War of Words In Charlotte

[yoda]

Strange... Brought up the final round on E3 to see what the incident was all about, and there is not one single clear shot of the tree staging bulbs or the crewman from Arana Jr having hands in the beams. He WAS shown at the front of the bike lining him up. Could he have been noodling? Possibly. Did he get his foot stuck, as was explained? Not one camera angle seemed to have caught that... but the handheld caught him walking back and tapping his rider to send him on his way...

 

[HEMI6point1]

Strange... Brought up the final round on E3 to see what the incident was all about, and there is not one single clear shot of the tree staging bulbs or the crewman from Arana Jr having hands in the beams. He WAS shown at the front of the bike lining him up. Could he have been noodling? Possibly. Did he get his foot stuck, as was explained? Not one camera angle seemed to have caught that... but the handheld caught him walking back and tapping his rider to send him on his way...

Yup. Typical crazy cajun getting worked up over nothing.

 

[Mark]

Agreed....I can't get in to PSM and neither can anyone at the track. Just look at the stands when the class is run.

It's a snooooooozer!

That's funny right there.....this is the 4th page of a thread about PSM...go back to sleep.

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

Here's what I'm happy about. Racers opening up to not hiding behind the politically-correct facade with which they have been shielding their true feelings wih for a long time. The only premise which my seminar and subsequent input had promoted has been to get the professional racers to be MORE HONEST, not less. As has been pointed out by others, the controversies in PSB have been going on since I began covering the NHRA in 1994 and before. Weight breaks, 2-valve, 4-valve, 2-stroke, 4-stroke, Steve Johnson's disqualification at Indy several years ago, cylinder heads, Harley vs Buell vs Suzuki, etc.

The racers have now been encouraged to be racers, not PR choir boys. They have been urged to express whatever disagreements and issues they've been unwilling to reveal in the past. The NHRA has taken the same stance, to a degree, as NASCAR in the sense, "Have at it, boys." Don't get physical, don't assault or threaten an NHRA official, don't get obscene. But the expression of emotion, agitation directed at other racers in the heat of battle, and keeping it real are all on the table.

Drag racers are not actors. Neither are NASCAR drivers yet their issues and conflicts have been spilling over at almost every race. Are their confrontations genuine and the ones in the NHRA fabricated? There isn't a drag racer I know who would try to create some phony dustup at the expense of his credibility.

This discussion is proof that when racers have a beef with each other, it causes a buzz and fans take sides, defend their position, and are willing to defend it. Are you fans who are on this board just faking it? Are you just trying to whip up a controversy? Are you just hyping up your comments or are you really expressing your feelings and emotions?

racers should 'express' themselves at the finish line by beating their opponents. lets cut the crap Bill. you are encouraging phony rivalries and this is not the housewives of NHRA. the thing that sets our sport apart from nascar and hockey is that drivers are respectful of their opponents in public. i hope it stays that way. Geez Bill i used to like you till you started this junk talk.

 

[MHayes]

racers should 'express' themselves at the finish line by beating their opponents. lets cut the crap Bill. you are encouraging phony rivalries and this is not the housewives of NHRA. the thing that sets our sport apart from nascar and hockey is that drivers are respectful of their opponents in public. i hope it stays that way. Geez Bill i used to like you till you started this junk talk.

Great, someone else that missed the entire point!

 

[mike]

the thing that sets our sport apart from nascar and hockey is that drivers are respectful of their opponents in public. i hope it stays that way.

to pick a nit....I think you mean NASCAR and the NBA; since outside of a few tools like Sean Avery, hockey players are hugely respectful of other hockey players (off the ice anyway)

 

[Mark]

Strange... Brought up the final round on E3 to see what the incident was all about, and there is not one single clear shot of the tree staging bulbs or the crewman from Arana Jr having hands in the beams. He WAS shown at the front of the bike lining him up. Could he have been noodling? Possibly. Did he get his foot stuck, as was explained? Not one camera angle seemed to have caught that... but the handheld caught him walking back and tapping his rider to send him on his way...

