Jeff Wolf on "Force Hood's absence, lawsuit hurt NHRA"

[Raconteur]

Check out Jeff Wolf's Column in today's Las Vegas Review-Journal.

 

[Paul]

Wow, Jeff Wolf makes some pretty strong statements in this article (which I fully agree with)-

"If Compton and his board of directors -- especially Gardner -- truly care about the NHRA, they would resign."

"But before that day -- which is not likely to come -- they should return the power of the NHRA to its membership and avert any look of impropriety."

"To do that, however, would require them to care more about the sport than personal bank accounts."

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Wow! Kind of out of character for Jeff to be this blunt - he's usually so diplomatic when commenting on NHRA.

 

[SundayNiagara]

Jeff wins, "the big pair of the year award" for that column!

 

[Toejam]

Smoke and Mirrors, NHRA is doing the same thing now as they have the past 25-30 years! For someone to even suggest that NHRA has been scamming the IRS all these years is ludicris! The IRS looks at Every corporation intensively, if they haven't nailed NHRA yet, they probably won't!

 

[BigDaddyB]

Wow, Jeff Wolf makes some pretty strong statements in this article (which I fully agree with)-

"If Compton and his board of directors -- especially Gardner -- truly care about the NHRA, they would resign."

"But before that day -- which is not likely to come -- they should return the power of the NHRA to its membership and avert any look of impropriety."

"To do that, however, would require them to care more about the sport than personal bank accounts."

Jeff Wolf did not make any comments in reference to NHRA what he reported were the comments from the gentleman that made the complaint to the IRS.

Don't get it twisted

 

[robslob]

Smoke and Mirrors, NHRA is doing the same thing now as they have the past 25-30 years! For someone to even suggest that NHRA has been scamming the IRS all these years is ludicris! The IRS looks at Every corporation intensively, if they haven't nailed NHRA yet, they probably won't!

Trust me on this Beautiful Noise, the I.R.S. scrutinizes EVERY non profit organization very closely!!!

 

[clwill]

Trust me on this Beautiful Noise, the I.R.S. scrutinizes EVERY non profit organization very closely!!!

There are 1.5 million 501(c) organizations in the US. The IRS doesn't have the manpower to scrutinize them all. They do like they do with most taxpayers: only look when the numbers get flagged by their computer program, or when someone brings it to their attention.

 

[Jim]

Frankly, I've never been bothered by the salary - per-se - of the top executive running a multi-million dollar enterprise such as NHRA. $750K is not "outrageous" compensation. Ironically, not-for-profits often compensate their top people pretty handsomely; perhaps to off-set deferred enrichment opportunites that might be available to comparably responsible executives in the private sector (i.e. stock etc).

HOWEVER, I was troubled by the "deal" Compton was in line for when the sale to the Satellite TV gang was proposed a couple years ago. ('Nuff to buy a Bentley (or comparable buggy) at the time, no?) It left me with a perception of self-dealing. I wondered how "independent" the NHRA Board of Directors was - and if anything has been done to keep things on the up-and-up since that deal croaked.

 

[Toejam]

Trust me on this Beautiful Noise, the I.R.S. scrutinizes EVERY non profit organization very closely!!!

Rob, exactly my point! NHRA has declared non Profit status for how many years? I bet the IRS has been up NHRA's ASS with a Microscope more times than anyone can count! Have they ever been fined or anything?

 

[Toejam]

There are 1.5 million 501(c) organizations in the US. The IRS doesn't have the manpower to scrutinize them all. They do like they do with most taxpayers: only look when the numbers get flagged by their computer program, or when someone brings it to their attention.

CW, I'm willing to bet any Non Profit with NHRA's Financials would get flagged almost yearly!

 

[mick]

as much as i want to agree with him that ashley's absence will hurt the series,
and it probably will to some degree, i have to keep reminding myself that
if you said 'ashley force' and 'danica patrick' to 100 anonymous people,
90% mite recognize danica, lucky if 10% mite recognize ashley.

