TooTall999
Nitro Member
I like his ideas! http://www.competitionplus.com/drag-racing/editorials/27596-whit-bazemore-let-s-fix-it-now
Especially reducing track prep!
Especially reducing track prep!
Nitromater
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Interesting read on fixing the problem by Whit Bazemore
- Thread starter TooTall999
- Start date
mike
Nitro Member
yes, very interesting reading and a lot of good points...
my .02 is that he puts too much emphasis on making the drivers stars and showcasing personal dislike between the drivers. Understandable from the point of view of a former driver who made no bones about who he didn't like, but IMHO isn't great for long term success. (like when the NBA started talking more about Magic vs. Bird than the Lakers vs. the Celtics. It is OK when you have Magic, Bird and Jordon, but NCAA basketball seems to be more consistently successful marketing Indiana vs. UCLA. Same with football, it is the Seahawks vs. the Broncos with some interesting players, not the other way around).
Anyway, to me it is about the CARS. Some of us may have been just been rooting to Garlits, Shirley and Bernstein, but a lot of us were also rooting for the Chitown Hustler, Stardust, the Blue Max or the Fireman's Quickie...and that is the biggest reason for the falling numbers, the cars while impressive from a technical stand point they aren't exciting and aren't, well, very "cool" looking...I mean who here would rather see a Dart than a Challenger racing Pro Stock?
I know I'm rambling and nobody cares, but I need to vent once in a while...
my .02 is that he puts too much emphasis on making the drivers stars and showcasing personal dislike between the drivers. Understandable from the point of view of a former driver who made no bones about who he didn't like, but IMHO isn't great for long term success. (like when the NBA started talking more about Magic vs. Bird than the Lakers vs. the Celtics. It is OK when you have Magic, Bird and Jordon, but NCAA basketball seems to be more consistently successful marketing Indiana vs. UCLA. Same with football, it is the Seahawks vs. the Broncos with some interesting players, not the other way around).
Anyway, to me it is about the CARS. Some of us may have been just been rooting to Garlits, Shirley and Bernstein, but a lot of us were also rooting for the Chitown Hustler, Stardust, the Blue Max or the Fireman's Quickie...and that is the biggest reason for the falling numbers, the cars while impressive from a technical stand point they aren't exciting and aren't, well, very "cool" looking...I mean who here would rather see a Dart than a Challenger racing Pro Stock?
I know I'm rambling and nobody cares, but I need to vent once in a while...
Huge
Nitro Member
It looks like he just copied everything that has been discussed on here and Comp Plus over time. I just made a post last week saying that a little less track prep and down force would make for better racing... and everything else he said in that article...i have read on here or Comp Plus at sometime in the past.
Last edited:
SundayNiagara
Nitro Member
Thing of the past?
TooTall999
Nitro Member
Eugene, I've been saying the same thing about reducing track prep and making the tuners adapt to less traction for awhile now. Same thing with making the cars less "aero" and reducing down force. What's more exciting, watching perfect runs time and time again, or tire smoking, rip snorting, pedal fests?
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
To me the goal is to make the best run possible. I want to see the c/fs both make the right call. The drivers both keep in the groove. Both Cars go stripe to stripe power on. Everyone enjoys the ocational peddel fest, but I've been to smoke a thons,......... not fun. Tire smoke is for burnouts....
Last edited:
Huge
Nitro Member
I think most of us want that. Who said that the cars won't go to the stripe under power on the best run possible and who said anything about smoke a thons?
Last edited:
d'kid
Nitro Member
Too many "National Events"... each division gets two N/E.except 7 which gets the Winters... World finals floats, so every seven years each div. gets it and does not count against the two race limit. Indy is double points and also does not count on limit. No Multi- track owner may host Finals more often than once every 14 years... 4 wide is a specialty race and does NOT count for points.
More Thou Shall Not ????
d'kid
More Thou Shall Not ????
d'kid
my friends call me Zappy
Nitro Member
Eugene, I was responding to David keech question, "what would you rather see, side by side perfect runs or peddle fest??? ( post # 6 ).
I'll take successful runs over failure every time.l
DrRocket
Nitro Member
I agree whith Whit on the automation, and the practice of pushing the car into the water box, and up to the line. Once a car starts, the driver should be the one controlling it, not the pit crew. Hands off.
