Homepage banner images courtesy Rich Carlson & Doug Harder.
|
Firing Up - 1998 Firing Up 1999 Tuesday December 2, 1998 Just when I think I can get serious about editing the video, fixing up the site and getting into the Christmas spirit, and only days after MRP wins track of the year, my phone begins to ring off the hook. Racers are calling me and they are not happy. I have been offered everything from "The real story" to being asked to post the hell out of this deal. To get right to the point many people are talking about MRP track Manager Aubrey Holmes, along with track employees Bill & Joan Wells, and how they all, may or may not be back in 1999 due to decisions by BCCCA. Here is my stance on this. For me to get involved to the point where I would feel I could do an honest report would be more work than I am capable of doing at this point in time. To do it fair I would have to interview everyone involved on both sides of the story, put it all together then keep track of how it all progresses. As much as I would love to do this (and I would), it doesn't pay the bills. What I will do however is post anything and everything that is emailed to me regarding this matter. Feel free to voice your opinions on this and any other thing you desire. I will not post anything that is sent anonymously, and I will not choose sides. I have only ever heard one side of this, so I must hold my views until I learn much more. Frankly it's probably none of my or any of your business, but as one racer put it to me: "May effect us all down the road, as everything from scheduling to track prep and safety are the responsibility of these three people". I will take phone calls on this to a point, but realize that it may go no farther than that, as I simply don't have the spare time to put on this site everything you can say to me in a phone call. I have been aware of this for some time, and stayed out of it, but when racers start to call me at home wanting to know what the hell is going on, I figure at least I can give you a soapbox....if you have email, and unfortunately many do not. So go ahead ask some questons, and post your views. A while back I promised I would stick to fun stuff, but realize that HH is maybe one of the only venues to get this kind of news out. People are concerned, they are talking among themselves, and that's how BS rumors start. They are concerned, not only over who's doing what, but who may or may not be responsible for not only running their sport at 'the best track in Div. 6', but ensuring that track is run and prepped in the same way it has been since day one. The safety issue that has been expressed to me by racers is the main reason I am doing this. The ball is in your court now people. Let's see if it means much. I'm Larry Pfister, and I'm about as fired up as the guy who cut the keys for all those new locks out at MRP. Monday November 23, 1998 I'm starting to feel like the old fart next door...Mr Wilson. Work, work, work. While it makes for a wonderful way to pay bills, stuff like the ole website suffer from lack of attention. Then comes word that I have been contacted by four different factions in the past week to do websites, and there might be a few presents under that tree after all. Like usual there is no lack of things to write about...or in some cases NOT write about. I hear from a person or two who were at the Div. 6 banquet this past weekend that a couple of track staff out at MRP have been...now here's the tough part as I don't actually know the correct term, but lets just say 'suspended'. I don't know, and frankly don't really want to know, the reason(s) why, but me and about a thousand other people just wish news like this didn't keep popping up all the time. Speaking of the banquet, Chris Blair sent us a couple of emails, that I will post here, as it may be a day or so before I get things updated around here. Here's a rundown of the winners of special awards at the banquet:
Sportsman Racer of the Year - Tory Lea Person of the Year - Louie Murray - NHRA Safety Safari Director for Div. Six Lady of the Year - Holly Gaynor Crew Chief of the Year - Bob Reynolds FM Track of the Year - Mission Raceway Most Improved Track of the Year - Woodburn Dragstrip Sponsor of the Year - Freeway Trailers FM Media Award - Mission City Record Hall of Fame Inductee - Ray Rice A heck of a good group of people and places. Although I was not in attendance, I either know enough or heard enough to make these few comments. Jackie Alley runs mostly in Boise and between her and her husband, won more races than just about every other local bracket basher combined in 1998. Tory Lea needs no introduction and had a year that all racers dream of. The only problem for the rest of the troops is that if 'Shredder' truly is back to form, it's not likely he'll loose the touch come '99. Louie Murray is easily one of the most respected Safety Safari people in the country. While the corporation is often criticized, you don't often hear anything bad about the Safari. Guys like Louie are why you don't. All I want to know about Bob Reynolds was, did he get excited? The well-deserved award goes to Mr. Cool himself. He probably calmly thanked everyone, and wandered back to his seat. I kinda bet that Pat was a little pumped though...Track of the Year. What can you say...how many years in a row now...five, six...I dunno, but the racers keep coming back, and that's a big reason why MRP is to many the best strip in Div. 6. Probably the award I would have loved to see given out was Ray Rice's Induction into the D6 H.O.F. From that fateful night back in the early 70's when he booted me off the line for tripping over the Xmas tree power cord at Seattle (twice leading to complete tree failures as cars were staging) to his always friendly greetings, and the best one-liners in the sport, I respect the hell outa this guy! Chris also passed this little bit o info on: - The class is open to any car meeting NHRA safety and tech requirements.