 

[Pinocchio]

For the Drag Racing fans (male & female) who love to root for a lady, there will be at least 2 in Funny cars this year, and both have pretty famous fathers too.

 

[HEMI6point1]

For the Drag Racing fans (male & female) who love to root for a lady, there will be at least 2 in Funny cars this year, and both have pretty famous fathers too.

Who would have ever thought that Funny Car would have more women competing than Top Fuel?

 

[.]

Jeff Wolf did not make any comments in reference to NHRA what he reported were the comments from the gentleman that made the complaint to the IRS.

Don't get it twisted

I think you've got it twisted. If you read the article the sentences that Paul posted did not have quotes around them, which makes them Jeff Wolf's words, not the words of the person who made the complaint.

I spoke with the man behind the complaint, who requests anonymity. He makes good points.

Though I don't like some ways the NHRA operates, it does a good job in some areas as the sport's caretaker.

This is the wrong time to give any appearance of not paying a fair share of taxes. Not with our country's mounting deficit and programs such as Social Security in jeopardy.

If Compton and his board of directors -- especially Gardner -- truly care about the NHRA, they would resign.

But before that day -- which is not likely to come -- they should return the power of the NHRA to its membership and avert any look of impropriety.

To do that, however, would require them to care more about the sport than personal bank accounts.

 

[none]

Jeff Wolf being anti NHRA is about as surprising at Paul doing it.

Alan

 

[Paul]

Jeff Wolf being anti NHRA is about as surprising at Paul doing it.

Alan

Alan, I view it a little differently. I love the NHRA, which to me represents the sport of drag racing that was built from a long history of racers who put everything they had into racing as hard as they possibly could, typically on razor thin budgets. In the process they built this amazing sport.

Its the current management of the NHRA that I don't like, but to me they don't represent the true NHRA at all.

 

[none]

Paul,

Please point out to me a company that runs the same way today as it did 60 years ago. You either grow and change with the times or you go away. NHRA does a ton of things with youth and education, street legal programs, and trying to promote safety. And that's just to name a few. All of those cost money. Much more today than in the 50's. All of that has to be paid for somehow and the somehow is the Full Throttle series. In todays corporate climate, you better have a very good leadership team in place if you want people to invest in you. When you look at those that have invested in the sport over the years do you think that Tom and his team have duped everybody? Or that maybe these very smart and successful companies and people think that the management team is worthy of investing in?

My favorite story is the one about a racer that came from nothing, made a name for himself in racing, built a tremendously successful business on the success of his efforts racing, and is now a multi-millionaire. He takes some of the money he has earned and rewards himself with a snazzy and very expensive car. Then he takes that car and invites the President of the organization without which none of this would have ever happened to lunch to say thanks, and what do you guys do? You guys all but accuse that President of steeling from the company and buying the car in question.

Any of this ring a bell?

Alan

 

[Huge]

Paul,

Please point out to me a company that runs the same way today as it did 60 years ago. You either grow and change with the times or you go away. NHRA does a ton of things with youth and education, street legal programs, and trying to promote safety. And that's just to name a few. All of those cost money. Much more today than in the 50's. All of that has to be paid for somehow and the somehow is the Full Throttle series. In todays corporate climate, you better have a very good leadership team in place if you want people to invest in you. When you look at those that have invested in the sport over the years do you think that Tom and his team have duped everybody? Or that maybe these very smart and successful companies and people think that the management team is worthy of investing in?

My favorite story is the one about a racer that came from nothing, made a name for himself in racing, built a tremendously successful business on the success of his efforts racing, and is now a multi-millionaire. He takes some of the money he has earned and rewards himself with a snazzy and very expensive car. Then he takes that car and invites the President of the organization without which none of this would have ever happened to lunch to say thanks, and what do you guys do? You guys all but accuse that President of steeling from the company and buying the car in question.

Any of this ring a bell?

Alan

It is always good to hear from someone that really knows the facts, instead of all the NHRA bashers, and the ones that would love to see NHRA fail.

 

[none]

It is always good to hear from someone that really knows the facts, instead of all the NHRA bashers, and the ones that would love to see NHRA fail.

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