What's Right With NHRA? (1 Viewer)

[Gordon]

While I agree with everyone above, one thing was overlooked in my opinion, the people. The fans, crew members, drivers and owners. The fans are probably among the most knowledgeable in any sport, the crew members, drivers and owners are all very accessible and most are very personable and willing to talk to the fans. No other motorsport can claim this, as the pit and drivers areas are pretty much off limits if you aren't somebody who knows somebody.

In my most humble opinion, David nailed it - it's the people. Period.

If you take a step back and think about it, NHRA is really just a huge family that includes the racers, fans, promoters, track owners, sponsors, team owners, crew members, etc. We don't all agree on everything, and sometimes we even argue about it, but in the end we all love the sport and everything it offers, despite some of its faults. Kinda like America. The owners/teams don't always get along... until there's a need, then suddenly every team in the pits becomes one. Whether it's a tragic accident, God forbid, or a major explosion/crash following a round win - there are more people willing to help than can possibly fit in the pit area. T-Ped may be one of John Force's biggest critics, but who went to see him in the hospital following his crash in Texas? Tony. Millican and Herbert weren't exactly the best of friends, but I feel supremely confident they comforted each other when each experienced tragedy.

Yeah, it's the people - that's what right with NHRA - everything else is secondary.

 

[vegasnitro]

Forgot the Stardust close up and the back.
I also need a 2011 Winters’ patch.
And I’ve apparently misplaced my Seattle 2015. Anyone have these please?
I have the racing staff on the back and another on front that have to do with when I was in the Southern Nevada Timing Association in Las Vegas. Ken Black (KB Racing) is a friend from that club.
Stardust had closed and we ran a NHRA licensed track on the old LA highway at Jean, Nv. We had much fun there and no one was ever hurt.

As a resident of Las Vegas, I am sad I never got to go to the Stardust strip (I didn't move here until 94). It is my understanding that property is now where Durango High School sits ... If only those kids knew!

 

[vegasnitro]

I like this thread, something positive for once. I think one thing that gets lost on message boards such as this (or on social media) is that NONE of us would be here if we didn't love it.

I gotta agree first and foremost it is the people. I have met so many good people walking thru the pits and many from this board. Secondarily, there just is absolutely nothing like sitting in the stands when 2 nitro cars are side by side on full pulls. My first race was 40 years ago (I was 3) at the Spring Nationals in Columbus and I still get just as excited now. It never gets old. Lastly, no matter what is going on in this crazy world, I can pick up the phone and call my Dad and easily have an hour long conversation about drag racing, it is almost as if he doesn't live 2,000 miles away.

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

As a resident of Las Vegas, I am sad I never got to go to the Stardust strip (I didn't move here until 94). It is my understanding that property is now where Durango High School sits ... If only those kids knew!

Sorry about that.
Durango looks about right, not sure though.
The police used the track for years to train.
It wasn't much. Dusty, huge bump on the top end. There's even a photo of Big well up off the ground down there. I never saw a road race and I don't recall ever running brackets myself there. I think it had closed before I got my '69 Nova SS 'Nova Too Late'.
~
Had much fun at the drags. We, the SNTA, would go to Round Table Pizza on what was literally the west end of Charleston Ave. afterwards.
My best ever drag racing experience was when I helped the late Slammin' Sammy Miller on his Hot Wheels 'Cuda #1 he had just bought from Prudhomme!
My friends' could NOT believe I was out there on the track helping with that car!!!
Standing in front of thousands of HP!!! We didn't even know how much then, a lot less than now but still.
~
For years there was a thick, round, bright yellow wood sign, with black letters and an 'up' arrow, maybe 18" in diameter, way up on a utility pole just east of Valley View, north side, on Spring Mountain I think it was. It read; STARDUST RACEWAY in an arc at the top edge, arrow centered below.
I finally had enough of seeing it and took my Dad's big ole '59 Chevy wagon over there and was able to stand on the top and reach it......I still have it.
~
I also have one of the hard posters without any writing on the bottom white blank area
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Here's Sammy (facing) working on the car at the Supernationals 11/72. (MY personally shot photo and not for the use of others please!)
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And the car at Pomona '71.
Note that it still has Snake on the front spoiler.
~

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

The first 2 photos are the Southern Nevada Timing Association/Lions Club NHRA sanctioned track at Jean, Nevada on the 'Old L.A. Highway'.
Torn one is Bob Gould and Gerry Green.
Bob was a great buddy and that is his killer 427 '67 Vette in which we may have put the 454 in by then. The 427 was better.
He let me drive that car, and his '69 396 Camaro, whenever I wanted.
Anyone know anything about him???
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NO one was ever hurt at Jean and that is amazing since the roadway was as much as 4'-5' higher than the desert!
We were pretty damn careful about what we let run.
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That is me behind the MG running the staging lanes in my very first drag jacket!
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Last one with the bright 1st gen. Nova towing into place, is SNTA club member Ken Black of, now, KB Racing at the LV Speedrome 3/73, This was the track's name as the precursor to The Strip at Las Vegas,.
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(all photos are mine and for my use only please)
~

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Milt Heger ,just fyi, Vegas 1 is also a 4 wide starting sprig of 2018. Enjoy!!