It was his Hand...twice that I saw.....Rick Stewart told him to get his hand out of the beam...( I didn't see that, that's what Rick told me in Charolette and that there's no rule against it ????) as said on TV (that was edited out) " it had no out come on the race ", my whole point is that it could have, if two racers want to play games that's great, there should be no third party antiques going on, actually if I had let Jerry do what he wanted, most likely Hector Jr. would have been timed out........Jerry wanted to quick stage...turn on both lights and wait, I didn't want to play games and told him lets just do what got us here.Had he done it, the clock would have started the first time Jr.'s guy stuck his hand in the beam. Hector Jr. beat us ...bad.... we left a little out there, but sure couldn't have come close to a 6.864. That was the run of the year....way better than his Dad's 6.77 at gainesville....way better. Good job Jr., I need to work harder.....way harder.

 

[Billy]

racers should 'express' themselves at the finish line by beating their opponents. lets cut the crap Bill. you are encouraging phony rivalries and this is not the housewives of NHRA. the thing that sets our sport apart from nascar and hockey is that drivers are respectful of their opponents in public. i hope it stays that way. Geez Bill i used to like you till you started this junk talk.

I respect your opinion, Barry, despite the fact we have a deep disagreement. If racers should "express" themselves at the finish line by beating their opponents, I guess Shirley Muldowney and Big Daddy, Shirley and Connie, Shirley and Lucille Lee, Shirley and Lori Johns, Big Daddy and Darrell Gwynn, Snake & Mongoose, Richard Tharp and the rest of the world, Glidden and WJ, WJ and Geoffrion, WJ and Alderman, Force and Cruz, Force and Hofmann, Force and Whit, Force and Beard, etc. should have been nice to each other, not like those ruffians in NASCAR and hockey, and been respectful of their opponents without engaging in those phony rivalries. They could have ruined our sport!

All sarcasm aside, whether you like me or not isn't the issue. The issue is, I spent 11 years covering the NHRA for TV and conducted hundreds of interviews with just about every pro driver who raced between 1994 and 2004. What I heard them say about their opponents and to their opponents when the cameras weren't rolling many, many times differed from what was said when they were. If that's OK with you, so be it. But I think for the vast majority of drag racing fans and potential drag racing fans who haven't discovered it yet, they want honesty, passion, and to know that the drivers they watch and root for are speaking from the heart, telling it like it is, and using every method within the rules to gain a psychological advantage over their opponents--just the way it's been done in other sports since the beginning of time. This isn't the "Love Boat"--it's major league motorsports and drag racing is a tough playing field. A little attitude goes a long way.

If I'm wrong about that and people don't like me for it, well, have at it, boys.

 

[Mark]

Yup. Typical crazy cajun getting worked up over nothing.

Sorry to disappoint you but Jerry knew something was going on just not what it was.....he was focused on trying to win the race and not looking over at the other lane...I was the one that was mad about it.....I've got 36 wallies, 5 US Nationals, won them with Jon Myers, Steve Johnson, Angelle and Antron, Never have I let or encouraged my guy to play games, I guess times are changing and maybe we need to play the game, I'm sure I don't want to and I'm not sure we will.....time will tell.

 

[HEMI6point1]

Sorry to disappoint you but Jerry knew something was going on just not what it was.....he was focused on trying to win the race and not looking over at the other lane...I was the one that was mad about it.....I've got 36 wallies, 5 US Nationals, won them with Jon Myers, Steve Johnson, Angelle and Antron, Never have I let or encouraged my guy to play games, I guess times are changing and maybe we need to play the game, I'm sure I don't want to and I'm not sure we will.....time will tell.

LOL I made that comment in jest, I wasn't being serious.

Anyway, I'm sure Junior's crew guy tripped the beams by accident. I'm sure he wasn't being malicious about it.