My house is already shaking over the buzz this class should stir up. For more on the banquet, etc. check out the Grapevine. Some other items of interest are some conflicting dates that include the Calgary National Open the same weekend as the Boise Nightfire Nats. And the Woodburn Pro Stock Invitational will be the same day as Medford's Top Fuel Tuesday. And one last thing. The big Save-On Superstore across the street from MRP is having their grand opening this weekend. The beginning of the end? I hope not, but something deep inside me is digging at me... Updates aplenty coming up this week, see ya! I'm Larry Pfister and I'm about as fired up as the lady who won the 28 million dollar Mega-Buck slot payoff in Vegas last week...just over a month after winning over $600 grand on another. I think there is a sponsorship opportunity here people. I can see those pull-tabs all over the pits now... Tuesday November 17, 1998 So did you watch any television this past weekend? This kid certainly did and came away with a few observations as well. Much has already been said about all the boomer runs (and spectacular camera angles), the Pulde thing (and that WAS cool), and a host of other thingies. Now it's my turn to tell what I 'saw'. The Saturday Big Bud Shootout was possibly the best drag race coverage I have ever seen. The new camera angles were a big part, especially the crane and the rear 'MRP Bridge Cam'. The announcers seemed up for a change, and didn't screw up much, if at all. The racing was good. It was a good show, I enjoyed it. Man, Pro Stock was boring, did you see the difference in people in the stands for them and the fuel cars? Ugly. In fact, I did think the crowd was down from the views of those stands. I have to wonder how many times NHRA can get boast a legit 'record' crowd into a the same racetrack year after year... Once again no Sportsman results...but hey they ARE in the entertainment biz right? My spies tell me that NHRA Today is kaput at the end of this 'season'. No word on any special good-bye plans. Now I await the DVD with every show compressed onto a disc. How about all those locally sponsored nitro cars?! George Marnell doing the 'maybe a new sponsor' "oops did I say that" interview. Laura Byrd trying to talk long and deep, loosing it, then realizing it and recovering pretty well. The Champions music vid was ok....it had it's moments, but was just ok. Is Larry Dixon anorexic or what? The guy does not look healthy. I saw more trackside media at a Pomona race than I have in years. I heard the hosts were very nice...that makes ME nervous. I also noticed the seemingly same guy at about half track, inches from the guardrail with what appeared to be a point-and-shoot variety of 'professional glass' like he is every year. Maybe he's why the Corp. won't run Pro Mods. And how about that gaggle of lenspersons at the top end all gathered by the rail shooting chute shots (say that fast ten times). That is a safe spot eh? The Valvoline Mark Martin ultrasound ad was priceless! Now how about one for 'Flippy' Ricky Smith...nice one Bob. Not sure who was responsible, the cable provider, TNN or what, but the sound SUCKED bigtime, often amid an infuriating buzzzzz. I have never seen Steve Evans smile like he did when interviewing Pulde prior to the semis. Toliver comes across kinda weird and scary on TV, Doug Kalitta? Well let's just say when they make the Bill Gates movie, that ole sprint car driver had better get in line for the part. Mike Dunn is too cool. He's been there, he's done almost everything, and his interviews are the best! Easily the sharpest wit in the pro ranks when a TV camera is in his face. Then again when a certain driver got in his face Saturday evening, people had to get between them. No word on who hired the plane to fly over the track for three hours on Sunday trailing the banner which said "Cruz is a chump, not a champ!" Who WERE all those bodies on the line, inside the guardrail, for the bike final? My God, I couldn't even see the rider... The crane cam (camera on a crane...no, not a toilet seat) were awesome, and obviously the person running it knew how to use it. This piece gives the best 'you are there' feeling to Parker Ave. than anything else by far. Wonderful, get one for the other lane now. Did you catch when it was used for a moment as a bunch of people gathered in the water burnout area...man it was just like being there. I loved it! No Funny Car final burnout!!! AAARRRRGGG!!! We got the drivers of '98 YAWNNNN! Hey Whit shutup...no just a sec, what did you just say? Oh ya, more Whit...more! Ok, who will be first to come out with a quick-release helmet. The one when Bernstein couldn't get it off was the funniest thing I have ever seen. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy! "What ever happened to Federal-Mogul" asked my wife innocently while watching this program. Was this thing really live? Other notes of notes include 'interesting news' from out at MRP...some people whining about not having '99 race dates yet...and lots more fun and exciting stuff that will surely come out of this weekend's NHRA Div. 6 Banquet. If my spies stay sober, it should be good...then again... More CHRR coming soon, along with many more outrageous, frightening, insulting, totally untrue, informative...but still entertaining news and views as well! I'm Larry Pfister, and I'm about as fired up as whoever gets the vacant, and advertised in Digger, Marketing Manager job at S.I.R....no not Saskatoon. Thursday November 12, 1998 After reading online of Jon Asher's piece in the November issue of Racer Magazine, I picked up a copy of this mag for the first time. Amid what is, to me, just another slick, rather corporate, glossy race rag is a story that all drag people should read. Titled 'At the Crossroads' it features 'NHRA Contenders' pondering "Where Major League Drag Racing is Headed at the Approach of a New Century". All of the NHRA big names are quoted here including Force, Bernstein, WJ, Joe Gibbs, Amato and more. Although it is geared towards the professional classes, we 'little guys' can read plenty between the lines. If you thought the online whiners were critical of the sport, then listen to the big boys: "I think the state of the sport is fine, but the state of the people who run the sport is a total disaster. They have no idea what marketing is...At the rate they're going now, we're going to be out of business in 10 years!" -Warren Johnson That is but one, and probably the worst of, some very critical comments from these 'pros'. The one thing that struck me as I read through was not just the overall negativity, but the differences everyone had...some to the point of pure confusion. "We go a lot of places Winston Cup doesn't go, for example. We've got a lot of kids involved over here, and you don't see that in Winston Cup. You've got minorities participating over here, and that's also terrific." - Joe Gibbs Then you read this, from Chrysler's Director of Motorsport: "We're concerned that we don't see Gen-Xers out here racing. For the most part it's aging baby boomers.' -Lou Patane. One guy feels there are no young people around drag racing, another states that he feels just the opposite. Sounds like a couple of 'real' drag racing types eh? I, for one, tend to agree much more with Patane. In the same issue Asher's 'QuarterFlash' column goes on about drag racing sponsorships. Two acronyms are constant throughout each piece: NASCAR and TV. Everyone compares themselves to NASCAR these days and everyone wants more television coverage along with the massive amounts of cash that come with it. Unfortunately drag racing comes across as a looser on both counts, if you believe what is said here. Despite the number of people working to be 'as good as NASCAR' and get a greater amount of 'more regularly scheduled' television time, there is no good news on the pages of Racer for NHRA Championship Drag Racing. And it's no surprise that the cover of the issue says nothing about the story that is stuffed in the back...after all the NASCAR stuff.
As you can all obviously see, updates have been rather sparse the past week or so. Don't feel bad as I have actually had some work for a change, but not steady. I will have a few off days to now work around here, so look for much more on CHRR, Feedback, Max's page, and anything else I can fit in. And don't forget the Div 6 Banquet in Seattle next weekend: The "Sponsorship A to Z" Seminar will be held at the Sea-Tac Marriott on November 21, 1998 at 1 p.m. The seminar is free to any racer with a grade point of 3 or more in 1998 or $25 for any NHRA member. (memberships will be sold at the door). The Division Banquet begins later that evening at 6 p.m. (cocktails), 7 p.m. (dinner) and 8 p.m. with Awards. Tickets for the banquet (including dinner) are $30. Anyone wanting to attend either should call Lori at 360-698-3828 before November 18. I don't think I'll be able to make it, but I hope to post a few 'results' as they come to me. One last thing is an update on the coming HH '98 video. It appears that I may get 'official' permission to use some of my early season MRP footage. As for their website, I have not heard anything...man that must be a looooong labour.
