AZ S/SS Poll (All DIV 5,6,7 racers please respond)

[HawkBrosMav]

Hi All,

Going to attempt to make this short and sweet. I know we have limited our racer base a little being based in AZ and not having the free time to expand to any track other than WHP and Tucson Dragway, but we are looking to poll the West Coast racers about what it would take to grow a non NHRA attached association. I have 3 big questions I would love answers to and would love to open the discussion on what the racers are looking for in terms of races outside of the National/Divisional world.

1. Just a clarifying question to start. Are you interested in racing in races outside the Nat./Div races throughout the year. If NO, I don't want this to be a question that stops you from responding to the other questions. I'm really looking for insight as to what racers are looking for so learning that 85% are or are not looking for more racing may be the single most important insight to this discussion.

2. If your answer to #1 is NO, elaborate on why you aren't. Family time, don't want to allocate more money to racing, other commitments/hobbies, to much travel, payout not enough to deal with, etc ? Not looking for intimate details obviously, but looking to isolate the major reasons most West Coast S/SS guys only run NHRA.

3. If your answer to #1 is YES, but you haven't been supporting an association regularly elaborate on what the single biggest reason why you aren't, or give a list of things you would really like to see as part of an association you would support. Look at this as your chance to give a wish list to someone interested in offering you a service.

Any other comments are welcome on the subject. As I said, I'm really just trying to help open/guide the discussion so we can learn what the racers are looking for. We want to make sure we take these things into consideration as we make decisions on the direction we go, and maybe give some pointers to others considering starting an association in their area of the west coast.

Thanks guys

Hawk Bros

[Mike Graham]

Very well run program. We are interested in expansion. Maybe LVMS?

[Larry Hill]

We would like to see it expand so we could race at one. Catching one on the way out or on the way back would be fun. We always look forward to the next Western Swing.

[wagonboy]

I would travel to attend more of these type of events. If a gate is open, Ill go in. I am only guessing here. One of the draws of NHRA is the history and the nation wide presence.

What might be really cool. If all the stock/super stock Assn got together and pulled their resources. If they all used the same points system- we could have a best 4 or 5 out of 7 race series. Then we could have a " national club/association champ".

I also think some of the draw is racing against the best in the business.

Thanks,

Ryan

[fastlane]

Heads up by class so it is not just another glorified bracket race. If different then NHRA racers will come.

[DG7050]

I am getting back into stock eliminator after a 10 + year break to put kids through college so I may not be the target audience. With 2 kids still to get through school, I am phasing in my racing before going all in a few years from now.

When I left racing, I felt the quota system pushed me out. I just couldn't maintain a 10-14 race schedule anymore. These days I appreciate low key races with friends and family more. Chasing the NHRA dream is a bit less important.

Question 1: yes, an alternative venue is attractive. We recently participated in a SCEDA race at Fontana. The people working the event were super nice and welcoming. The buy in cost was low and payout surprisingly good even thou I was a doner to the eventual winner. Loved the format, show up Saturday morning, two quick qualifying runs, lunch break, 1:00 eliminations start, done by 4:30 pm, dinner with friends and family at 6:00. Sunday was the same race schedule.

Question 3: What was really cool is that my brother ran the car Saturday, I ran the car Sunday. Splitting the event with another driver is fun and keeps cost down for each person. Might also allow others to be introduced to the sport. Splitting an event with one of my sons would be great and avoid the cost of a second car.

The event schedule allowed me drive to the race Friday night after work and be home Sunday night even thou I am a 6 hour drive away from the venue. Some racers showed up for only one day which allowed them to do something else with the family the same weekend.

No heads up racing was necessary due to no scales or tear down. Running time trials/qualifing with a staggered tree off the indexes would add an element of class racing fun.

An organized racer BBQ would be nice.

I agree some sort of point system among the different stock/superstock associations in the region would add interest with some sort of final event. Perhaps some sort of contingency voucher for vender products such as a set of tires, 10 gallons of race fuel, car duster, Jegs/Summit coupon etc for the series points winner might get consistent participation by racers and low cost support from vendors that we buy products from.

I think the SCEDA entry included $50 to the track $100 to the 100% payout which seemed about right.

Thanks, Darin Grossi

[KayMozeris]

I'd love to race more local/association races. I have no issue with the entry fees or payouts at your events. Unfortunately, life tends to get in the way more nowadays (shifted priorities, time, money, family, etc).


We follow the left coast National/Divisional trail due to my dad running a Comp car. If he had a stock/ss, or super class car, we'd surely make more appearances at the team and association races around here.


