Dear Len Imbrongo, NHRA, and all the other people who dont care about sportsman cars

[Jason Oldfield]

I know Ed isn't the most popular person on this board, but I tend to agree. Really...why should there be any distinction among the sportsman racers? And I'm not even saying that any of the greats would even ask for any differentiation. I know Dan Fletcher and Peter Biondo personally, and they're two of the most humble racers out there. I've never met David Rampy, but have heard the same about him. Its really a shame that money plays into it.

That said, I'm a realist, and nobody ever said life was fair. From a racing perspective, I'm a nobody and though I'd love to be treated the same as Dan Fletcher or Peter Biondo, that's just not going to happen, especially since they're involved with companies that spend their advertising dollars with NHRA. So, if I want to be treated the same as the big name sportsman racers, I know I'm going to have to go out and earn it.

As for the weather, I feel bad for all you guys that ended up having to wait around. But, that's the way it goes. Sorry your first event wasn't a memorable one, but it could have been worse. Your first event could have been Houston earlier this year that was postponed a week for some, and MONTHS for others (S/St won't be run until Dallas(!) this fall). My first national event ever from a competition standpoint was the 1990 Springnationals in Columbus. It was FLOODED out. The water was up to the bottom of our trailer. We were lucky though...we actually loaded our car in the trailer overnight. Many others didn't, and came back to the track the following morning to find their car with 2 ft. of water in it. I don't remember when the make-up race was, but we couldn't go back. So, the conclusion of our first race was run at the 1991 Columbus Springnationals. My 2nd NHRA national event? The 2004 fall event at Chicago (I didn't have the best pit spot there either...I was one of about 20 rigs parked on the wrong side of the track).

Anyway, I'm not trying to make you feel like you shouldn't be disappointed with the way your first national event went. But, my guess is that your expectations were unrealistically high. Feel lucky that you even had the opportunity to go, as you never know what might come up in life that keeps you from attending again.

[Sean Kennedy]

I really thought i was done with this but i have a few more comments.

Thanks to all you who didnt just berate me.

First, I lost because of my inexperience, not because of the weather, so I am not blaming the weather, or the delays, for my loss. I lost on my own dumb *** accord.

Tommy Gaynor,
The way you talk, you sound like i need to win championships to deserve anyones respect. I dont expect to be treated like the big boys, but everyone deserves a little respect. (except me apparently)

I got a little hot headed and didn't explain myself fully. My real problem with parking was that lots of people with big rigs got there after us and got better spots, and thats not even that bad. What really irks me, is that they repaved part of the pit so that the pros could be all pitted together. But the thing is, they didn't move are pit area somewhere else. They gave the pros what was formerly the stock super stock pits, and let them keep all the space they already had.

I'm even cool with the champs getting good pit spaces, and the guys that run the circuit for a living. That doesn't really bug me.

Jason Oldfield,
The funny thing is, i went into this weekend with the 'half-empty' attitude. I expected things to be bad, just not as bad as they were. I have spectated at this race for the previous 13 years before racing it, and what they did this year stunned me. Between stealing the only decent sportsman pit, and giving most of the field one run, those are my real points.

Call me what you want, those two things are still totaly wrong.

I didnt' think anyone would pat me on the back for saying what i said, i didn't expect sympathy really either. but what i DID NOT expect was to be called names or berated to the point i was.



Sean "ignorant asshat" Kennedy (I think i'm going to put that on my car LOL!)

[Jason Oldfield]

Ignorant Asshat,

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I hate to say this, but I guess it just comes with experience. My 2nd trip to Chicago was the ONLY time that i can remember having a decent pit experience. Heck, I even got a bad pit spot at Englishtown. Impossible you say as Englishtown is all blacktop? Ha! As I know where the secret crappy parking is at Englishtown...in the area PAST where they usually park the S/S guys, where its nothing but mushy rocks!

Honestly, I probably let this type of thing bug me more than it should. But, as a sportsman racer that does this for FUN, it annoys the crap out of me when I have to drive through a mud bog to get to my pit area (and hence track mud all over my trailer and RV), or when I have a 2 mile drive up to the staging lanes. But, I've generally come to grips with the fact that I'm going to get the WORST pit space possible at NHRA national events. Unfortunately, I can't afford to take an extra day off of work to ensure a better pit spot, so I generally get the worst of the worst. If I'm lucky, I win first round and then get to move someplace better (by asking nicely, of course!)