I'm Larry Pfister, and I'm about as fired up as Trevor Lowe probably still is after winning the 1998 West Coast Pro Mod Championship over defending champ John Scialpi and third place Glen May. Two Canucks in the top three. I'll raise a Kokanee to that! Wednesday November 4, 1998 I suppose I'll never have to buy a lottery ticket again, after visiting Northern Thunder dot com to learn of my winning a ticket to the land of Oz courtesy Wilson Motorsport Marketing. Well mate, June 5 oi? Just one question Bob. I know their toilets empty the opposite way than they do 'up here', so I must ask if...naaa this is a family show. As for the continuing idea of a Internet talk show, I must say that I had the opportunity to do just such a deal a couple of years ago, but had to drop it once I 'really' discovered the time and money involved. As far as i know that offer still stands but I think the chances of finding anyone to sponsor anything you and I would do together would be wishful thinking at best. Another opportunity does exist however; just tape it at home, tell people when they can call in, put it on a RealAudio file and post it the same day. Not live, but possibly close enough. The cost would be next to nothing...but let's do it at your house Bob, you've already posted your phone number. Rumors persist that NHRA Today will be going off the air, with 'maybe' a half dozen National Events moving over to ESPN2. This would thrill Canadians who, thanks to our government, are 'not allowed' to subscribe to any American sports channel. Regardless, it may all be just a rumor, but one thing is for certain. TNN is owned by CBS, and how many motorsport programs does that network air? One. The 'Great American Race'. That be-all to end-all NASCAR extravaganza of all time. The Daytona 500. Well-placed sources have told me that CBS could care less about anything motorsport, and in particular sees absolutely no redeeming value in that thing called drag racing. On a related item, I have recently initiated communication with Speedvision regarding airing some of my ideas. After seeing some of the very, very marginal drag race stuff they ran this year, I think I have a reasonable chance of getting something to air. Due to happen any day now is the debut of the new 'basic' MRP website. It seems the webmaster's wife went into labor putting the site building on hold for a bit. Congrats to that new family, and we all wait with baited breath for what actually 'should' be a good site. I know who is building it, and although they know squat about drag racing, are very high end web people. I also know who the 'non BCCCA' member is who is the MRP web 'contact'. Another good person, and from knowing that person's past record, should have things well in hand. Remember the Memorial for Max this Saturday (Nov. 7) at 12 noon. I'm Larry Pfister and I'm about as fired up as I can be after sending in that letter last night to the editor of my local paper on photo radar...
Monday October 26, 1998 When I returned to my computer last week and checked my email, I discovered a couple of friends asking me if I had heard the latest news out of Mission Raceway. Although I had not previous to this, the 'rumor' did not strike me very hard, as I had first heard it weeks ago. That rumor, has just this moment (5pm) been proven to be TOTALLY false. I just got off the phone with (still) Track Manager Aubrey Holmes who stated very clearly that : "I am still track manager and Bill & Joan are still employed by MRP". He went on to say that he also "intended to be in the position for a long time". Unfortunately over at Northern Thunder it appears the damage control is soon to be in full swing. Bob Wilson today posted a bigtime diatribe on the 'firing of Holmes, Race Director Bill Wells and his wife Joan'. He named names, he called some people names and from what Holmes just told me has a more than a few people going completely ballistic. Aubrey and I had a nice discussion as he told me how the phone was ringing off the wall out at the tower and how he was unable to contact Wilson all day to give him the facts. One thing he said was that he hoped I would return in 1999. I told him that I often think of it, but feel there are still enough people out there who make life there miserable for me, and I cannot see any of them not being there next year or for decades to come. I recently had a nice talk with an American racer who went on about the fact that being out there for any length of time draws you into all the controversy, regardless of how hard one tries to stay out of it. That is sad but very, very true. Somewhere, sometime you'll hear about some wicked rumor, and get caught up in it. Now I know rumors are often just that and they come from all walks of drag racing life, but the sheer number that come out of this place are impossible to ignore. After a week away, my refreshened soul has convinced me that I never again want to deal with all this misery, and frankly don't want much to do with MRP on this site. I know of at least three upcoming sites that will cover MRP in a variety of ways, so power to them, and good luck, some of them may need all they can get. I will however, gladly ad links to any major MRP site, as a simple show of respect to the racers. Bob Wilson has certainly taken a lot of heat for what he has posted lately. I respect him for what he is trying to do, but am seeing a few too many unsubstantiated 'rumors' being posted on his site as fact. Besides, while it's easy to report on bad stuff, (no offense Bob), it takes a true believer to find something good out of a sport that sprouts so many bad feelings, without coming across as a butt kisser. I won't completely shy away from controversy, but definately will cut it back a lot. I like Bob, I'll always call him a friend, but I think it's maybe time to mellow slightly. I know he's gonna take this hard, but I'm here anytime you want to talk pal. I mean it. I feel very sorry for many of the racers, but they, like everyone else out of the inner circle(s) are powerless to force changes. From here on out I will prefer to focus on what is positive in drag racing, even if it means I go strictly nostalgia. My business is moving away more and more from drag racing, though my heart and soul will forever be full of it. There you go, tell me I'm full of it...I have posted on my Feedback page that I want to do all the 1999 Div. 6 FMDRS races. That does include the MRP one, but unless a sponsor comes along I'll be forced to stay home, even from the track in my own backyard. If this race does mark my return to MRP, I promise to do it with class and make no mention of anything bad. Unless it's REAL bad...but that just contradicts what I just posted above. Like I say, call me a wimp, call me confused every time I type the letters M-R-P...but boys just wanna have FUN eh. I believe that going to a dozen or so bigitme, quality events like the CHRR and the big Div. six races will allow me to get back to my roots. I want to go to the digs and enjoy the RACE, not worry about how the racers are being raped, or how management or some corporate, or sanctioning body type is screwing up. That stuff has been going on forever, and this web site won't (hasn't) change(d) a damn thing. Bakersfield and the wonderful people there proved to me that such a dream is indeed possible, and by gum, I'm gonna try it. The Internet has provided a venue for the whiners to proliferate, and no matter what the 'Dickheads' try to do about them, don't