Media Matters: Dynamic duels in the desert
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Friday, 27 February 2009
New achievements in information shared with race fans, real racing excitement, and down-right hilarity, particularly on the part of ESPN2 color man Mike Dunn, made the Phoenix NHRA broadcasts one of the most entertaining weekends yet. Who would have known Dunn could morph into financial impresario, James Cramer, author and CNBC commentator?
This all occurred on the Sunday morning edition of NHRA Raceday, the 30-minute program showing qualifying highlights, delivering great interviews and features, and outlining the race day before the Top Fuelers take the line to start eliminations. In answering a question about whether the Did Not Qualify (DNQ) for the Winternationals for top contenders Larry Dixon and Tim Wilkerson would affect their championship runs, Mike went into a very good imitation of the bombastic and loud Cramer to deliver the answer, "It . . . Means . . . Nothing!"
I’m not going into the explanation he gave to prove that exclamation, but one can rest assured that he proved, at the end of the Countdown to 10, and then to one, the points lost at Pomona will most likely "Mean…Nothing."
Now we’ll see how smart Jim Cramer really is by finding out if he heard the reference when the program aired. Really, if people truly are smart, why would they miss these 30 minutes of the best programming of its type?
Now on to more observations this week:
Stat Guy: He may not yell like Jim Cramer, or his imitator, Mike Dunn, but Lewis Bloom hits the right key every time with the information he provides to the show. He finds these statistical nuggets by driving through lots of numbers and having the moxie to make associations that really add to the broadcasts. I’m comfortable when he discovers these little jewels of performance, like the fact that Jeg Coughlin Jr. had never beaten Kurt Johnson in a Pro Stock final in seven prior trophy rounds -- that’s a usable and informative bit of info.
Surely, Team JEGS invited Bloom over for a post-race dinner as, seemingly, just airing this detail put the hex on Kurt. My only advice to Lewis is to avoid the Johnson pits for a race or two.
Stat Guy 2: Mike Dunn gave a statman fact of his own when he informed us that Warren Johnson and Greg Anderson have won 25 percent of all of their class events. Wow! How proud can I be? Both guys are from Minnesota, the original home of drag racing from back in the day when horse-drawn sleds raced to the village pubs. You didn't really think drag racing started in Southern California, did you?
Owning the two most popular names in this state this side of Sven and Olie, a northern version of the Hatfield and McCoys, and with Greg having once been a senior member of the Johnson team, the excitement can only get better and better when they race. Warren Johnson can’t retire because we need more pairings of these two competitors.
Best Sign: TEam NebraSka SuPports Nobody But Hartley. These guys are real fans of Joe Hartley with the effort to make a big sign, the catchy phrase, and the diligence to get it "seen," no doubt thanks to the alignment of the E-S-P-N in the letters. The Team Hartley Racing dragster improved from their first round of qualifying, out of the field, to 12th by the end of Saturday which matched them with, ultimately a finalist, Brandon Bernstein’ Budweiser Top Fuel dragster
Best Truck: Best truck? In this case, yes. Not drag racing, but parked strategically to the side of the set was the "Nasty Boy" Monster Truck with exposed, perfectly shined tires that first attracted my eye (fully exposed tractor-like threads, all blacked out) with great flames on the body.
Big Quality Explosions: The show had tape of five different blowups, flames, and explosions of one kind or another including flames leaping in Ashley Force Hood’s face. Steve Faria’s Top Fueler was shown experiencing a big bang, providing his sponsor, JV Trucking & Recycling, some necessary but unwanted recycling work.
No. 17 Qualifiers: You have to feel sorry for Bob Bode and Vieri Gaines, who both missed the show due to slower mph numbers.
Best Driver: From a piece of terrific video, this note goes to the Safety Safari truck driver, unnamed, who had the foresight to instantly react to move the vehicle, filled with crewmen, out of the way of a Doug Kalitta dragster breaking through a banner, heading right for them. Doug quipped, "He did a good job and saved my front end."
Most Surprising Race: Cory McClenathan’s Fram Top Fuel dragster redlights against Doug Kalitta’s Kalitta Motorsports dragster by a huge .129. Paul Page comments that it is only his 17th foul in his career. Dunn remarked, "Only?"
Water In The Desert: Dunn gave a good rule of thumb for a race fan. As a measure of humidity, the report is given in water grains in the atmosphere. Under 50 is considered very dry; over 100 is very wet. The desert was well under 50.
Yellow Lights On A Christmas Tree: Dunn explained that the time when the yellow bulbs illuminate after staging is now varied minutely to keep teams from trying to guess the green light and hit the throttle before yellow is even lit. This may account for the proliferation of redlights in Phoenix.
Best Looking Race Car: This week’s note goes to Matt Hagan’s Dodge Charger Funny Car. Painted a very cool black with metal-gray flames, the body had a sweeping look that appeared fast even while sitting in the staging lanes.
The Wall Sucks: Dunn explained when Tim Wilkerson’s Levi, Ray & Shoup Mustang veered toward the wall in the first round as he lost cylinders in the left bank, "The wall wants to suck you in." You can feel what he means, almost. Tim made it to the semifinals before losing to runner-up Mike Neff.
Last of Lewis Bloom: I will close out this week’s observation with one last Bloom-fact. He indicated the less-than-perfect starting line win percentages of top drivers like Don Garlits (33 percent) and Greg Anderson (29 percent). Then he was forced to give Dunn’s dismal nine percent mark, prompting Dunn to wisecrack, "That’s why I’m here in the booth." The give and take of the members of these broadcasts, willing to invoke self-deprecating humor in a good natured way, makes the NHRA broadcasts on ESPN2 special fun.
Sportsman Telecast: We’re a month away, March 21 at 10-11 A.M. (EST) from the next broadcast for this group. Some great drag racing, presented well. For those of us who missed the Pomona Broadcast because of time changes, etc., this is a long dry spell. I have an idea on how you can fill that emptiness – watch for it in a special Media Matters before Gainesville for your special enjoyment.
Ideas, corrections, comments on this week’s article? Email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Media Matters: Off and running
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Friday, 13 February 2009
Rain delays -- and certainly the Winternationals set a new mark of weather frustration -- tests the mettle of a television production crew like nothing else.
Watching innumerable racing events over the years with countless weather problems, I find you can get a great feel for the talent of the broadcasting team, camera crews, production assistants, producers, and directors, by how they handle such a challenge and the quality of the material shown to the audience. It certainly shows how creative they are and how imaginative they think.
I found myself totally involved with the segments Paul Page and Mike Dunn directed the viewers to throughout Sunday's convoluted race broadcast. From the Harlem Globetrotters at the races (well-done piece by Gary Gerould) to insightful interviews with driver/crew chief duos like Ed "Ace" McCulloch and Ron Capps of NAPA (who sounded very much like they were going to win Funny Cars, then did); all of the segments were entertaining and topical. One suspects behind the scenes a whole lot of extreme hustling was going on, but it never appeared rushed to the viewer. The planning, even though it took place on-the-run, was first rate.
The new NHRA.com live blog really hit its stride during the six-day marathon of the Winternationals. The frustration felt by a fan waiting to get information from the race site on the computer was alleviated with the timely and oft updates by Phil Burgess and Candida Benson on NHRA.com. I wasn't as interested in their race descriptions as I was with how the schedule is going, what’s late, when we’ll be back racing after an oildown, and so forth. Now that I’m addicted to the blog, I hope they try to give even more updates, even short ones like "It’s still raining and dark," which tells one all they need to know.