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

Milt Heger ,just fyi, Vegas 1 is also a 4 wide starting sprig of 2018. Enjoy!!

WOW!!!! The old Sandrome, run by a guy we hated, some got so mad they ran over the tree, is moving up in the world!

 

[Greggo]

Definitely the people. Some of my best friends [ever] I have met rite here. When I'm not racing I find time to hang with them and treasure the time I get to spend. I could care less about the racing at that point because it becomes more about the friendships. Same thing with the crews of other teams. There is a camaraderie between (most) teams. Yeah, we want to kill each other on the track but, in the end, we are all one family and would do almost anything for each other.

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

Definitely the people. Some of my best friends [ever] I have met rite here. When I'm not racing I find time to hang with them and treasure the time I get to spend. I could care less about the racing at that point because it becomes more about the friendships. Same thing with the crews of other teams. There is a camaraderie between (most) teams. Yeah, we want to kill each other on the track but, in the end, we are all one family and would do almost anything for each other.

That last part Slammin' Sammy taught me about.
At the Stardust event he was just ramping up that part of his racing with his first runs on HW 'Cuda #2 and needed stuff so, on Saturday, he sent me off to borrow stuff. "Go to Prudhomme and see if he has this, ask Gene if he has that and so on and on.
None of them resisted and they didn't even know who I was!!!
He needed something Sunday and I said I'd go find it. 'Oh no...NOT today. Few will loan anything today unless they have lost the round. I'll make do and we'll do our best without.'

 

[Sandman]

I like this thread, something positive for once. I think one thing that gets lost on message boards such as this (or on social media) is that NONE of us would be here if we didn't love it.

I gotta agree first and foremost it is the people. I have met so many good people walking thru the pits and many from this board. Secondarily, there just is absolutely nothing like sitting in the stands when 2 nitro cars are side by side on full pulls. My first race was 40 years ago (I was 3) at the Spring Nationals in Columbus and I still get just as excited now. It never gets old. Lastly, no matter what is going on in this crazy world, I can pick up the phone and call my Dad and easily have an hour long conversation about drag racing, it is almost as if he doesn't live 2,000 miles away.

This is exactly why I started this thread. I know full well that everyone here has a love of drag racing in general and that it's human nature to play the old, "By gawd if I had my way..." game and trust me, I've done plenty of that. But in reality negative thinking just feeds off itself all too often and creates negative comments and in turn negative people. We as car people have always had an ability to see potential where others see junk. Ask anyone who's ever drug home that crusty '69 Camaro carcass and tried to tell the Mrs. what a great car it is. Same with NHRA, you can see all the flaws and nit-pick everything, or we can all think about how great this sport really is and appreciate how much work it really is for the NHRA to deal with every agency necessary to put on a big event, try to fill every field in tough economic times, deal with vendors, attract sponsors, help racers promote themselves, deal with every smaller NHRA track and it's needs, handle escalating costs, get everyone paid and worry about every single finite detail and do it all 24 times a year only to be treated like a greedy, self-centered corporate empire by the fans who all claim to know more about the sport than the NHRA. I'm thankful for the NHRA's efforts (despite my own complaining!) and can't wait to smell nitro again in the spring!

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

This is exactly why I started this thread. I know full well that everyone here has a love of drag racing in general and that it's human nature to play the old, "By gawd if I had my way..." game and trust me, I've done plenty of that. But in reality negative thinking just feeds off itself all too often and creates negative comments and in turn negative people. We as car people have always had an ability to see potential where others see junk. Ask anyone who's ever drug home that crusty '69 Camaro carcass and tried to tell the Mrs. what a great car it is. Same with NHRA, you can see all the flaws and nit-pick everything, or we can all think about how great this sport really is and appreciate how much work it really is for the NHRA to deal with every agency necessary to put on a big event, try to fill every field in tough economic times, deal with vendors, attract sponsors, help racers promote themselves, deal with every smaller NHRA track and it's needs, handle escalating costs, get everyone paid and worry about every single finite detail and do it all 24 times a year only to be treated like a greedy, self-centered corporate empire by the fans who all claim to know more about the sport than the NHRA. I'm thankful for the NHRA's efforts (despite my own complaining!) and can't wait to smell nitro again in the spring!

