NHRA Chasing Sportsmen from National Events?

[Chris Williams]

We had a good day today at the Seattle national event, despite NHRA's best effort to make it miserable. For some unknown reason, NHRA created a ridiculous run order, and it made a number of us in the sportsman pits wonder if NHRA really wants us there at all.

Normally, a national event Saturday would be filled with a morning of round one's walking through all the sportsman classes, and maybe round two of a large class or two. Then at noon or so, you segue into TAD/FC, PS, and FC/TF, and repeat the alcohol and pros. Finally the day is finished off with a round or two of all the sportsman classes. That leaves the remaining few rounds as filler for the Sunday show.

This arrangement has a lot of advantages, not the least of which is it gives the sportsman racers a reasonable turnaround. Because, even in the worst case, you have a half-dozen other classes to run before you have to get back in the staging lanes.

But some rocket-scientist at NHRA decided to shake things up. So this morning we had three hot-lap rounds for S/ST, ST, and a couple other classes. So fully 2/3rds of those people were done by noon. And the winners spent the morning scrambling to make the next call.

And NHRA put Super Gas and Super Comp off to the end of the day, hot-lapping three rounds. So we spent the whole day waiting for our shot (got there at 7:30am, ran round one at 6:15pm). And then we had perhaps 10 minutes to get back for round 2 after our round 1 win.

NHRA didn't have a ladder that fast, so 35 cars spent 15 minutes mangled up on the pit road trying to find their matchup, decide lane choice, and get into the lanes. The whole time Reinhart is complaining over the PA "Super Comp, where are you, if you're not in the lanes, you're late", while we're all 20 feet away trying to get in the dang lanes, but can't because the whole thing is a big cluster. Then they made round 2 winners just drive back into the lanes, with no stop at the pits to cool down, refuel, check data, or anything.

All because some clown at NHRA decided to mess with a sane formula. No one in an NHRA uniform could give any reason for the ridiculous order, and they all thought it was pretty stupid too. And it made many of us wonder why we were there in the first place... Does NHRA really want us there at all?

[T Hall]

How much more of this you guys going to take? That is why I decided last year to go back to bracket racing,. I am haveingjust as much fun, if not more without a bunch of BS.
ENOUGH ALLREADY!

[BKSG1198]

Hahahahahahahahahaha.....

If you can't see the writing on the wall you need to wake up and smell the coffee!!! They don't want us...

[ChevyII]

Chris,

Thanks for sharing this info...it just solidifies the fact why we don't run any NHRA National events especially Seattle.

My wife and I as well as many of our travelling partners have always wanted to run Seattle but too many horror stories from good racing buddies who have taken the chance at the Seattle event have discouraged us now for the past 8 years. We have decided to compete only at select NHRA division 6 races (Mission, Billings etc. ) and this year in more bracket racing locally. It not only keeps racing costs down but we are having more fun!

Chris, I am sorry to hear they made you wait all day, then hot lap the hell out of you guys and jump through hoops to navigate the road course at Pacific Raceways. For all of the professionalism NHRA tries to exemplify at their races, they sure fail miserably when something like this happens. NHRA doesn't seem to get it. Racers tell other racers about their racing experiences!

Hopefully your next race will be a better one!

Mike Ferstl
SG SR 6091

[Chris Williams]

Mr. Reinhart just graciously called and we had a good conversation on this topic. He was able to articulate the rationale for this changed run order, something no one I found could do.

He explained that the new order doesn't have a whole pile of people with Round 1 in the am and Round 2 in the evening, meaning they have to sit at the track all day. The new order gives half the folks the ability to come early & leave early, and the other people the chance to sleep in and stay late. OK, I buy that.

But as I explained to Alan, I really have two issues: 1) trying to hot-lap dozens of cars with insufficient space/time/info to make it work smoothly, and 2) a whole bunch of people (racers, people in NHRA uniforms, fans, friends, etc.) who weren't clear what was going on.

The issue with getting it done smoothly is exacerbated by Seattle's pit/staging lane arrangement. He said it worked great in Denver, but not so well in the narrow confines of Pacific Raceways. Nonetheless, I'd like more info. Maybe if immediately after Round 1 they sent out a guy on a scooter with the pairings to the pits, at least you'd know who to look for... Before you roll up. Just an idea. More info is always better.

The second issue of not knowing what's really going on is the big issue. Sometimes it seems that if you don't stay at the track, you're completely out of the loop. I suggested to Alan that there's this cool thing called "the internet", and that the event schedule on NHRA.com is lame. It says simply "Sportsman Eliminations" on Saturday. And on Sunday it's even worse...