Here are some observations of the first NHRA Race Day broadcast:
Guarantees: I like it when Dave Rieff and Mike Dunn take risks, like Dave opening the show by rhyming anticipation and precipitation, leading to his "guarantee of racing today." Technically, he delivered on the guarantee. They also introduced the series sponsor by commenting that "The Full Throttle era begins!" And they demonstrated how cool it was in rainy Southern California by Mike Dunn seeing his breath. Further, they showed the light-hearted nature of the ESPN team by noting the scroll across the top of the screen showing the pairings with Dave "pointing" to it and Mike pretending with his eyes to read it as he looked up just like it was right there. Some other auto-related prerace shows are too formal in their manner and subsequent attempts at humor fail. 
Shoe looking sharp.
Spencer Massey: Nice highlight about the reigning IHRA star running NHRA this year, forecasting him on the show as a potential winner in the "Road To The Future" rookie award. He won the reaction race at the Christmas tree with his U.S. Smokeless dragster but lost the race to Mike Strasburg’s B&J Transmissions dragster.
Best New Feature: I believe viewers are really going to like the "top headlines" that show a quick one line summary of news for each class displayed on the screen. The program covers a lot of fresh, topical ground with this feature.
Best Race Suit: The embroidered flag on the heart of Tony Schumacher’s race suit really glowed in the television lights with the grey, dull rainy background. He wears the U.S. Army well.
Larry Dixon: Love his racer’s voice and vote him "best hair" to go along with his always-long sideburns. I can’t get beyond the lip tuft of hair, though. We all need badges and maybe that's his.
Best Sign: Different this week. Sometimes signs show themselves in various forms. This one is a sign of the times as cameras showed "Hot Rod" Fuller and Hillary Will sitting in the stands as part of the audience, well dressed, looking cheerful enough on the outside but the insides must have been churning to be out on the big stage – the drag strip, fully sponsored, ready to compete.
As for Race Week itself:
Classic ESPN Replays: There it was, right on time, Monday morning after race day, the replay of the Sunday broadcast, abbreviated down to two hours from the three-hour Sunday show. I find the times the program airs changes weekly so it is best to check early. This week’s program would have been on at 7:30 a.m. Pomona Time.
Valentine’s Day Present from ESPN2: Although it is a short 30-minute wrapup of the final eliminations, the broadcast is scheduled for lovers of drag racing right during the romantic dinner with one’s honey on Valentine’s night. I have been working hard to justify to my wife eating this special day’s dinner early because -- get this -- there aren’t any reservations available. If this works, I just might be camped out in front of the television "loving" the NHRA replay. Yes, I am aware of digital recording and will utilize that if my plan goes awry, which is likely. 
Kalitta's win -- worth seeing again.
Don't forget the Sportsman show comes at 11 a.m. Sunday.
New NHRA.com Web site: Handsome new look (seems VERY familiar though) offset by terrible load times. I've received quite a few emails saying it's difficult to navigate around. The results were odd when trying to click back and forth. Seemingly, one had to exit the page entirely before being able to change one’s search for a different lap or day. At least this area, the most important in my view, still looks comfortably the same.
Sunday Crowd?: Were the empty seats, way too apparent in the broadcast, a sign of the economic times or the repudiation of the song, "It never rains in California?"
Best Call of the Race: Occurring in the first round, this is how FastNews reporters described the race between Brandon Bernstein and Andy Carter.
"This is the first pass in U.S. eliminations for European champion Andy Carter, and he has an exciting run. Bernstein gets away first and spins and shakes first. He gets the car sideways and has to get completely out of the throttle to settle the car down. He was a sitting duck at that point. Carter's times were weak down low, but he quickly drove on by. Down-track he has his own shake problems (and) has to pump several times. He joins Lucas in the flying body panel club, with the same right side panels flying off the car after the 660 lights. He has to manhandle the car to try to stay in his lane, but loses the battle near the finish line, crossing just into Bernstein's lane."
The television screen instantly flashes "winner" next to Carter’s name because he crossed the finish first but Mike Dunn was right there to explain that Carter had crossed the centerline and was automatically disqualified. The replay confirmed what Mike and his trained eye had already correctly called.
Best Music: Music on a broadcast of a drag race? Bring it on! Sometimes, the harder, the better, but not today. In a wonderful black and white introduction of Full Throttle, a single cello (well, it sounded like a cello to me) played a classical piece while drag racing mayhem and scenes were occurring on the screen with the theme, "Let the Season Begin." I hope this is shown every broadcast.
Mickey Thompson book: With all of the down time at the Winternationals, those of you who bought Erik Arneson's fascinating book on the remarkable Mickey Thompson -- Mickey Thompson: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend -- reviewed in this column earlier this month probably have finished it already; it is hard to put down. Otherwise click here and get the book so you will have it ready to read at a moment’s notice.
Look for reviews of other books and videos in the coming editions of Media Matters. Feel free to forward your suggestions of good material for us to consider, and as always, e-mail your thoughts and observations to me at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Media Matters: A maniac on a mission
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Friday, 06 February 2009
Spending a lifetime in the venture capital world is a lot like drag racing except our fuel is cash and our racecars are ideas seeking out the finish line. One entrepreneur I met really defined what it takes to succeed in starting a business around inspiration when he said, "Essentially, you need a maniac on a mission."
In other words, the individual has to be driven, incredibly focused, and on a straight line to accomplish their goal -- roadblocks and hindrances, and often times relationships, be damned. It kind of resembles the effort required to win championships on the drag racing circuit, doesn’t it?
Of all the thrilling episodes recorded in Erik Arneson's fast-paced new book "Mickey Thompson: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend," I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the inventions, new ideas, and new ways of doing things this mechanical artist created through his sheer will and enormous drive.
 Purchase the book by clicking here. |
That he didn’t sleep for days at a time evidently was legend and one understands through Arneson's prose how this man raced through life, spewing parts and people like a Funny Car blowing pieces of pistons through the headers -- except it was a daily occurrence in Mickey Thompson’s life.
When the book arrived for my review, I knew I wouldn’t be able to look at it for some time because of a schedule that would give Warren Johnson a headache. But by chance I flipped it open and landed on page 21 where I read: "We just stood around for hours," Danny (Thompson) said, "My dad’s body (was) just lying there uncovered on the driveway."
Wow! This wasn’t going to be the normal fairy tale recall of a legend’s life. Arneson was going to get it all out in writing and get it good.
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; there was plenty of each in Mickey Thompson’s life. Arneson's writing makes this a brisk, exciting read that soon replaced my higher priority issues. "No, I can’t take that call," I would find myself saying, "Can’t you see I’ve got to find out what happens to Mickey Thompson?
Sounding every bit like many drag racers I’ve met, entrepreneurs themselves, Indianapolis historian Donald Davidson remarks in the book, "I don’t know if anyone knew what to make of (Thompson) in the beginning. He certainly liked to stir the pot. He was never interested in (the) status quo. He had amazing energy and charisma."
Just reading about Thompson's drive and accomplishments was motivating, even encouraging on some level.
