Drag racer (and fan) for a long long time.... Unfortunately, I cannot watch NHRA programming for more than a few minutes at a time, primarily due to the "cookie cutter" way it's presented, and it makes me want to get back out there and do it! That, and I look at it differently now.
I ran a racers chat years ago back on AOL, and we had a lot of Pro drivers take part in the discussion from time to time. It was a lot of fun, but as all good things do, it came to an end. I met a good number of drivers out at the races because of it, and found out a lot of things about our sport. As an example, the revelation of of the use of nitrous oxide in Pro Stock was first brought up in the "DRF" as we called it, and of course, NHRA couldn't confirm it (I had a friend highly-placed in the organization that told me so..and I won't reveal who it is, even though we haven't spoken in a couple of years now). Steve Evans went as far as to mock the "onliners" on NHRA Today. When Bob Glidden came to my forum and revealed that both of his sons used nitrous...well... we were vindicated. NHRA continued to deny it, of course.
That being said, though I don't follow as closely as the rabid fans do, I still have my favorites.
Top Fuel - Blaine Johnson (God bless him - RIP)
Living driver - Tony Schumacher
Funny Car - John Force (been my favorite since the Coca Cola days, before he was a winner)
Pro Stock - Tied between Bob Glidden and Warren Johnson (the no B.S. approach to racing)
Pro Stock M/C - Dave Schultz (RIP), living - Andrew Hines (HD! yeah!)
Favorite Sportsman driver in general - Edmond Richardson
Least favorite NHRA person - Tom Compton (the most short sighted asshat in the NHRA)
Robert