I suggest to NHRA, if you KNOW the run order, post it. How about "Sportsman Eliminations, Run Order: ...". No, the times don't have to be perfect, just some guidelines. The run order I finally did see said S/C Round 1 at 5:00 and we ran at 6:15 -- who cares, we all know it's just a SWAG. But at least to know the order would help.

Using the internet would let us be able to tell friends to look there for the schedule, and show up accordingly ("just show up for the 3:00 pro session and stay for us"). And we would have planned our day better, and known what's going on.

So really, to quote the late Strother Martin from Cool Hand Luke: what we got here... is failure to communicate. NHRA has all the cards, they know what's going on. We don't. Find a better way to tell us all.

Thanks again Alan, enjoy your ride.
Chris

[Bryan Gillespie]

Originally Posted by Chris Williams

We had a good day today at the Seattle national event, despite NHRA's best effort to make it miserable. For some unknown reason, NHRA created a ridiculous run order, and it made a number of us in the sportsman pits wonder if NHRA really wants us there at all.

Normally, a national event Saturday would be filled with a morning of round one's walking through all the sportsman classes, and maybe round two of a large class or two. Then at noon or so, you segue into TAD/FC, PS, and FC/TF, and repeat the alcohol and pros. Finally the day is finished off with a round or two of all the sportsman classes. That leaves the remaining few rounds as filler for the Sunday show.

This arrangement has a lot of advantages, not the least of which is it gives the sportsman racers a reasonable turnaround. Because, even in the worst case, you have a half-dozen other classes to run before you have to get back in the staging lanes.

But some rocket-scientist at NHRA decided to shake things up. So this morning we had three hot-lap rounds for S/ST, ST, and a couple other classes. So fully 2/3rds of those people were done by noon. And the winners spent the morning scrambling to make the next call.

And NHRA put Super Gas and Super Comp off to the end of the day, hot-lapping three rounds. So we spent the whole day waiting for our shot (got there at 7:30am, ran round one at 6:15pm). And then we had perhaps 10 minutes to get back for round 2 after our round 1 win.

NHRA didn't have a ladder that fast, so 35 cars spent 15 minutes mangled up on the pit road trying to find their matchup, decide lane choice, and get into the lanes. The whole time Reinhart is complaining over the PA "Super Comp, where are you, if you're not in the lanes, you're late", while we're all 20 feet away trying to get in the dang lanes, but can't because the whole thing is a big cluster. Then they made round 2 winners just drive back into the lanes, with no stop at the pits to cool down, refuel, check data, or anything.

All because some clown at NHRA decided to mess with a sane formula. No one in an NHRA uniform could give any reason for the ridiculous order, and they all thought it was pretty stupid too. And it made many of us wonder why we were there in the first place... Does NHRA really want us there at all?

I didn't see your name on the 1st. rd. winners list , so why you bitchin about hot lapping ?

[luckydog]

I would much rather "hot lap" 3 passes in the morning than making 3 passes spread out over the whole day. Just my opinion.

[H.A.A.C. Racing]

Well it looks to me like we have NHRA trying something to better the event, and although in this case it might not have worked to perfection, there are still people complaining about it. Personally I like seeing the effort and I am happy their trying. To all the people that piss and moan about NHRA and Div. and National events, I still say you will miss them if their gone, and if you don't then don't go.

I have heard that some high ups monitor this board, it must really piss them off when they try to better something and all people do is complain, almost makes you wonder how long they will listen to the B.S. before they (not us) say screw it, it's not worth having them.

I have an idea, how about saying hey, I understand what your trying to do, but from a racers point, if you guys do this it would help us out and make it even better.

Just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions......

Pete Sanca 196X S/ST

[Dave Steltz]

So what ever happened to the Sportsman Council, or whatever it was called...

I hear and experience this time and time and time again...

Who on here works for a big company that sells a product to the public and provides services ?

Number One thing is CUSTOMER SATISFACTION !!!!!!

I'm really tired of hearing that NHRA is trying something different and blah blah blah (no offense Pete), but in order to get customer satisfaction you ASK THE CUSTOMER what you can do better or different, not just do something and see if it works or not...

The simplist thing that they could do at Division or National events is POST THE DANG SCHEDULE, and stick to the freaking thing...If you cant stick to the schedule, tell everyone what the change is...I dont wanna hear, oh you're on standby till further notice, wait lets see, etc...thats crap....

NHRA is not in the business of making racers happy, they are in the business of making money at whatever cost they feel is prudent, and I'm very happy to spend my money else where bracket racing and small series racing...

And come on for Gods sake....a feature on the mileage of John Forces scooter....give me a break...

[Chris Williams]

Originally Posted by Bryan Gillespie

I didn't see your name on the 1st. rd. winners list , so why you bitchin about hot lapping ?

My daughter, 6104.