Although his tragic death is detailed and covered well by Arneson – the man lived through all of his crashes and recklessness to be inexplicably executed gangland style – it was the way he lived his life that provided the lessons I take away from the book. From his life is a schooling that can be applied to our own … so many things to be admired and to be avoided.
As a book of racing history and how Mickey Thompson created and lived it, this volume is exciting and fast paced like it is written with nitro ink. But it contains far more interesting depth that can positively help us all in living our own lives, improving our own family ties, and succeeding at our own life’s drag races whether piloting a Top Fuel dragster or steering a desk.
Maybe in the end, as Arneson writes, the lesson Mickey’s father had drilled into him for years that it was far worse to come running home to dad than to take an awful beating from a bully was the one he should have modified. Perhaps if Thompson had viewed the movie, "The Peaceful Warrior," and incorporated those teachings, he would have found another way to solve conflict.
He might have lived much longer and continued his journey as a prime example of the Maniac on a Mission.
The book, "Mickey Thompson: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend" by Erik Arneson is a must-have item, whether you're a race fan or not. Purchase the book by clicking here.
Media Isotopes: A 'Wow, Baby' Drag Racing Show
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Friday, 05 December 2008
The 2008 version of the NHRA Awards Program showcased important improvements in the single hour given to the broadcast two Sundays after the final race of the year in Pomona, Calif. But were the improvements enough to give the broadcast a "Wow, Baby?” Read on...
Following an upbeat opening with Dave Rieff broadcasting in a reception area where guests gather at events like this, several minutes of "looking back" season highlights were shown with plenty of pizzazz and noise on the screen. They could have had shown some blow ups but perhaps knowing there would be a segment honoring Scott Kalitta, which was very well done by the way, a production decision likely was made to tone down the wall smacks and finish line explosions.
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Bob Frey, the undisputed king of broadcasting NHRA drag racing and an expert at all facets of the sport, seemed stiff and corporate at the show’s outset, waiting until the last class, Top Fuel, for his humor to start sifting through. Now from what I hear, this wasn't the case if you were there in person -- Bob was great from the get-go -- but the editors didn't let us see the smiling, humorous, and enthusiastic Frey until later in the show. Don't do this if you want to keep the viewers interested in the program.
An uncomfortable public speaker, Tom Compton did okay, pointing out that "television viewership was a highlight of 2008," and then thankfully handing off to Coca-Cola executive Brad Goist. Thankfully, a Coke bigwig at his level can communicate well and this gentleman really performed on stage while walking about, delivering his brief talk and explaining, "We’re genuinely proud to be sponsors, and look forward to 2009 as our sponsorship will be re-energized with the Full Throttle brand."
Now, on to my observations:
Women of the NHRA: perhaps not surprising, but the women drivers all were terrifically dressed. I thought I could choose just one but as each was introduced throughout the show, I added their name to the running as the winner of the night’s Best Outfit. At the end, Karen Stouffer, Angelle Sampey, Ashley Force, and Hillary Will brightened the stage, winners all, among the mostly drearily dressed men. Beautiful women, brightly adorned, who just happen to drive very fast hot rods at the drag strip. Let me be the first to ask: Where’s my Calendar with their pictures? 
Best Tux: Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Craig Treble.
Best Ties: Spiffing up those black tuxedos and dark suits were the occasional splash of color with a tie, a classic way of standing out in a restricted dress code. Winners here were Allen Johnson (Pro Stock), Mike Neff (Funny Car driver and Road To the Future Winner), Brandon Bernstein (Top Fuel), and Antron Brown (Top Fuel driver and wearing the most unique neckwear, too).
While We’re at it: The majority of men didn’t have their tie ‘cinched’ to the neck. Attention to detail applies not only to hot rods but also one’s dress and appearance. Kudos to those who did. Isn’t someone giving them the once over before they are allowed on camera? If not, I’ll volunteer now for this duty in 2009.
Best Dressed Class: Easily, the Pro Stock Motorcycle gang.
Most Animated Drivers: As a group, this goes to the Funny Car class.
Coolest Moment of the Night: A standing ovation for Tim Wilkerson when he was introduced for finishing second in the Funny Car class. Tim was the only non champion to be afforded this additional symbol of respect. It really touched him. I thought he teared-up at the moment, but I couldn’t quite see as my eyes were doing the same.
The Champions Speeches:
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Pro Stock champ Jeg Coughlin added a wonderful moment of sentimentality when he introduced his father. The following standing ovation from the crowd for Jeg Sr. was well deserved.
Cruz Pedregon was the one who recognized and spoke about the challenges sponsors endure during tough economic times, while maintaining their financial support to their teams. That’s smart. He also gave the best ending to his speech by saying, "I better pull the chutes out now."
Tony Schumacher was absolutely in command of the moment. From the time he rose at the table, walking around to shake hands with his father, shaking more hands and acknowledging others as he walked to the stage, and then nodding to the home audience by gesturing directly into a floor level camera, this man was in charge. Just like a General, Colonel, or better still, a Senior Master Sergeant. His tribute for the protection the Army gives us, along with the other branches of the military, was thoughtful and well done.
Tick, Tick, Tick: The format of introductions, with the 10th finisher counted down to the second, before introducing the class champion, moved right along and did not sag. I would eliminate the phrase "please welcome" before each name as this crowd of peers will give everyone their applause anyway and the line got long-in-the-tooth by the end of the program.
Money is Money, But: Why say "The check for the Top Fuel Champion is for five hundred thousand dollars?" A better line is, "We are awarding the Top Fuel Champion a check for half a million dollars." Using the word 'million' is much more impressive.
Production Cuts: Nice cuts to reduce the tape of walking up to the stage, walking off, and so forth. The pace was always moving forward.
Tribute to Scott Kalitta: As noted earlier, this was very nicely done with the crew chief’s view and delivery versus a television voice. The scene of Robert Hight ambling down the track as the other lane, where Scott would have been, sat empty with his crew and the entire team on the line will always be a poignant moment. 
Full Throttle: The stage, lights, and the preview at the program’s close of the Full Throttle product were spot on and exciting.
As for the final Sportsman race show from Pomona, I offer the following observations.
Best Picture: Sand traps being ‘visited’ by Bobby Martin’s Lane Automotive Charger, then a shot of the headers with gravel and dirt stuffed in like dressing in a turkey as the car was dragged out.
Best Line: Dave Rieff, after Jay Payne’s Valvoline Funny Car ran away with a round win, quipped, "Too much Valvoline in that car," for the competition to keep up.
Interesting Finals Match-up: Dan Fletcher, 2008 Competition Eliminator Champion, versus Dave Connolly, Pro Stock star pulling double duty. Winner: Fletch demonstrates why he is the King of Comp.
Sportsman "Wow, Baby!": Steve Harker, driving the OMS Graphics Monte Carlo, utters this remark after he viewed the replay at the finish line, not knowing Danny Oliver’s Randy Goodwin Real Estate Monte Carlo had crossed completely over into his lane earlier in the pass, narrowly avoiding a gigantic crash.
Maybe that line, Harker’s exclamation, summarizes the entire 2008 NHRA year. As Tony Schumacher said at the Awards Fest – pardon me, Awards Ceremony – 90 days from now starts the new race schedule … and he can’t wait.
Now that’s the way to lay down the gauntlet, promising all the 2009 NHRA season will be another "Wow, Baby!" before it even gets under way.
