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