution is to grind them down to the dirt and start over.   While I've never been a fan of WJ's disparaging the "silly cars", having to run on a track like this would have set me off, too.

Separate from that issue is the still developing, still far from perfect system for stopping run-away cars.  I was shocked to see this past weekend's accident in light of it looked like just another run onto the beach.  I honestly wonder if it wouldn't have been better to just have the beach there, minus the nets.   As tight and unforgiving as those nets are, it's still like running into a wall.

I think having shutdown areas in some kind of uphill configuration, with the beach section in a much more dramatic uphill climb, would help.   Anything to stretch out the at-speed-to-zero time line.  That, I think, is the killer. - Jeff Wood

DISCLAIMER - The views presented in these feedback letters are the opinions of the individual author, and do not necessarily represent those of CompetitionPlus.com, its staff and advertisers.