Email your comments, questions, or tidbits to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
All photos in this column are courtesy of Roger Richards, the talented photographer from www.CompetitionPlus.com.
Author Phillip Gary Smith has covered drag racing and enjoyed the sport as a fan for more than three decades. Although he normally writes about snowshoe and ultra trail races, he also supplies readers of go2geiger.com with periodic reports on the media covering the sport. Smith will be publishing his next book, "HARMONIZING: 88 Keys to Living in the Song of Life," in March, 2009. Replication of this column is prohibited without written permission.
Media Isotopes: Drag Racing is a Fickle and Unfeeling Beast
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Saturday, 22 November 2008
Bob Wilber, team manager, used the words in the headline of this week's Media Isotopes column on the last day of the CSK Funny Car team’s existence. He was full of disappointment that on the final qualifying session of the last race of 2008, the Del Worsham-piloted Impala did not make the show. Even worse, it was dead last. Wilber's line was, "It was never meant to end like this, but drag racing is a fickle and unfeeling beast."
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, that is what makes this sport so very special to those who embrace its universe. You don’t qualify to be in the show on race day just because you were good, say, five races or five years ago. The beast doesn’t care about those credentials. It's all about right now, this lap, those few seconds that define drag racing.
How about leading the points for most of the season in your class, like Tim Wilkerson did in his Levi, Ray, and Shoup Impala, and not getting the championship in the end. It is not the fault of anyone, is it? It's that fickle beast raising its head.
Sometimes the beast performs capricious magic and lets a champion be crowned, and deservedly so within the rules set forth, without winning an event the entire season, like Eddie Krawiec and his Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod. This creates all sorts of mixed feelings from those behind the champ, most of whom won events during the year. The drag racing beast roars a private chortle.
Speaking of unfeeling, how about this -- Jeg Coughlin Jr., the newly re-crowned 2008 Pro Stock Champion, steps up in the first round on race day in his Jegs.com Cobalt against Allen Johnson’s Mopar/J&J Racing Stratus, and is unceremoniously dismissed by the tiniest of margins, .001 seconds, literally an inch or two. The beast doesn’t care that you cut a .006 light on the starting line and had perfect shifts going down the strip. Multi-time champion? So what! The beast seems to get special joy toying with that group. Maybe drag racing does have feelings -- just perverse ones?
Unlike other forms of motorsports grabbing headlines in the last week or so, no one ever claims that drag racing is boring. Perhaps, then, we should be toasting the beast for providing this unparalleled entertainment.
We’ll all watch the NHRA Awards Show replay on ESPN2 November 30th and see if the fickle beast was invited.
And now, on to this week’s observations:
Best Crowd: By far this was the largest and loudest crowd at a NHRA Race Day show. Perhaps it's only fitting that this group, at the birthplace of drag racing, would roundly "boo" in a most energetic manner Mike Dunn’s unfortunate duty of having to announce that the 1,000-foot finish line for the fuel classes will remain in place in 2009. As previously expressed in Media Isotopes, the short lap is tolerable, but only if it will allow live drag racing broadcasts.
Best Question: Is Warren Johnson going to return to drive yet another season in 2009? I hope he does. The sport needs its legends to race. Was there a more beast-worthy match-up in Pomona than the crusty, old champion getting unceremoniously dumped by young gun Jason Line in Round 2?
Best Sign: True drag racing fans show up at Pomona, best evidenced by the sign of the week: "Bring Back 1320 feet."
Second Best Sign: Guys with significant others will understand this sentiment fully, with a message on both sides of the sign (a new twist) proclaiming: "Thanx, Babe, for Letting us Come to NHRA" and "Drive Hard or Go Home."
E3 Spark Plugs Upset Alert: Mike Dunn’s weekly feature predicting an upset one of the pro classes has become official with sponsorship from E3 Spark Plugs.
Now let’s see if Mike can get this one right: In a bid to help team driver and son-in-law Robert Hight win the Funny Car title, John Force is trying to take Tim Wilkerson out of the hunt for the championship in this first-round match-up. Mike doesn’t have to stretch much here, picking Force over a faltering Wilkerson and he nails it. In an interesting twist, it was a double red light with Force leaving after Wilk and recording the win. Adding to the pain for Wilkerson is the fact he outran Force. But Mike notches a correct upset call to end the season.
Dunn Predicts the Champs: Thanks, Mike, for going out on a limb and trying to predict the champions in the two remaining classes on race day. It created some real fun. Of course I’m obligated to point out that your pick for Funny Car, Robert Hight, fell short to Cruz Pedregon. Unfortunately I also have the duty to remember your pick in Pro Stock Motorcycle, Matt Smith, failed to get out of the second round, thus giving up his championship hopes when his NitroFish Buell experienced electrical problems. Is it true that some drivers are willing to pay you NOT to choose them next year?
'Good Stuff': Those were the words Paul Page used to accurately describe Lewis Bloom’s information-filled bit on Rahn Tobler, the tuner of Cruz Pedregon’s Advance Auto Parts Toyota Solara.
Best Scene: There is more emotion in drag racing than any other motorsport, period. Evidence the scene of Tony Pedregon, with helmet still on, hugging and crying with his brother, Cruz, also red eyed, in the shutdown area after Tony handed Cruz his second Funny Car championship by taking out Robert Hight in the first round of eliminations. The gnashing of teeth in some of the other Funny Car camps would have been worth seeing, too. But, give all of the driver's credit, winning or losing, for being incredibly gracious to the other teams. It is all about respect, being a standup person.
And what about Mr. Class himself, Tim Wilkerson, clutching and congratulating Rahn Tobler, Cruz’s crew chief, after losing his chance at the championship in such a gut-wrenching way.
Best Insider Line: Cruz Pedregon gave a great line to what a driver thinks about at the finish line when, after winning his final lap and the race, he gave the following sentiment about his match-up with the ever-tough Ron Capps: "I just wanted to be in the photo," meaning he wanted to be close enough at the end of the 1,000-foot lap so his hot rod would be in the image that the ESPN2 crew shows us at the conclusion of close runs. The idea would be, if you’re in the photo enough times, you’re gonna win your share of laps and you were competitive right to the end of the run.
Lonliest Number -- 17: Okay, here they are; This week’s group of pro racers who just missed making the top 16 qualifiers and thus failed to make the show:
Pro Stock: Larry Morgan by .002 seconds. Ouch…
Funny Car: Bob Bode by .003 seconds. Double ouch…
Top Fuel: Bob Vandergriff by .009 seconds. The last delivery for UPS car.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: Matt Guidera by .025. But his sponsor, Mohegan Sun, renewed!
Season Ending Television: Sunday, Nov. 23, Sportsman action from Pomona, and Sunday, Nov. 30, the replay of the NHRA Awards Show.
Check back during the first week of December to see my take on these last two programs, tentatively titled "The Shortest Hour and the Longest Hour of Drag Racing." Just kidding; I promise to watch the Awards Show with a completely open mind.
Email your comments, questions, or tidbits to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Author Phillip Gary Smith has covered drag racing and enjoyed the sport as a fan for more than three decades. Although he normally writes about snowshoe and ultra trail races, he also supplies readers of go2geiger.com with periodic reports on the media covering the sport. Smith will be publishing his next book, "HARMONIZING: 88 Keys to Living in the Song of Life," in March, 2009. Replication of this column is prohibited without written permission.
