BILL STEPHENS “IN THE GROOVE” 6/1/09

So anyway, like I was saying……

I know, that’s an old joke, but in all seriousness I’m so glad to be able to return here to johnforceracing.com and contribute my post-race thoughts and insights after every NHRA national event.

My TV schedule and other assorted media duties have been requiring a lot of my attention this year, but now that some of the dust has cleared, I’m looking forward to resuming my ITG beat for the foreseeable future. I won’t go into surgical detail on what I’ve been working on since I last checked in here, but I’ve had the chance to work on a bunch of very intriguing and enjoyable projects, from commentating on the Mecum Muscle Car auctions on Discovery HD Theater, to providing the play-by-play on the Toyota Pro Celebrity Race on SPEED, to working the pits on national coverage of the Atlantic Championship Series, to producing automobile video reviews for Vehix.com and J.D. Power & Associates.

Yup, I’ve been busy.

But what really strikes me is how much the drag racing world has changed in the last 12 months—I mean dramatic, significant change. Last June at this time, little did we know we would be losing Scott Kalitta in that dreadful accident in Englishtown in a matter of weeks; that following the accident, the NHRA would enact sweeping changes in the nitro classes to increase safety—including shortening the track to 1000-feet; that the world economy was a couple of months away from going into reverse and several of the sport’s most popular drivers (Tommy Johnson Jr., Melanie Troxel, Hillary Will, Hot Rod Fuller, etc.) would be without rides in 2009; that we would be seeing such automotive giants as GM and Chrysler forced into bankruptcy and Chapter 11 reorganization.

Like I said, we had no idea what kind of changes were in the wind at this point in 2008.

But having acknowledged that, what also strikes me is that the NHRA Full Throttle Series hasn’t folded up in the face of all these changes. In fact, the 2009 schedule is soon be approaching the midway point (Topeka was event No. 9 out of 24) and although there are fewer pro entries at the majority of the events, the racing itself has been super and the Countdown battles will really be heating up as we head into the summer. The crowds have been impressive despite the unemployment and corporate austerity which has thrown the country into a suffocating recession and things will pick up the pace even further as the season charges ahead.

So, it’s great to be back with JFR and I hope we’ll all be celebrating another championship out in Yorba Linda in just six months. Ashley almost picked up another win in Topeka on Sunday and seeing her and “Daddio” qualify No. 1 and 2 may have been a sign of things to come this year. Next week, we’ll be racing in Austin’s hometown of Chicago and the track, Route 66 Raceway, where John has done some of his best work. That may give the JFR bunch a little bit of an edge.

How will things shake out? I’ll be watching right along with you and be checking back in right here after the race next week. Until then, please remember that everyone at JFR hopes you don’t forget to buckle up and drive safely!