What reader having any interest in motor sports could not have been captivated by comments Dallas Gardner, president of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), made during his interview in the May issue of this publication.

Mind you, that statement is not made as a shameless promotion of this magazine. It is simply to say that insight into the inner workings of NHRA and the motivations of its staff is welcome - and necessary. All information is especially vital these days as the association strives to improve its visibility in the motorsports world and the entertainment industry and to regain eroded credibility with fans, racers, media, track operators and sponsors.

One of Gardner's most striking statements was: "The thing is that we now, for the very first time, have a very comprehensive strategic plan." One response could be to congratulate NHRA for belatedly recognizing its problems sufficiently to spend the time, money and staff energy to prepare such a plan, which is in effect three years. Gardner certainly would like NHRA and himself to be praised for showing leadership that people often have said the organization lacks.

However, why didn't NHRA, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2001, develop such an in-depth plan years ago? A strategic plan is required by virtually every business aiming for continual growth. NHRA should have prepared one as a routine business practice and subjected the details to a thorough review annually and perhaps undergo a major overhaul every five years. Had such plans been developed, perhaps NHRA would not have encountered such difficulties and been subjected to so much criticism.

About the plan, Gardner said NHRA will hire experts as needed for proper guidance. Expertise will not be contracted immediately, as he said, "But first, everyone needs to be educated, including us, the racers and the industry. We've started to make presentations to a number of racers and sponsors. We plan on expanding that, too." In what ways? What is being said during those presentations and who is doing them?

NHRA needs to keep its membership fully informed about the plan through ongoing articles in National Dragster and press releases. They could include people's reactions that re-affirm or challenge Gardner's statement that "We've found so far that the people we've talked to walk away feeling good about us. They feel that NHRA has direction, and they want to be a part of it."

A plan is no good if it isn't put into action, so NHRA's members have to know what's happening.

After all, Gardner emphasized repeatedly the story of drag racing needs to be told better. While talking about TNN's "more compelling" presentation of drag racing on TV, he said, "That approach could do a better job of exposing the stars of our sport and showcasing the personalities that have the ability to really shine. We have to do a better job of storytelling. If you look at any successful sports program, you'll find the development of the stars has been the absolute critical ingredient."

His statement represents a dramatic shift in the NHRA mindset that for decades has dictated, "The cars are the stars." Translated, the phrase means NHRA put the racing vehicles before the people in the sport - the drivers, owners, crew chiefs, mechanics, crewmembers, engine and chassis builders, component manufacturers and a wide variety of other people, including track operators and sponsors. None of them was as important or interesting as the vehicles, which NHRA assumed were the main reason fans went to races.

NHRA is hoping a people focus will elevate interest in drag racing among the public that is seeking entertainment, but lacks knowledge about the intricacies of the vehicles. As intriguing as racing vehicles are, most people relate foremost to other people. Also, in most of the major sports - football, baseball, basketball, golf and even the admittedly "fake" pro wrestling - the athletes are showcased, celebrated and promoted because of their extraordinary feats. The same applies to most motorsports, but drag racing is an exception. Romping in a vehicle down a straight quarter-mile requires more mental sharpness than physical skill, both in the pits and on the track. Fans, new and old, need to know that.

Yet, the car-as-the-star philosophy cannot be entirely ignored in any new marketing efforts. Through the decades, people have become hooked on the componentry and technology that change constantly as the vehicles go quicker and faster with greater consistency. If their needs are not addressed, these veteran fans also may lose interest, and they won't be available to educate newcomers about the sport. Gardner realized that "the challenge is not to talk down to our core audience either. Our job is to target entertainment to the potential new fan in order to grow, but not at the expense of our hard-core fan."

The common ingredient for NHRA success is education of all fans. It must be ongoing, since changes constantly occur among the people and vehicles in the sport. Gardner said, "If you don't get educated in drag racing pretty quickly, you don't develop a stake in it. If you don't have a stake in it, ... you'll lose interest. If we can help make that connection between the fan and the sport, we've done a good job. We must educate the fan."

Understandably, an incredible amount of weight is placed on the power of television's audience numbers to tell NHRA's and the racers' stories. But, NHRA must reach out to a wide variety of media. The association also could show unprecedented leadership through people and technology features in National Dragster. The new plan was unveiled for NHRA staff members last December, but curiously nothing has changed in Dragster because its pages are still largely devoid of features that immediately would meet Gardner's primary objectives of telling stories and educating customers.

Unfortunately, that indicates NHRA may be reluctant to alter its entrenched business practices. If those practices do not change profoundly and soon, NHRA may find its prestige in motorsports and entertainment eroding further and may see people seeking more personally satisfying alternatives. With drag racing at such a critical juncture, three years is a long time to wait.