In addition to the track prep (which for some reason has gotten worse instead of better) and on a related item, they need to do something about the starting line prep (re-prep?) that takes place before the fuel cars run the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds. It happens again before Pro Stock runs each round. It looks like a bunch of farmers planting crops. The tractor and the "high tech" method of scraping the rubber with torches and garden tools just takes too long and is archaic. This is a multi-million dollar business and they can't come up with anything better? I don't have a suggestion on improving this, but having been in business for many years I know that there are a lot of smart people involved with the sport and if they put their heads together a solution would be found. And I apologize for the sacrastic remarks I have made above, but this topic is a real hot button with me.

I remember at last year's Chi-town race, Saturday's early session was a disaster! Sunday was basically the same 80 degree weather yet the first round of TF/FC was much better! More side by side racing. Come to find out that The Rt. 66 track crews prepped the track on Sunday, while NHRA prepped the track on Saturday. Is the Safety safari become that enept, or is NHRA purposely pulling them back? The only ones who are getting screwed in all of this is the fans!

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Shift for Brains!!!!

I remeber that being stuck there that day. It's the first time I in my life that I have ever left the stands during nitro session. I do remember the corwd going nuts the first time someone actually made an almost a full pass.

It has made me question going to any Saturday now.


As far as improvements.
Beyond the obvious drop the Coun......ok ok

I actually think they put on a good show overall. Yes there are areas that can be improved but overall lets look at what they are trying to do on a Sunday afternoon. While avoding weather, cleaining oil downs and wrecks they try to get how many passes in at least a 100. All with varying needs and time issues. It really is a well organized ballet

-Obviously track prep. It needs to be consistant. I don't expect record setting track everywhere but I'd rather them halt the show for an hour to fix a one lane track rather than race on one with nearly predeterimened outcomes. Not being a pro in that field I don't know how easy or hard it is to massage a track into or out shape but something tells me there is more behind the story then just a bad track. It happens a bit too often now. Regardless of it being a hidden agenda to not using the most up to date technoligy or something in betwwen this is a major area of concern

-Um lets see, lets just say a more knowledgable and presentable ambassador for the sport to sit along side Mike Dunn. With Alan, Dave R and crap I just went blank on our part time guy. Any of the 3 could step in and have the understanding of how to get it done and get it down right.

-explaining what in the world the "other classes are" I would love it if they at least showed the sportsman pros on the por coverage and gave people an idea as to what else is out there.

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Click here for NHRA Points Petition

YEAH, KEVIN AND DELANA HARVICK, WONDER WHAT THEY THOUGHT?

Well, since you asked, and I may get killed for this but, here goes....

One wrod: EDGY!

Drivers, crew chiefs, maybe some crew guys-- They all need to get the chips back on their shoulders again. The pushing and shoving between Force and Beard...the start line shoving match between DougZilla's guys and Millican's guys....that stuff is classic. An occasional poke in the nose would be good. Let some of the wives get into it too. Put it all on TV. NHRA look the other way, while you dummies rake in the $$$. How about an occasional "call-out" by a broadcaster or track announcer? Remember Crash Gladys and Shirley? And don't forget the made to order sponsor pee-ing matches! Summit vs. Jeg's. GM Performance Parts vs. MOPAR. We do really need Miller (or some other brewer) to come back and resume the beer wars.

Alas, everyone's to sweet nowadays, too PC, too lovey-dovey. Bah!

We need dogs that bark a lot, and sometimes bite. I hate Pinks, but I watch because the producers let em get a little edgy now and then. I know most of the drivers in the NHRA are friends, but couldn't they just fake it? Once in a while? Please?

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Click here to see what a drag race SHOULD look like!

they can start by throwing away the new qualifying format. I like Ron capps on this weekedn qualifying show,we are as confused as the fans,do you imagine some new person going to there first race and some1 running 4.50 and say well they might qualify?

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HOLLA!!

Have to admit I like the new format. It is the best solution I have seen to offsetting the advantage some teams get when they make a great pass in the night session while a few teams miss the setup. I don't think we'll ever see a 4.50 something not qualifying in FC. Capps has been whining lately.

I was using a number in general,there should be a fri night session and sat night session .

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HOLLA!!

Sorry. Sounded like you were quoting Capps.

Its all good,well except for the qualifying lol.

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HOLLA!!

Are we talking about improving the quality of the TV show or the quality of the experience for fans at a race? At the CSK race, by the time we got back from the starting line to the pits, teams were done with their turnaround and were ready to pull out for the next round.
NHRA advertises that every ticket is a pit pass - if fans can't get from the stands to the pits in time to see teams working on cars, this isn't going to mean much. NHRA is paying ESPN for air time with miserable results and is ruining the pit experience for paying fans.
NHRA also needs to stop their paranoid control of team hospitality areas - a lot of fans would pay big bucks to have a pit experience, some good food (don't get me started on this!) and a place to get away from the crowds. At this point, if you don't have a connection to a team, you have no opportunity for a hospitality experience.
This doesn't even begin to address a one lane disaster like this weekend - NHRA needs to wake up and provide better racing and fan experiences.

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"The Counterfeiter"

it just astounds me how the NHRA/ESPN TV production can make such a dynamic and dramatic sport so d@mn boring on TV...it's pathetic


my guess is the folks making the production decisions know little or nothing about drag racing and simply don't know what's important and interesting and what isn't...

one lane race tracks suck, but not nearly as much as what NHRA/ESPN is trying to sell us on TV

Very true, Jim. But I think that greatly depends on the individual tracks. I was shocked last year my first time at Topeka, to see some top fuel & funny cars pitted past the finish line. And God only knows where the sportsman pits were. It's not NHRA's doing, and no fault of HPT either. I'd like to know the square mile land mass of that place. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful facility & great surface.... but it's just so damn sprawled out.

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On my arm until the day I die, but in my heart forever

This may be redundant, but remember back when a driver who was about to be stuck in a lane that had an oildown would say, "No problem, usually when NHRA does a clean-up it's better than before", or something like that? Has NHRA changed what they do/don't do that much? I'm not sure what the answer is. I do know that every run doesn't need to be a record run to be exciting. I really enjoy the pedal-fests, as do most I imagine. But smoking at the hit and coasting down while the car in the other lane blasts through is horrible.

And for the fans sake, I firmly believe having an exhibition program at every event, on every day would add tremendous entertainment value. Whether wheel standers, Jets, nostalgia cars, nitro bikes, or even run TF vs. FC; It could be marketed ahead of time, and even shown on TV. It doesn't need to be a points series or best of 3 or anything like that, and nothing that would alter or interfere with the current daily schedule.... 6 minutes out of each day just to entertain people. NHRA should just pay for these guys to show at each race - and they could book different people in different parts of the country.

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On my arm until the day I die, but in my heart forever