NOT HARSH ENOUGH ON NHRA
My column in Friday’s edition of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (LVRJ.com) paints a murky picture of how the devastated auto industry and pathetic economy will hurt motor sports this year.
I hate to be a pessimist. But if you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig. But I guess that line was used enough last year. And, anyway, I like ham.
While car-counts for NASCAR and the IndyCar series will be down from last year, it’s NHRA that I worry most about.
But I continue to be fed up with its over-paid top management and board of directors, which is a retirement home for former NHRA bigwigs that are paid ungodly sums for doing who knows what.
Several of the top pros in NHRA are without jobs because teams have cut back or folded. Rod Fuller, Hillary Will, Melanie Troxel, Tommy Johnson Jr., J.R. Todd, Warren and Kurt Johnson, and Dave Grubnic are without funded race cars.
Bob Vandergriff, Doug Herbert and Doug Kalitta might race part-time.
I don’t blame NHRA for the tenuous status of the economy but it will hurt to lose those marquee drivers.
It seems to me that NHRA not only has its collective head buried in the sand, but telling racers and fans that they can kiss what’s left sticking in the air.
NHRA shortened races from a quarter-mile to 1,000 feet after Scott Kalitta died in a Funny Car crash in June because it was the easiest way to slow nitro cars.
NHRA banned testing last year at its sanctioned tracks because of an alleged shortage of nitromethane.
Fans and racers could take it or leave it.
In a letter from NHRA president Tom Compton posted Thursday at NHRA.com, he said NHRA would continue to ban testing only during the season.
NASCAR announced toward the end of last year a ban on testing for its teams at any track where its three national and two regional series compete. That was a big cutback in expenses.
Granted, some NASCAR teams have used small, out-of-the-way tracks — like a few NHRA teams after the ban — or automaker test facilities.
But NASCAR teams are in much better shape than those in NHRA, except for a few.
Drag racing will face a major problem by the middle of the season when 16-car nitro fields can’t be filled for the championship elimination rounds.
You can blame it on the economy, but another factor will be NHRA’s lame Countdown playoff format that has determined pro champions the past two years.
This weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, no Top Fuel or Funny Cars are expected for an open test session.
The Indianapolis-based teams of Don Schumacher and the new Top Fuel and Funny Cars teams of Alan Johnson Al-Anabi Racing will test this weekend at Palm Beach International Raceway in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Next weekend, some teams including John Force Racing are expected to test at Firebird International Raceway near Phoenix. But there certainly will be fewer than in years past.
Another Las Vegas pro test is scheduled for Jan. 30-31 and a few nitro teams have voiced an interest in attending.
But why should they waste the money?
With the Countdown you can do your testing during the 24-event Full Throttle pro tour.
Connolly, a Pro Stock driver, proved last year you could miss five NHRA events and still finish in the top 10 to qualify for the Countdown, which is held over the last six races of the season. Connolly finished the year ranked sixth in points.
So why should nitro teams invest up to $50,000 on travel, rooms, parts and fuel to get ready for Feb 5-8 opener in Pomona?
And why should most of them hit all 24 events unless they have major sponsorships?
The big money teams like Schumacher, Force and Johnson’s foreign-funded teams can afford to test while most can’t.
It’s worth reading Compton’s letter. He at least acknowledges we’re in an economic tailspin so his head isn’t always underground.
NHRA TICKET DEALS
I found Compton’s letter on the Internet around 7 p.m. Thursday while researching statistics.
The NHRA did send out a press release earlier in the day about limited Full Throttle ticket deals for Pomona and national events at other tracks it owns in Gainesville, Fla., and near Atlanta and Indianapolis.
Here are the ticket deals:
* Set aside a portion of general admission tickets — 1,500 each day at Pomona for $20.
(Those tickets are on a first-come, first-serve basis and you must mention “fan relief offer” when ordering at 1-800-884-NHRA.)
* Free general admission to children 12 and under when accompanied by an adult.
* Military appreciation program offering one free Friday reserved ticket to active military personnel with ID at the track box office.
Chris Powell, president of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, said Thursday he is studying possible programs to help fans buy tickets to general admission sections for the speedway’s NHRA events on April 2-5 Oct and 29-Nov. 1.
Anything helps.
