| It is the Christmas holiday weekend, the | | | | shake your soul. Trying to explain this |
| family is sitting around the livingroom | | | | feeling to someone who has never |
| discussing how much of a very fine meal | | | | experienced it is futile. Nor can you |
| we've eaten, when the conversation | | | | explain the smells of the track, the |
| shifts: "You on for the drag races this | | | | smoking tires, the rubber dust in the |
| summer?" I asked my brother. "Oh yeah," | | | | air, or the way your eyes burn from the |
| he answers back. As we reminisce about | | | | half-burnt alcohol sprayed from the |
| the past years NHRA Nationals and | | | | firey pipes. The sound...absolutely |
| discuss plans and dates for this years | | | | deafening. |
| race, we wonder why the NHRA does not | | | | If we could somehow get these sights and |
| have a bigger following. If you like | | | | sounds through our TV's, the NHRA would |
| fast cars, and you have not been to a | | | | explode with popularity. "Maybe they |
| NHRA Nationals event, you have no idea | | | | should send out bag of rubber dust and a |
| what your missing. That, we decided, is | | | | candle that smells like burnt rubber |
| exactly the problem. You have got to see | | | | before each broadcast," we quipped. |
| it live to understand why it has the | | | | In reality, the biggest thing I see that |
| following it does. Television is at | | | | can be done is for television to help us |
| fault, after-all this sport has many | | | | get to know the drivers and their crews. |
| times the horsepower of NASCAR, the | | | | Even the World Poker Tour understands |
| pitts are open to anyone with a ticket, | | | | they can't just show you people playing |
| and the drivers come out of the haulers | | | | cards. We have to feel as if these |
| just to sign autographs on a regular | | | | drivers are our friends. Introduce us to |
| basis. They even give you a free, glossy | | | | their world! We must be able to connect |
| team photo to get the autograph signed | | | | with them on a personal level. Show us |
| on. The problem is none of that comes | | | | what it takes to go 300mph in less than |
| across on TV. When you watch NASCAR they | | | | five seconds! The crews can tear down an |
| televise the pre-raceactivities, the | | | | engine and put it back together in less |
| on-track activities, and the post-race | | | | than an hour. Show us that! Dont talk |
| activities. They even have a segment | | | | while the rockets thunder down the |
| called CRANK IT UP, in which the | | | | track. Let us blow our speakers! It will |
| anouncers dont say a word for a few laps | | | | never take the place of being at the |
| so you can litterally blow your speakers | | | | track, but it would go a long way in |
| apart with your surround sound. This | | | | bringing the NHRA back to the fore-front |
| helps give you the feeling you are at | | | | of the racing world. |
| the track. You could be watching your | | | | Do yourself a favor, the next time the |
| first NASCAR event and by the end of the | | | | NHRA is in your neighborhood, GO. Take |
| race come away with the feeling you | | | | your kids, call some friends, or go by |
| understand it, and more importatly you | | | | yourself; just go. There is no |
| will feel like you know the drivers. I | | | | experience like it in the world, at |
| dont want to take anything away from | | | | least not yet. Maybe someday soon, when |
| NASCAR; it is a great motorsport and | | | | we can board a rocket bound for the |
| they have done a fine job of marketing | | | | moon, the NHRA might have competition. |
| to get to this point. But (and it is a | | | | Until that day comes you owe it to |
| big but) there is no feeling in the | | | | yourself to take in an event. |
| world like two top fuel dragsters coming | | | | Richard A. Brink |
| off the line simultaneously; it will | | | | AftermarketGoodies. |