Great piece on Dale Emery

[sammi]

Another wonderful read on Dale Emery on NHRA.com Features

Why, after reading those terrific historical pieces, am I left feeling that today's "pros" are a little thin and 2 dimensional.

 

[Dry Hop Doc]

Maybe because back then they were talking about how mad they were at losing, instead of puking out a run-on sentence of each and every one of their sponsors.

To further stoke the fire, am I the only one who finds Courtney's voice highly irritating? She sounds like she just got a doll for her birthday when interviewed.

And this has zero to do with her gender. It has to do with that "mickey mouse on helium" pitch that goes up so high it becomes painful. I can't believe no one in Force's PR ranks has talked to her about taking it down three octaves.

 

[kingcobrafan]

That was great! Thanks, Mark!

 

[Tony]

Maybe because back then they were talking about how mad they were at losing, instead of puking out a run-on sentence of each and every one of their sponsors.

To further stoke the fire, am I the only one who finds Courtney's voice highly irritating? She sounds like she just got a doll for her birthday when interviewed.

And this has zero to do with her gender. It has to do with that "mickey mouse on helium" pitch that goes up so high it becomes painful. I can't believe no one in Force's PR ranks has talked to her about taking it down three octaves.

I wonder what your voice would sound like, Marc, after you climbed out of a 8000 hp 300 mph land-based missle and immediately had to do an interview. Guess we'll never know.

 

[vegasnitro]

Pros today are 2 dimensional because they have to be. They are professional spokespeople beholden to sponsors for millions of dollars. There is a 24 hour news cycle just waiting for one of them to get a DUI or headbutt their wife or get busted banging a Senator in an airport bathroom. There are constantly other drivers gunning for their jobs and other teams trying to steal their sponsors. They can't logon to the internet without everyone spewing nonsense about them talking funny or they can't cut a light or there are other better drivers than them on the sideline or if their sponsor is leaving or if they still have a ride. In my opinion, it is MUCH TOUGHER to stand there with a sh!t-eating grin on your face after you get beat and still deliver the goods in an interview than it would be to say what you are actually thinking.

All of that being said, I don't feel sorry for any of them. "This is the business they have chosen". But I do respect the mental toughness it takes to wrap your brain around all of the crap it takes to race and still satisfy sponsorship demands in all circumstances. That is how Bernstein kept Budweiser for 30 years and Force has kept Castrol for 25+ years.

 

[Dry Hop Doc]

I wonder what your voice would sound like, Marc, after you climbed out of a 8000 hp 300 mph land-based missle and immediately had to do an interview. Guess we'll never know.

LOL! Good one, Tony. And point taken.

Although never reaching the speeds you reference, I have got about two-thirds of the way there. And even those comparatively pedestrian runs made me squeak like dear Courtney.

So I need to cut the kid a break. If only because she, so far, appears to be the most talented shoe (next to John) in the Force family.

I apologize for the acerbic nature of my post, but as much as I love to hear what ANYONE hopping out of a FC has to say, the young woman could stand to attenuate.

Agreed?

It scares the living scheise out of me when my dogs jump up and run for the backyard when she hits those reeeeally high notes.

 

[Nick Name]

I remember going to San Fernando dragstrip almost every Sunday when I was a teenager, and often Dale would show up with the Pure Hell.

They would run it in Top Fuel (maybe it was called top Eliminator ) and he won his fair share.

It was impossible not to root for the little roadster whipping up on a dragster.

As much as I loved Willie and the Wing, it was hard to pick my favorite between those two.