I'm with Mike in expanding the series to Vegas if possible. It's a great facility and only a short drive from Phoenix.

[ASK]

Guys,

Answer to question #1;
Yes, I am interested in attending more Association type events in the future, I do support the idea of expansion, and I am on board with Mike, and Kayla in regards to the idea of including LVMS if possible... (only makes great sense for me, and also realize it may be a stretch for the AZSSSA, and the majority of it's members). That being said I can think of several racers in this immediate area that might participate if available.


(Side note for me.. the reason that I typically only have been racing NHRA events is simply that I have limited equipment, and built a Stock Eliminator car, so in my mind it doesn't make sense for me to wear out the only equipment I have participating in local bracket races, etc.)

Being that your association is Stock / Super Stock only, I was drawn to race with you guys, being that these types of vehicles were what the association is based on, and I am glad to have this venue to participate in.
I really like participating in this association, and I am very happy with the way things are done. The rules are right, I like the fact that you award performance based qualifying points, also the fact that you weigh cars when possible, and that heads up runs are contested if things line up that way. All things are done in line with what Stock, and Super Stock is about! Great job guys!

Your events are well run as others have pointed out! It is also nice to be able to run the events in one day, getting several runs in. (the double races on a given weekend are nice as well, and I believe are in the racers favor, keeping travel costs down, etc. I am happy with the entry fees, (very affordable, could possibly stand to be higher since the entry is paid back in the prizes) and I am happy with the payout structure as well. It is nice also that you have the generous sponsors that provide nice packages throughout the series, Thanks.


You guys are doing a great job with this association !! I hope that you can continue to do so. Thanks for putting this together, your hard work is appreciated by all your members.

Lastly,
Arizona Stock, and Super Stock racers.... Please support the AZSSSA if you can, the Hawk Brothers, along with Steve at UEM pistons are doing a great thing for us!!

Thanks,

Andy Kimball

[HawkBrosMav]

Thanks for the responses so far.


While expansion isn't in the cards in the immediate future we are for sure open to the idea. I'd love an option in the South West to travel to multiple tracks and compete for a "region" championship and have other regions doing the same with a national finals type event or at least a national points system. NHRA has that and it has the history and the prestige to draw people. Unfortunately NHRA and gotten stupidly expensive for very little in return and you have a 50/50 chance whether you are treated well or like a red headed step child (no offense if you actually are one ) I don't think this is a realistic jump from where we are now... we need to grow in smaller steps. I'd like to get to a 30-40 car average at our events, then look to go to the LVMSs and Fontanas and maybe Bakersfields for more diversity of local for the events. We know that there are more cars out there we just need to figure a way to get them involved, and understand what's keeping them from at least testing the waters.


We understand the life commitments getting in the way, with Matt having an 18 month old and me currently with a child on the way things are going to get a little busy. We may be passing up other events we normally would be at with no questions. We can't get around that.


I think what I'm personally looking for the most is suggestions (outside of holding an event at your local track) as to what you would want an association to offer for you to take it seriously and want to put it on you calendar each year like the NHRA events? If we already offer that and it's just time or life getting in the way, we understand, if we could be offering a better product we'd love to hear what you would like to be.


In response to fastlane we are only getting 20ish cars out per race now and only 2 are in the same class. so realistically we are currently doing what you want us to do with the exception of one pair... we just skip the class run offs and go into the eliminator. Though to you point if we had multiples, we would not be doing that way. It is something to consider, but with the current class structure we would need a very large increase in participation to make this a worth while endeavor.


Thanks again guys and keep the ideas flowing.


Brad

[Mark Yacavone]

Brad, Matt
At one time , I counted about 40 class cars within the state. The most we ever got was about half of them, on a good day.
We had a few friends that would come over from LA once in a while. A few from El Paso too. I don't recall ever getting any from the Vegas area, except for Andy.

I wish I could say why we can't ever get more cars, even within AZ.
I'm going out on a limb here but I would guess that the lure of that elusive big Wally within a half of a day's drive, have many racers budgeted and time allotted, to concentrate on that.

At one time, I felt our time for local racing had not yet come, but that NHRA S/SS wouldn't last forever, and it just may come to that one day.
Now, I feel like many would just fold up their operations and quit altogether, if NHRA went away, rather than just race locally.

You guys are doing a great job and have a great program too. I wish I had an answer for you.
Also I wish that the guys who read this stuff, but never post, would dialogue with us here.

BTW, it is conceivable to me that if you could do a Vegas race or two early in the season, that some would join our season points chase, and want to travel at least to Wild Horse to continue with it.