An Open Letter to Pinks to Save Drag Racing (2 Viewers)

[nedannouncer]

Hey Tony,

I hear/feel what you are saying and perhaps my comment was a bit reactionary. The more I mulled it over the neater the concept of a week to week nitro match race show could be. If the presentation is correct and (here's the kicker) the money were there, it would be must see TV.
The drawbacks/pitfalls/land mines are numerous...but it could be neat.

I'm a big baseball fan and I love to catch the replays of the old Home Run Derby show that ran during the 1960's. Two legends (like Mantle/Mays type guys) in an otherwise empty ball park dueling it out. The good thing is that there were no flashy graphics, pryotechnics, laser shows, or other distractions to take away from watching the match at hand. It would certainly be cool to try with a pair of Top Fuelers of Funny Cars.

Brian

 

[T.Smith]

Hey Tony,

I hear/feel what you are saying and perhaps my comment was a bit reactionary. The more I mulled it over the neater the concept of a week to week nitro match race show could be. If the presentation is correct and (here's the kicker) the money were there, it would be must see TV.
The drawbacks/pitfalls/land mines are numerous...but it could be neat.

I'm a big baseball fan and I love to catch the replays of the old Home Run Derby show that ran during the 1960's. Two legends (like Mantle/Mays type guys) in an otherwise empty ball park dueling it out. The good thing is that there were no flashy graphics, pryotechnics, laser shows, or other distractions to take away from watching the match at hand. It would certainly be cool to try with a pair of Top Fuelers of Funny Cars.

Brian

Yeah, wouldn't it be cool if Bruton Smith put up $1,000,000 dollars winner take all nitro race at Vegas, with Live T.V. coverage on Fox, CBS, NBC or ABC?

 

[yoda]

.. The good thing is that there were no flashy graphics, pryotechnics, laser shows, or other distractions to take away from watching the match at hand. It would certainly be cool to try with a pair of Top Fuelers or Funny Cars.

Brian

The fact that we don't have any of that , and it will be experienced on TV will make it great for the small percentage of diehards that love the sport "raw"..

For most others, their level of interest tops off at the Pink's scale because of that direct association with the cars competing... A ton more folks can relate to a 77 Camaro than a million dollar flopper. It will get lost in translation to the masses.

 

[J.C.]

Yeah, wouldn't it be cool if Bruton Smith put up $1,000,000 dollars winner take all nitro race at Vegas, with Live T.V. coverage on Fox, CBS, NBC or ABC?

Now, THAT would be cool! Have your people call their people and set it up!

 

[davey]

The only thing that "Pinks" would gain from doing nitro cars is higher production costs.

 

[Alan]

Pinks is everything I hate about reality TV.

I hope they keep as far away from Real Drag Racing as possible.
Real 'Pinks' running is about bring your baddest Hot Rod and running heads up, not the twenty minutes of debating over who will spot who x amount of lead, bottle or no bottle...

But I remember when Street Racing was fun, and I could make a couple of hundred on a Saturday night... and no, never had a hot rod that was B/A enuff to run it fer Pink Slips... but she was bad enuff that we'd run fer a C note...

d'kid

AMEN!!! I can remember watching guys run at a couple different spots around southern Oregon, straight up, for cash. You could go to these spots and make out the painted white start/finish lines. Fun stuff. Clover Creek Road and Orindale....those names being talked about meant someone was gonna run. Even stoplight to stoplight crusing downtown. I'm only 34, and I can still smell the rubber from those Friday and Saturday nights!!!

 

[Bullard Anderson]

While I in no way agree with the "Save Drag Racing" request, I do think a Nitro Pinks would be great. You know it's all entertainment and I want to be entertained.

 

[Paul]

Re: An Open Letter to Pinks (OR SOMEBODY) to Save Drag Racing

The more I mulled it over the neater the concept of a week to week nitro match race show could be. If the presentation is correct and (here's the kicker) the money were there, it would be must see TV.
Brian

Yeah, wouldn't it be cool if Bruton Smith put up $1,000,000 dollars winner take all nitro race at Vegas, with Live T.V. coverage on Fox, CBS, NBC or ABC? (Tony Smith)

Now, THAT would be cool! Have your people call their people and set it up!

