NHRA News: National DRAGSTER editor Burgess awarded gold medal for writing (11/23/2004)

National DRAGSTER editor Burgess awarded gold medal for writing

Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
11/23/2004

National DRAGSTER Editor Phil Burgess was presented a gold medal for newspaper column writing at the prestigious 2004 International Automotive Media Awards in New York City Tuesday, Nov. 16. Burgess, a 22-year veteran of National DRAGSTER and editorial director for all NHRA publications, was recognized for his Staging Light column that appeared in the July 2, 2004, issue of the magazine.

"It's quite an honor to win this award," Burgess said. "Any time we can bring positive attention to the sport of NHRA drag racing it's exciting. As a writer, you strive to make all of your stories worthy of winning awards, but of course there are hundreds of writers out there all trying to outshine one another. Considering the other finalists in the category, I'm very flattered to have taken the gold medal."

In a ceremony hosted by the Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving & Chowder Society at Sardi's Restaurant in Manhattan, Burgess was named a gold medal winner alongside Jim Mateja of the Chicago Tribune. At the same time, Tim Spell of the Houston Chronicle, Steven Cole Smith of the Orlando Sentinel, and Louise Ann Noeth of the Goodguys Gazette all received silver medals, while Marc Stengel of the Nashville Scene was awarded a bronze medal.

Below, in its entirety, is Burgess' award-winning column.

"Advice is a form of nostalgia; dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth." Those insightful words, penned by Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich and immortalized in Baz Luhrmann's 1999 hit song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)," tickled my fancy as I enjoyed my 15th Father's Day. As I dispensed my usual sage advice to my offspring (such as "Never put anything in you're your ear that's smaller than your elbow" and "Don't accept e-mail from strangers"), it struck me that my 35-plus years of drag racing fandom and 22-plus years at National DRAGSTER might entitle me to share my quarter-mile wisdom with our readers, especially those of you who weren't even born when I first slid behind the keys of a clackety-clacking manual typewriter. I will dispense this advice now:

Win humbly, lose gracefully, compete honestly.

Remember those who helped you on the way up, because they're the ones most likely to be there for you on your way down.

We can't all be champions; some of us were put here for other reasons. Think about it.

Treasure each win as if it were your last, because you never know when it might be.

Trophies are made from bronze and wood, you're flesh and blood. It's much better to lose one of the former than any of the latter.

Call home every night from the races and thank your family for their support and patience.

Consistency might not win every race, but in the long haul, it's the way to go.

The media is like your spouse; be honest and open with them and they'll love you forever.

Treat every fan as you would the chief executive officer of a major sponsor, because he or she may well be.

Wally Parks still doesn't get enough credit for what he did for us all. Remember that the next time you see him.

Pretty doesn't equal fast, but win or lose it sure makes you look like a better racer.

The throttle pedal works both ways; don't be afraid to lift.

Don't look down your nose at anyone's car; you might end up looking down your nose at their taillights.

Luck is where preparation meets opportunity, and your opponent misjudges the finish line.

Take only as much stripe as you need.

Few ideas are wrong in their conception. It takes a racetrack to prove otherwise. Experiment. Innovate. Invent.

Any ink is good ink, as long as they spell your name right. However, no rumor is worth ruining someone's career.

Your crew is your family; remember that they want to win as badly as you do. Their fate is in your hands, and yours in theirs.

Respect the sport and the good name that its pioneers worked so hard to forge. You're part of something that has taken more than 50 years to build, and it's a project that will never be finished.

The track officials aren't out to "get" you.

Track food isn't always bad.

The other lane is not always better.

Love thy pit neighbor, and loan your tools and help if needed.

Protect your ears; you'll need them to hear your grandchildren laugh at your memories of internal combustion power.

You're probably not the next John Force, but it never hurts to believe you are.

Treat every loss as a learning opportunity. Figure out what you could have done better, what you never should have done, and what you'll do next time.

Thou shalt not kill thine index, unless it's really, really necessary. Remember, it takes a sport to make a class, but only one person to destroy an index.

Autographs are cheap and easy to give; don't be stingy.

Share what you have learned with your friends, and teach what you have learned to your opponents.

Fans love drivers who prove human, but they grow weary of superhumans.

Today's racers may be more educated than those of yesterday, but don't go around bragging that they are smarter.

Don't give yourself a nickname. It worked for "the Mongoose" and "the Ace" but precious few others.

The better you take care of your safety equipment, the better it will take care of you.

Drivers sometimes get too much credit and too much blame. So do crew chiefs. Remember, even though the starting line is a one-on-one game, drag racing is a team sport.

Shut off before you run out of room, which I will … now.

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