have a hope of stopping it. Lawyers may rule the world right now, but they'll soon be overwhelmed by the sheer number of whining webmasters. If you have something to hide, some bozo with a web site is eventually going to find out about it and tell the world. I love it, but from here on I'll try my best to leave that part of it to the others. I won't stop the rumor mill, but I'll try my best to ignore the sleazy stuff. I know this may upset a few of my 'sources', but life is just too short to be negative all the time. On a more positive note, I will very soon have some new stuff to play with, including a my long-lusted after Firewire video system, putting HH '98 THE VIDEO on track for this Xmas. If you think the Nitro '98 Tour was fun online, just wait till you see it on tape! About the only thing I have left to decide is whether to include any of the early season MRP footage. I think that due to fear of possible legal ramifications I'll regretfully leave that out. Too bad as I have some great stuff, but it seems like every time I turn around somebody is mentioning BCCCA and the word lawsuit or threat of it is in the same conversation. I would just as soon play it safe, and keep my 1998 MRP footage on the shelf. It's a new beginning, not exactly HH4, but I have seen the light, and baby it's not amber, it sure isn't red...it's green, and it's time to GO! Bye, bye BCCCA BS, so long MRP meandering...hello life! I'm Larry Pfister, and I'm not nearly as fired up as I used to be...but I feeeel good! PS: I have a computer system for sale. It'll handle most anything you want it to do, so check it out on the navigation page, I need to pay for the new stuff! Monday October 12, 1998 It's between rounds, just before the final, and I am flat thrashing to be ready. In a few (very) short days I'll be in the midst of Header Flame fanatics. The 1998 California Hot Rod Reunion, to many, is about old cars, old drag racers and old friends. To the people who haunt (literally) Cole Coonce's Header Flames forum it will be a gathering like no other. And that's the part that makes me so excited about being there. Not only will I make my first journey to the hallowed Famoso drag strip, but I hope to get to meet a bunch of people in person I have come to know only online. Too bad I'll only be there for one day. As one person posted on HF, the CHRR has quickly become THE place to be. In the past it was Indy, but lately the Big Go has taken a back seat to Bakersfield in the Fall. People who wouldn't be caught dead at a National Event are going to amazing lengths to be here. 'Gasser Man' Byron will be sleeping in his vehicle for gosh sakes....talk about taking the 'way we used to do it' thing to heart! I can't really talk though, as an all-nighter driving from LVMS is not far behind. Reminds me of the time I was with Stan Sipos racing his Kid Dynomite Camaro back in the 70s. We ran Portland Saturday night, then drove non-stop to race at Mission on Sunday...and I got all the black &white stuff processed, printed and in the paper by Monday noon. Makes me realize not all the 'old daze' were as much fun as we would all like to recall! As for local news, nearly everthing sent my way is of the "and don't tell anybody this" variety. I will say that something will happen very shortly that will affect every drag racer in earshot who has an Internet hookup. For me it's one of those 'good news, bad news' kind of things, but may well work out just fine. Over at Bob Wilson's Northern Thunder News is word of something that happened at a local venue yesterday. The rumors on this one are going stark raving googoo already, so I'll leave it for Robert to fill you in when he confirms the 'fun' stuff. I'll be waiting with a big grin on my face. About the only other thing I have on good word is that MRP is working on some pretty cool feature vehicles for 1999. I know they tried and failed the same thing in '98, so maybe it will come to pass next year. And NO (a thousand times no) it has nothing to do with the N word. (nitro). Maybe if I win a lottery I'll book Force against 64 Fuel Altereds at night into Ashcroft, get Evil Kneivel to come out of retirement for one more jump, put Bob Frey and Steve Wong on Viagra and Vodka, get Jim Sorenson to do a T-shirt from hell for it all and we'll have us a party they'll talk about for eons! Well, I've already said too much for some people's liking, so better sign off an get back to it. I hope to have some more stuff up before I depart. Monday September 21, 1998 Ya, I wanted to do this one in RealAudio, but I'll be up all nite just uploading all this new stuff... As we approach the end to another season of drag racing, and I wait in great anticipation to attend the NHRA California Hot Rod Reunion, I once again shudder in frustration why I cannot do what I want to do. Why, simply because I utilize new technology together with a new venue, am I not playing on the same field as my 'old' counterparts. What I'm trying to say is that because I have an Internet 'magazine' and use video as my film I am not recognized in the same vein as those who use paper and traditional photographic tools. Not to mention my sometimes outspoken (albethem honest and from the heart) views. Here I sit playing to thousands of visitors to my site and cannot even hope to get press credentials to an NHRA event, while a (very) local small-run magazine, that has published but four times in the past five years can get their people into any west coast National Event they care to write in for credentials to. Because I also choose to publish a yearly video 'magazine' I am blackballed by TNN, only because I use videotape instead of paper. I understand that the web is a cowboy kinda place, but I cannot believe NHRA does not already know who is and who isn't in drag racing web circles. I watched, and videoed from the stands, how many fotogs were on the line at the NW Nats, and was once again disgusted with how many of them often just hang around, not doing what they are there to do...take photos for their boss or client. It is with this that I have to wonder why NHRA long ago cut back on starting line access because the paying fans couldn't see the cars through the slew of photogs on the line. Especially when the next day, or week or month saw their 'publication' print a minimal amount of photos. I have little information as to insurance rules, but I also often wonder why people with little or no experience in being that close to race cars are allowed to be that close to race cars. Let alone do they seem to care about the people behind them who have paid big bucks to get in, and in many cases who try to get a neat foto only to have some guy standing in the middle of his shot, arms folded, Nikon around his neck. So here I sit, in the stands, a 'pro' photographer with the very latest in equipment, decades of experience, representing a venue that thousands see, and have to try and shoot through the back of the head of some rookie from a local newspaper whose boss may print box scores (maybe) of the event the next day, along with possibly one photograph. I could post more photos than any ten big time publications combined, but I guess that's not good enough. I can remember a few years ago at a race when I asked a couple of photographers' who were just kind standing around watching the cars on the line if they would maybe move back a bit so the people in the stands with cameras could get a shot. They looked at me like I was some kind of asshole. Oh well.