Media Isotopes: One is the loneliest number? Not at Vegas, baby
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Tuesday, 04 November 2008
This popular song performed by Three Dog Night (in pre-MTV days) has catchy lyrics and good rhythms but this weekend proved that "one," as in No. 1, isn’t all that lonely -- everybody seems to wants it. What truly is the loneliest number in the POWERade Drag Racing Series? The No. 17; no doubt about it.
Number 17 is drag racing's version of Heartbreak Hill, a crushed soul, where goblins grab hold of tiny pieces of a second and keep teams from making the big show on Sunday. To not make it in is one thing; to barely miss, to be No. 17, works on the mind, the attitude, everything on the team. Each race week in each of the pro classes (and sportsman, too, for that matter), disappointment reigns huge as all of the effort to get to the race, all of the work, all of the expense, all gets crushed. What’s a team to do? Pack up and go home, that’s what.
So here is the new Loneliest Number Category for Media Isotopes -- the No. 17 qualifying finishers.
Top Fuel: Urs Erbacher, Midland Oil dragster 
Urs Erbacher
The FIA European champion missed the Vegas show by a hair, .001 seconds. Led by crew chief Wayne Dupuy, this team is working hard to become a factor in the U.S. Wayne talked to me during their Vegas testing, saying, "We’re working late and hard to win. I’m putting my ‘bad’ reputation as a perfectionist to use here to get the team up to speed in the NHRA." Suffering from his own tragic off-track crash, and having worked with some of the top teams in drag racing like Joe Amato and Cruz Pedregon, Wayne is hoping to reestablish himself as a top tuner.
"The most trouble I run into is, like, do people believe in me," Dupuy said. "I’m a loyal guy, and loyalty is in short supply sometimes." Also competing with Urs in Europe is exciting but "racing there is not the same (as the NHRA)." This team will be pushed hard by Wayne to make the show at the Pomona season finale and be ready for the 2009 season. "We need a good paycheck," Dupuy quipped. "That No. 17 qualifying spot just doesn’t pay bills."
Funny Car: Del Worsham, CSK Impala SS
Less than a blink of the eye, .003 seconds, kept this team from unloading their trailer on Sunday. On the NHRA Race Day program, Del and his father Chuck Worsham were interviewed with a recap of the team’s first victory way-back-when.
Del was a much younger and skinnier dude back then, which was neat to see, but what really showed through was a key for all of us in life -- even with he stresses and strains of competing at this level, the real victory is enjoying the process and having fun. Looking at their year, I believe Anthony Hopkins said if best: "We are all put to the test but not necessarily at the point or place we would prefer."
On to this week’s observations:
Best Sign: The sharp eyes of the ESPN2 camera crew zoomed in on this one after I had scanned the big crowd and found nothing worthy of such an important honor. This week’s winner: "A Corn Dog on Every Plate, A Funny Car in Every Garage." Hey, I can't always explain ‘em.
Special Category-- Best Pumpkin: A pumpkin was carved with the words "NHRA Championship Drag Racing." Impressive if you’ve ever tried to just hack some teeth into a pumpkin without cutting off your finger.
Upset Alert: This is the one you can take to the casino, although Mike Dunn didn’t say that on his weekly feature. In a battle to the mat, his pick: Matt Guidera over Matt "Blondie" Smith in Pro Stock Motorcycle. Smith is leading the class but facing electronic gremlins all weekend. Still, this was a big call against the points leader. 
Tony Schumacher
Like a Vegas slot machine, this pick came up zippo, no-win, no clanks in the payoff catch ,as Smith won and set a track record at the same time. Geez, Mike, now my gambling stash is beginning to look like my 401-K . . . under stress.
Memo: Second place Eddie Krawiec, playing points catch up, later killed the tree and took out Smith in the semifinals, gaining a chance to take over the Countdown to 1 lead by winning the event. (To save you from checking, Krawiec was spooked in the final -- a spirit must’ve grabbed his hand -- as he was super late on the tree, handing Chris Rivas an easy victory.)
Tony Schumacher: On camera, this man performs like a champion should. He talks, acts, and looks the part of a winner. NASCAR guys could take lessons from him. With the Army as his sponsor, Tony looks hard core and physically fit. What’s his body fat, eight percent?
Best Lesson: My observation is the outdoor stage and set for NHRA Race Day adds to its excitement and sense of the event itself. No indoor pre-show set, all stuffy and the like, seen on the NASCAR show that precedes the NHRA program. That Dave Rieff and Mike Dunn are there, live with the fans whether it rains, is cold or hot, is what separates this racing show from others.
So, what’s the lesson you ask?
I say let's put the NHRA Awards Show, Monday night after Pomona, from being another snoozer by moving it outdoors as well. Find an open air pavilion, liven it up with crazy fans and maybe a band, and let the racers be comfortable, not crammed into tuxedos, but rather their race outfits. Have a Cacklefest, put some nitro in the air, breathe it in!
The Awards Show isn’t a church service yet it feels like one. And cut Bob Frey loose so he can be the happy, enthusiastic, glib Master of Ceremonies we all want to see.
How to do it? Put the ESPN2 NHRA Race Day production crew in charge of the Awards Banquet. Memo: skip the sit down dinner and make it a bar-be-que. Make sure Chef Nicky from Team JEGS is in charge. And it might be good to have free Budweiser to loosen up lips and imagination.
Do I expect this to happen this year? Well, no, of course not. But it’s never too early to start working on 2009. Oh, and change the name, too. Who wants to go to a banquet anyway? Call it the NHRA Full Throttle Championship Awards Fest!
Email your comments, questions, or tidbits to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Author Phillip Gary Smith has covered drag racing and enjoyed the sport as a fan for more than three decades. Although he normally writes about snowshoe and ultra trail races, he also supplies readers of go2geiger.com with periodic reports on the media covering the sport. Smith will be publishing his next book, "HARMONIZING: 88 Keys to Living in the Song of Life," in March, 2009. Replication of this column is prohibited without written permission.
Media Isotopes: Politics, a Line of Doom, and a brave fox
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
If Patrick Henry showed up in Richmond 233 years after uttering his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech he would no doubt spend some time at the drags. Imagine if his sentiments were delivered with slightly different intentions. Perhaps he would exclaim, "Give me a Wally or give me death!"
Many competitors this weekend were liberated from the Countdown to 1, essentially receiving their "freedom" whether preferred or not, by falling under the dreaded "Line of Doom" that ESPN2 color analyst Mike Dunn draws across the class point rankings for the NHRA Race Day broadcast. Above the line, you’re still in the hunt; below it, you’re racing for Wallys, just not the shiny gold ones they give to POWERade champions.
Apparently, John Force Racing continues not to subscribe to Dunn's Line of Doom, as it was reported on the broadcast that Force had a team meeting after all of his drivers were eliminated stressing that if one is mathematically alive, then you keep on fighting! It's actually great advice for all of us in whatever endeavor we choose in life. Unfortunately, in drag racing, I have a feeling the Line of Doom will prevail.
On to this week's observations…
Best Sign: Credit goes to the ESPN2 camera crew for finding this one and holding on it so it could win proper credit as this week’s Best Sign: "Virginia is for Lovers of Drag Racing."
