View From Someone's First NHRA Drag Race. (1 Viewer)

[NitroRichFire]

Click the link below, a view from someone at their first ever NHRA National event.

http://peoriapundit.com/blogpeoria/2007/05/10/drags/

 

[StockersRock]

I think he'd be better off spending that day with his best friend at the park watching the ducks.

 

[Terry]

Sounds like his seat was row 24 of the "stereotype" section. If the high point of his day was a polish dog with onions, man he missed the boat

 

[Toejam]

Ask Paul Rodgers what his wife thought when she went with him to the Texas Motorplex? She won't be back! Lets face it, this sport isn't for everybody. If it was we'd be Nascar!

 

[Terry]

Ask Paul Rodgers what his wife thought when she went with him to the Texas Motorplex? She won't be back! Lets face it, this sport isn't for everybody. If it was we'd be Nascar!

Well said, Joe, well said!

 

[scooter]

The guy who wrote that article must have been right by me,because I had row 26 and down a couple of rows and to the right was the guy with the tatoos.strange.

 

[Toejam]

Your First impression of this sport is everything! I always tell people the Best time for First Timers is on Friday Night. The Cars run their Best ET's of the weekend and it's usually the Coolest as well.

 

[Kelly]

I guess that's where growing up in Pasadena, Tx HELPED me with my first event. Nothing in Baytown at those Spring Nationals in Baytown surprised me or made me feel uncomfortable.

 

[D]

That wasn't as bad as I feared after reading the comments. But face it the car gene is missing in some males and this guy doesn't sound like a car guy. I just sent a link about the car I drive over here to a buddy Honda Accord SiR and he replied "You are such a redneck" which is pretty funny, some folks like cars and the drags and some folks would rather bake in the sun watching guys hit balls with sticks.

S/F
D

 

[Turtle]

Riiiight.....
Is this guy for real????
Obviously you guys have some pretty keen 'ball sports' followers over there.

 

[Toejam]

That wasn't as bad as I feared after reading the comments. But face it the car gene is missing in some males and this guy doesn't sound like a car guy. I just sent a link about the car I drive over here to a buddy Honda Accord SiR and he replied "You are such a redneck" which is pretty funny, some folks like cars and the drags and some folks would rather bake in the sun watching guys hit balls with sticks.

S/F
D

Calling D a Redneck? Now that's Funny!

 

[Joker]

I guess that's where growing up in Pasadena, Tx HELPED me with my first event. Nothing in Baytown at those Spring Nationals in Baytown surprised me or made me feel uncomfortable.

"Its like a family reunion!"

 

[Toejam]

I went ahead and left a response letter to that website, saying Journalists and the wantabees should stick to what they actually know instead of insulting things they know little or nothing about!

 

[Kris]

Heh, I think the comment about the gene missing sums this up right ... the guy just doesn't get it and simply lacks the necessary DNA.

I love cars, especially fast ones, and I think that despite having all the same misconceptions about motorsports fans this guy had going into my first race, I am a sucker for a truly visceral experience.

I was told to go stand as close to the starting line as I could and the gut-rattling, ear-shattering, heart pounding thrill that is the launch of a pair of nitro cars gave me such a thrill. (Thank you Capps, it was a great suggestion.) I've been hooked ever since.

You either get hooked or you don't when it comes to drag racing. Obviously this guy didn't get hooked.

I still have flecks of rubber on the shorts I wore to the Vegas fall race last year. Pretty proud of them, to be honest.

Not all journalists are a lost cause (even a recovering stick-and-ball sportswriter like myself). I'm currently working on a profile of the new GM at Pacific Raceways and hoping to talk to some sportsman drivers to advance a Lucas Oil Series race at Pacific Raceways during Father's Day weekend.

Ah, well, the guy just doesn't know what he's missing.

 

[Rajunz]

Not everyone gets into motorsports, I would imagine that his take on NASCAR would have been even worse. Watching cars go in a circle all day sounding like bumble bees after a while..............just like I would grow very tired of watching a baseball game after about 5 innings.

 

[none]

Not everyone gets into motorsports, I would imagine that his take on NASCAR would have been even worse. Watching cars go in a circle all day sounding like bumble bees after a while..............just like I would grow very tired of watching a baseball game after about 5 innings.

Yea, one of the guys I work with went to his first NASCAR race (Fort Worth) and came away totally unhooked. Actually said it was "just an excuse for the hillbillys to get together and get drunk!"

 

[BrettV]

Here's my non-car guy race experience. I've been to 1 each Indy car race (Poconos), NASCAR (Dover), NHRA national event (Richmond), and a race at a local NHRA track. The NASCAR race is a day of my life I wish I could get back. I was by myself and didn't know any better, bought ticket at the gate, row F My fault for not realizing I wouldn't be able to see anything below the door handles. Used to watch NASCAR on TV before that, rarely since. Enjoyed the Indy car race, got to go into the pits during practice, and had good seats. Still, its around and around she goes.... REALLY enjoyed the Richmond race last year! Love the pit and driver access, and of course the 5 senses input! I went with my brother who is a car guy and goes to several NASCAR races a year, it was his first NHRA race too. He loved it too. We also liked that we could move around - sometimes in our seats, sometimes at the fence, and all day Sunday at the finish line. Cant wait to go back, next time with the kids.

BTW, despite the above, I would like to go to a Formula One race just to experience it

 

[Nitrohaulic]

"The wallets were mostly chained to the belt."


There's no way that one's even close to being true. I'm thinking the writer did some fabricating to make his story sound more interesting? Once he's dishonest about one thing? I think he should lose his job for his lame attempt at stereotyping. He's trying to advance himself at the expense of our sport's image.

 

[RMS]

Yea ive been to my share of drag races (NHRA National events and a LOT of local races) and his description of the people was way far fetched! He made it sound like everyone was a biker. And my favorite line was: "The smell – well, mix burning rubber with a bad day in the school chemistry lab and that about gets you there." How can you not love burning rubber and nitro?! I guess since ive been going to the races before i could walk/talk i was hooked at a young age, and it aint going away either!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Well, when he talked about this individual or that individual, that's one thing. When he says the majority of the wallets there were chained to belts, he went WAY off the rails. I think everyone here knows that one was B.S.

I think it's obvious that he just picked out the ones who looked more unusual to him. The spectators I see look just like the people I see anywhere else.