If an advocate could be found - what would you say?

[1320racer]

I just want to add another element here in addition to $ and eroding skills of these old men who are complaining about the NHRA...those that don't race.

Bruce, these alleged important issues and the implied failing health of NHRA Sportsman Racing that you refuse to elaborate on, how would you know?

The last time you competed at all 5 divisionals was 2013 and you have NOT raced one divisional last year, 2018, not one in 2016 and not one in 2015. 2017 you competed at 1.

So how is it a guy that hasn't supported the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in 4 of the last 6 years can alleged to important issues and failing health of NHRA Sportsman Racing?

[GTX JOHN]

Charles Meyers ran the Bakersfield Track and has been
in Advertising/Marketing for NHRA for the last
couple of years (As I recall). I believe his new position in head
of Sportsman Relations (Or something like that)

He is a extraordinary talented younger man and loves Sportsman
racing. He WILL BE a asset to the Sportsman community.

He and his father purchase my '80 Aspen O/SA a number of years
ago and he has won class at a National race a couple of years back.
They have been regular competitors on East Coast when time allowed.
He has been thinking about buying our SS/MA '80 Aspen for a while......
But I think he is going to be pretty busy in his new position!

I believe this to be a positive development for Sportsman Racing......He
loves it as much as we do!

Charles: I hope you are not mad at me for posting a little bit about your
background without checking with you first.

[GTX JOHN]

Charles is monitoring everything currently being posted
on this site and others.

If you wish to communicate directly with him......PM me and
I will try to facilitate that happening.

I am hoping that his appointment to this position will be a
real benefit to the Sportsman Racing Family and a truely
hopeful sign from NHRA!

My son and I will be in Phoenix and Tucson if anyone wants
to stop by and visit.

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland;582461as

as we continue to work on these problems.

still waiting to hear who is "we" and what problems?

[340Cuda]

My biggest concern would be the possibility of running off the important sponsor.

The appointment of a person in charge of Sportsman Relations is good news. The fact that it is somebody like Charles Myers is described is fantastic news.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland

What would you say to an advocate who agreed to help with the important issues that are confronting the Sportsman racer? No, this isn't about any type of legal complaints.
Thanks in advance for any and all responsible responses.

Allrighty then, first of all, I personally believe that in most of the country NHRA Sportsman Racing is in better health than the pro program. I am very concerned about how the NHRA management appears to be putting all of it's efforts into the "big show" and neglecting the "Grassroots Program" although it appears to me that the "Grassroots Program" is where they get their working capital from.
I worry about how fragile the function of the "big show" actually is. With the small number of actual team owners that exists today, it wouldn't be impossible (not probable but not impossible) for the "big show" to lose 1/3 of it's teams. If the "big show" catastrophically folds, what happens to us?

With that off of my chest, let me get a little bit more realistic;

The costs of admission, membership, permanent numbers, crew entry (remember when a Natl. Event entry came with 2 crew passes?) etc. have steadily gone up with or beyond the rate of inflation. The NHRA "Cash" Purse hasn't risen in over 25 years. Why is that? How could Wally Parks pay out the cash purses that he could with less incoming cash? Where is the money going? To the pro show?

The NHRA Contingency Program is a shadow of it's former self and IMHO, a joke. Why is that? Does it no longer concern or benefit the powers-that-be? Did the price of entry into the program from the Manufacturers standpoint get too high? Is there no-one in charge of this program who cares about the Sportsmen?

Stock and SS Eliminators are "Performance Based" eliminators. Over the years, the powers-that-be have seen fit to "retire" (eliminate?) the knowledgeable Tech Inspectors and Tech people who are supposed to be at the Races to "police" the entries. Excepting the U.S. Nationals, there is no more "tear down", there is very little in the way of class eliminations and with the ridiculously low entry quotas, class eliminations don't mean what it used to. Who sets National Records anymore? Why is that?

The AHFS system is in dire need of fixing. What is there is way too easy to manipulate and is being over seen by people who don't understand the concept. Superseded/replacement parts has declined into hearsay.
Knowledgeable people are needed back in positions of responsibility.

I truly hope that the "Baby Gators" is a look at things to come. Class Eliminations at Divisional Races would be a pretty nice thing AND a pretty nice show!

[Dick Butler]

Good Luck with this idea of input from the sportsman classes. NHRA sent a rep to a meeting at Columbus Nationals Years ago to hear our suggestions, complaints etc. He was very understanding. He met with NHRA after this meeting and was fired .Anyone remember this ?

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

The costs of admission, membership, permanent numbers, crew entry (remember when a Natl. Event entry came with 2 crew passes?) etc. have steadily gone up with or beyond the rate of inflation.

Please provide the verifiable data that proves your assumption true.

The NHRA "Cash" Purse hasn't risen in over 25 years.

Please provide the verifiable data that proves your assumption true.

The NHRA Contingency Program is a shadow of it's former self and IMHO, a joke. Why is that? Does it no longer concern or benefit the powers-that-be? Did the price of entry into the program from the Manufacturers standpoint get too high? Is there no-one in charge of this program who cares about the Sportsmen?

or maybe it's that in this millennium with social media, manufactures have realized they can reach far more racers and hobbyists than the NHRA contingency program could ever do and they don't have to pay the NHRA or racers. You think Mark Williams bowing out years ago effected their bottomline? I'm sure it did, for the BETTER. They nor any other former contingency sponsor has closed their doors.

Stock and SS Eliminators are "Performance Based" eliminators.

is it really? From my eyes, it's a dial in bracket race 99% of the pairs.

Over the years, the powers-that-be have seen fit to "retire" (eliminate?) the knowledgeable Tech Inspectors and Tech people who are supposed to be at the Races to "police" the entries. Excepting the U.S. Nationals, there is no more "tear down"

the only ones that care about teardown are those wanting to set records that no one cares about any more. Who gets excited in the year 2019 about some obsure combo running 15 seconds or god forbid slower No one! 1970 is long gone and never coming back. The LS6 Chevelle's 13.2 second performance, tuned by GM and driven by a professional back in the day, impresses no one today least of which young men 17-30, not when you can buy a brand new, street legal, off the showroom floor 9 second car and if that's too rich for your blood, 10 to 12 second showroom stock cars are plentiful. Cars that do everything better than those big old muscle cars ever did.

Again, the world changed, our country changed so why is it shocking to some that drag racing has changed. Drag racing nor our country is going back to what it was 10 years ago no mind 50 years ago and that should be obvious to all by now. Stop complaining about the money, who has it, who gets it, who spends it and focus on the fact that we are all fortunate to be able to do this. Motorsports is on life support. Enjoy what time it and you have left and stop complaining.

[Billy Nees]

Ed, I will no longer respond to you.

[1320racer]

You just did. Why is that Billy, lets have a mature discussion supported by FACTS, not opinions, assumptions, lies and personal attacks.

BTW, I didn't see your name "Liked" here...

http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=72244

Or you telling my son here

http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=71987

that you are "very happy for his success in S/C and wishing him continued success"