Force leaving PRO

[Fueler]

Bernstein should be overthrown, but wait I guess he can't seeing how deep he is in NHRA's back pocket. I am not a Force mark though I do give him credit for what he has done for the sport. I say good for you Johnny. Now if more racers, team owners would jump on the bandwagon and get Bernstein out of there it would be a start. I have been a NHRA Drag Racing man all my life, but I think it is time for IHRA and Mr. Knoll to step up, and I believe they will. Just my thoughts.

[512 T/F]

i applaud and respect Johns decision

[lowe65]

I feel that NHRA's time has come and gone. I doubt they have the ability to respond to changes that are happening in the sport. Instead of being innovators they have become dictators unwilling to adapt and determined to crush any disent and those would criticize them. The time is right for the IHRA to challenge them.

[Brute Force]

Did anyone read the Geiger counter? Maybe that's one of John's split personalities. I am close to the team over there and I know that John was mad at the whole deal. He spent a lot of time with Graham in the tower fussing about Alley being in his pits all the time. If John wasnt bothered by it why did Coil through Alley out of his pits at Indy. Looks like spin city to me.

[Simply Fuelish]

It aint over yet........Bernstein boned everyone ! Including the NHRA and all of his faithful's at PRO !

With alley doing the tune up and kb doing the driving, they must have what ? 210 yrs. experience between the two of them ?

Lets see what next year brings...... I dont predict good things for them.

Isnt there anyone under 70 yr old that want to drive and have a few dollars from some sponsors anymore ? Or are these old geezers just too vain to ever quit. I thought kb looked just fine standing there on the starting line....Prudhomme is the only cool one who stuck to his guns ! Him and Conrad Kalitta....Men among men those two !!!

[nfshotrod]

It aint over yet........Bernstein boned everyone ! Including the NHRA and all of his faithful's at PRO !

With alley doing th etune up and kb doing th edriving, they must have what ? 210 yrs. experience between the two of them ?

Lets see what next year brings...... I dont predict good things for them.

**** dude, quit holding back...

[nfshotrod]

Did anyone read the Geiger counter? Maybe that's one of John's split personalities. I am close to the team over there and I know that John was mad at the whole deal. He spent a lot of time with Graham in the tower fussing about Alley being in his pits all the time. If John wasnt bothered by it why did Coil through Alley out of his pits at Indy. Looks like spin city to me.


Alll geiger does is spew NHRA propaganda.

[Simply Fuelish]

Force is my man and he is RIGHTFULLY pissed off. Coil got slapped in the face by his old pal Alley.
Bernstein pissed off some people on these last two deals that are people you shouldnt piss off. Bad business ethics, bad morals and bad judgement.

[Nativeson]

I don't feel that Ray Alley should even be allowed to compete in the NHRA after working in a position that allowed him access to so much confidential info from other teams. The NHRA should create a new ruling stating that a person cannot compete in any of the pro categories after leaving the tech director position, or any official position where you would be privy to every teams confidential info.

I really dislike what the NHRA has become, but I'll always go to the events where the big names are. Now, if that happens to change to the IHRA, then so be it. :D :eek:

[SS427]

I'm starting a Boycott NHRA thread at Myspace.com/boycottNHRA. Send me some good stuff, and click to become friends. Let's show them we are not taking their BS lying down. Take a stand against the Fascist management of the NHRA. BoycottNHRA@yahoo.com

[Chuck Rost]

It will be fun to watch that team struggle.

[anotheridiot]

I really dont want to see anyone struggle. But this Monster deal was something that alot of teams were fighting for. Someone said that it was Snakes deal but Bud got involved and KB made a better offer. I dont think that KB fits the Monster image, he would be better suited for Ensure. Does Alley know all the top secret stuff, yes. Does he completely understand how to use it? Doubt it.

I see the Richards tuneup going to the funny car and KB will run like Scott Kalitta is now.

[Fueler]

Well said simply fuelish.

