Nitrogate......The Don answers!

[stanman]

Bobby,I think your right.It should have been dealt with behind closed doors.If you do something wrong at work for instance you don't (or should not) get an ass chewing in public.I think NHRA handled this all wrong.Just my 2 cents.

Mike,

The problem being is that Graham Light took this, and other instances, public using the ESPN broadcast.

This is just one more example of poor management at NHRA.

For this to have been handled appropriately, there would have been no comment from NHRA until the entire process had played itself out. Now they are between a rock and a hard place. If they rescind the fine, they look like they caved and their authority means squat. If they dig in their heals despite their obvious wrongful position they make themselves look even more injudicious.

 

[Dave]

Glad to hear it Don. I would hate to lose you from our sport.

Dave

 

[Alan]

Glad to hear it Don. I would hate to lose you from our sport.

Dave

Absolutely, some of his drivers are my fav's. NHRA was wrong on so many aspects of this whole deal, especially what Graham Light did by airing it out on TV for everyone to hear. Unprofessional in my opinion.

 

[scooter]

See Alan Barrett`s avatar for details.....

 

[sammi]

Hey Graham and Tom, TV is a very lame and ill advised way to settle a score (real or imagined). It always ends up being very expensive for the accuser.

Mark

 

[shoe]

I am glad I have not watched the TV show since it would probably make things worse in my eyes. This is terrible how it was handled.

 

[Lori]

I am glad I have not watched the TV show since it would probably make things worse in my eyes. This is terrible how it was handled.

It was handled terribly. You and everyone at DSR deserved to be treated with more respect than that. This should never have been aired during the show.

 

[Mike]

Innocence or guilt aside. How does the NHRA justify a $100,000 fine for anything given the maximum purse for winning the race is $40,000? That would be similar to fining a Nascar team $1,000,000. Completely absurd!!!! Now factor in the fact the no matter where you get it, nitro is nitro and gives you no performance advantage whatsoever brand to brand.

Now I have read the DHS Top-Screen Application and list of Chemicals of Interest and do see where thery are coming from with what they are trying to do. The 400 pound thing is somewhat silly and I truly feel the NHRA should be Top-Screened for each venue on the circuit which would allow teams to have more than 42 gallons in their pit at a time. Better yet, they (NHRA) should pay for and supply (or contract for the sponsorship of such)the fuel to the Pro teams competing a given race rather than force the teams to pay for it. Again they've forced the cost upon the racers that make their show.

 

[Gary H]

NHRA

'Nuff said....

 

[Joker]

Even I have to say this is a joke and everyone knows I'm not a DSR guy. I would really like to know what actually started the whole deal as in how ole Lights Out and Uncle Bernie knew it was there in the first place. And Don, I hate to see you guys go anywhere b/c that would kill the sport.

 

[Alan]

NHRA

'Nuff said....

I have a sticker like that on my tool box....the caption says "Your Problem Is Obvious"

Hilarious!!!!!

 

[FABMAN]

Don, you obviously have huge spot in your heart for this sport, and with the huge investment in your four teams you know the NHRA rule book better than the people who wrote it. That being said from the actions i have seen from Graham L., the last two being against you as the biggest, and the decline in competition it is obvious he lacks the quality of skills necessary to run the competition of NHRA. Where's Tom C. is he OK with action made against you, is he happy with the level that competition's at, organization's start at the top if it falters the rest will follow. After seeing what has happened here, I'm sure Kevin and Delana Harvick might be having second thoughts about investing into NHRA at this time.

This is not a pretty picture for this great sport.

Don, keep you head up and stay strong, you have the undivided support of 99% of the racers out here. GOD BLESS YOU.

 

[Professor Dave]

My impression of this is that NHRA is acting like Bobby Knight (ex-Indiana and Texas Tech BB coach known for yelling at players and throwing chairs) and Don Schumacher is acting like a successful modern baseball coach such as Joe Torre or Terry Francona, who if they ever yell at their players, no one knows about it. And just to be clear, Francona and Torre have half the world Championships in the last 12 years between them. As someone said, this is a disagreement that none of us should have ever heard about and to be quite honest, I have no idea why NHRA handled it like this. They do not come out looking good and that is not good for their brand image.

 

[none]

NHRA

'Nuff said....

Looking for answers?????

 

[Paul]

That picture sums this up, the NHRA has their collective heads up their rear end. The sport is truly lucky to have Don and his teams participating at the level they do. I can only hope the NHRA will come to their senses and rescind their penalty.

 

[.]

That picture sums this up, the NHRA has their collective heads up their rear end. The sport is truly lucky to have Don and his teams participating at the level they do. I can only hope the NHRA will come to their senses and rescind their penalty.

I don't think Dim Light and Tom "Drunk" Compton have enough collective common sense between the two of them to even realize they've made a mistake, much less correct it.

 

[d'kid]

Don.
I'm at long time fan of yours, was at OCIR the Wednesday night you test the new cuda before draging it to Indy and ran the first six at the track. I was there when you took Barry Setzer's Vega for a ride mid-summer.

I back you 100% on this, and anything you feel is in the best interest of DSR.

d'kid
4997

 

[Toejam]

Man this is just a pantload of problems that seem to just get worse and worse! From the Fuel issue, to the track prep issue, to purse, to I-cards you name it! Has NHRA ever been soo disorganized as they are now?

 

[Alan]

Gee, I wonder what Wally (GodSpeed) would think of the situation that Light's Out and Compton have caused.......

 

[Triple Nickel II]

The problem being is that Graham Light took this, and other instances, public using the ESPN broadcast.

This is just one more example of poor management at NHRA.

For this to have been handled appropriately, there would have been no comment from NHRA until the entire process had played itself out.

BINGO!!!!

Using NASCAR as an example, unless a violation was so strong that it endangered lives, no specifics concerning the incident and no decisions concerning penalties would be made until a day or two after the event was concluded. That gives the sanctioning body time to properly research the matter before putting their foot in their mouth and showing their @ss to the media.

For whatever reason, TPTB in Glendora seem to be very inept when it comes to dealing with the media. When Steve Johnson clearly won the U.S. Nationals, Graham went on TV and said 'our timing equipment never lies' and 'don't believe your eyes' but when something that doesn't effect the race happens such as this nitro situation, these guys want to be prosecutor, jury, and executioner before the TV production goes to bed.

Shame on NHRA's management. It's a good thing for them that the company is a not-for-profit organization because they would be kicked to the curb by stockholders in any other corporation.