This past weekend's TNN coverage of the Pioneer Keystone Nationals made me more aware of a couple of things. I'm sorry, but three...even two camera angles on a single four second run often confuses me and leaves me with a mixed view of a televised drag race. I don't know if they had a different producer or switcher this time around, but it was definately better than usual. Once I even noticed that a single camera was used as Force backed up all the way from a burnout. Instead of switching three or four times as he did it, this simple on-track procedure (the backing up) was reduced to something watchable, at least for me. When you are live at a race you see it from one perspective. Diamond P for years has given it to us from many more, always seconds apart. This is not a road race...you can see the entire race from one spot. I won't even go into the sometimes irritating announcers overpowering the awesome car sounds. I would at least try to show each run from just the finish line cam, then use the other ones only for replays. No announcers as they race, as just as at a live event, you can't hear them anyway. And NO, do not switch the sound either. I don't want to hear a car leaving then 'passing by me' two or three times in four seconds. It screws my head up something fierce. It's not real...it's not live..but it is TV, and God knows that a producer sitting in a zillion dollar semi with all the video and audio toys on the planet just HAS to use them all, and screw up the very simple thing of a pair of cars going from point A to point B in as short a time as possible. It's a very basic concept. Why make it so damn complicated? It's the SI syndrome. Back in the 80s I read an editorial in Sports Illustrated that exuded the virtues and pleasantries of how the dozen or so very professional photogs covering each World Series game could come up with so many wonderful photographic images. I wrote the editor back saying that since they had more photogs than players on the field, and shot more frames in one game than most photogs do in a year, they had BETTER come up with just enough outstanding shots to fill a few pages. Then there is the female aspect in all this. I don't know where Laura Byrd came from, but she's pretty good. I like Frey A LOT too. Once the best there was, and maybe even the best there ever will be; Evans, should join Walter Cronkite on a sloop in Nantucket Bay and haul out the fishing rod. The other 'youngster' talking heads all seem to be the same, especially since they do sprint car races, demo derbies, swamp crap and nearly everything else DP makes bucks at. ABC learned a long time ago with Wide World of Sports that Football people should not do baseball, and basketball announcers should stick to cross-dressing and...I think my point has been made. Get rid of half your cameras Diamond P, half the announcers too. Tell them to shut up from the time the cars have pre-staged until the chutes blossom, then spend the money you save on some more onboard cameras. One thing though, and once you get it down as good as the NASCAR and IRL boys you'll be laughing, the surround sound is terrific. I just picked up a cheap setup for my home and it rocks...when you guys don't screw it up. Coverage at Charlotte is unbelievable, if you don't have it get it! I know that's probably the most 'wired' track on Earth, but once you DP people get it right, along with a few of the other things I have so humbly suggested, hell, I could sell ticket into my living room. It would be good...It would be that good.
Tuesday, September 1, 1998 I'll just keep adding the RealAudio until the cost of the traffic breaks me. That is unless somebody wants to step up and sponser it...but somehow I think that may be a stretch, so enjoy this stuff while you can. We start off a new month with my views on NHRA Today, and no, my stutters are not an attempt to acurately portray Steve Evans on a live broadcast...but my hands were shaking when I recorded this. Carlson and I should be getting together this weekend, so I'll actually have some real race coverage instead of all this editorial-type junk. Now lets get fired up for the first time in RealAudio Larry Pfister August 19, 1998 ...lurch...groan...yawn...stretch....Clear throat, gargle with liquid of choice...oh man...I'm awake! A funny thing happened on the way to the keyboard the past few days. I never got there. Interest was gone. A break was required. Now that the batteries are beginning to be re-charged I can tell you of all the wonderful things I've been doing and hearing about. Where will I start? How 'bout nothing, nothing, and more of nothing. Well not exactly, but after the last 'incident' around here the good ship HH was becalmed in a humble sea. Below you will see my attempt to keep it going last week, before everything slipped away. At this point the other stuff that kept me busy is winding down, and my urge to post is back. At this point I am having second thoughts of removing the Feedback page, but have yet to make a final decision. Any input would be helpful. It will not be updated or removed until I decide...which hopefully should come soon. In the meantime, I have received quite a bit of email, but sadly the hit count for the Tour pages is waaaaay down, while pages that have 'dirt' or are much older continue to bring in the hits. (Site total over 85,000 as of this morning) I have no idea why, but it seems all that effort was only read by a very few visitors. It's the kind of thing that makes me wonder if it's all worth it. Maybe all you people want is rumors, slime and dirt. I dunno. If so that is a scary thought. The kind of stuff that will most certainly kill this deal. While I have received some great feedback on what we put together, it comes from the same people who seem to enjoy most anything I post here. Thank you all very much, especially you regulars! As for new stuff in the near future, the NW Nats is a slim possibility, the NightFire Nats, maybe...nostalgia postings...we'll see. One reason for the lack of interest is not just the lousy hit count of late (Starting WELL before last week's downtime), but the realization that once again web technology is expanding faster than I have been keeping up, so I will most likely take some time to learn some new stuff, that will undoubtedly make HH better down the road. That's about it for now, later: August 10, 1998 (SEE AUG. 19 POSTING BEFORE YOU READ THIS) Now that I am well aware of the fact that I can be sued for posting something another person has written, consider the Feedback page history. Mistakes happen, bad things slip by (this was a BIG one), and since it is impossible to predict what someone else may feel is libel I am not about to try and find out, by posting the opinions of others. The page will be up for six more days, symbolic of the number of days an offending remark, sent in by a visitor and posted by me, was up. I sincerely hope that, and the apology on the page is the end of it. So anybody in Reno this past weekend? How were the fights? No, not the boxing matches in the casino, the gang wars on the streets during the hottest august nite on record! The 'Cruise of Champions' took on a whole new meaning for 1998. Instead of the baddest cars in town it was the baddest dudes in town. The annual affair is a popular destination for a number of local cruisers, so it will be interesting to hear how they made out. The huge Saturday night riot will definitely cause many, many people to never return to an event, that in my eyes, has become far too big. I should have gone when it first started in 1987. Back then it was a few thousand