I have always felt that the safety nets were a good thing for a door car or something with a large frontal area. I think what happened to Mark was inevitable sooner or later. With a dragster or a motorcycle, I feel that chances of injury or worse are much higher because of the net and it's design. I have run quarter- mile for most of my life and while my Top Dragster only runs a little over 200, I have seen how fast the end of the track comes if there is a problem, I can't imagine having a chute or brake problem at near or above 300 mph. I am starting to think that maybe the 1,000 ft race track has become the thing to do. We all want to go home after the race, win or lose. Thanks for your time. - Tom Fisher

I have always felt that the safety nets were a good thing for a door car or something with a large frontal area. I think what happened to Mark was inevitable sooner or later. With a dragster or a motorcycle, I feel that chances of injury or worse are much higher because of the net and it's design. I have run quarter- mile for most of my life and while my Top Dragster only runs a little over 200, I have seen how fast the end of the track comes if there is a problem, I can't imagine having a chute or brake problem at near or above 300 mph. I am starting to think that maybe the 1,000 ft race track has become the thing to do. We all want to go home after the race, win or lose. Thanks for your time. - Tom Fisher


Hi very sorry about the accident.

My idea of putting cables similar to stopping a aircraft on a carrier.
Having a manual hook that drops down manually off the dragster, trips a sensor that in turn activates 2 dings brakes bringing the car to a safer stop. The cable stretches so far, then the dings brakes electronically controlled bring the dragster to a safer stop.
Thanks wanting to find a better way.

I could help design such a system. - Alfred Medina


Drag Racing as we have known it for the last 3 decades has truly come and gone.  From the fussing to slow it down, shorten it up, rising costs and greed from all around to make their mark as others fail on profits alone.  The show is well on its way to the cemetery. When you look at the TV coverage, the folks in the stands are gone, they were the ones paying for the show, the show has been killed for a big profit and greed, now it’s gone.  I don't have a answer, but it for sure is bleeding badly, this show called drag racing..  I guess it’s to the local dirt tracks for some excitement these days as when the funeral is all over, that will be one of the last shows in town.  Just for drill, take in a large NHRA event and just look around and listen, the carnival atmosphere is gone, not laughing and fun anymore.  Closest thing to a laugh is a T-shirt being shot into the stands; NHRA has stooped way too low on the fun meter lately. - John Walker


I am truly an old school fan who has grown to love the 1000ft racing of nitro cars. The alcohol incident at Seattle, the chutes ripped off the car that has nothing to do with 1320 or 1000 feet of racing (and seeing the multiple replays we have all seen cars go in harder and people walk away). Rubbing may be racing in NASCAR but not in NHRA and I truly hate the drivers passing away (I was at E'town for the previous two fatal incidents). Bringing the cars that run over 250MPH to a 1000ft finish line makes sense, the rest of the classes would not have any issues if the track is prepared properly AND they lose Seattle, Arizona, etc... The situation is good and bad regardless of the way you go but most important is to have the drivers go home after a race NOT to the morgue.

I truly enjoy your writing and insight, keep doing what you do! - Raymond Golson



John Force does not need any more attention, my eight year old even says he doesn't like John, "he's a bragger and no one likes a bragger, right Dad?" - Steve "The King" Kinser

7-9-2010

BIG JIM'S A LEGEND, WHAT ABOUT GARY?

You talk about Jim Dunn Doing Double duty driving a funny car and a fuel car all in the same day well Gary Parmenter Of the Krohn Parmenter & Rue Hall of Fame race team drove two AA/Fuelers in one day for two years until they had to race themselves and we got another driver for our Chevrolet car but that was a long time ago I know but for some reason you guys and Phil Burgess forget about the race teams that started this whole scenario just thought I would let you know about a driver that qualified and drove two double AA/Fuelers almost every weekend for over two years - Byron Parmenter


THE IHRA AND REALITY

Oh the poor purists! As the NHRA heads for the dumpster and with the IHRA rudderless and sucking wind for years, the new deal is the only way to go. Aaron Polburn is the only so called drag race promoter Feld knows so he stays there.

Feld sure does not get a very complicated arcane business. A business, where today it is tough to make a buck. Pure entertainment and a short show for attention deficit Americans is exactly what is needed. Do the purists want NHRA to be the only venue for nitro competition?

The NHRA model is old and obsolete.

A short simple show is what is needed. - Norman Hechtkoff

 

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