nhra increase fees explained
 

We apologize for the delay in getting back to you and we appreciate your email and acknowledge your disappointment in the recent announcement. NHRA has seen a dramatic increase in legal costs, insurance costs, and operational costs over the last decade, yet most of these fees have not been raised in more than a decade. NHRA has made every effort to keep fees flat, despite these rising costs. Because of our commitment to sportsman racing, NHRA has funded these rising costs all these years but must pass a portion of these costs on to the sportsman racers.



We assure you that it was a very difficult decision to raise these fees. In most cases, it represents a $60 annual increase for an individual racer. When amortized over the length of an average schedule, the increase only equates to a few dollars more per event. We understand the economic times we are in as it has a direct impact on all areas of NHRA’s business and, as a result, led to the need to increase fees. These increases will assist us in being able to continue to provide premier racing programs at the national, divisional and local level.



Again, we appreciate your note and wanted you to know that it was read and acknowledged.



Jerry Archambeault

NHRA

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

I understand the increases. BUT.... would it have been so hard for NHRA to make an announcement like: "Effective June 1st, 2009, the following fee structure will take effect......"??? But NO, they just decided to say "Effective Immediately". Not a way to run ANY business in my opinion.
-Don

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

...what a crock

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Not in defense of NHRA,but the gas prices went up yesterday around here about 15 cents a gallon.No warning at all,and no reason that I can see.It was "effective immediately".

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Looks like NHRA is up to its old tricks by rewriting history.

Take a look below at the press release from 04/08/09 about Sportsman racers not covering their own costs of doing business.

************************************************** ************************************************** *******


NHRA announces changes to competition fees
Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Effective immediately, NHRA is increasing all competition fees, including for licenses, permanent numbers, and chassis inspections. The new fees for these services are reflected in the forms available online at www.nhra.com/competition/forms.aspx.

NHRA has not raised fees in more than a decade, and, given the current economic environment, NHRA needs to adjust fees to help offset some of the increased costs for these services. In addition, and at national events, NHRA will increase the insurance surcharge.

It should be noted that these fees, even as increased, do not cover the costs for Sportsman programs. NHRA will continue to subsidize costs to provide these programs. NHRA remains committed to Sportsman racing, and these increases will assist us in being able to continue to provide premier racing programs at the national, divisional, and local level.



************************************************** ***********************************************

Bob

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

I was able to enter Stock Eliminator at the St Louis National event for FREE.How can you beat that?
Hold on,I think they just called us to the lanes,I have to go.

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Where's the part about passing on some of the costs to the Pro's, whose sponsor's can easily afford even massive amounts of price increases.

When are they going to pay their fair share?

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

The dealership i work at did something of the same thing NHRA did to the sportsman racers..except it was cut backs....they cut back holiday pay to $100.00 a day didn't tell anyone happend on easter week...thne they cuy our traininng which is a 1 hour and 30 minute drive to charlotte from my house to a $100.00 a day instead of 8 hours like usual...cut free lunch on sat. and 401k matching % on checks alos said they were doing this to avoid layoffs...got a ltter in my check may 1 with all these details staiting it would be effective may 1st 2009....the ****ty part of this is thye cut our holiday pay on easter i had 2 days of school they paid me only 200.00 for 2 days and fired one tech...all before may 1st....everyone is getting the b/s from owners and mangers weither it is NHRA or your job...we are getting crapped on

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Problem is the Pro's pay nothing but get paid to qualify.
The sportsman insurance fee's for the National Events cover insurance costs for the entire event including the spectators.
If you ever have a crash and a claim good luck on collecting anything on the insurance you paid for.
It is only secondary and you get the usual and customary treatment and they don't pay.
They play hardball and tell you they will defend their practice to the full extent of the law.
In other words just try and sue us, we are bigger and have deeper pockets than you do and can drag it out for years.
Been There And Done That.
My 2 Cents

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

In another thread, VMP gave out 60,000 "free" tickets so that they get spectators, I for one don't care if they show up or not. If they don't pay anything at the gate, they are not supporting the racer and it means the money is coming from else where. The racers are "bringing" in the show, NHRA and the facitlity that the race is being held could let up on the racer rather then the spectator. Yes, give the spectator a break, but to give away tickets and have the racers pull their full load is not reasonable. I'm sure that NHRA has this all figured out that the racers will take on all the expences because the racers have the big investments in their rigs and race cars. Food for thought or just pissing in the wind!

