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Remember when NHRA used to have a lot of LIVE coverage from the races? Live finals, sometimes live first round, sometimes even live Pro qualifying or Top Alcohol eliminations on Saturday? Then with oildowns and such, they stopped doing it. Since then, with all the reductions in oildowns, 75 minute turnarounds, etc, why wouldn't they bring it back, now that they have a somewhat streamlined Sunday schedule? No more than eight cars in each sportsman class (except an event with inclimate weather) and an a hour and a half max between Pro rounds. Or is it something to do with ESPN(2)? I also remember NHRA expiramenting with an all day Live, pay per view deal...pay x-amount of dollars, and watch every run down the track on Sunday. My guess there is that NHRA wanted too much of a cut from the cable/satellite companies, so that no longer exists. That, and/or their current contract with ESPN. Seems like it could be a good moneymaker for the financially faultering NHRA.

I don't have anything to add to the "is the current state good or bad'. Car counts are up or down, depending on who you talk to, but it depends on which classes are being rotated out of a particular event. Stock one year, with class, might have 85 cars, the next year may be S/S without class and only draw 60. Some races may or may not have Bikes, Pro Mod, Alcohol or S/Street. Kenny and others brought up the point about all the big motorhomes and stacker trailers. But if a racer(s) have had them for several years now, it's not a fair guage. I guess by the end of the year, it will have a more accurate description of whether things are up or down. I remember a few years ago when gas was 3, 4 or more bucks a gallon, and people were prediciting doom and gloom then, but racers it seems will do whatever it takes to go enjoy their hobby, or profession. I guess it seems to be the case this season as well. Time will tell.

Speaking of quotas, I know they raised them this year. But when you have an eliminator advertised as "128 cars max--Class Winners plus Low ET qualifiers", and you only take 85 entries, whassupwitdat?? Shouldn't they take at least as many entries as there are spots in the field? That would be the same as making the quote for Top Fuel 11 or 12. There is usually around a 10% no-show rate for the quotas/entries, so couldn't you just bump them up a bit? If we didn't have the whole 10 acre circus show that is the NHRA Pro Pit area, you could take a hell of a lot more. I understand the concept of having a VIP/hospitality area for your sponsors, but not right in the pit area. Put them somewhere else, and maybe have a smaller area for some of the VIPS to hang out with in the pit. I don't know how all Nat'l event tracks are layed out. At Columbus, I would have put them where the playground area is (if it's still there). Maple Grove in the field closest to the gate you enter to cross behind the starting line. I'm sure Indy has enough room to give them their own area too. The amount of "stuff" in the pit areas is absurd. Throw out the 30 or so souvenir trailers (again, right in the pit area) to an area somewhere else also.

Ok, I'm off my soapbox.

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I attended the Phoenix National Event and the T Shirt trailers were down to only about 4 or 5 and the manufacturers midway was next to nothing also compared to years past. I think the economy is hurting the manufacturers as much as anyone else and they are cutting their costs.
With fuel as low as it is right now if you want to travel and race now is the time.
You can get into any National Event you want this year so far with a grade 1. Something unheard of in years past.
Lets Race!!!
My 2 Cents

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Getting back to the original post,maybe the Division 3 rep would consider returning to the position.From what I understand,he resigned because he was not happy with the ruling on the cylinder head volumes for Stock Eliminator.It is obvious that this issue wasn't worth getting so upset over.Currently the NUMBER 1 qualifier at Belle Rose.Good job!

1 38 E/SA Gregory Hill, Louisville KY, '71 Camaro 10.783 12.00 -1.217

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So..................................rry Alan, but you are. Reread my original post. The stuff you are talking about although partly true has little relevance with what I posted. If everyone could finance a car with credit scores 600 to 750, sales would be up 30 to 40%. Now that gas is $1.79 SUVs would be selling good too. So................................................ .........trying to use this economic downturn to promote their political agenda to make electric cars is BS! You guys trying to use the economic downturn to fuel your complaints with NHRA is wrong. Not that the things you say are wrong, but like Colin said just about everyone is down.


I have been a cost savings consultant for the Big 3 auto industry since 1979 (just part of what I do). I have worked with people like Jack Smith, Bob Lutz, Lee Iacocca, Dick Dauch to name a few you might recognize. I went to Dick Dauch's book signing part where Lee gave an excellent automotive industry speech. In 1993, GM wanted me to sit down to strategize with the two guys that were opening the first GM manufacturing plant in China. I have been in 80% of all automotive facilities in North America doing cost savings studies. They make continual progress.


The number one rule of Globalization is that you protect your country's own interest first! Our government is failing to do that. So................................................ ....all the other countries steal our business by manipulating their advantages to the global market. The global manager of Delco gave us a presentation about the GM parts business in 1991. At that time, $5000 of the price of a GM car went to the infrastructure of the US due to taxes. For a similarly based foreign car it was $800. The US auto industry is paying $1500 per car for health insurance. Non-US is less than $800. So................................................ ...shouldnt we level the playing field? Read link below:


http://www.americanprogress.org/issu..._industry.html


It is like me trying to build my B/S 69 TA from Alf Weibe while trying to run 40 year old castings against Edelbrock headed BBC, BBF and upgraded casting Chrysler motors. Not till they level the playing field. I am already married to a blond costing double as I can only afford so much!

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I agree with that its better to view the glass as half full than half empty but you need to keep that in check and with the reality of what is happening around the world these days. At 35 yrs old this is the first time I have been part of an economic melt down so may be I am a little more conscience then I should be. But in reality things are not good.

Yes people are out there spending, (I was at a Porsche dealership last week and people were buying cars like they were giving them away), people are racing, going out, vacations etc… But what happens when the corporations that help keep the pro racers on the track start to pullback on sponsorships? I have heard more than once that the France family in Nascrap is helping support teams so there are full fields. Yes sportsman racers are the backbone, yes the NHRA needs us, but without the pro’s at the track I do not think you will have an NHRA. Every day you read more and more companies letting employees go, cutting budgets, in other forms of motorsports companies like Honda, Kawasaki, Audi, and Peugeot have limited their racing events. GM can not afford to and probably would get a lot of crap from the government if it supported a racing series or teams with stimulus money. In the past month you have had some of the parts suppliers shutting their doors. Some people I speak to think I am insane because I always bring up what will happen to racing in these times (they think there are more important things to worry about) and I know racing has gone through its ups and downs but things are changing and I think a lot of changes are here for good. Will there be an NHRA around when my 4yr old son is older, I don’t know(who knows if we will have race tracks with these dam “green” lovers) but I do not think they can afford to run their non for profit organization as they have in the pass without some major set backs or going out of business.

I really think Kenny Knowling and the ADRL have the ticket, like someone said you get 40,000 people in there and they buy shirts, hot dogs, water etc.. and the track owners are happy. May be we need to do that at Divisionals?

As far as GM, I said many years ago they will put themselves out of business because of the Unions but a lot of people said I was nuts, and don’t tell me the unions did not help this situation!!!!!


Just remember “everyone dies, but not everyone lives”!!!

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Do you think if you say this enough times it will become fact? Blame workers for a company's problems? General Motors is in financial trouble because of the UAW? pfttttttt.

pS

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Paul i am not saying they are all to blame for GM's destruction but when you are paying for your grandpas, dads, sisters, brothers aunts uncles dogs pension and medical , eventually its going to cost the company. Not to mention the greed of the unions wanting everything and anything. I am not saying people should not be compensated and taken care of for working, but if you think that the UAW did not help sink part of the ship, pass me some of what you are smoking!!!!!