fansmisslink

   I’ve invested only a small time in the World of Drag Racing, 4 years. I
have talked about car styles, motors, blowers, injectors, nitrous, tires,
drivers and their likes and dislikes and even the crews and their worldly
characteristics. But, there is still something that pains me so. I watch as
its very roots fall to the wayside in the sport unnoticed. It’s like having a
cracked rib… Every time you inhale it hurts. Every move you take it
hurts. Every time you cough it causes pain. Thus, every car that creeps
from the Staging Lanes without a name causes that same reaction to me.
Sure there are a few that still carry the banner high, Billy Harper and the
“Viper”, Mike Janis and the “Widowmaker”, Todd Patterson and the “Jack
Hammer”. I was taken when Tommy “The Undertaker” Grey reappeared,
but what about those that won’t make a statement.

   I was about 10 years old when I first watched the “Mongoose” flash the
quarter mile. The “Snake” was building steam from the big burnout in the
water box. It was the “Swamp Rat” that held the cameras still to see what
would happen next. Those were the things as a child that I remember.
Hell, for the matter I couldn’t spell Mouldowney, but I knew who Cha-Cha
was! Are you feeling my drift? Where have all the Hero’s gone? Where
have all those stereotyped, wild rides and wild people vanished to?
Interested? Keep going.

   If you have a wife, better half, or significant other you’ll understand this
much faster if you’re married than those are “batching” it. You walk into
the house after a day at the shop and you ask your “better half” for
dinner. You wouldn’t say, “Hey Woman where’s dinner?” Cause if you’d
do this, you’d most likely get a frying pan bounced off your head. Instead
you use those “Pet” names, like Dear, Sweetheart, Darling, Snookems or
at least her god given name. The end results will be much more
pleasing. This is the thing that has slipped away from drag racing. It’s the
association not to just the driver, but rather to the car. It’s the names that
have a lasting effect. It’s the name that instills pride, loyalty and fans to
follow. Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. In the real world Fans
equate to Money. And, Money equates to Speed. If there is one thing
that I have learned about Drag Racing that’s the fore-most issue that I
have found to be true.

   Now don’t get me wrong. There are those that are out there that have
a sense of humor about them and have taken the whole name thing to a
person interest. The car names have been forgotten to them for reasons
beyond my understanding, but they have taken the time, energy, money
and love to invest it into their engines with names like, “Splatt”, “Edith”,
“Grunt” and “Grunt Harder” to name a few. “Knuckles” was a good one
and even I got that one. “Leo” is a one of the hidden engine names on
one Pro Stocker. I fell prey as to asking why “Leo” but old “Grumpy”
Taylor cracked a smile and said figure it out yourself…. AHhhh, “Leo the
Lion” always roared the loudest! (See Grump even the blind squirrel gets
a nut now and then.) Chris Foster who runs Funny Car may have had the
best name, “Swiss Cheese”(their backup motor). Of course the block
resembled a battlefield, with patches and welds everywhere. These are
great catches to a racers identity and the crew that works on them, but let’
s face facts. Fans don’t see that. They don’t know that Eddie Ware had
a conversation with “Pounder” when the rod kicked out in Toronto. His
quote was right out the “Days of Thunder” movie when the crew chief was
talking to the car in the shop and saw an oil drip. “This is NOT the
reaction that I was expecting from you”!   The chemical compound of
racing has been the ability of machine, pilot, crew and fans to act as
one.   They have to see it. It can’t be a foiled narrative from what the
announcer is trying to comprise. Give them back the identities to relate
too. Give them back the animosity of David verses Goliath. Give them
back the thoughts of yesterday, give them back a hero and in turn they
will give themselves back to you. Is this ringing a bell in your head? Has
the light come on? Need some help in finding the right identity? In most
cases all you have to do is listen.