Great Television: Having compelling guests is important for a program of only 3- minutes; there’s no time to waste on sleepy interviews. One of the tops in this field, Tony Pedregon, was shown in the crowd of spectators while he was announced to be on just after the commercial break. The camera cuts to him while he is tossing souvenir caps to the outstretched hands of the fans. Then he looks down and sees two youngsters standing right below him. He takes time to bend over speak to them, hand them a cap, and then goes back to tossing away the rest of his booty. One could almost feel the joy of those little kids, all caught live.
Trendsetter: Sporting a new modern haircut that made him look younger (Hey, I want one of those!), I noticed that Kurt Johnson went through a bunch of sunglasses on Race Day. He started with little tiny ones that made me wonder out loud, why would he be wearing those? My style consultant, Mrs. Smith, agreed that they were too small for his face. Perhaps he was having some fun with us because he had a different style on the next time they showed him. Later in the day he was back to his usual wraparounds, and all could relax once again.
Politics: Perhaps politics are always in the air in the former capital of the Confederacy so it made sense to see another "John Force for President" sign (a previous week’s winner in the Best Sign category). This time the effervescent Dunn jumped on his soapbox and pronounced, "John Force can’t do worse than what we’ve got now." Now I wonder who Dunn's voting for? Let’s see, Joe Biden was born in Pennsylvania and Mike Dunn lives in Pennsylvania. Hummm… 
Hillary Will
Best Interview: Hillary Will is one charming, competitive, cool racer. If she finishes 2008 second to Tony Schumacher, then her team will have certainly proved they deserve a major sponsorship deal for the 2009 Full Throttle NHRA Championship. As it stands, she might be sidelined, which would be a travesty.
Upset Alert: The NHRA Today crew asked Tony Pedregon to make this week’s upset alert selection, which I think was a great idea. Tony, who would benefit greatly if Tim Wilkerson lost in the first round, selected Tim’s first-round opponent, Ashley Force. But what made it interesting is that his explanation showed thought, as he explained that Wilkerson has done his best in hot weather, opposite to the conditions in Richmond. Pedregon's thoughts were made even more creditable when Wilkerson agreed with him and commented, "I wish it were 90 degrees and the sun was shining."
Upset Alert Follow-up: Wilkerson’s Levi, Ray & Shoup Impala did not outperform Ashley’s Castrol GTX Mustang, so Tony was correct there; Wilkerson the driver did, though, winning on a holeshot.
Best Scene: After the Wilkerson/Ashley Force tilt, the ESPN2 cameras caught Tim hugging and consoling Ashley. What a moment!
One Inch: When Dave Connolly started his winning day, the first round victory for his Lucas Oil/Charter Cobalt was .0002 seconds over Greg Stanfield’s Attitude Apparel GXP. My thanks to Rick Green and Larry Sullivan with the FastNews Network for their diligent work writing the results for every round of racing, providing web surfers little details that make this sport so entertaining. Like, for instance, in this race that margin victory translates to one inch. Wow!
Even knowing the results of a round, watching on television, or even live, I’ll still check out FastNews' notes on DragRacingCentral.com and NHRA.com because of the exquisite details and history provided about the driver, match-ups, or anything else about the lap that is interesting. I'm told Bob Frey helps out with all the minutiae, which isn't surprising at all.
Best Nickname: Tim Wilkerson called "Fast Jack" Beckman "Flapjack" in an interview, perhaps because Jack is so gifted with words. Whether Tim was frustrated at that moment or just having some fun, Jack made the best of it and shined on camera like he always does. If the moons all align just right in Las Vegas maybe, just maybe, these two will meet up in eliminations. 
"Flapjack" Beckman
Free Sponsorship Advice: (see above) Jack Beckman should take that nickname to Mrs. Butterworth’s Syrup and land an additional sponsor.
New Race Fan: A great scene was captured for all to witness as the cameras caught a red fox leaping across the track and clearing the retaining walls, no doubt in search of a better vantage point. With no tunnel to get to the other side at Richmond, looks like Mr. Fox chose a dangerous shortcut versus the long walk around the track. Just like a good race, the fox's moves were shown in slo-mo. A happy outcome of this journey, occurring between rounds, was the fact the fox lived to celebrate another day.
Follow-up on Old News: At the last event in Memphis, there was a first-time victor in Pro Stock, Justin Humphrey. The broadcast pointed out that four years had passed since the class had last seen a first-time winner. I asked “Who can tell me the prior first-time winner from 2004?” Well, Lewis Bloom, ace Stat Man for the ESPN2 NHRA Broadcasts, emailed the following info: "Prior to Dave Connolly’s first win at Brainerd in August, 2004, Jason Line also scored his first race win at Chicago." Thanks, Lewis!
Email your comments, questions, or tidbits to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Author Phillip Gary Smith has covered drag racing and enjoyed the sport as a fan for more than three decades. Although he normally writes about snowshoe and ultra trail races, he also supplies readers of go2geiger.com with periodic reports on the media covering the sport. Smith will be publishing his next book, "HARMONIZING: 88 Keys to Living in the Song of Life," in November of 2008. Replication of this column is prohibited without written permission.
Media Isotopes: Wilk flips, Force defends Ashley
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Wednesday, 01 October 2008
One of the most fascinating acts on Beale Street, the famous entertainment district in downtown Memphis that attracted numerous drivers and fans over the weekend, is watching the kid acrobats gather at the top of the hill and do flips and handstands all the way down the block. Boom, boom, boom! Man, do they move!
After beating three members of John Force Racing to win the Funny Car Wally, Tim Wilkerson almost did the same thing after crawling out of his Levi, Ray, and Shoup Chevrolet Impala SS -- he was that excited. Someone has to continue the tradition of handstands when they win now that Gary Scelzi, "Mr. Handstand" himself, checks out at the end of this season, but it probably shouldn’t be Tim. Not only does he drive, he is also the crew chief for his own car. We can’t afford to have that guy injured, that’s for sure.
 |
And how about Force's antics after he burst into the broadcast booth and gave Paul Page and Mike Dunn hell? Much of his ramblings had to do with the fact that on the Countdown to 1 Funny Car chart, a line was drawn that indicated his daughter, Ashley, was basically out of the running as she was too many laps behind. He straightened them out by explaining "you aren’t done as long as you have a mathematical chance to win. You’ve got to keep faith and not give up." Regarding Ashley, "She still has a chance; she should be above the line." After all, he said, "She’s my daughter."
He didn’t care about his own placement well below the line. It was his daughter’s ranking that raised his ire. Mike Dunn, with daughters himself, agreed with Force’s emotion. I bet every parent watching understood exactly what Force was driving at -- it hurts when someone's picking on your kid, and maybe even more so if it's a daughter, no matter if she is a professional racer or not.
These are real human sentiments that poke through the standard television veil because the ESPN2 team is alert and aware of the possibilities. This wasn’t a planned feature. It happened because he drove over there himself. It was a great choice to allow him to break in and voice his heartfelt opinions. I bet others will, too, as the course of events demand it, finishing up the season. The emotions are really starting to boil.
If John’s television program on A&E had this kind of drama, it would’ve been a No. 1 hit. John Force kissing Mike Dunn and Paul Page! If that scene isn’t shown as a highlight at the awards ceremony they'd be crazy!