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

I respect your opinion, Barry, despite the fact we have a deep disagreement. If racers should "express" themselves at the finish line by beating their opponents, I guess Shirley Muldowney and Big Daddy, Shirley and Connie, Shirley and Lucille Lee, Shirley and Lori Johns, Big Daddy and Darrell Gwynn, Snake & Mongoose, Richard Tharp and the rest of the world, Glidden and WJ, WJ and Geoffrion, WJ and Alderman, Force and Cruz, Force and Hofmann, Force and Whit, Force and Beard, etc. should have been nice to each other, not like those ruffians in NASCAR and hockey, and been respectful of their opponents without engaging in those phony rivalries. They could have ruined our sport!

All sarcasm aside, whether you like me or not isn't the issue. The issue is, I spent 11 years covering the NHRA for TV and conducted hundreds of interviews with just about every pro driver who raced between 1994 and 2004. What I heard them say about their opponents and to their opponents when the cameras weren't rolling many, many times differed from what was said when they were. If that's OK with you, so be it. But I think for the vast majority of drag racing fans and potential drag racing fans who haven't discovered it yet, they want honesty, passion, and to know that the drivers they watch and root for are speaking from the heart, telling it like it is, and using every method within the rules to gain a psychological advantage over their opponents--just the way it's been done in other sports since the beginning of time. This isn't the "Love Boat"--it's major league motorsports and drag racing is a tough playing field. A little attitude goes a long way.

If I'm wrong about that and people don't like me for it, well, have at it, boys.

Bill- i apologize !!I do like you.I was being tongue in cheek and it didnt translate. and some of your points are valid. the place where you're coming from is heart felt and wants to make the sport better and more viable. i am coming from the same place. Conflict, if its genuine and sportsmanlike is good. if its kept that way im all for it. if its gonna get more people to the track and to the TV; great.

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

Sorry to disappoint you but Jerry knew something was going on just not what it was.....he was focused on trying to win the race and not looking over at the other lane...I was the one that was mad about it.....I've got 36 wallies, 5 US Nationals, won them with Jon Myers, Steve Johnson, Angelle and Antron, Never have I let or encouraged my guy to play games, I guess times are changing and maybe we need to play the game, I'm sure I don't want to and I'm not sure we will.....time will tell.

Mark-- dont change. dont play games. keep standards high

 

[none]

Bill and I don't often agree, but he is spot on here. You don't have to make it up, just be honest. And you don't have to bad mouth the other guy, but why play the sunshine and rainbows routine if that's not what you are really thinking.

A Pro racer this weekend, and I'm not going to mention the name, got beat bad, not a couple of thou, but a whipping. He said to me word for word, "I'm really tired of him kicking my a$$" That's not disrespectful or made up, that's what he feels. But when he gets an interview, he says something like, "Those guys are doing a great job and we're just happy to be here" Which one do you think is closer to the truth? I don't want anybody to make stuff up, but I do like the truth.

Alan

 

[camaro]

just remember, speaking your mind can also get u in trouble, whether its TV interviews or any social situation. For example lets say a driver is pissed because his car is running like crap, well if he gets on TV and rants about how awful his car, that can be viewed as an indirect comment about the person who works on the the car, the crew chief. the comments the driver makes may be true, but they are hurtful to the teams CC and is not going to help moral !

 

[MM]

I think people too often associate people speaking their minds with those who choose to disconnect their brains from their mouths. Their is a difference, and a rather large one at that.

 

[Mark]

Brent,



Mark, I understand what you’re saying as well, but if the starting point is a piece of billet, what would you want them to sell?
P.S. Loved the shirt! LOL



If V&H was so bent on world domination (at least in PSM) why would they still be selling engines that are capable of beating them? Why wouldn’t they just do as some have in the past, sell an engine that would qualify, but not one good enough to outrun mine.

And Mark, you know that happened for a number of years.

Alan

As far as the parts starting from a piece of billet, NHRA should have drawings and/or finished piece's of mandated parts in their tech trailer, (they've done this with our 12 year old cast head's) and should be able to do it with billet parts. S&S has them with Buells so it shouldn't be any different for the Vrod.