[Fueler]

Kenny is going to be chewed up and spit out in F/C. He will be just like in the old days he would forget to turn on high side and Armstrong would have to remind him every pass.

[Chuck Rost]

Maybe Alley dosen't know how to use the top secret stuff,BUT RICHARDS WILL!!!!!!!!!

[BrianMo]

Am I going to get a refund on my forever red retirement tour hat?

[kb301]

I sit back and look at all of the negative comments on how Kenny is going to fail. I ask those doubters, when was the last time Kenny failed at bringing a competitive car to the starting line? It seems some people are jealous Kenny got this deal over other teams they felt were more worthy. I have a message for those people, GET OVER IT! Lets wait and see how next year pans out before we paint a dooms day scenario.

[A Poole]

I sit back and look at all of the negative comments on how Kenny is going to fail. I ask those doubters, when was the last time Kenny failed at bringing a competitive car to the starting line? It seems some people are jealous Kenny got this deal over other teams they felt were more worthy. I have a message for those people, GET OVER IT! Lets wait and see how next year pans out before we paint a dooms day scenario.

Racing sponsorship has gotten to be a cut throat business,you're correct about the wait and see if he succeeds or not. BUT,the deal with Ray Alley stinks to high heaven and I think has done more harm to his reputation than the sponsorship deal. Let's say he comes out swinging and starts winning,that's going to make the Ray Alley situation that much worse.JMHO's.

[Bobby Bennett]

I think kb301 and Poole have very valid points.

[mrfab]

Bernstein should be overthrown, but wait I guess he can't seeing how deep he is in NHRA's back pocket. I am not a Force mark though I do give him credit for what he has done for the sport. I say good for you Johnny. Now if more racers, team owners would jump on the bandwagon and get Bernstein out of there it would be a start. I have been a NHRA Drag Racing man all my life, but I think it is time for IHRA and Mr. Knoll to step up, and I believe they will. Just my thoughts.

This is professional drag racing. If KB has the juice to swing a deal like the one he got with Monster, then he is certainly smart enough to proceed with them. He has a long history with Ray Alley and asked him to be his crew chief, wouldn't you all want someone that you trust tuning your funny car? Of course you would. Yes, NHRA should have had a provision in place that prohibits RA from going to a crew chief position but they didn't. Do you really think that RA should have said NO to an offer like this? If course not. RA will not hit the ground running and compete with the top teams regardless of what he has seen in the last few years. The bottom line is this: KB will have to do a good job driving, RA must do a great job tuning, or they will lose their deal. This is the way it works in racing and that is the way it works in American business.

[fuelfan]

Plus it was reported that Kenny would have a second crew cheif, so it may be interesting to see the division of responsibility between Ray Alley and the other crew cheif. Perhaps Alley is more of a tuning consultant??

[fuelfan]

How about bringing back Dale Armstrong, he isn't dead is he??

[Simply Fuelish]

Racing sponsorship has gotten to be a cut throat business,you're correct about the wait and see if he succeeds or not. BUT,the deal with Ray Alley stinks to high heaven and I think has done more harm to his reputation than the sponsorship deal. Let's say he comes out swinging and starts winning,that's going to make the Ray Alley situation that much worse.JMHO's.


I disagree....In AMERICAN BUSINESS, as cut throat as it is, the due diligience of the board of directors of a major corporation have and require a "No Compete" clause in any person that has the "keys to the kingdom" position or proprietary knowledge of something closely guarded....like Allan Johnsons Army tune up for example........The Ray Alley/Bernstein thing is the equivalent of the Chief Chemist of Coca-Cola being lured away by Pepsi Cola for a fortune....

Bernstein ruined his image for me. This is down right "Mule Skinning"

He's not a "Monster" kind of guy in my eyes...as far as a marketing tool goes anyway, he's what ? 70 yrs old now ?....

If he wanted a "safe" crew chief, he should have hired Dale Armstrong back, which he still might do anyway...Ray Alley "sold" his position of Director of Competition of the NHRA fuel teams for a price that KB was willing to pay. Not as a Crew Chief, but as a "Consultant"....The "cold war" of NHRA has begun !

