Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Bryon
Correct I mean stk and ss had 80 plus class winner at Indy in 2001 and over 45% of them were class singles. This is when we start to see this sponsor pull back start around 2002-2004. There are currently to many classes for any kind of sponsor to support this deal. Its not rocket science. What sponsor in there right mind would sign up for paying class right now with 160 max class winners at 4-5 class paying events per year. That number needs to be closer to 80 max class winners per event.

Currently STK and SS are a performance based eliminators with no focus on performance at this time. its more like what class can I hid in so I don't get a heads up

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

The highest Quota for S/SS for the first 4 races (that's all they had listed) is 75 so the most class winners you could have per class is 38 assuming no one in the combo class. So there is no way in reality that you would have to pay out 160 classes.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

The class paying race at points meets have no quotas.
Todays sponsors and the people they answer to want exact numbers so they can budget it. The range of what could be paid out to actually paid out is to wide.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Can't find a purse for the 2001 Daytona 500 but in 1998 the winner took home $1,000,000. It was the 50th. Anniversary Race. Joey Logano won $1,581,453 in 2015. The 2022 winners purse is $1,600,000
In 2010 the NASCAR "Sportsman" (Xfinity and trucks) took a 10 percent cut.


Teams get guaranteed spots in a race (not qualifying spots) if they have a NASCAR Charter. A Charter is currently $12 million per car. Roger Pensky has, like 4 of them.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Bryan,

What class did your dad run in 2001? If I remember correctly GT/KA? His record is super impressive.

I agree with all your points but it comes down to the manufacturers posting the money, certainly not the N.H.R.A. Is this something that should be be taken to David Kennedy Director of Multimedia Content & Contingency Program?

Your'e correct about the AHFS questions being solved and also remember back in the day if you set a national record you got points for it.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

So true Frank. Setting an ET record earned you points. The same was true for a mph record. So many vacant class minimum records is just a shame. NHRA should promote record setting by awarding points to racers if their car passes tear down. I bet then the tear down barn would be jam packed.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

I believe nhra has brought up giving points for national records and top 3-5 qualifying positions in the last 3 months. But 5 of the 7 current SRAC stk/ss members are more bracket Oriented racers and it was shot down. I believe one even used an example that he would have lost the world championship to drew skillman if those qualifying points were in place a few years ago.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Let’s not forget the way NHRA has treated the contingency paying companies over the last 20 years also, I believe that is another reason most left. Besides most Companies where owned buy car guys, now they have all been bought out by pencil pushers.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

forget just about paying for winning class. Look at the list of companies that pay winner and runner up. It's a far cry from what it was 20 years ago. It would be nice just to get more to sign on to pay winner and runner up. I'd love to see points for setting records and the top 5 qualifiers. Put a limit on the number of points you can obtain from either one of these 2. Say a record could get you 5 points. Max it at ten so you could only get points for setting 2 records. Set the number of points you could obtain from qualifying at 20. Just examples BP

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

The contingency money issue is multifaceted. Companies are posting for exposure that will translate into increased sales. The number of sales that can be made to our active racers is really pretty limited. This means exposure to spectators, passerby’s, print media, tv, etc. Pretty hard sell to a company when a divisional race(most of our events) have a minimum number of spectators. Solution is for promoters(NHRA, tracks, private race promoters) to partner to change this dynamic. More spectators = more sales. National Dragster reaches the same group of viewers each month, few new viewers. Remember when everybody used open trailers. People were always honking, waving, and pointing at the race cars when they passed you on the highway. When you stopped at a gas station people always came over to look at and talk about racing. Bottom line is proper promotion of sport with increased viewing and spectators can lead to more sales and an increased number of contingency sponsors. Mike McMahan 2543 H/SA