Part of what hurt drag racing

[Mark Yacavone]

Randy ,
I don't think the local track operators went to bracket racing back in the 70's in order to run off the spectators, but rather to keep the car counts up.
Stock ,Super Stock and Modified was already becoming scienced out and semi- professional in nature.
Add to that more *HRA regional and national events, and that's were a lot of the local cars ended up going to.
I believe we wouldn't have about half of the national and divisional tracks today, if it wasn't for bracket racing.They couldn't have survived.
Be that as it may, here we are, a generation or two later. I don't know about you, but changing the past has never been my strong suit.

Now, I agree that et/ breakout style racing is not real exciting to the average Saturday night spectator, and it shows, in most cases.
A heads up , flat out format that is truly affordable might get some of those local spectators back.
By truly affordable I mean for the average young ,working family fan...or even the average single guy.
So far, I haven't seen it.

[randy wilson]

The car counts were less at most tracks with class racing. I agree. But for instance I was at Eddyville getting my butt handed to me in 77, and 78, and they had well over 150 cars each time I went there, but it was an exception. Getting beat did not discourage me then it just made me want to do what I'd seen others do. Bethany, on the other hand was lucky to have 50 cars a week, but still had between 500, and 1,500 spectators every night clear up to 2008. There truly is a way to make an affordable class, but the naysayers say it's impossible. From what I gather is they say people will cheat it out of existence. I think they are selling it short. We had rules I helped write, and most nights races were decided by .01 to .001 from 4lbs. per c.i.d. to 11.5 lbs. per cube with a .1 handicap for every 1\2 lb. per cube. Bracket racing gets cars, but local competition gets people interested. Also, Eddyville went to bracket racing because of tech responsibility, not car count.

[randy wilson]

Also, in class racing the HRA's have added to the cost constantly without a thought. Computers, clutchless transmissions, $5,000 clutches, exotic materials, heads changing every couple years, hand fabricated manifolds, etc. To name a few. Some classes ought to be allowed that, but I think they need a class that is restricted. That's just me, and I also know we are all so divided, that nothing will ever come of it.

[goinbroke2]

The simplest answer is;
It's not an "automotive world" anymore and more importantly, there are too many other things to do for entertainment.

How many channels did tv have in the 60's/70's? I think we had 3. Add to that, the internet! Back then, if you were into volleyball but the only excitement in town was a dragrace at the local airport, you go! Now? You either watch volleyball live on the computor or tv beamed in from Australia.

The 25% of the population that was into cars are still there, but they can't drag another 50% like they used to because there is so much more out there for people to do. Those that like dragracing, are actually doing it cause nobody wants to "watch and not do".

How much to race a car...Brock, I don't know where the heck you got your numbers from, but bracket racing ensured even a street car can have fun and go rounds. If your talking Class car, then yeah it can be dang expensive....unless you talk to Billy hehe.

Just got back from the track about an hour ago, had a great time, lots of friends, lots of people in the stands (2-300 not all family) when the class cars ran, everybody stopped and watched them. I seen a 17 year old girl in 2nd place for points in street class driving a new toyota, bunch of guys helping a friend race for the first time...the sky ain't falling guys, it's just different than it used to be way back when.


Dragracing will never "stop" because it doesn't matter if it's cars, trucks, beltsanders, whatever..as long as there are two of them, somebody will line them up.

[goinbroke2]

Oh, and it's "dragracing" not "classracing" that we're talking about. (according to the thread starter) So while some perceive dragracing as "at an HRA track" there is a lot more at local tracks and local programs that are doing just fine.

(our local classracing went from about 6-8 cars about 5 years ago to about 24 cars now)

[Dick Butler]

Word from local track had been Test and Tune night paid for Bracket racing days.

Its a shame the threads on what could HELP drag racing don't get constructive support.

[goinbroke2]

And Dick would that track be one of a dozen in a 2hr radius?

Two of the local tracks here do T&T nights too, and yes they make a lot more money cause the guys just want to make passes and "go fast". But that's not what's keeping the lights on.

There are four tracks here, 2hr's, two are 4hr's and a 6hr's drive. In all of that area, the tracks still had to divide up the weekends of summer. Each have their own weekends, but the money making weekend is when the cars travel en masse to each track to chase points. Last weekend there were probably 2-250 cars total. There are radio ads, newspaper etc. It was bracket racing and class racing. Could of booked in a jet car for entertainment, but that wrecks the racing for everyone else.

Not sure what you want to fix, more spectators, period? Add fires and explosions, that'll get the "non-automotive" people, but it won't get them into dragracing, they just want to be entertained by fire and danger.
More racers? As old people quit, there ARE young ones starting in juniors and then moving up. Friends of racers trying it, etc. There are more people at the local tracks now than 10 years ago.

I see the nhra pissing people off and people stomping their feet and leaving, but that's a leadership issue in glendora. Are classes smaller, less people going to nationals etc? Yeah! Check out fuel prices, constantly changing rules, etc,etc,etc.

We have heads up racing at a couple of our tracks here, been going on for a few years. Guess what, the top dog (who spent the most) won a year or two and then everybody wouldn't enter cause they knew they couldn't win. Along comes a different heads up format and all the "look how big my XXX is" types show up, run and...the guy with the most money wins. Now they're trying to limit tire size so that's the limiter that money can't fix...well what do you know, the $$$ guys won again anyway. And no, it didn't draw any more spectators even when it was billed as the fastest cars in the maritimes.

I think heads up in class is awesome, other than that, it sucks unless your the "big dog" with the $$$. I really, REALLY don't see a heads up class as the savior to dragracing which will bring the spectators flocking to the track. Hey maybe I'm wrong and best of luck to those who do try it, I'm just not holding my breath. How did top stock make out?

[randy wilson]

Goingbroke has some valid points. I ain't arguing that, but the real problem with heads up racing in a limited format is the racers are twice as smart as the tech guys. Just from my experience in spec head racing, and I only had 3 years doing it was even the dumbest team there was within .3 of the fastest. Now, that being said the great, smart, hard working teams were within .01 or .02 from each other. And I don't mean the ones who spent the most money. I did a motor with a Chevy block, 20 year old pistons, NHRA legal 750, and left holding the track record. But I would have a racer tech represented by a Ford guy, Chevy guy, and a Mopar guy. Hard to slip one by anyone when all are allowed to look., it could be done, but I doubt it ever will. And, I don't for a minute think I am the smartest guy that would enter these deals, so don't start. Lots of brains out there I haven't competed against, but would love to try.

[randy wilson]

I truly wonder why drag racers who are not competitive in heads up racing seem to quit, but dirt track racers that are not very competitive seem to just keep on coming back for more. Anyone? Also, why do they seem to keep costs down, and their classes never fail?

[Mickey Whaley]

Originally Posted by randy wilson

I truly wonder why drag racers who are not competitive in heads up racing seem to quit, but dirt track racers that are not very competitive seem to just keep on coming back for more. Anyone? Also, why do they seem to keep costs down, and their classes never fail?

who quit? keep costs down haha fat fn chance every class can fail just like the economy? I think santa clausnwas at the door again wanting to use the bathroom