I doubt he will "Crew Chief" anything....but he will do a lot of whispering into that new chiefs ear.

By the way.....Didnt Alley fire Bernstein as a driver ...back in the day ?

[enraeh]

Am I going to get a refund on my forever red retirement tour hat?

During Indy qualifying, Prudhome was asked if he would like to drive again and he said, among other things, "When you announce a farewell tour and take money off people for collectibles then you're back out there a couple of years later...well that's just not right. Iwould never do that."

[oldrodsrule]

Let's face it. The key in a lot of this will be what IHRA and Mr. Knoll do. I can't even begin to imagine what might be going through Mr. Knoll's head at this time. In my humble opinion; He has done the most for drag racing than anyone else has over the last 3-4 years, and I appluad him for that. Plus he has good values (he just gave $10.000 to Young LIfe). Let's all hope that this big mess will turn out for the good and not the bad. I love drag racing, but I feel that the new point system might be the final pull and lead to the undoing of nhra's major hold a drag racing. And as for KB, he just became his worst enemy! GO IHRA. Now for some asprine or a bear (miller time, not a sbud)

[DanLynch]

Alll geiger does is spew NHRA propaganda.

He is going to be like a lost puppy dog this weekend with EE not being at Reading...

[DanLynch]

During Indy qualifying, Prudhome was asked if he would like to drive again and he said, among other things, "When you announce a farewell tour and take money off people for collectibles then you're back out there a couple of years later...well that's just not right. Iwould never do that."

I was just watching that the other night... That was a major kick in the you know where to Bernstein... I loved it...

[512 T/F]

Agreed.... Snake is a stand-up guy.

[fuelfan]

I can see Matco wanting to take on the two Doug's in their dragsters for the tool wars.

I wonder why Matco didn't operate a top fueler at DSR if they wanted a dragster?

Maybe they wanted away from DSR?


Now, where's Craftsman???

[RCN4HIM]

"When you announce a farewell tour and take money off people for collectibles then you're back out there a couple of years later...well that's just not right. Iwould never do that."[/QUOTE]

Amen - Now I know why Prudhome was my hero in the 70's :D

[RCN4HIM]

He is going to be like a lost puppy dog this weekend with EE not being at Reading...


Hilarious ;)

[ramcharger]

I can see Matco wanting to take on the two Doug's in their dragsters for the tool wars.

I wonder why Matco didn't operate a top fueler at DSR if they wanted a dragster?

Maybe they wanted away from DSR?


Now, where's Craftsman???

You don't honestly think The Don would pay for competition to his son do you???? Can you imaging him telling Matco they have to tank so Tony can win??

[fuelfan]

You don't honestly think The Don would pay for competition to his son do you???? Can you imaging him telling Matco they have to tank so Tony can win??

Did DSR tell Evan Knoll that when he sponsored Melanie Troxel?

[enraeh]

"When you announce a farewell tour and take money off people for collectibles then you're back out there a couple of years later...well that's just not right. Iwould never do that."

Amen - Now I know why Prudhome was my hero in the 70's :D[/QUOTE]

Prudhome and Garlits are class acts and true pioneers of the sport in it's youth and coming of age....but don't get me wrong, I admire Kenny Bernstein's career and what he has been able to do for sponsorships and visibility of the sport. Plus back in the eighties, when everyone else was wandering in the wilderness, KB and "double A" Dale were inovating with 2 speed blowers and racepak data computers...I was at World Finals last year walking down nitro alley and noticed that it looked like a scratch and dent sale. Then I walked up to KB/BB trailer and hospitality area and everything was pristine...that shows pride and a sense of what you represent to the public and promotion of yourself and your sport...now KB might have pulled some fast ones getting the Monster deal, I can't say. But I think they (KB & Alley & new crew) are going to have their hands full living up to what they have gotten themselves into, what with the ill will they seem to have created;)