car nuts in a cool little gambling town. It has turned into a few zillion party animals in a too small gang town. This was the 13th annual affair. For many it will be the last. I hope the people in my home town of Langley are paying attention for their similar deal later this month. HH will be in downtown Langley Saturday Sept. 12 from 1pm to 10 pm, for the 2nd Langley Good Times Cruise-In. From all indications this one may well be the biggest hot rod gathering ever in this area. The weather will most certainly be a big factor, but look for maybe the first 'true' 1000 vehicle Lower Mainland event. And for those who said the Father's Day Cruise in Mission had over 1000, it was more like 'just' 750 or so. For more info on the big Langley bash please call 533-1832, 534-5999 or 533-6688 all 604 area codes. Web site is at www.portalbc.com/antiques On a similar subject, I went to a local Lowrider cruise this past weekend. Lot's of really neat cars and trucks and some 'interesting' games. How about a 4litre chocolate milk chug? In what turned out to be a how far and how much can a contestant puke up exhibition, I 'unfortunately' missed it, but heard the mad cheering among the big crowd. Many of whom went home with some great video to show mom and dad. Wonder if the grass over at Kwantlen College is a little discolored this morning? Proof that I guess I am getting old! Open wheel racing. After seeing the Michigan incident two weeks ago, the Mikey Andretti crash yesterday, and remembering back to nearly every fatal incident in Indy car racing over the past decade I must stop and wonder if open wheel cars such as these should be banned. Stock cars can slam and bam all day and night and rarely do things occur as they do in open wheel Indy car racing. Look back at what I am taking about; the Toronto incident, the Vancouver one, even Michigan. If these had NOT been fragile, open wheel cars would any of the fatalities occurred? I honestly don't think so. Open wheel cars of the 90s simply cannot go side-by-side on many race tracks any more. The massive expanse of airport runways at one stop is about the only place I can think of where they can. At the brickyard they are either in the wall, or on the grass if they go side-by-side. On a street course it is simply impossible. This is not racing in my book. Touching wheels in these things is a recipe for disaster. How many people have to die before they figure it out? Tradition is important but safety, especially for the track workers and fans, is much, much more so.They have managed to make the drivers safer, the people outside....not in my mind. Am taking a break from the site for awhile. I have been rather active here lately, so need some time to do some other things. August 7, 1998 Well friends (and enemies), the much wished for gorgeous graphical interface site I had planned for the past few months is quickly turning into the how fast can you post more compressed images than anyone else kind of mess. I guess my online resume will have to wait, as this is WAY too much fun. I'm having a blast putting the 'Tour' stuff together, even if it does take about five (how many?) hours per day to do it. Love and thanks go to my wife Denise who still puts up with all this!!! I plan to make my eyes bleed for the next couple of days to finish this project, so c'mon back...oh say "about sevenish" each Saturday and Sunday for more kool krud than I've posted in a long, long time. The Optura saved me a bunch in DP (develop and print...photog talk) costs, but as I sat in my own private 1000ft club* in the tired old S.I.R. grandstands I actually pulled out the Nikon a few times for the local Super guys and more. That means some very bitchin' hi-res stuff is coming. *This is a joke compared to Pomona, where the 'towsand foot club' is a plethora of REAL bad-to-da-bone drag folk. Well, it's not bad, but it's got a ways to go. The Feedback is starting to come in hot and heavy, especially from first-timers, which is great to see. I'm thrilled to read what Bob Wilson is doing on his Northern Thunder site. I don't know what it is, but this kind of online drag editorial seems to proliferate on the left coast, especially the Northwest. I guess the Midwest and right-coastershave better things to do than sit up all night putting together real life drag racing sites. Either that or I haven't heard about them yet. Yes, there is a big nostalgia race at MRP this weekend, and no I will not be there. I have my reasons...that naturally revolve around one dick-head. WAY too detailed to go into here, but rest assured BCCCA, Loafers and what few friends I have left out there, it's not your fault. Envy in massive proportions go out to Rich Carlson who is in the center of the universe, Firebird Raceway in Boise (see link on nav page), this weekend for the Nightfire Nats. MAN, I wanted to be there, but the time and money just didn't come together. NOW if anyone is listening: I want to go to the World Finals (NO, not the Spokane ones). I already know what it will cost, I just wonder if anyone would consent to be a sponsor to pay my way. I just want one. It would cost $1000 (U.S.) and you would be front and centre on ALL the pages (TONS of 'em) that I would post. I promise to be a good boy...maybe not THAT good, but your company would get more dynamite promo than any other 'grand' would ever get you...ANYWHERE. ...just a thought, but I AM serious if you are. So...Let's all look forward to some fun postings all weekend long, and oh yes, I have not forgotten my nostalgia commitment. Just wait my pretties...just wait. UPDATE: 7pm - We should top 70,000 hits (since 4.1.98) sometime tomorrow. Daily count climbs to 529. WOW...thanks everyone! July 27, 1998 Great sadness in the racing world as three spectators are killed in Michigan. My thoughts are with all affected by this tragedy. Let the tour begin... I go into the next seven days with excited but mixed feelings. I am about to do my first multi drag race road trip in many, many moons. I can remember after the last one saying to myself that I was getting too old for this stuff, but when an opportunity like this one comes up, it's hard to remember back on moments like that. That the Canuck greenback is now officially worth half that of it's Yankee counterpart is assisted greatly by Mr. Rich Carlson who has offered to help with much of my travel expenses. I owe him bigtime. The fact it comes during the most blistering hotspell in ages doesn't help much either...but what the hell, the call of the digs is a difficult one to resist. After five years of seeing nothing but bracket bombers and a few blown alky cars, four days out of seven with 'real' nitro burners pushes my senses into warp. It should be at an absolute blast. The first night nitro race in Oregon in eons, at a track I have only been to once before (and that one was a total rainout,) will start off the tour. Not a soul knows how good it will be, but there's only ever one 'first time' and I like that kinda stuff. Besides, the track management seems very receptive going in, and it's always nice making new friends...especially the kind who run dragstrips that host flaming fuelers. The Woodburn Pro Stock race is one of my all-time favorites. Jay Livingston has been on me for three years to come back with my video camera and go nuts. I will. To dream that Top Fuel Tuesday could become the equivalent of the Woodburn Pro Stock Shootout one would make these two events the best mid-week, one-two punch in all of drag racing. Then comes the Northwest Nats. The Prolong Super Lubricants, Als Auto Supply NHRA Northwest Nationals...puff, puff to