Blood Did It presents...

If I Were King Volume 6

If I were King, I’d get to have the “last word” regarding our survey results. Hey, wait a minute ..I AM King (at least here in Nostalgia Land!), so here are my responses ..to reader responses!

Vol. 1: Nostalgia Funny Cars should run Chicago style

Survey: 50% Right On Blood!
Blood’s response: Just one more little percent and we would have had a majority!
Survey: 35.7% Ladder is the only way to run.
Blood’s response: Why?
Survey: 14.3% I don’t care, just run funny cars!
Blood’s response: This is why nostalgia racing is back and here to stay!

Vol. 2: Nostalgia Top fuel should push start

Survey: 64.3 % Push starts give me goose bumps, make it happen!
Blood’s response: It’s like totally a “decree”, with violators subject to public humiliation!
Survey: 0% It’s a waste of time ..the show is who runs the fastest.
Blood’s response: Light's are on but nobody is home at that house!
Survey: 35.7% I would love it but reality says it can’t happen.
Blood’s response: We’ll be handing out Ruby Slippers.. just tap them together three times!
Reader comment: “Can’t picture golf carts push starting fuelers”
Blood’s response: We’ve always allowed push cars in Nostalgia Land; you must be a foreigner.

Vol. 3: Cacklecars only need be period correct

Survey: 85.7% If it burns nitro it’s welcome!
Blood’s response: Almost 88%! Now you’re talking!
Survey: 7.1% Imposters demean the value of the TRUE cacklecars.
Blood’s response: An imposter is one who poses as the real deal which a period correct creation would not do. It would be what it is and the “TRUE” cacklecar would still be what it is.
Survey: 7.1% Is there a difference?
Blood’s response: Only to the 7.1% above you.
Reader comment: “The only reason I go is to see the REAL equipment”
Blood’s response: You still would.

Vol. 4: Nitro teams should not pay entry fees

Survey: 57.1% You don’t charge NFL players to get in the game!
Blood’s response: Taking care of the talent seems to work for NASCAR; we’d be doing the same.
Survey: 14.3% No racer should pay, the show is all cars together, with the headliner being Nitro cars.
Blood’s response: I think these guys might be trying to take over my Kingship, but it’s not a bad idea!
Survey: 28.6%: Want to play, then pay.
Blood’s response: (see survey response #1)
Reader comment: “Do the boys and girls in the ‘big show’ pay?”
Blood’s response: I don’t believe they do, but I really don’t keep up with what goes on over there. My Kingdom ends at the Nostalgia Land border (which has a 50,000 volt electrified fence) and we don’t accept non-nostalgia speaking immigrants.
Reader comment: “What you said, pay to guarantee a show, get paid to provide it”
Blood’s response: I have no idea what he’s trying to say, but get that guy another beer!
Reader comment: “Can a drag strip make money if cars don’t run down the track? I don’t care if the car runs 16 seconds... making ANY racer pay to enter is like making ANY athlete pay to compete.”
Blood’s response: Come to think of it, if the show was done right (tracks and racers working together), this could be done! Come by the castle; we have a position for you!

Now for this month’s “If I Were King” !

If I were King, “weight minimums” for Nostalgia Drag Cars would be drastically reduced or eliminated, especially for Fuel cars!

As long as the cars meet strict safety and construction requirements, who cares how much they weigh?

For every “reason” to have weight minimums, there are much better reasons not to!

First of all, have you ever heard one racer say “Oh boy, I’ve got to add weight to my car!”

Is a heavier car safer? No. A heavier car puts more strain on every component and is therefore more prone to breakage. The laws of physics are against you as a heavier car is obviously harder to get stopped and is potentially more dangerous (increased mass) in a crash situation. Modern day “Champ Cars” are a perfect example, as they are very light, yet because of their composite construction, are able to absorb tremendous energy in crashes.

Is a heavier car less expensive? The opposite is usually true. It’s not that hard to make a car lighter. The initial construction cost could be higher to build a lighter car, but again, the efficiency of the lighter car means less breakage and longer parts life, so money invested in construction pays dividends over the life of the car. What weight minimums always does is push racers into more expensive corners!

Do weight minimums make for “better” or “closer” racing? No again. Racers, left to their own devices and by their very nature, will always develop unique and efficient racecars, and efficient racecars put on the best show!

Many years ago there was a sanctioning body that had the phrase “Ingenuity In Action” as their motto. In those days there were “minimal” (if any) weight minimums and we saw all manner of unique creations; we saw lightweight injected cars competing with heavier blown cars; we saw cars with multiple engines and cars with their engine cut in half! That tremendous variety of machines was the best drag racing show ever; the fans loved it then and that’s why they love Nostalgia Drag Racing now!

Weight minimums eliminate all possibility of ingenuity, and replace “Ingenuity In Action” with “Conformity In Boredom”. If I were King, we’d make the Nostalgia show even better today, by reducing or eliminating weight minimums.

-Kenny Youngblood
Email Blood@vintagefuel.com with your thoughts and opinions...what would Nostalgia Land be like if YOU were King?