Pro Sportsman Racers

[Ken Miele]

Jok,

I think you have missed the point, THERE IS NO PROBLEM. There is nothing to fix. There are close to 4000 racers competing this year, is that not enough for you.

Your turning racer against racer, and there is no need for it by creating something that is not there.

Your article, or should I say your opinion is not based on any facts. Its based on your perception that the sportsman is dying because of the very few racers that go to more races than most. There is no logic to your article, only an emotional response that some racers have an advantage.

You have a right to your opinion, and I do not have problem with you expressing your opinion. This is not personal, but I think you would agree when you write an article such as yours, other racers like myself will disagree strongly on forums such as these. We all can not write for magazines, and thankfully we have a place to express other opinions. Articles should be based on fact not perception if they are to have any credibility.

[Andrew Hill]

One of the things I love about drag racing is that anyone can win on any given day. Sure, the "professional sportsman" racers will win more often, but they have first round losses like anybody else. I don't think it's a big secret to anyone here that to become a better racer, you have to race as often as possible. I'd love to be able to race every weekend, or sometimes multiple times a weekend when bracket racing.

However, if we were doing any other kind of racing, circle track, road courses, where there were professional sportsmen, or touring sportsmen, or whatever you want to call it, racing in a class of normal sportsmen, they would win ALL of the time. Drag racing is much closer, thousandths of a second instead of seconds margins of victory. You never know who's going to win in stock of super stock when you're beginning the weekend.

Oh yeah, and it's even cooler when you beat somebody who wins often!

[pro7474]

Just how many true PRO/Sportsman racer are there? Just what does he consider a PRO/Sportsman Racer
Guys that do nothing else for a living but race and depend on the winnings and sponsorship to pay all the bills are they a true ProSportman?. Or does going to x amount of races a year make you a ProSportsman? Or does having more than 1 racecar make you a ProSportman? Does having a rig more than 75ft long make you a ProSportman?

I can only think of a couple that I would consider a True ProSportsman Dan Flechter, David Rampy, Michael Beard, Peter Biondo but he does have a family business

Chris Lamb

[Bernie Cunningham]

Chris L,
Ya forgot ya buddy, 'The Brad', Mr. Plourd.
Should we consider the Butner camp? He has another visible means of support though and goes to a lot of races. Same for some of these guys.

We have Bertozzi, Emmons, Adkinson, Hill, Cotten, Phillips, and all of the other retired ones that fall into the same category, Who else?

When I did it, life and time and cost's were a lot easier to deal with.

What most don't know is that the dream of doing this for a living is actually a living nightmare, I've been there and done that ! Ask Dan F and Mark F, lot's of stories !!

Today with the entry costs and diesel and all the travel time, it's that crazy !! Don't forget about the liability of just pulling out of the driveway.

Please give some respect for the guy that goes out there by himself with all of the equipment necessary to compete week in and week out with a class car, no less, and you'll understand why there are less than a handful doing it. Now that the contingency has decreased it only makes it worse! Times have changed people ??

Jok, do it now and then you can report the facts, give it a try eh ???

[Geerhead55]

You're right on Bernie,, especially regarding the costs and travels and the things that can happen on the road. I certainly respect the racers out there on their own, chasing their passion. If they can make a living from it ,,, so be it,, they're earning it.
Danny Durham

[ALMACK]

If I thought I could earn a living traveling and racing I would do it.

Too risky for me to quit a nice job and gamble like that.

Hats off to those who can do it and stay afloat financially.

More power to them.

[chevy620]

Hey Bernie,
I was pretty clear that I have the utmost respect for the guys who can accomplish being a "pro Sportsman Racer", even if they don't make a living at it due to other sources of income. If they actually make a living drag racing that is incredible, I have always thought that. How could I not? I have dreamed it, tried it for several years for two and three months on the road racing but couldn't keep it going and still make house payments, etc.

I don't think those few guys that run all over the Country are the issue, I think getting a Points system and National Championship program to a place that offers the guys who have families, good jobs and limited time off from work a shot at a National Championship by not having to travel the Country is the kind of plan that would grow Sportsman Racing at the "participation level" and the enthusiasm level.

Everyone will have an opinion on this and I appreciate that. I will throw out my idea in a week or so. You can agree with it, hate it, think about it; whatever; that is what Editorial Opinions are about.

There is nothing personal in my ideas and the guys who race all over the Country should know that. They do what they do to win a National Championship because that is the format laid before laid before them. Would they like to win a National Championship and use 75% less diesel fuel? Probably. Only they really know that answer.

If nothing changes, then nothing changes. Everything must be just fine.

I just feel it is time to at least look at some options.

Jok

[MrWendy'sJr]

I can only come up with one person who I think makes his living from racing right now. David Rampy. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Why was Nolan Ryan such a great pitcher? Because he pitched 3 times as much as a normal pitcher. Was Michael Jordan born the greatest basketball player in the world? He was good enough to get on a college team but his work ethic made him the best.

We all know that seat time is the best learning tool, just never enough of it to go around. Hit the practice tree a couple hundred thousand times. Sit in your car and do practice runs in your head for as long as you can stand. Before every show the Blue Angles put on the pilots sit around a table and do the whole routine with their eyes closed talking to each other just as if they were flying. If it works for the most skilled fighter pilot's from the greatest country in the world, its good enough for me.

And why are the stands at the starting line. The race is at the finish line. Want to see what speed is, only one place to see it. The finish line spectating is a great way to lean techniques form all types of drivers and classes. Lets face it, how many people have a true grasp on a tenth, hundredth, or a thousandth of a second. I understand what these numbers (.000) represent, but what the mind can comprehend. The best can, my mind can't.

[jmcarter]

So is the premise for Jok's position that Brad Burton, Jackie Alley, etc etc (the list is very long) National Championships all flukes? Get real.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by chevy620;

I don't think those few guys that run all over the Country are the issue, I think getting a Points system and National Championship program to a place that offers the guys who have families, good jobs and limited time off from work a shot at a National Championship by not having to travel the Country is the kind of plan that would grow Sportsman Racing at the "participation level" and the enthusiasm level.


Jok

If you want a points system as you are describing,I thought IHRA had something unique.

You needed to win ONE qualifying race and you were in the Tournament of Champions,where you you could win the World Championship if you won that race.

People complained that it was not fair for someone to win the World Championship by attending and winning two races,so they got rid of it.