Add that to the fact that I don't think I've EVER had more than 2 time runs at an NHRA national event, and I've generally come to expect the worst. Before I started going to national events again, I was told that with the new quota system that we'd get at least 3 time runs, and in most cases 4 time runs. It doesn't happen...at least not here in the Northeast. It's just not common for us to have 4 straight days of perfect weather, so we're always battling rain, and losing a run because of it (not to mention dealing with muddy pits).

So, again, sorry that it was worse than you even anticipated. But, this is the way its going to be from now until...well...I won't even go there...

Hopefully your next event will go better (but not if I'm there, because I'm sure if I went to Vegas they'd get torrential downpours there)...

[Sean Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Jason Oldfield

Ignorant Asshat,

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I think i'm going to keep the nickname, it makes me laugh pretty hard.

[RULER]

This must be the same Sean Kennedy that was busting the div-6 directors balls because there were only 50 spots for stock but it looks like you got in now your crying about the way the race went. The road go's both ways you didn't have to be there and you aren't going to gain any respect by crying on the internet or in person so why don't you crawl back under your rock.

[John H186]

Hello Jason.

I have a question about your E-Town parking experience. As a weekly racer and employee there, I can only assume that you are talking about the area by the lake, known as the 400 lot, as this is the only spot with even the slightest amount of rock towards the rear of the lot. If so, I know for a fact that, due to no Stock at the event, there was a ton of room in that lot to have been able to park your car on blacktop. I know that the NHRA puts you in a certain spot and that is usually it but there was more than enough blacktop in that lot to not have parked on the rocks as you are stating. Why not just simply move?

[Jim Blankenship]

hummmmm like this something new to happen.
it rains it's gona happen.
bad pit parking is gona happen.
least ya got to race, the super cars at memphis had to park in round track parking lot for " 3 " days before they sent some local kid that worked for track to tell us to
"GO HOME " we did run nats at the div race later in years. oh sat it rained so hard couldn't see my car beside the truck(i was in truck).
what about the stock, super stock that ran houston parked at a mall ran on monday or some other time.
the " gators " at orlando comes to mind also.
things are gona happen sooner or later.
maybe in 09 when all we get to race at is sportsnat they will have the one per div at a large track where all will have good pit sites.

ok just my .02

jim

[Sean Kennedy]

Originally Posted by RULER

This must be the same Sean Kennedy that was busting the div-6 directors balls because there were only 50 spots for stock but it looks like you got in now your crying about the way the race went. The road go's both ways you didn't have to be there and you aren't going to gain any respect by crying on the internet or in person so why don't you crawl back under your rock.

I haven't talked to anyone from NHRA. So thats not really possible.

I'm trying to be nice, but this is starting to bug me.

[Harry 6674]

Hey RULER at least Sean has the BALLS to use his name.

[Chuck Beach]

Guys,
I have to agree with Ed on this one. Just because you are a professional racer shouldn't mean you should get special treatment. I would like to think that if I pay $250.00 to enter a national event, take time off work to go (usually vaction time), fuel for the truck, fuel for the car, hotel expense, food, etc. that I should get at least a decent place to park my rig regardless of the size. No one has control over the weather but to push the sportsman racer farther and farther away from the staging lanes is getting absurd. I have been racing since the late 70's and I have been parked in some pretty remote places at national events as well as divisionals. Last year at Indy NHRA blocked off a large area for the PM's and they didn't fill half of it. Whether we are sportsman racers or pros we are still competitors. We are still part of the show. We the sportsman racers are paying to compete and should be given a decent place to pit. I think there are plenty of fans out there that still like to see stock and super stock. I know things have changed over the years but this sport was built on stock and super stock, not bracket racing or pros. At the rate things are going NHRA will be lucky to fill the pro fields at a lot of the races. The alky classes very seldom have a full field. I know we need to adapt but at least make us feel like we are part of the show .....