CLASS RACER FORUM - View Single Post - No really. What are NHRA racers going to do?

Rollins_2241 · 11-10-2011, 10:40 AM

As much as many people, particularly bracket racers, don't want to admit it, there are some unique features of NHRA drag racing that keep me coming back:

Publicity. ND has a much wider circulation than any other sanctioning body's. Yes, they mostly get read on the toilet, but I get calls for months after winning an NHRA race from people who read about it. Quick: who won the Thursday $10K bracket race at SGMP? Yeah, they had one. No, I don't remember either. And I was in at 7 cars. But I know who's leading the Jeg's points in Top Dragster or is national champ in Super Stock.

Safety. I crashed and could have died this year - at an NHRA-owned track with an ALS ambulance there for a test and tune. I shudder to think what would have happened at some other tracks. That stuff costs money. When you race at a Lucas Oil or Full Throttle event, that's what you're paying for. They actually care if your helmet is on in the shutdown area. They care if you are wearing arm restraints in the water box (if I hadn't been, my wife would be wiping my butt for the rest of my life). Nothing else matters once the shiny side is no longer up.

Fair competition. Yes, electronics and other issues have advanced faster than they can keep up. At least they weigh the cars, care about the rules, put cars on a ladder the same way every race, and keep the points updated. How many of you have seen a "house car" "put back in the race" at a big-buck bracket event after a "bad timing issue"?

Schedule. I'm too old to race until 3 in the morning four days in a row. Those days were fun in the old B&M series and such, but I like knowing what they plan to do and when. No, they can't control the weather, and neither can IHRA.

Their biggest weakness is "not invented here" mentality. Their senior staff should all be required to "mystery shop" by attending, as a racer or spectator, one IHRA, one ADRL, one big-buck bracket race, and one heads-up outlaw race per year, to see how other events are putting thousands of spectators in the seats and 400 cars in the pits. What works and what doesn't. Then they should contact every lapsed member they can find from the past 5 years and do a quick survey of why. Finally, they should poll racers who quit or have not run a class when they consider a rules change - not the current population of class racers whose primary interest is protecting their competitive position.

That was more than two cents, but thanks for listening.

11-10-2011, 10:40 AM	#8
Rollins_2241 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 170 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: No really. What are NHRA racers going to do? As much as many people, particularly bracket racers, don't want to admit it, there are some unique features of NHRA drag racing that keep me coming back: Publicity. ND has a much wider circulation than any other sanctioning body's. Yes, they mostly get read on the toilet, but I get calls for months after winning an NHRA race from people who read about it. Quick: who won the Thursday $10K bracket race at SGMP? Yeah, they had one. No, I don't remember either. And I was in at 7 cars. But I know who's leading the Jeg's points in Top Dragster or is national champ in Super Stock. Safety. I crashed and could have died this year - at an NHRA-owned track with an ALS ambulance there for a test and tune. I shudder to think what would have happened at some other tracks. That stuff costs money. When you race at a Lucas Oil or Full Throttle event, that's what you're paying for. They actually care if your helmet is on in the shutdown area. They care if you are wearing arm restraints in the water box (if I hadn't been, my wife would be wiping my butt for the rest of my life). Nothing else matters once the shiny side is no longer up. Fair competition. Yes, electronics and other issues have advanced faster than they can keep up. At least they weigh the cars, care about the rules, put cars on a ladder the same way every race, and keep the points updated. How many of you have seen a "house car" "put back in the race" at a big-buck bracket event after a "bad timing issue"? Schedule. I'm too old to race until 3 in the morning four days in a row. Those days were fun in the old B&M series and such, but I like knowing what they plan to do and when. No, they can't control the weather, and neither can IHRA. Their biggest weakness is "not invented here" mentality. Their senior staff should all be required to "mystery shop" by attending, as a racer or spectator, one IHRA, one ADRL, one big-buck bracket race, and one heads-up outlaw race per year, to see how other events are putting thousands of spectators in the seats and 400 cars in the pits. What works and what doesn't. Then they should contact every lapsed member they can find from the past 5 years and do a quick survey of why. Finally, they should poll racers who quit or have not run a class when they consider a rules change - not the current population of class racers whose primary interest is protecting their competitive position. That was more than two cents, but thanks for listening.