A couple thoughts about this weekend’s race… (1 Viewer)

[TSK]

First, kudos to all the parents who brought their kids to this weekend’s race. It was great seeing so many young ones in the pits and the stands. They are the future fans who will shell out hard earned money to support drag racing, or they will take up racing when they are older.

Second, why do people bring their pets to the track? I’m not talking about service dogs. Those are essential animals. I’m talking about pets. I can’t imagine how bad burning nitro irritates their noses. And none had ear protection.
Before anybody thinks I’m an animal hater, I’ve got two dogs at home that mean the world to me. But I would never subject them to the assault on their senses that occurs at a drag race.
Late in the day today, I heard Alan reporting that track personnel found a dog that was lost but they didn’t know to whom it belonged.

It was an awesome weekend of racing.
Some big numbers and close racing. The best part was there were no big oildowns and no wrecks.

 

[n/a]

Quite a few competitors bring dogs and I don’t believe spectators can walk in with dogs.
We typically park past the finish line where it’s quieter, but I keep them as far away from the Nitro cars as possible.

I’ve only been to one race without my dog and started a FB page: Drag Race Dogs after seeing numerous pups at all events.

 

[Scoe]

The quality of racing right now is can't miss, must see TV.

 

[Randy]

Quite a few competitors bring dogs and I don’t believe spectators can walk in with dogs.
We typically park past the finish line where it’s quieter, but I keep them as far away from the Nitro cars as possible.

I’ve only been to one race without my dog and started a FB page: Drag Race Dogs after seeing numerous pups at all events.

We always brought our little guy, and were careful about his ears. We made sure he was in the motorhome during any warm-ups.

 

[DAN]

Sure looked like they packed em in at Phoenix this weekend. Feels more like a normal start to the year than the last couple.
The number of 3.60s in Top Fuel and 3.80s in Funny Car was awesome to watch on the live stream.

 

[Bubba]

I was glued to NHRA.tv all weekend. Great racing in all categories, including the Sportsman ranks.

 

[Cliff]

Trivia: Robert Hight F/C, Don Meziere T/S, and Leo Glasbrenner Stock, all repeated their wins from last week at Pomona. Repeats happen often, but thought it was interesting that 3 drivers did it.

I'm a die hard T/F fan, but I thought F/C really put on a show all weekend. Really impressed with ET & MPH they ran. Yes I wanted Wilk to win....
Wanted Millican to win T/F but at least he got to the finals, & they got the car in the .60's.

 

[TSK]

Sure looked like they packed em in at Phoenix this weekend. Feels more like a normal start to the year than the last couple.
The number of 3.60s in Top Fuel and 3.80s in Funny Car was awesome to watch on the live stream.

The stands on Sunday sure looked full to me. That was great to see.

 

[shodog]

was there all weekend. it was great racing and good crowds.

 

[mick]

i enjoyed mason mcgaha's performance in 2nd rnd. of PS. i'd like to see the mcgaha's find just a little more, and start challenging for wins.
what a start for robert hight. impressive. was routing for wilk and clay too. crowd in phoenix looked great all weekend.

 

[SoCal Racer]

After attending the Winternationals and watching the Phoenix race on NHRA.tv I'd say it "feels" more like a normal year. Thankfully! Good crowds, good car counts - or at least full fields, good racing. YES!

 

[Professional Fan]

NHRA off to a great start. I told the guy next to me that I haven't been at a race that was that crowded in a long time. Great racing in person and weather was awesome.

 

[TSK]

One other thing.
I can’t help but think turn signals are optional on Arizona cars.

 

[Cliff]

So are speed limits.......

 

[J. S.]

So are speed limits.......

Speed limits in Arizona, and particularly California, are now just "suggested behavior". The California Highway Patrol, a once well-respected agency, quit patrolling most highways - and particularly the Freeways in So CA - for speeding well over 10 years ago. You can effectively go as fast as you want on the freeways of So CA (traffic permitting, of course) and have no concern whatsoever about being pulled over by the CHP.

 

[Huge]

Speed limits in Arizona, and particularly California, are now just "suggested" behavior. The California Highway Patrol, a once well-respected agency, quit patrolling most highways - and particularly the Freeways in So CA - for speeding well over 10 years ago. You can effectively go as fast as you want on the freeways of So CA (traffic permitting, of course) and have no concern whatsoever about being pulled over by the CHP.

That is for sure. It is really getting dangerous if you drive the speed limit here now because so many are driving so fast...the bad part is the arrogant pricks think they are in the right, and you are in their way. There are very few fender benders here anymore. Just about every time I turn on the news there is a bad accident with multiple fatalities. Between that, road racing, and the 2 or 3, motorcycle, bus, motorhome, semi-truck, and car chases every day it is out of control here in SoCal. I watched a motorcycle chase on tv the other day and the kid stopped at a gas station and talked a guy into letting him refill his gas tank while the chopper was circling above. I was watching another chase and they passed Jeff Diehl's hauler leaving Pomona. Update...todays chase was pretty funny the police were chasing a Prius...tomorrow it will probably be a golf cart.

 

[Cliff]

Cops chase golf carts in Sun City, AZ. If you live in Phoenix area, you know that average age in Sun City is 80 and they ALL drive golf carts. Slowly.

 

[ZWeinstein]

This was my 15th straight AZ Nationals but for the first time I was "on the other side of the fence" and even though I was super busy here are some of my thoughts on the weekend.

First of all the crowds all three days were tremendous especially Saturday. When I walked the pits on Saturday at about noon it was jammed packed, took a good 10 minutes to go from one end down to the end of "Independents row" where Jim Maroney was at. And usually a decent chunk will leave after one pro session but during the stands were still packed for Q3 with 2 deep at the wall. The weather helped Im sure because thankfully it was perfect all three days but to see that many people after a year's layoff is encouraging.

Top Fuel Q2 was one of the best qualifying sessions I have seen in a long time, 16 of the 17 cars went 275+ mph and even though its qualifying getting that many cars side by side is great for the fans. The fact that when qualifying was all said and done the entire top half was in the 60s and Doug Foley with a 3.75 was 14th shows how stout top fuel is. Funny car was the same way, the number of 3.80s was incredible and seeing guys like Wilkerson and Cruzer run mid 80s shows they are right there with Hagan, Hight, Capps etc.

Getting to see a few teams we dont normally see in Phoenix was nice, guys like Russo who that was their first time ever racing there along with Passey (not sure if he has ever raced in Phoenix) and Bode for the first time in probably a decade they have run there although it makes sense since its a sort of home race for Bobby. And speaking of Rob Passey watching him beat Kalitta was pretty cool especially since he had an all volunteer Arizona team helping him out along with Johnny West tuning him. Some of Maroney's guys went over and helped their turn around and they were one of the first cars in the lanes for round 2.

Sportsman racing was great all weekend seemed like late Saturday and Sunday there were a lot of ten packs being thrown around, Super Gas final between Boehner and Yeager I think was dead on 5 beating dead on 1 with Mark Yeager throwing a 12 pack at Boehner. One of the coolest moments was when Matt Bong won super street. If anyone believes winning a wally isnt special wathc the reaction Matt and his wife had. First wally of any kind in over 30 years of racing.