be exact. Until I can afford somebody to type this all up for me I'll call it the NW Nats in text such as this. When in a good mood, I may even call it the 'Prolongs'. As of this posting, I should be there for all three days, and come home with more good stuff than ever before. Since I call this the 'Nitro '98' Tour I promise NOT to forget the local sportsman! I'll even try to do a good job on the Super classes ok DKill!?! This is one I have wanted to do for a long, long time. It's been about 1992or3 since I've been to this race, long before I had ever heard of the Internet. Don't look for round-by-round results, packaged press releases and the same old photos and vid clips you get form 'the other' guys. I promise you'll be coming back here regularly all thru the month of August for all the good stuff on this one. It will take time once I get home, but will start immediately upon my return, so look for the stuff starting on Tuesday the 4th. I may even get a chance to post...are you ready for this?...the Div. 6 points. Hmmmm what's happening here. You'll see by October...maybe even September. On the bummer side of all this is that one of the monster events I wanted to ad to the tour is not possible. The Nightfire Nationals in Boise features AA/FA Nationals, Pro Mods, Fuel Floppers and Jets. It would have been unreal, but alas, I simply cannot find a way to get there and back in the time I have available. I would have been welcomed by the News, so am very disappointed my first ever trip to Firebird will have to wait yet another year. Fear not however, I hopefully will have even more big surprises in store over the next three months. I will soon contact management of a southwest strip who are staging a race in October that I know nobody else will cover like HH does (let alone cover at all). It's a 'gamble' so wish me 'luck'...that's a hint. Oh ya, this one is nitro under the lights too. Any guesses? What am I trying to accomplish with all this? I want to try and bring you people coverage of drag races few others do, as well as 'unique' reporting of a National Event or two. And yes, the 'LIVE' ability to do it is not forgotten, I'm still waiting for the right hardware and software to come along. It always seems that the next generation of stuff I need is the one, but so far not yet. Firewire equipped PowerBooks are right around the corner...or so I hear. To spend the kind of money it will take means it must do everything I require, and at this point it's still not all available in one package. I will not spend until my time, so to speak. I do know this however; HH will constantly strive to give you something just a little different. HH will never ignore the sportsman racer, and HH will change constantly, hopefully for the better. See ya in a week...safe racing, crewing and spectating to you ALL! July 17, 1998 Why Super Racing is Like SEXI have come into some correspondence recently revolving around the much-rumored exclusion of, among other classes, Super Street from NHRA national events. From what I have heard, second hand, through at least one 'official' source is that nothing could be further from the truth. After listening to a few of the racers I have to make a couple of observations, and understand when I mention 'Super' I am refering only to the indexed '90' classes. Here is a 'typical' scenario on attending a national event for a Super racer as best as I can gather. They get to the track, wait in a long line to be sent to a 'bad' pit spot. They get to run first round on Saturday, so may not even be around for the 'big' day when friends, family, sponsors, etc. would probably want to attend. On Saturday and Sunday, if they have any time between thrashing on the car, touring the crowded pits is not very much fun, and once you get the (often very early) call to the lanes (after getting little time to watch the Pros if you so desire) it takes forever to get through everything to end up waiting a long time in the lanes. I don't know about you, but this REALLY sounds like a fun weekend at the drags. Top it all off with a princely fee to get in, then a rather small amount you can win, and I fail to see a real good reason behind showing up in the first place. I know people will go on and on about how they want to go up against the 'big boys', especially in front of the home town crowd, but I do believe that kind of thing in this sport may be a dying dream. I cannot think of another from of racing where you get the chance to do this. Road racing and oval competition is all regionally-based on the grassroots level. And that's what Super racing is - grassroots. Again I know there are a number who are basically 'professional' Super racers, but they are very few and far between. Anyone who tells me that spectators pay to see this stuff hasn't sat in the bleachers lately, although there are always a hard-core fan or two around...but sorry I know of not a single hard-core Super fan who comes mainly to see those cars, who is either not one of them, or a very recent retiree. And remember I'm talking national event here. This may sound like I am badmouthing the core competitors of drag racing. Well, I'm not, and I sincerely believe that while most of the paying spectators enjoy Super racing, if it was not at a national event they may not miss it all that much. Super racing is like sex: "It's a hell of a lot more fun to do than watch". The idea that these classes will soon disappear from the national even scene leaves me feeling sad for the racer, but not for the paying fan. On a divisional race basis these classes are essential. On a national basis, I just don't know. I hear so many racers complain that they get dumped on at a national event, then they turn around and scream bloody murder if the idea comes up that they will no longer be included. Sounds like typical drag racer mumbo-jumbo to me. What's your feeling? June 30, 1998 MY RootsThe overall scope of all things drag racing, it is but the tick of a clock. My contribution to this sport has been just that. For many years I did it partly for the sheer joy of showing off my friends to whoever would read my words or view my images in local drag rags. The look on their faces when they saw their name or picture in a magazine was worth more than any pay cheque.Unfortunately, in recent years it became more of a "is that it?" attitude. My straight-line heroes are not the racers, or the people who craft the vehicles or assemble the engines. The people whom I, in some cases once nearly worshipped, are the photographers and journalists who made it possible that so many memories were saved for perpetuity. The memories I savour are not just th'se of spectacular performances on the strip, but memories of what are now dusty magazine pages and a very few movie reels. Who recalls 'Quarter Mile Love Affair'; a profile of Rick The Iceman Stewart? I can barely recall seeing it on a local channel in the late 60s, though never again. It was probably the first drag racing feature video I ever saw. I have no idea who produced it...or the Grumpy Jenkins feature that may have been an ABC Wide World of Sports piece. It was when he ran the Nova and the shots of him hammering through the gears with a cigar in his mouth have since been replayed over and over. It must be good, cause I never get tired of seeing that one. Over the decades I was fortunate to meet many of my heroes, and even make friends with a few. From that day in 1975 when I came home to my mother telling me that some guy named Jon Asher called from L.A. telling me I won the Car Craft Magazine photo contest to a late night on a dirty old couch in