I am 62 yrs old.While I understand why we all want to remember the good old days,I do remember all of us complaining about how back then big dollars was ruining the sport.That heads up racing was dominated by the few who had the biggest budget.And that was the reason for the changes we now know.Those changes that created bracket racing to lower the costs.The developments that have occurred since then have made the cars safer and surely faster and more consistent.You can't turn a blind eye to the fact it is still the drivers R.T. that wins races.I think in part Jerry surely would agree it ant easy to run round after round on a dial.Still requires a strong wrench and a talented driver to win races.We have become stronger in our knowledge in what is happening during a drag race.We are able to tune cars better with weather stations........mainly because we have learned tons more than in the early days.The racing from the smallest backwoods race tracks to the national events has gotten tons tighter.I would challenge anyone to come to Lancaster Speedway in NYS on a Friday night to try to win their bracket.That track has exported many national racing operations and all because of the changes we made yrs ago.Every Friday the competition is at a national standard with R.T's and E.T.'s could all win a national event.

Now I don't know how many of your good folks have let go of a tranny brake button,but those of you who haven't,I suggest it all of what we remember from the old days in competition.

The other thing I wanted to point out,is during the time we all remember,not many of us,I would think,had the funds to run a Stone,Wood,Cook race car or anything close to it.That Wild Willy's car was big bucks as well for the time.

Drag racing during the old days almost never got TV coverage and that big sponsors changed that.It all by it's self allowed those 300 MPH developments for the budgets for race teams.But don't lose site of the fact<I think force would tell all of us this>that it is still better to be lucky than good.That doesn't change.


The issue I think that has undermine drag racing is stuff like the fast and fictitious.That our youth that hasn't been brought up correctly and think a muffler is the hot ticket and not much more than that.With the group I have had around me for yrs,it is a family affair.Those young people who grew up around us in the sport know better.But sadly it is a small group.We need more young people who are seriously interested in Drag Racing and it's next step.

Are we due for another course change??.I think so.Some of the Super bracket classes again have gotten way over priced.We need to find ways to open it up again to the common guys and gals for a boost in interest.

Gary