Obviously I agree with the above comments, and my basic point is that for drag racing to grow its time for somebody to come in and make it exciting again, and I think a weekly match race format is great way to do it.

Whether or not the Pinks guys are the best guys do this is clearly pretty controversial, but my personal opinion is that the NHRA management has driven the ship up on a reef, and I don't think they have the beans to figure out how to get it sailing again.

I think there is an opportunity for someone to use the match race format to make nitro racing more exciting for the fans and more profitable for the racers. The Pinks guys are the only ones having success with televised drag racing now (ie actually making money on the coverage, not paying for it), but it doesn't have to be them. I believe NHRA's poor management has created a unique opportunity for some new organization to come in and grab professional drag racing away from them by using a format that generates more fan interest and excitement and really promotes the racers.

Paul T.

 

[Jory]

I thought 2 ihra notro guys were did a pinks episode awhile back?


The regular pinks show drives me nuts, although with it being winter in michigan I have been known to stop on that channel just to get some type of drag racing.

The pinks all out is more tolerable. THe guy doing the arm starts is annoying and not using the clocks drives me nuts. I do like that sportsman classes do get a shot to be on tv

Heres some food for thought on the whole PINKS deal.

Northern Force Racing - Bogus Notes

 

[Paul]

Heres some food for thought on the whole PINKS deal.

Northern Force Racing - Bogus Notes

Its an interesting article, and I can understand his position, but to be honest I'm not sure if that position is the best one to use to plot the future of professional drag racing. The article seems to be pretty comfortable with the status quo, but what's being done now isn't working and isn't sustainable.

I loved Indy car racing (which basically meant the Indy 500) and the excitement of the 2 weeks at Indy when they would draw 300,000 fans just for the qualifying weekends. But because of some really poor decisions and infighting its essentially all gone now, just a frustrating wisp of what it once was.

I also love nitro (and pro stock for that matter) drag racing, and I'm very worried that unless somebody with some brains comes in and charts a new course that we'll go the same direction as the Indy 500 went. I have zero faith in the existing management, its time for somebody to chart a new course, and I really hope somebody with some capital comes on the scene and takes the risk to try to do it.

Paul T.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

You get the bald guy to stand out in front of nitro cars and give them a hand start, I'll watch the episode!

 

[Rajunz]

While I in no way agree with the "Save Drag Racing" request, I do think a Nitro Pinks would be great. You know it's all entertainment and I want to be entertained.

Agree 100% Steve. I watch Pinks, I think it's good entertainment, although Pinks All Out is much better. As far as everyone all of a sudden wanting to "Save Drag Racing", Drag racing will be fine, go figure out a way to save the U.S. economy, that's the only thing truly hurting Drag Racing.

 

[Larry]

Ron did you read that chapter in Grady Bryant's Match Race Madness where he was racing Snow at a track that had a flag starter?
Grady told the starter that lately the car had started to launch in the air and he was having trouble staying away from the line where it so happened the starter would be standing.

Knowing the guy would really be nervous he loaded the trunk of the Chevy nova with some old heads a trick he used when his engine was hurt [ as it was and they were out of parts ].
Dickey Harrell had taught him when you know you can't win launch wheels up and be the crowd favorite and get top billing next race from popularity!

They fired them off and sure enough the Nitro fumes made the starters eyes water and of course the noise was unbelievable and the crowds were on their feet hollering.

Both drivers eyes were on the starter concentrating on those flags but one driver [ Grady ] knew something was going to happen besides just the flags dropping.

The flags dropped and Grady left but the starter jumped about four feet in the air and lit a shuck for the Tower!

Gene left wayyy late because the starters antics made him hesitate.

There were three runs that day and Grady used subterfuge on Snow on every pass because his engine was running on 7 cylinders and he knew there was no other way to beat the Hemi Dodge.
Sure glad I was around for a bunch of those run what you brung and hope you brought enough races.
You know I don't recall anyone staging the rear wheels nor asking for lengths.
Heads up now thats Drag Racing!