Okay, on to this week's regular observations.
Best Sign: I selected this sign before the race commenced and the above Dunn/Page/Force love fest: John Force for President. Note to sign bearers: Kindly get more original. "Hi Mom," won’t make the cut.
And to the ESPN2 cameramen, when you spot some good signs, zoom in on them. Some of these are priceless, but they sometimes go by too quickly to read.
Upset Alert: Mike Dunn lays it out there by picking Justin Humphreys over the king of lights, Jeg Coughlin, as his upset alert. His reasoning was sound as he explained Justin had the quickest run of the last qualifying session. And Justin did his job on the tree, with a .017 bulb versus Jeg’s .028. And things looked pretty good until half track when Humphreys slowed and the ever-consistent Jeggie zipped on by for the win. Commenting later in the day on the television broadcast to his partner, Paul Page, on this miss, Mike lamented, "I can’t be right all the time, Paul."
That’s okay, Mike. Just get ‘em right in Vegas so we can all pay for the trip at the sports book window. We’re betting, uh, make that counting on you for the right calls there.
Interesting Tidbit: It was pointed out that four years had passed since we'd seen a first-time winner in Pro Stock. This time it was Justin Humphrey, followed immediately by Greg Stanfield. Who can tell me the prior first-time winner from 2004? No doubt ace ESPN stat man, Lewis Bloom, will let us know.
No Wins: Interesting feature on the top four drivers without a win in 2008. As a fan, just think of the angst in the camps of Brandon Bernstein, Gary Scelzi, Doug Kalitta, a true sentimental favorite for lots of reasons, and Angelle Sampey, my pick for John Force’s Vice-Presidential running mate should he decide to acquiesce to the fan’s pleas and run for president. At least with Angelle and John, there would never be anyone at a loss for words.
Cameraman On The Line: What a great piece of reporting when Jeg’s Cobalt failed to move at the start of his second round race against Allen Johnson. "What happened?" was the question on every viewer's mind as well as the two guys in the booth. Cutting in seconds later with an on-the-scene report was the ace ESPN2 cameraman on the starting line explaining it all live and in real time. This is one very good example of the additions and improvements that are being made by this broadcast crew to make the whole experience better for the viewers.
Best Press Release: Explaining his failed qualifying effort, Del Worsham was quoted by Bob Wilber in their team press release (titled "Worsham sings the blues in Memphis with DNQ") as saying, "…after Friday night it was obvious that some very good teams were going to be crying on Saturday Night." Get this: in explaining the run, Del says, "It was soft at the hit, slow in the middle, and slow at the end. Let me tell you, that’s a bad combination when you’re trying to qualify." You can’t accuse this team of trying to sugarcoat anything.
Paul Page: The combination of his delivery as the lead broadcaster for the television coverage and the first-rate writing explaining the Countdown to 1 status of each class was a perfect way to open the broadcast. Being able to give a quick overview of a complicated system like the Countdown to 1 takes skill.
Best Shot: Dunn commenting on the scene of Larry Dixon’s dragster while it crossed the finish line, explaining the "arc bow" of the chassis at that speed, and then drawing a big white line on the still image to accentuate the bow. Without this emphasis, 99 percent of the audience would have missed that element.
True Hurt: I have talked with and observed in person and on television, drivers in all stages of emotions: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. One could not help but feel Greg Anderson’s pain after a holeshot loss in the first round of Pro Stock, basically eliminating him from contention in the Countdown. It was a stomach-wrenching condition for a man that was once King of Pro Stock. Interviewer Gary Gerould got his reaction: "It hurts real, real bad, and there is no one to blame but myself. I think I’m in big trouble."
Replay Alert: With a week off before Richmond, the overnight replay of the Memphis race is a week later on ESPN2, Thursday, Oct. 9, at the convenient time of 3-5 a.m. No excuses here, race fans. Get up, do the treadmill, weights, knock out some paperwork, turn the television on in the garage while working on the hot rod. Yes, I am very aware of the ability to record and view it later, but there’s something about having it on and watching it as scheduled that makes it seem more, well, live.
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Author Phillip Gary Smith has covered drag racing and enjoyed the sport as a fan for more than three decades. Although he normally writes about ultra trail races, which take place on mountain trails with snowshoes, he also supplies readers of go2geiger.com with periodic reports on the media covering the sport. Smith is the author of "Ultra Superior," the first book on the Superior Trail Races in Northern Minnesota. Replication of this column is prohibited without written permission.
Media Isotopes: Texas storms back with a Force
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger columnist
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
After two thrilling drag races in a row -- Indy, the last race to qualify for the Countdown to 1, and the grand opening of zMax Dragway in Charlotte, the first race in the playoffs -- I was worried the Dallas race would be a letdown. I mean, how could a race be any better than the last two?
By having thrilling qualifying and drag race competition, that’s how, which is exactly what Texas served up. It was a full smorgasbord of side-by-side competition that was more satisfying than some real Texas barbeque.
 John Force |
Excellent film and still photography documented the whole crash sequence, rescue, and ultimate recovery. Also it is important to note the lessons of the crash -- beyond the safety, beyond the competition, beyond drag racing -- were the importance of family and life itself. Those were emphasized over and over, not only by Force and family, but by each ESPN2 commentator. It is certainly a lesson we all can share. There was no preaching at us; just stark truth.
Emotional Feature: If the Force episode wasn’t enough to get our emotional attention, there was the story of struggling seven-month-old Lilly Kulungian, which was brought to the forefront here on go2geiger.com back in early August. Lilly is the daughter of Steve Johnson crewman Tim Kulungian and is currently undergoing bone marrow transplants at the Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic. Effervescent Steve, uncharacteristically low key, talked about racers wanting to beat up on each other on race day, but when these circumstances arise, like little Lilly’s, racing is a family and surrounds the troubled one with all forms of support. He pointed out many had pitched in to help.
Trail of Fire: Johnny Cash would change his song from "Ring of Fire" to "Trail of Fire" if he had seen the big tails of flames following Clay Millican and others as they crossed the 1,000-foot finish line. Give Mike Dunn credit for pulling the "trail of fire" line out of the air just at the right time.
Also, the NHRA is fortunate to have such good communicators who happen to drag race like Millican. He is ready to perform on camera whether he wins or blows up. Millican's description of his oil fire, something like, "Everybody knows there’s oil in Texas, and we just produced more," was classically delivered in his smiling, mile-a-minute style.
If you add Millican, Steve Johnson, and "Fast Jack" Beckman together, they overwhelm the only guy in NASCAR that can hold a candle to them, Carl Edwards. Advertisers pay attention to the ability to perform on camera. These three drivers are setting the pace in all motorsports. Even when they’re competing against a personal favorite, I have trouble rooting against them because I want to hear what they’re gonna say. Even if they lose a lap, Gary Gerould, interviewing after the round, will keep on tracking these good talkers down and getting them camera.
Best Shot of the Race: JR Todd, standing up in his Top Fuel dragster, arms raised high with his billowing black parachute in the background, winning the event and stopping the Alan Johnson/Tony Schumacher record setting streak. 
JR Todd
Best Sign: No best sign this week, but perhaps better still, a best hat posing as a sign. A fan wore a hat shaped like a witch’s bonnet with a huge point except it was fully covered with NHRA ‘stuff’ -- pictures, ads, brochures, everything drag racing.
