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