Tim Marshall's Anaheim house, I have managed to lived a fairly full life in this sport. A few hilights I can recall include: Meeting Steve Reyes inside the Kingdome at the first ever monster truck/tractor pull in that cave of a building will go down as a major hilight. Nobody ever combined a skill of photography with the ability to capture thrilling moments as the big guy. He was a legend in my mind long before I finally came face-to-chest with him. I remember the great SS&DI photographer feature with him explaining why he got so many crash and burn shots: "I went to Fremont alot, and the Nor Cal guys would buy all the used up parts from the So Cal guys". I not only intently studied, but at times wanted to be just like the Car Craft image of Jon Asher. Another unique individual who was so different than any other drag race artist before or since. I even tried to pattern my profession around his abilities to not only write and photograph, but edit as well. No single person ever did all of those things together better than he. It made me sad when his last publication went under upsetting so many people. My short time around Timmy Marshall was a true experience. The epitome of the scuzzy drag photog of the 60s, here was a natural at what he did. I stayed with him and Rich Carlson for a week during a rained out Winternationals in the late 80s. We both shot the race, but his stuff was so much better than mine I was amazed. I saw everything that week, from the frantic production of an early season photo handout to an evening viewing rare images that few had ever seen. You see, Tim had a fire a few years before, destroying many prints, negs and chromes. He still had this old box however. It contained a couple of hundred black and white 8x10s that were the only survivors of a collection that once numbered in the tens of thousands. The last nite I was there we sat up very late, drank way too much beer and reminisced through that box for hours. I will treasure that forever. There were images that were emblazoned in my mind from the pages of Drag Racing USA. That I was holding the only surviving copy of such prints made my hands shake. Nearly all were fuel cars from the many legendary western strips. I was humbled as he remembered every single picture like it was taken the night before. There were many racers whom I had never heard, possibly because many had been killed in their race cars before they had the chance to become a name. On that same trip, a rainy afternoon in a dark Pomona motel room provided another unforgettable few hours. Imagine if you can, Carlson, Marshall, Skye and Dave Wallace all in the same room with this wide-eyed Canadian and you can be assured I was in (some kind of) drag race photog/journalist Nirvana. I learned more about the business of drag racing journalism that day than all the rest put together. The sheer level and amount of experience in that room was unbelievable. Then there was Phil Elliott. The guy Tom McEwen once called the most hated journalist in all of drag racing. Nobody did it like Flyin' Phil, before or since. Our road trips to Portland are legendary. I don't even know where to start, but believe me when I say those many three hour runs were a lesson in drag racing history like no other. We talked drag racing from the time we got in my Chevy van or his red Ranchero, right up to the pit gate at P.I.R. The fact that I usually partied my brains out while the tea-totler Phil drove made it even more fun. Even when he played Speed Racer on I5 in his Ford. I learned much from this man, and am very happy that after many years have come into contact with him again. We've got alot of catching up to do. Finally, there is the one guy who from my first days of going to drag races, I have stayed in constant touch with. Rich Carlson. I can recall the early days when, sleeping on Phil's floor, I would stay up half the night going through box after box of he and Rich's old photos. There were dozens of those yellow 8x10 Kodak treasure chests, and I got through most all of them, many more than once. The sheer volume of their work is astonishing, not to mention the quality, especially of Rich's early medium format work. He taught me so many drag racing photo techniques, I probably can't remember half of them. Phil once said he was a good photographer, but nobody can touch him in the darkroom. His billions, and billions of medium format black and white 8x10's confirm that. I D&P'd (developed and processed) for years and can safely say he could pound out a perfect print in minutes on the first try, before my test-strip was even in the stop bath. He is now possibly the last of a dying breed. I know of no other drag photog who is still doing today, exactly what he was doing in the 1950s. Yes, he took a couple of breaks along the way, but he may well be the last of the original roadie drag photogs left. He likes to say he has worked for NHRA longer than anybody but Wally. Unfortunately few appreciate his life-long commitment. When he recieved the NHRA Div. 6 Person of the Year award in 1996 I had more tears in my eyes than he did. I was so happy I got to see that. I find it disturbing that today the success of a drag journalist is measured not in the quality of work, but ...I dunno...I dunno what it's measured in any more. ... the craftsmanship...the respect of those who were there before, and feelings of something other than business first makes me long for days gone by. Maybe it is because we have possibly already seen it all in drag racing journalism, that I find the new breed lacking in the creativity and originality of the guys who started all this. Today it seems that anybody can get a clear image or a concise story, but nobody consistently pumps out unforgettable photos or stories you read more than once. It just doesn't seem to matter with enough people any more. About the only new thing that, so far, nobody has really taken off with is computer enhanced images. I keep wanting to try, but never seem to find the time. The web is becoming too multimedia for many to take the time to produce killer black and white images. God, give me the days when there were no wheelie bars, throttle stops, and cars that were all different. The days when the people who recorded them for a living did it more for love than money. Today itıs all about business, and what have you done for me lately. My gracious thanks to all these men... and many others including Jere Alhadeff, David Cook, Craig Cutler, Mike Doherty, Alan Earman, Don Gillespie, Jim Kelley, Dave Kommell, Les Lovett, Bob McLurg, Paul Sadler, John Shanks, Rick Shute, Jeff Tinsley, Tom West, Barry Wiggins and even Twit Blazemore (Elliott's moniker for him)... you all made it so good for me. Unfortunately, I now fear we may never see likes of you again. Hopefully somebody, sometime has the fortitude to archive the many memories you all produced. ..and do it for the love of it, not to make a buck. Maybe now that I am walking away from taking an active part in the sport, I may find the time to do mine. Oh for an affordable 6x7 film scanner...
Hey, I love you guys! Thanks!
|
All images and stories on this website are Copyright Larry Pfister © 1998. Any reproduction of images and/or stories in any form without the expressed permission of Larry Pfister is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. Some images are copyright property of others and are posted on www.horsepowerheaven.com with permission of the copyright holders. If any copyright images or words are posted to this site in error, please inform the webmaster via email and they will be removed immediately.
