Media's Branding of "Drag Racing" in Unrelated Street Deaths (1 Viewer)

[rocketman]

it's getting bad out there with the media calling these latest street racing deaths "drag races" or worse caused by "drag racers". It's time NHRA come up with their own term to describe what we do. Here is a column about it: Rich Bailey Home Page

 

[ex-nsp]

Whadda ya mean it's time?

The bad reputation drag racers, and lakes racers before them, got from the press is one of the reasons why Wally Parks started NHRA in '51 in the first place!

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

The term "dragracing" is generic. It simply defines a style of auto racing, straight line – short distance – normally from a dead stop.

To the average Joe, a car race on the streets, is a drag race.
It's kind of like using the term Kleenex, when you really mean tissue.

Not to worry, the fans of the sport know the difference between " street racing", and " dragracing". To the general public it really doesn't matter what you call it.

 

[SoCal Racer]

Whenever this happens locally I make it a point to write to the article's author and educate them on the differences between street racing and drag racing. Probably falls on deaf ears, but if we don't say something nobody else will.

 

[None]

Whenever this happens locally I make it a point to write to the article's author and educate them on the differences between street racing and drag racing. Probably falls on deaf ears, but if we don't say something nobody else will.

There is no difference between street and racing and drag racing. Track racing was developed to get drag racing off the streets.

 

[TooTall999]

There is no difference between street and racing and drag racing. Track racing was developed to get drag racing off the streets.

There's a huge difference between illegal street racing and drag racing..maybe the origins of drag racing were born from street racing, but what happens on the streets now should not be referred to as drag racing.

 

[None]

There's a huge difference between illegal street racing and drag racing..maybe the origins of drag racing were born from street racing, but what happens on the streets now should not be referred to as drag racing.

You are 100% wrong. They have been trying for 60+ years to to get this changed. It is not going to happen.

 

[yoda]

There is no difference between street and racing and drag racing. Track racing was developed to get drag racing off the streets.

There's a huge difference between illegal street racing and drag racing..maybe the origins of drag racing were born from street racing, but what happens on the streets now should not be referred to as drag racing.

You are 100% wrong. They have been trying for 60+ years to to get this changed. It is not going to happen.

Never heard a street race referred to in the press as "N.H.R.A. Drag Racing", have you?

 

[d'kid]

Never heard a street race referred to in the press as "N.H.R.A. Drag Racing", have you?

No I have not Martini, But just once, I'd love to hear it referred to as stock car racers or sports car racers... because a lot of the time they are turnin' corners.

d'kid

 

[Gregg Pickens]

You are 100% wrong. They have been trying for 60+ years to to get this changed. It is not going to happen.

No John you are wrong. We have successfully changed the attitudes of the local media in my home town by writing letters each time street racing was reported as drag racing. We made sure the letters were positive in their tone and educated the writers and editors as to the difference. It took some time but they did change. I also still send letters and emails when they get it right thanking them for reporting it correctly.

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

It is what we allow it to be branded as in the media. Negative connotations can influence mainstream companies on possible sponsor partnerships, so I try and use each incident to leave a comment or note educating them to the term illegal street racing and that drag racing was born via NHRA to bring this to a safe, track environment. Perfect free-promo opportunity.

 

[None]

It is what we allow it to be branded as in the media. Negative connotations can influence mainstream companies on possible sponsor partnerships, so I try and use each incident to leave a comment or note educating them to the term illegal street racing and that drag racing was born via NHRA to bring this to a safe, track environment. Perfect free-promo opportunity.

Drag racing was around long before NHRA.

 

[None]

No John you are wrong. We have successfully changed the attitudes of the local media in my home town by writing letters each time street racing was reported as drag racing. We made sure the letters were positive in their tone and educated the writers and editors as to the difference. It took some time but they did change. I also still send letters and emails when they get it right thanking them for reporting it correctly.

And when they change reporters you can start all over again.

 

[Horsepower & Heels]

Drag racing was around long before NHRA.

Excuse me, you're right. ORGANIZED, sanctioned, drag racing.

 

[Gregg Pickens]

And when they change reporters you can start all over again.

Correct, the battle goes one but we refuse to give up!

 

[rocketman]

There is a hell of a difference between what we do on the track and what happens on the street. There was another story to day of his father"drag racing" with his kid in the back seat.