Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

When big chief starts showing up with a sponsor uniform on and 30 crew guys to help him burnout and stage.. he will loose the appeal people have for him and the "outlaw" that people associate with him..

Racing has gotten to far from what drew people to it.. nowdays nascar and Nhra all money and people have lost there association with a local guy and his buddies that work late every night on there car that they are all in on.

I heard shearer say "my daddy aint got the money for me to go play with them guys" sadly this hits the nail on the head.. Just a bunch of rich guys now days..

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

Not sure how you would work SO into a national event. Would the demographic I saw at the two races I went to go to a national event? It was $30 to go to both no prep events, and it was all SO type racing with Farm Truck racing jet cars and some sports cars plus a monster truck race. Would NHRA run a SO race in one day( Saturday?) or drag it out over two days, time runs? Next thing you know it takes these guys three days to do what normally takes one ( sound familiar? ) There is talk of a 150K+ to win big tire race at Houston in the fall.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

I wouldn't be surprised if NHRA isn't helping to fund some of these teams with our membership money to keep them going.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

They probably are paying many of the teams with small budgets to show up in the pro categories to try to get full fields.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

As the saying goes "follow the money" -
I hate to say it - but there just are "no boundaries" anymore..... whether it be advertising, marketing, music etc.... Any collaboration or target that has the potential to make money, no matter how ludicrous / underhanded etc... is fair game.
The other old saying "the ends justify the means" also applicable.
I'm not condemning nor condoning NHRA.... just stating the obvious.... it is what it is.... Why wouldn't they want to do the same thing that every large corporation does to grow.
I'm not a fan of reality TV, never have been, never will be. I watched a few minutes of that show... that was about all I could stand... but that's me. It seems like that stuff sells though..... it must appeal to the masses because that's all that's on tv now. Just like the other reality shows that have to bleep out every other word... just not my cup of tea.
I'm glad I grew up in the time that I did. It was much simpler... or so it seems.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

If you watch the show you'd know there is plenty of advertising and sponsoring going on. They are just more discreet about it. You don't see a single guy that isn't wearing a t shirt with some racing product on it. and the big banners hanging in every shop that they show.
When the show stared every one was coming in on open trailers and pickup full of friends in the back. Now nothing but enclosed trailers and the rigs are getting bigger every show. Pretty much like the progression of the legal racers. wont take long and they will disappear like pinks did.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

I find myself watching just to see what Farmtruck and AZN are going to come up with.
Kind of like the Red Green show on PBS where he fixed everything with duct tape.

I DVR SO and fast forward through most of it.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

I figured this was happening too. The way it is now in the pro classes its not sustainable for long. The cost to compete at that level is way too high. There are lots of potentially good teams that are sitting on the side and not racing because they cant get sponsorship.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

Bingo! And I wouldn't count it out that all the drama before was nothing more than a set up leading to what it is now.

Re: Big Chief and the NHRA???
 

Do you know that many of the stars, co- stars and pop up characters are making money. They are paid to race at NHRA tracks. They have received $5000.00 for an appearance. Just like the FC ans PS of the 60's and early 70's. Showing up on Saturday nights and giving the tracks am opportunity to make some $ and build there base. They make $ from endorsements too. And what do we get? Poor service, low payouts and no recognition. Read all the bitch'in posts on this site. Too much bureaucracy makes everything get fat and sluggish. Wally had a great idea but its outdated. I don't think that NHRA and to a point IHRA, will every get out of their own way. At least the 405 guys are having fun and now are making money. Isn't this what we thought it should be?