Get rid of the throttle stops as well. The Thrill never used a throttle stop, and he never had any problems with burnouts.
Get rid of the throttle stops as well. The Thrill never used a throttle stop, and he never had any problems with burnouts.
mastertone
Nitro Member
once an Idiot, still an Idiot!
Really Mike?? Other than yours and some of the Mater members opinions, would love to see your statistics to support that statement. Many here keep forgetting they are part of the minority overall. Certainly the most rabid fans, but a minority nonetheless.
Do you think for one minute that most fans under the age of 30 know the history of the car names, or for that matter care? Before I get flamed by members who say my kids love the "old" cars, read my response again, I said MOST (not all). I grew up in that era, loved those names then but honestly it doesn't really matter to me today. To me you love the sport or you don't. I don't know about you, but when I went in the pits, I didn't get the cars autograph ... did you? Nope, it was the driver. Same thing today. The drivers are the one's signing the autographs. So how can we say that it shouldn't be about the driver? The driver and crew make the car win or lose, the name had nothing to do with it. I will admit though that some of my young loyalty was based on elaborate paint schemes. Always loved to see what the new Pisano car, or Custom Body Ent. cars would look like thanks to Circus Paint.
Sean D, shondoo
Nitro Member
Not sure there's anything in there that I disagree with......
Sean D
Sean D
mick
Nitro Member
you HAVE to respect whit whether you agree or disagree with him.
he bought the air in his tires when he started and lived lean for many years.
i'll respect that all day long in sharp contrast to the millionaire drivers he refers too; i feel the same way.
if some of these millionaire drivers were offered a chance to continue to drive but had to eat
bologna sandwiches and stay in super 8 motels, they would walk away from the sport in
an nhra minute......and that is sad.
have to agree; more driver and less automation would bring something back to the sport.
less track prep has been mentioned for quite a while here too; i think that has merit.
as much as the sport was built on chasing records there is a time when it is no longer feasible,
and that time was about here
look how full the stands were too....for sat qualifying
he bought the air in his tires when he started and lived lean for many years.
i'll respect that all day long in sharp contrast to the millionaire drivers he refers too; i feel the same way.
if some of these millionaire drivers were offered a chance to continue to drive but had to eat
bologna sandwiches and stay in super 8 motels, they would walk away from the sport in
an nhra minute......and that is sad.
have to agree; more driver and less automation would bring something back to the sport.
less track prep has been mentioned for quite a while here too; i think that has merit.
as much as the sport was built on chasing records there is a time when it is no longer feasible,
and that time was about here
StockersRock
Nitro Member
After all these years of debates, I don't usually even read most of the threads regarding changes the sport needs, and I certainly don't feel that I can say anything that hasn't been said a bazillion times. I have come to really respect his opinion and straight talk, so I was compelled to read his article, and I wholeheartedly agree. Yes, it was a lot of what is said on these boards, but what's that tell you? I don't think he was recycling our words. It's clear, and fairly consistent, from a guy that has Wally's on his shelf, all the way down to us keyboard crew chiefs, that there are massive issues; clear to everyone except the real shot callers in Glendora. I can't imagine everyone at NHRA is blind to how things are. I guess I would just hope that if maybe the opinions he has were shared by more people at his level, then maybe the ground would be broken to get through to the NHRA to break the stranglehold that these team owners, and particularly the crew chiefs, have on the resistance to start making changes to the racing which should in turn make changes to the show. I feel, though, that until there is a change at the top of NHRA, this is never going to happen. Until there is somebody with enough balls to anounce that they are going to write the rulebook, not the teams, it will continue on. Like him or not, a Brian France type guy is just what the NHRA needs.
Last edited:
vegasnitro
Nitro Member
Brian France is a moron who is ruining NASCAR.
But I understand your point. Someone who is a strong leader with a clear vision for the future, and who is not afraid to step on a few toes or hurt some feelings to get there. Let's just hope that if this person comes along for the NHRA their performance will be better than Brian France's.
But I understand your point. Someone who is a strong leader with a clear vision for the future, and who is not afraid to step on a few toes or hurt some feelings to get there. Let's just hope that if this person comes along for the NHRA their performance will be better than Brian France's.
