HORSEPOWER & HEELS

Sad to admit, Geiger is dead-on with his prediction: If Tony Schumacher cannot bring home an ESPY for his amazing championship year, then drag racing has little hope of ever gaining its due acceptance or accolades in the motorsports world.

But why is drag racing constantly being overlooked? The NHRA fan base is just as loyal, the sport itself has more accessibility, and more overall membership (with the inclusion of sportsman ranks) than any other motorsport. Why are we left constantly in the shadows of NASCAR, IRL, and others?

I had high hopes when Ashley Force won the AOL Hottest Athlete contest a few years back. She beat some big celebrity athletes, including IRL's darling Danica Patrick, for the coveted title. Obviously, Ashley is gorgeous, but I felt that it was more the support of the drag racing world that helped edge out the tight competitions. And her win against NFL superstars made it all the more hopeful that Drag Racing's day was finally about to arrive.

But what about now? Up against the commercial juggernaut of NASCAR's legion, will drag racing be left by the wayside again?

It will unless we stand and rally NOW. Voting continues until July 11th on the ESPY nominations. Each and every drag racing fan should be voting.... I'm somewhat dismayed to learn that NHRA's promotion of the fan voting event was limited to small releases only. It requires a free registration, but really folks... let's not let Tony go down without a fight!

Deadline: July 11th

Please tell your friends!