Who knows if their selling engines capable of beating them ???? Yes they've been beaten buy there own customers, last year they lost the championship to one of their customers......without looking up the numbers I bet LE out raced them....not out ran them. They do a good job, close to half my wins over the years came with VHR power. I know every Suzuki out there on every lap we run gives it 100% to get the most out of it we can. Are They???
Because there are only 2 of them they have the opportunity to control how fast they go. I can't imagine how hard it would be slow your self down but remain competitive, I'm not sure it's going on but the opportunity is there. The biggest issue they have getting them off the starting line, they both run big numbers in the back even if ones struggling off the line.

As far as giving someone just enough to qualify but not enough to beat you, yea I'd agree that did happen..not from VHR and not from Star Racing. Actually in 1996 we built 8 Customer engines at Star and did ,to the best of our ability, build them all the same. One engine for what ever reason wound up having 4 more HP peak and 3 on average better than our best engine John Myers was running, we had engraved the customer names in the cases and heads prior to building and did the right thing and gave the customer that engine. He qualified sometimes....sometimes he didn't...my point is, it takes the whole package. Engine builders always get blamed first when a lot of times there's other issues causing the lack of performance.

 

[Billy]

just remember, speaking your mind can also get u in trouble, whether its TV interviews or any social situation. For example lets say a driver is pissed because his car is running like crap, well if he gets on TV and rants about how awful his car, that can be viewed as an indirect comment about the person who works on the the car, the crew chief. the comments the driver makes may be true, but they are hurtful to the teams CC and is not going to help moral !

All a driver has to say is "WE suck", not "My car sucks" or "My team sucks".
He just made a true and honest statement but took some of the blame upon himself. WJ has said more than once, "Today, we had our heads up our ass" and his crew understood without feeling hurt.

Alan knows from where he speaks. He's been on the top end for more years than I was and has heard the drivers spin their comments in the complete opposite direction of what they really mean time after time. The fans frequently don't hear the good stuff.

 

[camaro]

All a driver has to say is "WE suck", not "My car sucks" or "My team sucks".
He just made a true and honest statement but took some of the blame upon himself. WJ has said more than once, "Today, we had our heads up our ass" and his crew understood without feeling hurt.

Alan knows from where he speaks. He's been on the top end for more years than I was and has heard the drivers spin their comments in the complete opposite direction of what they really mean time after time. The fans frequently don't hear the good stuff.

using wj is a bad example because he is the boss of that team and the primary architect behind the cars performance so he could get away with comments like that. u would never hear a hired driver go off on rant similar to wj's because he knows, even if he used the term 'we', it would be viewed as throwing his team under the bus and probably not make the owner and crew very happy.

 

[Billy]

using wj is a bad example because he is the boss of that team and the primary architect behind the cars performance so he could get away with comments like that. u would never hear a hired driver go off on rant similar to wj's because he knows, even if he used the term 'we', it would be viewed as throwing his team under the bus and probably not make the owner and crew very happy.

Just two examples:

Whit Bazemore when driving for Chuck Etchells smoked his tires in the first round in Gainesville. After telling the ESPN audience how unhappy he was with the car, he pounded his fist on the side of it as he walked away.

Gary Scelzi when driving the Toyota F/C for Alan Johnson experienced a series of bad explosions and fires. When interviewed in Dallas that year, he said "I hope this car doesn't kill me".

There are many others I personally witnessed when doing top end interviews for TV. The fact is, when drivers get frustrated enough about the lack of performance and consistency in their cars, they will speak their minds. That's not a bad thing. The fans, the media, the crew, and anyone with any appreciation for the pressure that goes along with the job would understand.

Your original point was that they wouldn't say anything to offend or insult their crew--regardless of whether they owned the team or not. I've seen hired drivers lose their cool when things aren't going well. My point is there's a way to express those frustrations in a manner that's honest without sounding like a disgruntled cry baby.

 

[Toejam]

I think Ron Capps interview after losing in Indy was pretty good! Not happy he lost, but spontaneous!