For about the last year something's been bothering me but I couldn't quite figure out why. I finally figured it out this weekend and it's with a touch of saddness that I have to admit that I'm totally bored with the modern NHRA. With all the look alike dragsters, funny cars and pro stocks, no inovation, the same old rap at the end of the strip it seems like an old rerun every week. Every week it's the same old thing. The cars are now nothing but rolling billboards driven mostly be sons and daughters of the wealthly term owners (Lucas, Force, Shumacker, Tasca. Kalitta). You have to be born into the lucky sperm club. It's just not fun anymore. It's outgrown and runined itself.
Last weekend I spent over $90.00 to take myself and my 14 year old son to the NHRA Nationals qualifying at Raceway Park in Englishtown NJ. We left about halfway way through the day. Can you say bored?? All the trailers looked the same, all the cars look the same. Every top fuel car all had hospitality tents for the corporate guests. Crowds of people waiting and standing the the hot sun to get autographs. I asked my son if he was ready to leave. He said yes but didn't want to say anything because he didn't want to hurt my feeling. NHRA has turned into is just a shadow of what it used to be. It's progressed itself right into the land of the big yawn. Big corperate bucks? Yes. Passion for passions sake? Nope.
I remember being a kid and waiting every six months to watch Wide World of Sports just to get a glimpse drag racing. I'd get to see a few of the top runs from the Nationals. All the different classes, the names on the cars like Wynn's Jammer, Brutus, Ramchargers, Jungle Jim and more the inovation is all gone. So much for progress. I can't be the only way who feels this way? I never wanted to be a throwback but sometimes you're forced to be.