All true!
~
I hope I haven't spun too far off 'track' (pun intended) with my input.

 

[Sandman]

All true!
~
I hope I haven't spun too far off 'track' (pun intended) with my input.

Absolutely not, I love seeing pictures and hearing stories like yours. Like lots of guys here, I found drag racing back then and can't get enough of that stuff. Which brings up another thing, NHRA had some historic cars at Seattle last year including (I think) Jim Green's SOHC Ford T/F car from back in the day, so they try to show the newer fan where we came from at the Big Show as well.

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

Absolutely not, I love seeing pictures and hearing stories like yours. Like lots of guys here, I found drag racing back then and can't get enough of that stuff. Which brings up another thing, NHRA had some historic cars at Seattle last year including (I think) Jim Green's SOHC Ford T/F car from back in the day, so they try to show the newer fan where we came from at the Big Show as well.

Oh thanks!
Yes!!!!
Jim is in our club!!!!!
He just retired and closed his shop.
I missed the sale.
They didn’t do a cackle this year but as usual they had old rigs displayed in the pits at the pit entrance curve by the Sunoco fuel storage.
When I get back on the computer in the morning I’ll see about posting some pics.
-
Jim has found all the parts and rebuilt the dragster; The Assassin. He has also rebuilt his F/C Green Monster.
I think 1320 models are available of those and if he’s gone online, from him too along with T shirts and photos.
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Though not in our club, NHRA champion Jeff Lane is a friend of mine. His team partner Jerry had the first gen Nova named Novacaine long ago.

 

[Sandman]

I looked online and couldn't come up with any T-Shirts from Jim Green. Any info on them or (I know it's a longshot) anything related to the Assassin or Green Elephant would be great. I saw him selling posters at Seattle last year then signing them, but he was out of the one with the T/F car so I left empty handed, which looking back I'm sorry I didn't get his contact info or at least stop and say hi.

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

I looked online and couldn't come up with any T-Shirts from Jim Green. Any info on them or (I know it's a longshot) anything related to the Assassin or Green Elephant would be great. I saw him selling posters at Seattle last year then signing them, but he was out of the one with the T/F car so I left empty handed, which looking back I'm sorry I didn't get his contact info or at least stop and say hi.

I will see what I can find out for you.

 

[Jimbo]

There are many things the N.H.R.A. is doing right but there many changes coming within the next 10 years or so that will really test them to decide what to do in the future.

The New Car News seems to be that within the next 10 years or so if you purchase a New Car it will be an electric car and as much as I don't care for that thought the manufacturers are tripping over themselves right now rushing to do just that.

How will the N.H.R.A. deal with this which will be the biggest change they have ever had to deal with will be interesting.

The New Tesla car is zero to 60 mph in 1.6 seconds!!!

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[TSK]

For me, it's how kid friendly the races are. I've taken several kids to the races for their first time and never had to worry about someone snatching them. Oh, I kept my eyes on them. But, they were old enough to go to the bathroom or concession stands, and find their way back to the seats, without needing me to be there. So, I would let them roam the pits, knowing that if any of them ever hollered for help, there would be 10,000 people who would help them.
Most of the racers gravitate to kids and go out of their way to accommodate them.

 

[Muddy]

Gives all of us something to gripe and whine about. A common enemy so to speak. LOL

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

There are many things the N.H.R.A. is doing right but there many changes coming within the next 10 years or so that will really test them to decide what to do in the future.

The New Car News seems to be that within the next 10 years or so if you purchase a New Car it will be an electric car and as much as I don't care for that thought the manufacturers are tripping over themselves right now rushing to do just that.

How will the N.H.R.A. deal with this which will be the biggest change they have ever had to deal with will be interesting.

The New Tesla car is zero to 60 mph in 1.6 seconds!!!

Jim Hill
www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

Is that fully engulfed?

 

[KINGOFTHINGS]

For me, it's how kid friendly the races are. I've taken several kids to the races for their first time and never had to worry about someone snatching them. Oh, I kept my eyes on them. But, they were old enough to go to the bathroom or concession stands, and find their way back to the seats, without needing me to be there. So, I would let them roam the pits, knowing that if any of them ever hollered for help, there would be 10,000 people who would help them.
Most of the racers gravitate to kids and go out of their way to accommodate them.

I took two awhile back. The parents of one and his friend.
Gnats would have paid more attention.
I suspect sans the friend...it would've been a better turnout.
Of course it was Seattle and you've could've cooked a steer in 20 minutes.
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WHY is this race the same damn weekend as the hydros and Blue Angels???
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Well I've heard it is going to move 2 weeks or so..
What I saw may shave 10-15 minutes off the that steer's cook time.