A few notes on this truculent Thursday:

• The NHRA kicks off its season this weekend down Pomona way.  For the sake of all parties involved, it's hoped this year is far mellower than last.  The death of Eric Medlen and severe accident that derailed John Force overshadowed what otherwise would have been the year's major story: a NASCAR-like championship points/elimination system that was and is ludicrous.

  If ever a racing series needed to use all results from the entire season, it's NHRA.  Drag racing is the most mercurial form of racing in existence.  You're not guaranteed a spot in final eliminations no matter where you are in the standings, and massaging one of those nitro-fueled snarling beasts down the track while it's doing its utmost best to spin the tires and/or shake itself and you to a standstill while tapdancing on the edge of tearing itself apart and taking you with it... no, you really don't need any artificial ingredients to make this dish any hotter.

  NHRA has a few inherent advantages over NASCAR in terms of fan interaction.  The pits are wide open, perfect not only for taking advantage of how every driver is available at times during the day for a picture and an autograph but also watching the greased ballet of teams tearing a car down to the chassis to make sure it survived its most recent dance with self-destruction and then rebuilding it again for another blast down the track.  All in less time than it takes your average auto shop to write up an estimate.  It also boasts genuine driver diversity, for here the ladies first rip your heart out of your chest by simply walking in the room... and then have you eating your heart out by smoking your sorry self as they lay down a run you couldn't match in a month of Sundays.  Love hurts.

  There's another element woven into the NHRA tapestry that can't be described, only experienced: the sound.  You think you've heard loud before?  Uh-uh.  There is no loud like the loud of two top fuel dragsters or funny cars simultaneously firing it up.  It is beyond loud.  It transcends loud.  It is transform your sternum into an instant eardrum loud.  It is drown out the Apocalypse loud.  It RULES!!!

  Hey, I love NASCAR (obviously).  But NHRA is something special.  Get into it if you're not already there.  You will not be disappointed.

• A big RPT and SBN welcome to yet another traditional media member who has seen the light and embraced blogging purity in addition to his regular gig.  Josh Stewart at the Long Island Press joins us at As The World Turns (Left).  Probably shouldn't ask him about that whole track on Long Island deal, though.
• Speaking of this blogging thing, your not-so humble blogger here noted the announcement yesterday his scribbles are in the top five most influential NASCAR blogs according to the fine people at Sports Media Challenge.  Since their statistics are based on data analysis as opposed to a popularity contest, they carry some weight.  I'm flattered to be in there.  Here's the list in order:
  1. The Daly Planet (http://dalyplanet.blogspot.com)
     
  2. From the Marbles (http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/nascar_marbles)
     
  3. One Bad Wheel (http://www.onebadwheel.com/blog/)
     
  4. Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie (http://benchracing.onpitrow.com/)
     
  5. Restrictor Plate This (http://www.restrictorplatethis.com/)
     
  6. Answer This... (http://drinkthis.typepad.com/answer_this/)
     
  7. NASCAR Ranting and Raving (http://4ever3canadianeh.blogspot.com/)
     
  8. Kathy's Pit Stop (http://blogs.thatsracin.com/kathyspitstop/)
     
  9. Life in the Turn Lane (http://turn-lane.blogspot.com/)
     
  10. Full Throttle (http://cranialcavity.net/fullthrottle/wp/index.php)
  
  Out of curiosity, a look at the other nine blogs named for their reaction to the news reveals five of them mentioning the list (The Daly Planet, Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie, Answer This, NASCAR Ranting and Raving, and Full Throttle).  Of these, four of the five print the entire list with links to all other blogs, meaning the blogger in question took the time to add the links for sites six through ten as for some reason they're not included in the press release.  For my part, I ran the press release yesterday in the NASCAR News section, with links to all blogs.

  So what did we see on the Daly Planet?

  A link to the press release, no direct or indirect mention of the other involved blogs, and another speech by Daly about how honored he was, he's doing this all for us don't you know, he's but a humble voice of the people, and a sprinkling of namedropping.

  Folks, here's a bit of advice my beloved father passed along to me one day.  When someone comes around telling you they're here for you and only you -- and keeps telling you that -- they're not here for you.  They're here to tell themselves how great they are by telling you they're here for you.  And that's all they're here for.  All.

Don't forget the "Diary For Dale" contest running throughout the month of February!  You can win one of two 2008 Dale Jr. diecast cars!  Click here for more information!