   Fans will talk. They love having input. Terry McMillen turned his funny
car into one of the most photographed cars ever in the sport and gained
tons of fan support when he ran a contest to name the “Insta-Gator”.
Take heed to this, it’s a lesson well taught. A good example might come
from the Top Sportsman category. Ricky “The Bulldog” Atkins gained his
name from the announcers in the tower and his car now depicts a picture
of a bulldog, when the nitrous is purged it’s shot out of the dogs nose.
Another example is the man from Doylestown, PA., Glenn Butcher. He’s
now known as the “Butcher of Doylestown”.   Fans love it and as we had
stated before, fans equate to money. Money equates to speed. So what’
s it gonna be?   Right lane, a Little Red Corvette taking on John Doe in
the Camero, or rather hear the gasps of fans cheer for the “Snake
Charmer” taken on the “Executioner”? Which match-up would rather
watch? Think about it.

   Secondly, here’s something to ponder. I have found that just about
85% of the drivers and team members in Drag Racing know who “Stone
Cold” Austin is. They also know what a “Cage Match” is and that the word
“Smack Down” refers to Wrestling. What keeps those crazed fans coming
back? What is it that makes them scream and howler when Cain takes
the stage to take on ???   The USA Boy Scout Troop 151 top soap box
champion? For those that are still in belief that this is a sport, here’s a
news flash. It’s Fake! It’s practiced, choreographed, scripted and the
blood that you see is NOT real. But, follow me here. What is it that draws
fans into even the smallest of venues and packs the place? One word
sums it up. Animosity.

Animosity is the root of today’s society. Is it that, you as a driver, are so
afraid that you might have to eat your words if you say, “I’m going leave
him at the tree, wishing that he never showed his face here.” Hells fire, I’
ve heard one of the more renowned Presidents of the United States, state
these words. “No New Taxes!” It wasn’t six months later that he had
doubled the tax laws and he still made it through his term with flying
colors. Society is driven by Animosity. Maybe it gives us hope. Maybe
gives us a feeling of security, or maybe gives us a chance to “choose”.
Pick a side to stand on. I have listened to drivers talk about how great
Whatshisname is. He’s a great driver with a great crew. You might as well
just say “I’m happy for me! I won”, or just say nothing at all. That’s not
what the fans want to hear. That’s not entertaining the rattled minds of
the fan. It’s putting them to sleep. As a Professional Driver you have to
be able to be the best at both worlds. You have to be outspoken. As a
Professional you have to be the best at both competing in the sport you
chose and living the dreams of the fans. Acting like a force of one that
has to be reckoned with. You might think that being “Nice Guy” on the
block is going to get you a fan base…. NOT!   What’s it going to take for
someone to finally get the big picture.

   Picture this. You come to the race set up your pit area. Meet and
greet your other competitors. Maybe even have a little meeting between
friends. Here’s an Idea. Let’s trash talk when we get that chance. Pick a
word battle with me, but here’s the rules:
1.        Keep my wife and family out of it.
2.        Stay away from my Sponsor.
3.        Religion or chosen Faith are off limits.
4.        Regardless of who wins or has the best run we all show up and
have a drink at my trailor… But, maybe wait till the crowd goes down so as
to not give away the fact that it’s our way of having fun and NOT real.

I’d lay great odds that every media publication would have a ball with it. I
wager even money that your TV time doubles its value. Lastly, if you stick
with it, the fans will flock. Remember fans equate to money. Money
equates to speed and speed will win races. Maybe, just maybe, it will
create races that will produce a greater purse when you as a group,
class, whatever, pack the joint with your fans. I can only hope on that day
I be the one who’s in the tower to watch it come to life. These are my
views and not the views of others. They may seem far fetched to you or a
little off the wall. Call it what you will, but it wasn’t long ago that the
thoughts of seeing a Pro Mod run 6.0’s in the quarter or 3.8’s in the
eighth, was off the wall or a pipedream. How about seeing a 200 mph
pass in the 8th mile, or the thoughts of a Mountain Motor Pro Stocker
running a 6.20’s? It’s coming. And the only problem is the fans. They
can’t relate to it. But you don’t have to be a walking statistic book to know
when one driver says to the other driver, “I’ll Burn you down at the line
before I give you a chance win.”   Think about it…. The fan is the missing
link and they need their Hero’s to create and overcome animosity. Give
the Fans what they want, what they need and help yourself in the process.