STATE OF DRAG
★★★★★
Despite the minor setbacks and complaints, it’s
safe to say it’s never been easier to be a fan of
drag racing. Races of every size, shape and variety
are going on somewhere in the country every
weekend, and most of them can be viewed online
or on TV as they happen thanks to streaming
services and NHRA’s new FOX television deal.
thing about the show with the hash tag. It was
right around the time NHRA pulled their licenses.
I thought, ‘Wow, even my freedom is taken away
that I probably can’t even tweet about it without
some negative repercussions.’ That has probably
flipped 180-de grees in part by NHRA allowing
them to get their licenses and, for lack of better
phrase, jumping on their bandwagon. They’ve
opened their eyes and said, ‘Hey, that’s what’s
moving the needle. That’s what people want to
see. They’re reaching people that we obviously
can’t reach. Let’s work together.’ My opinion of
them – and I’ve watched these last couple of seasons intensely because I think it’s just one of the
coolest shows – is that they have the same love
and passion for winning as we do. No matter who
you are, if you’re playing baseball, basketball or
volleyball, winning is winning. I get it. And going
back to growing the sport of drag racing, I believe
they have filled a void with some casual fans that
may not have known NHRA existed or that drag
racing existed. Now, do I agree with going out on
the street and racing? Hell, no. I do think there
is a lot to be learned from the way the stars of
those shows interact with fans in the offseason
and between shows, and NHRA should take a
page out of their book on some of that – as well
as NHRA drivers. There’s way more going on
than what happens at the racetrack.
JS: In my opinion, the Street Outlaws are pretty
good for the sport. Now, it has a little negativity
with the romanticizing of illegal street racing,
but if it brings in a new generation of gear heads
and race fans, well, so be it. Street racing is what
brought people to NHRA in the first place – maybe it’s happening again. So long as they continue
to let people know that these televised races are
done on closed roads with safety equipment, I
think it’s great.
SJ: I think any attention to the sport of drag
racing is good attention. I’m glad for those guys.
I don’t get into the street racing deal. I quit street
racing when I was 16. I used to do it and think it
was cool. If that’s what it takes to interest young
people in the sport, then I think it’s good – I’m all
for it. I don’t give most of those guys any credibility as far as…I’ll just say there’s a lot of difference
between racing people who don’t race for a living
and then stepping in the ring with guys who do.
The casual fan that watches Street Outlaws really
has no idea what’s going on anyway. If they’re
interested in it and it brings them out to the track,
I’m all for it. I have nothing against those guys.
Everybody says, ‘the negativity of street racing’ –
who cares? Drag racing was started by a bunch of
rednecks. NASCAR was started by moonshiners.
Whatever we do, we’ve gotta get this political
correctness out of drag racing. That is the most
important thing.
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90 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
Issue 111
PHOTOS: NHRA / NATIONAL DRAGSTER, GRS MOTORSPORTS, VAN ABERNETHY
SOMETHING
FOR EVERYONE