DRC Commentary

[Ed Fernandez]

Below is a commentary from Bobby Bennett on Comp. Plus about us crybaby sportsman racers bemoaning the fact that Kurt Busch may get to race the Gators without any grade points.
Well excuse me,as Steve Martin used to say.We only have to travel and pay Tom Compton's salary to earn the "right" to fork over $280 to race national events.


Quote from Bobby Bennett:
The Lucas Oil NHRA Drag Racing Series and Super Gas division in particular, are sitting on a potential media home run.

To hear some of the discussions in drag racing circles, the prospect has flown over the heads of many who profess to be drag racing experts.

This potential media payday is the prospect of NASCAR star Kurt Busch racing Super Gas at the upcoming NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

The possibilities are endless. The media exposure the sport of drag racing and one of its most obscure sportsman divisions could obtain staggers the mind. Kurt Busch gets coverage serving hamburgers in Atlanta while the world of drag racing struggles to get mentions of actual racing events.

While the sport of drag racing community should be licking its chops at the prospect of a bite from NASCAR’s once impenetrable market share [at least for drag racing], you have many message boards and Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com readers demanding this media magnet scratch the notion from his head.

In their eyes, the thought of Busch drag racing isn’t the issue, nor is it his talents as a driver or the neat-looking classic Mopar he plans to drive. Busch dares to want to compete without the necessary grade points required for the average drag racer to gain admission to a national event.

Sometimes I wonder if some can truly see the forest for the trees. In perusing the debates and reading our emails, it has become clear the Average Joe demands the NHRA cut their nose off to spite their face.

So let’s look at why the NHRA adopted their grading point procedure in the first place. The requirement was put in place to ensure the higher funded sportsman teams would visit their divisional events instead of passing them by to run rival sanctions. The best example was when former Comp racer David Nickens passed over several of the NHRA divisional races with his Comp car to partake in the IHRA’s Factory Modified division, a heads-up and no breakout division. The class was billed as a junior Pro Stock division.

The NHRA made it known Nickens, if you want to run the nationals, then you have to run the little races. Thus was born the David Nickens rule, also known as grading points.End quote............................................. .................................................. ...............
How many other so called superstars from other sports have come in and raced in sportsman races,some at divisions included,and in the end haven't done a damn thing to
enlightened the public enough to have them break down the gates to see us race.The
NHRA biggies all got to rub elbows with them and get their 15 minutes of fame.

[Chris "drooze" Wertman]

Good then I shouldnt have any problems getting in the Gators with no Grade points either.

Im famous right ?




Ohhhh......Infamous...ok....little different.

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Below is a commentary from Bobby Bennett about us crybaby sportsman racers bemoaning the fact that Kurt Busch may get to race the Gators without any grade points.
Well excuse me,as Steve Martin used to say.We only have to travel and pay Tom Compton's salary to earn the "right" to fork over $280 to race national events.


Quote from Bobby Bennett:
The Lucas Oil NHRA Drag Racing Series and Super Gas division in particular, are sitting on a potential media home run.

To hear some of the discussions in drag racing circles, the prospect has flown over the heads of many who profess to be drag racing experts.

This potential media payday is the prospect of NASCAR star Kurt Busch racing Super Gas at the upcoming NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

The possibilities are endless. The media exposure the sport of drag racing and one of its most obscure sportsman divisions could obtain staggers the mind. Kurt Busch gets coverage serving hamburgers in Atlanta while the world of drag racing struggles to get mentions of actual racing events.

While the sport of drag racing community should be licking its chops at the prospect of a bite from NASCAR’s once impenetrable market share [at least for drag racing], you have many message boards and Attitude’s CompetitionPlus.com readers demanding this media magnet scratch the notion from his head.

In their eyes, the thought of Busch drag racing isn’t the issue, nor is it his talents as a driver or the neat-looking classic Mopar he plans to drive. Busch dares to want to compete without the necessary grade points required for the average drag racer to gain admission to a national event.

Sometimes I wonder if some can truly see the forest for the trees. In perusing the debates and reading our emails, it has become clear the Average Joe demands the NHRA cut their nose off to spite their face.

So let’s look at why the NHRA adopted their grading point procedure in the first place. The requirement was put in place to ensure the higher funded sportsman teams would visit their divisional events instead of passing them by to run rival sanctions. The best example was when former Comp racer David Nickens passed over several of the NHRA divisional races with his Comp car to partake in the IHRA’s Factory Modified division, a heads-up and no breakout division. The class was billed as a junior Pro Stock division.

The NHRA made it known Nickens, if you want to run the nationals, then you have to run the little races. Thus was born the David Nickens rule, also known as grading points.End quote............................................. .................................................. ...............
How many other so called superstars from other sports have come in and raced in sportsman races,some at divisions included,and in the end haven't done a damn thing to
enlightened the public enough to have them break down the gates to see us race.The
NHRA biggies all got to rub elbows with them and get their 15 minutes of fame.

[BobOrme]

Bobby Bennett has no affiliation with DRC.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by BobOrme

Bobby Bennett has no affiliation with DRC.

Sorry,should have said Comp Plus site.Still a bull$hit commentary.

[John Leichtamer Jr]

MEDIA PAYDAY my *****.

Don't forget to check all your local newspapers a watch all the tv you can Mr.Bennett Then please post all the coverage you see about this great media blitz.

There will not be one article about this you idiot.

Mr. Bennett will call Wind Tunnel TO tell Dave about it .that might be the only coverage.

MEDIA PAYDAY thats funny

HAMMER

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

The possibilities are endless. The media exposure the sport of drag racing and one of its most obscure sportsman divisions could obtain staggers the mind. Kurt Busch gets coverage serving hamburgers in Atlanta while the world of drag racing struggles to get mentions of actual racing events.
...
Busch dares to want to compete without the necessary grade points required for the average drag racer to gain admission to a national event.

First off, I have a major problem with the phrase "average drag racer". I wasn't aware that there was a rule book for "average" drag racers, "pretty good drag racers", "professional drag racers", or "famous people who want to be drag racers". I thought there was just a "rule book".

Is it a major media happening? Absolutely. Great, so garner that media attention also at the LODRS events at which you have to earn your grade points, if you're really interested in Super Gas racing.

OR, if it's a one-shot deal and he's not actually interested in Super Gas racing, then let him make exhibition runs. He *is* famous, and it *is* a neat car.

$.02,

[Mike Meier]

Just for the fun of it, put up the money for a protest. I know in Super Gas the rules are wide open, but there has to be something protest-able.

Boy am I glad I didn't renew this season, the NHRA has gotten stupider and stupider. LOL

[chebby2]

Does this mean we don't have to go by what is written in the rule book.NHRA doesn't go by their own rules that they wrote.
Makes you wonder.
Do you think they would let Greg Anderson or any other nhra star enter a cup race if they just showed up with a car?

[W J]

They're looking for big car counts like the old days?? Hell, do away with grade points altogether....If you can pass tech, pay the entry fee, are a licensed driver, come and try to make the field....lets have 300+ stockers and another 300+ superstocks, and another 600 of the other Sportsman class competitors show up for a National event----just like it used to be....WJ

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Ed OBrien

Calm down Ed I've sent Bobby the Richard Head an email to get him on the right tract and I hope you don't mind I used your name and email address . Have a nice day

Thanks Ed,I knew I could count on you.

Ed