DEVELOPING: NHRA To Have Tax-Exempt Status Challenged...?

An NHRA member ((translation- either a driver or a member of a racing team)) has filed an anonymous complaint with the Internal Revenue Service, claiming it actually operates as a for-profit business and is in violation of its tax-exempt status.

Filed on January 12th by a Washington, D.C., law firm- Caplin and Drysdale- the complaint contends the NHRA is set up to "benefit its management rather than serve the 80,000-or-so members it represents."

Marcus Owens, the attorney of record, claims that the NHRA is run more like NASCAR and the IHRA which are for-profit enterprises. The release from the law firm also details the idea that there are possibly:

"...questionable governance structures and compensation practices. Though the Association boasts an 80,000 member roster, members do not possess voting rights to elect an independent Board of Directors to approve compensation and other matters pertaining to its Officers and Directors."

The NHRA denied it operates as a for-profit business and complies with federal tax laws as a 501c6 corporation- and has for almost 60 years.

Here's the original letter from Owens... it's an interesting read...

And here's what the NHRA does on a weekly basis... with reported revenue, two years ago, of over US$122-million.
((HT: NHRA/LitbyNoonProductions))

Second NHRA Death In 2010 Happens In Seattle

Top Alcohol Dragster driver Mark Niver was killed Sunday during the Northwest Nationals when his car folded onto itself after slamming into the netting at the end of the track.

The NHRA is looking into the accident. A spokesman for the NHRA declined comment when asked for more information about what went down, saying their investigation had just started.

The parachutes immediately ripped cleanly from the dragster when they were triggered as Niver crossed the finish line. He couldn't get the car slowed enough or stopped before going into the sand pit at the end of the quarter-mile.

Niver was 60 years old...

Here's ESPN's coverage with Paul Page as your lead...


Or here, off a television if the four-letter pulls their own video...
((HT: ESPN/NHRA/brockclark))


The other incident in NHRA this year happened about a month ago in New Jersey when Neal Parker's funny car had parachutes that did not open before the end of their run.

Another Drag Racing Crash At Raceway Park

Authorities have identified the drag racing driver killed in an accident at a New Jersey Raceway as 58-year-old Neal Parker of the New Jersey town of Millville.

New Jersey State Police say Parker's alcohol-fueled funny car ran through a net at the end of the track and he died of head injuries.

The accident occurred Friday morning during a qualifying round.

The accident comes nearly two years after top racer Scott Kalitta died when his Funny Car burst into flames and crashed at the end of the track.

Here's a look back at that crash...
((HT: NHRA/TICAOOOOOOO))


Remember, it's been a rough year for the sport...
Back in February, a spectator died after being hit by a flying tire from a dragster at the NHRA Arizona Nationals. A woman was watching a Top Fuel run of Antron Brown's dragster went out of control and the left rear wheel came off.

Here's the first report of that story from our friends at KTVK-TV/AZ3

Fan Killed By Flying Tire At NHRA Event In Arizona

A woman was killed Sunday at the NHRA Lucas Slick Mist Nationals outside Phoenix when she was struck by debris from an accident involving Top Fuel driver Antron Brown.

Brown was racing Troy Buff when, apparently, Brown lost a cylinder coming out of the start. The left-rear wheel and tire came off. The car then flipped onto its right side, slid across the track and hit and climbed the left-lane retaining wall. There was a flash of flame from spilled fuel as the car came to a stop.

There was also a danger of oil from Brown's car creating an additional spark if it was to add to the gasoline, but luckily, that did not occur.

According to a witness, the woman was watching video monitors of the event when the tire hit her.

“I saw the fire come down into the stands,” said Anthony Bailey. “I saw some other parts come into the stands, too. After that, it was a lot of panic. There were a lot people running around, not knowing what to do.”The NHRA said Brown was uninjured in the accident.

"We're racers and we race and I'm ok," Brown said in a statement released by his team, Don Schumacher Racing. "It all happened so quickly and I want to thank the NHRA Safety Safari for being there so quickly to help get me out of the car and also the track medical team for tending to me so quickly."

The release said Brown went to Chandler Regional Hospital for further observation.

Here's KTVK's coverage of the event in Chandler
((HT: AZFamily.com))


Here's coverage from ABC15 in Phoenix with Eric English...


Here's the release from the NHRA...

A woman who was struck by a tire earlier today at the NHRA Arizona Nationals at Firebird International Raceway was pronounced dead at Good Samaritan Hospital this evening. The tire became detached from Antron Brown's dragster following an incident during the first round of eliminations. Brown was not injured.

NHRA is investigating the incident. The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today's incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman's family and friends.

John Force Fined $10-Grand For Bumping Official

And for wanting to throw down with a now-former friend...
Old dude fight, old dude fight...

((HT: ESPN/NHRA/Bumps Notes edit))

From the NHRA their own selves...

Funny Car racer John Force has been fined $10,000 by NHRA for an incident involving physical contact with an NHRA official Monday, Sept. 7, during the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis.

Videotape from the event showed Force making physical contact with an NHRA official at the top end of the racetrack during a confrontation with fellow Funny Car driver Tony Pedregon.

Such physical contact violates the Participant Conduct policy as stated in the 2009 NHRA Rulebook. The fine, which Force can appeal, must be paid in full prior to participation at any future NHRA event.

In the semifinals, with Robert Hight needing to beat Force to knock Cruz Pedregon out of the 10th spot in the Countdown, Force smoked his tires midway through the run as Hight pulled away. After Tony Pedregon lost to Force-Hood in the second semifinal, he walked past Force and accused him of losing on purpose.

Those of us at OSG HQ think that we see this in NASCAR all the time...
It's called blocking...

If you have the better car, show it...
As we say: Don't just sing it, bring it...

C'mon, Gerould...


The end result was that Ashley Force-Hood became the first woman to ever win the US Nationals in a Funny Car...
Huzzahs to you and yours...
Another contender for Quote of Tne Year- "My kid whipped his ass..."