Upset Alert: This patented feature by Mike Dunn centered on Steve Torrence this week. Torrence is running a limited schedule this year but Dunn picked him to beat the well-funded team of Antron Brown in the first round of Top Fuel. Antron, winning by only .0032 of a second, held off a quicker (by a hair) Torrence with a tiny holeshot. Give Dunn credit for highlighting this exciting round.
Del Worsham: Nice interview where r had a chance to talk about the opportunity he has been given by joining Alan Johnson’s new nitro team. What needed explaining was whether the CSK team has a chance of surviving as a group or if any members will be joining the Johnson team? And what about Dad?
Most Interesting Feature: A whole segment on nitro fuel, delivered by the very verbal Beckman, was filmed while he fiddled with his fuel tank system and talked. NHRA Today does this type of feature very well by delivering the information quickly, in a race setting, and writing and filming it so it holds interest. The circle track guys should have such good production.
Best Line: Steve Johnson calls himself "just a knuckle-head guy trying to make a living." Every time on camera, this guy just rocks; he doesn’t hold back. What a salesman. And he can compete, though this wasn’t one of his best days on the tree. Don’t be surprised when he gets picked to move to a nitro ride. He is ready for a bigger stage.
Lucas Oil Sportsman Series: Just two more broadcasts this year of this most-fun-in-one-hour drag racing show. Recapping the sportsman classes at Texas on Sunday morning, Sept. 28th, the last show of the season will be from Pomona, the Sunday before Thanksgiving. That’s a long time in between so don’t miss out.
Email your reactions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Author Phillip Gary Smith has covered drag racing and enjoyed the sport as a fan for more than three decades. Although he normally writes about ultra trail races, which take place on mountain trails with snowshoes, he also supplies readers of go2geiger.com with periodic reports on the media covering the sport. Smith is the author of "Ultra Superior," the first book on the Superior Trail Races in Northern Minnesota. Replication of this column is prohibited without written permission.
Media Isotopes: zMax better than the Bellagio
Phillip Gary Smith, go2geiger Media Columnist
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Steve Wynn has developed the most distinctive and luxurious hotels in Las Vegas. They reek of elegance. The Bellagio broke the mold for extravagance and is known the world over with its famous dancing water fountains framing its sumptuous grounds.
But his signature facility, the Wynn Resort Hotel, also on Las Vegas Boulevard, is his masterpiece, his most personal hotel. This is the only 5 Star rated hotel by both Mobil and AAA in Las Vegas. It is the example of understated but fully displayed elegance and beauty.
That’s why I suggest the zMax Dragway that opened this past weekend in Concord, N.C., is above its self-proclaimed status as the 'Bellagio' of drag race facilities. It is the Wynn; As in winner.
The television replay for the qualifying rounds, NHRA Today program, and the Sunday night broadcast of the race did yeoman’s work in covering the opening of the race track, its construction, and its proximity to Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Two notes: First, it is gratifying to see basic needs of race fans, like lots of bathrooms, have been handled, or at least appear to be. It was reported they have plenty. I bet they stay clean, too.
Second, more could have been explained about the revolutionary four lanes of drag racing, when they will come into play, and how many different uses will they have. For example, in sportsman racing, is consideration being given to running four cars at once, allowing two winners of the four to go forward? Will there be a chance of the entire race in 2009 at this complex being televised live like other forms of auto racing?
This race facility lends itself to wonderful television broadcasting with delicious pictures of, well, everything. Watching the broadcast on both a large screen and a HD screen at home, my take is the HD is always better but the regular television screen looks better at zMax than at any other drag racing facility.
What a terrific combo, completing the contenders to the Countdown to 1 at the legendary Indy, and racing the all-important first event to the Countdown to 1 at zMax.
Best Shot: Frank Hawley sitting in his Funny Car cockpit, sans the Dodge Charger Rite-Aid shell, sheltered under the pit canopy, eyes shut.
Best Line: Tim Wilkerson, Funny Car points leader, said he felt the team had been playing it too safe and was going to "go for the jugular" in the race.
Upset Alert 1: Mike Dunn’s recent hot streak continues as he called Ashley Force upsetting Tim Wilkerson during an interview with the two. He even apologized to Tim that he had to make the call as Tim was standing there. Ashley Force won their first round match-up. Chalk another one up for Mike.
Best Sign: The winner for this edition of sign-of-the-week is “John Force 4 President,” a very timely notion. But it begs the question about who would be his VP candidate. Media Isotopes is here with the answer: Angelle Sampey, no doubt about it. How many vice presidential candidates have drag raced motorcycles? Then, again, how many presidential candidates have even been to a drag race. Well, an indication is at least one candidate’s wife, Cindy McCain, is a fan of race cars and drifting.
Best Finish Line: The finish line structures in design and color at zMax really set it off as a contemporary drag race facility. It also displays the results in neat aqua green colors which are highly visible in daylight and downright exciting to view during night racing.
John Force Watch: Good coverage of John Force’s teammates making the show but Force himself not qualifying for the second race in a row. When did this last happen? Well, ask NHRA Statman Lewis Bloom. He had the answer: 29 years ago.
Good analysis of each run explained to the viewer why he failed in that specific round to qualify. At the fourth and final run, Paul Page pointed out the temperature was hotter still, implying increased difficulty to running a qualifying time.
When interviewed after his last round of qualifying, John Force said something like, “We got the same shot as everybody else did.” I believe his best line would have been, “Well, they named the grandstands after me; I thought maybe I should just try ’em out this weekend.”
His answer was classier.
Upset Alert 2: Once again, Dunn hit on one of his infamous upset alerts, this time in the first round of Top Fuel with Brandon Bernstein and J. R. Todd. Calling the race correctly, Dunn had Todd winning the round. In Las Vegas, I suggest paying attention to Dunn’s calls. Don’t put all on the table, though, as he said, "I think Jason Line has the car to beat" in Pro Stock. Jeg Coughlin brought that prediction down in the second round with one of his trademark killer reaction times and a faster ride.
Broadcast Booth: As a model for future drag race facilities, an additional feature at zMax pointed out by Page is the location of the broadcast booth right behind the start line. With easy access, this allows start line personnel, racers milling about, and guests to drop in for a quick visit.
Finish Line Interviews: One of the toughest assignments is conducting the interviews at the end of each lap. The announcer is under time pressure and the winner is ecstatic; often times it is a hectic scene. Gary Gerould has that duty and shows enormous patience with the drivers in getting their reaction to the run just completed. His sincerity is obvious. I almost can't wait for him to get his questions out to hear the answers.
Best Interview With a Legend: What a nice surprise to have Joe Amato, a veteran class act, call in to the race broadcast. One can’t overcome the thought that perhaps, just perhaps, Joe’s record number of wins in Top Fuel and Tony Schumacher’s breaking that record event are hard to compare, as they happened in different eras.
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Author Phillip Gary Smith has covered drag racing and enjoyed the sport as a fan for more than three decades. Although he normally writes about ultra trail races, which take place on mountain trails with snowshoes, he also supplies readers of go2geiger.com with periodic reports on the media covering the sport. Smith is the author of "Ultra Superior," the first book on the Superior Trail Races in Northern Minnesota. Replication of this column is prohibited without written permission.
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