http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_08/crate_motor_dragsters.html

Like your ideas....and before IHRA did away with Modified Eliminator,
there was a class for Superstock legal motors in a class called G/
Econo Dragster. It ran at 4.00 lbs. per/cu inch. When I ran the class(
before port and polish heads were allowed in Superstock), most of the
cars ran in the 5.20's and 30's in the eighth mile and 8.40's and 50's
in the quarter. After the head rules for Superstock were changed they
really started to fly. It was a good class...too bad the sanctioning
bodies didn't keep it going.- Bruce Schoenbaechler

http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_08/crate_motor_dragsters.html

Love the article. As you can see I am in the U.S.
Coast Guard, and married and a couple of kids. I graduated high school in 96 and
continued education at a local community college. Their I found a huge interest
in automobiles, and decided to go into the mechanic field. I studied the light
duty cars and the diminishing art of  machining an engine. After that I got
lucky and worked with a gentleman that taught me a lot (Brent Frazier). The job
was great, but did not make much money at it. I found my wife and decided that I
needed a way to support a family, and joined the Coast Guard. I have been in for
five years and missing the racing seen more and more with every passing
day.

I agree with you that something needs to be done to
cut the cost of racing. I believe that the import drag racing came from a low
budget place and not has also put a lot of people out of the competition,
because of the cost. I have never been involved in the import drag racing, but
have start to watch it more and more the last year and a half. The idea of
making a create engine class would be great. It would show the driver and tuner
not the bank account.

Any advise for someone that has been on the sidelines
for a while and looking to get back in soon. I did learn, while working with Mr.
Frazier, that it is a small group of people that make the professional drag
racing.

Thanks for the great web site. Gives me a release for
when away form the States. - MPearsal

http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_08/up_front_unleaded.html

I just finished reading
Greg’s article and
would like to know if his team has an email address or shop address they
give out to fans.  Greg is by far my favorite Pro Stock racer. 
I’d like to let them know they are doing a great job this year
as the Pro Stock class is more competitive
than it has ever been before.  Especially since most of the
Pro Stock teams are working on a million dollar budgets or more and Greg
is doing it on a lot less.  If you can forward this on to the team please do.

Great job guys, Welcome
back to the top 10 in
points!

A National Event win is
coming soon! - Michael Handras

http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_08/crate_motor_dragsters.html

Yes, yes, yes....hey
someone came up with a lot of peoples dream. Why Not? let's do it.....and yes,
if someone comes up with this, the competition will be so great that alot of
competitors will be changing ranks. Just put it to work and give it a year. This
is garantee due to the way high cost of parts. Crate motor Dragster or
altered...."The Answer". - Carlos Pereira

http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_08/so_cal_strips.html

I
enjoyed your article about the demise of the Southern
California drag strips.  So much history up in smoke.  It is a real
shame, but we are losing drag strips everywhere.  Which is precisely why I write
you.  I live in the Pittsburgh, PA
area and we have a great facility called Pittsburgh Raceway Park (PRP).  The
track, formerly known as Keystone Raceway, was purchased and renovated several
years ago.  It is a top notch track with aspirations of possibly hosting a
national event someday.  However, Quaker City Raceway, in Salem, OH, is currently
for sale (roughly 1-1/2 hour tow from Pittsburgh).  Rumor has it a developer is
trying to purchase the property to build an industrial park.  Note, I started
that sentence with the word rumor.  There is always chatter in the lanes between
rounds.  I don’t know if Quaker closing is good or bad for our track, PRP.  The
car counts would probably go up.  The track will make more money.  Which should
help their return on investment.  But, what happens if they too, are made an
offer for the land?  Most tracks, Columbus and
Norwalk, are at
least three ours tow for most of us.  Our car count is down from last year and
most of us believe it’s due to fuel costs.  I don’t race that often at Quaker
City, but I’m pulling for their survival.  If you’re ever in the Pittsburgh area, drop by
to see us at PRP - Joe
 

http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_08/so_cal_strips.html

Read your article about drag strips
of the past and current strips of today on the Drag City website.  I really enjoyed the
history on all the great tracks formally of Southern
California.  But the end of your piece about the current state of
drag racing in Southern California was
interesting.  I generally race in the San Diego
area and will attend / race a few races at Fontana and Famoso.  I also used to race quite
a bit out a Carlsbad and although run down, I do miss their
Saturday Test and Tunes and Sunday Outlaw Bracket race series.  Every year as a
spectator I attend the NHRA Finals at Pomona.

What I wanted to point out is that
characterizing Barona 1/8^th Mile Drag Strip as a “street legal” track
is not accurate at all.  You may have been thinking of Race Legal which runs its
program at Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley.  BDS is officially sanctioned NHRA
racing facility, and Mr. Marocco’s opinion that “no permanent drag strips have
been built” in Southern California is untrue. 
BDS from day one has hosted NHRA Summit Series races for the past 3 years, as
well as hosting King of the Track and National Dragster Track Challenges.  At
each of these events - NHRA Wally’s are awarded to the various racers in each
category.  The track has also sponsored a CIFA Funny car meet and NE1 front
engine nostalgia dragster meets.  Bracket racing has been embraced as well with
many hi roller-guaranteed purse races being held.  Also at the very heart of
drag racing BDS has offered Jr. dragsters a place to run thus building a whole
new generation of drag racers to keep drag racing going in years to come.  In
the near future BDS will be holding a Fox Hunt nostalgia race which will feature
Nitro dragsters / funny cars / altereds / competition coupes ect, which goes way
beyond the classification of “a street legal
track”.

Mr. Marocco’s statement “why are
racers settling for tracks that don’t have professional standards”- I find
curious as well.  I would bet that the reason for that is most racers are
sportsman racers and they don’t need or care if a national T/F or F/C race is
going to be run or not.  As long as the track is safe and a program is offered
to where the average racer (and they make up the majority of NHRA membership)
can compete I think that is more than half the battle.  Which brings me to his
last comment “But drag racers for some reason have deemed those venues as
acceptable”-, I would like to know what is un-acceptable to these venues?  I
will agree that the Fontana track is in the parking lot of
California Speedway- but so what?  Its safe, has a good racing surface, you get
a time slip and you can run various programs that they offer.  As well as BDS is
a permanent facility offering all things that go with a first class operation
and gives the average sportsman racer an excellent place to race.  For all the
reasons you stated in your article referring to the escalating costs / time of
running a professional team, I would think that again for most sportsman racers
having professional drag racing at his or hers chosen facility doesn’t mean
much.  This isn’t 1965 and most guys can’t get a bunch of buddy’s together to
start a T/F team and run on their spare time on the weekends between families
and day time jobs.  I would suggest that Mr. Marocco focus less on a dream of
running National Professional races and focus more on the sportsman racers who
make up the majority of drag racing fraternity. - Pete
Wrieden

http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_08/so_cal_strips.html

There is an 1/8 mile strip at Perris Auto Speedway in Perris to help
curb the street racing and to give racers in the area a place to have
fun on a Friday night. Good article by the way. - Ed Sokol

Am I correct, Dave Baca has a relationship with Big O? Bad situation.

Thanks for keeping us informed about our enemies. I will never buy tires form Big O or fuel from Citgo.

Best of luck Big M and I will continue to support your products.

Big O , shame on you!