Casey Miles
248H

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

..Brandon Peterson said


"..everyone is getting the b/s from owners and mangers weither it is NHRA or your job...we are getting crapped on "

I understand your frustration but my ? to you is

Do you still have a job??


As for NHRA I have NO sympathy!!!

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

And the racers operating costs including insurance, gas, parts, entry fee's, hotels,etc, etc... haven't increased in the last decade? Oh... and neither has the payout!!!

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

depends on what happens to chrysler but as of now yes i do.....but if you were here and saw how they spend their money espically upgrads on a freakin parking lot that had nothing wrong with it....then they trun right around after spending god knows what on that and say they are broke....to me its all b/s any way you look at it NHRA or whatever...but yes i havea job and im very thankful for it....

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Casey, I think you're missing the point a bit on the free spectator tickets. The track operators and owners are trying to turn a profit just like any other business, by giving free gate tickets they now have X amount of potential customers on the property, I would assume this to be desireable versus having empty stands. We as racers are paying for our "place to play" is it fair to the racers? probably not but really we do have a choice, we can park our stuff. This is for the most part not desireable for most racers however it comes down to if a racer can afford to race or wishes to pay the higher fees. From the 2 races I've been to so far this year I haven't seen a sizeable difference in car counts, and to be honest quite a few of these racers have more in their tow rigs than I have in my entire operation, yet again this is all optional. I just don't think we need to get down on the spectators getting free tickets as with us they have a choice of where their going to spend their money. Joe

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

I am definately not a fan of the pros but they in fact do pay.Not entry fees but they pay for S/Fage used by their equiptment at the races.They also kick back on merchandise sales.Remember when sportsmen racers could put up shirts for sale?NHRA is the benefactor for all aspects.I don't begrudge them from making a buck but just how much juice can you squeeze from an orange?

Ed F.

Maybe they can find a way to fine Sorenson for a liquid spill in St.Loo.

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Casey, It was a good deal for the fans and not a bad deal if you are a local and your Better Half could only make it on Free Pass Day so thanks to Raymond Skipper for coming up with a pass. And by the way VMP did make money for the prefered parking and if the Track makes a few Bucks maybe we'll still have a place to race. I'm pretty sure they make good bucks on the friday night TNT and the other Circus Acts they do so to turn a proffit on Divisional races isn't OK? It didn't cost us a dime to have spectators.

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Ed,

Maybe they do pay, but they don't pay enough...at least not in comparison to us, and we don't have their mega budgets to work with...I'm living proof of that as this time last year I participated in 3div's, and one nat., plus one local race...as opposed to just going to the Pacific Sportsnats so far this year, and those price increases certainly aren't helping the matter one bit. Furthermore, to the guy in Div. 3 who said he hasn't noticed a dramatic change in car counts at races he's been to, you should've been out here at that race...all of the fields were dramatically smaller than their quotas allowed, and even smaller than last years race (with higher fuel prices)!!!

Last year 75 Stockers, this year 56...Last year 54 Super Stockers, this year 44...Last year 18 Comp. cars, this year 11...need I say more???

It kind of reminds me of the middle class tax payer as opposed to the wealthy people...I believe I heard it on the radio a couple months back...Warren Buffets receptionist pays more taxes than he does, and he's the boss!!?? Go figure....

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

You could probably retire very comfortably on what NHRA gets for pit parking and shirt sales.It's not chump change.Irregardless we are getting hosed but I've resigned myself to the fact that NHRA is in charge and no matter what we do short of just quitting willchange the situation.
All of the S/SS can't agree on ANYTHING.We all have our own opinions and agendas.Gee sort of like every day life.
I don't have the $$$ to race much this year and I really don't care.

Ed F.

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Well said Ed, and I couldn't agree more with you on this one, because that's the sad ugly truth... :(

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

I'm not missing the point on free passes, they do it down here at PBIR, free pass, pay for parking. I want the tracks to be profitable and keep their doors open. The only problem, why does the racer have to be the wall bearing the load. At Moroso's 5 day races, you could just about count the paying spectators on your hands and toes, it didn't effect the race. We all know that the spectators, if the show up or not, it isn't going to effect the purse or the entry fee. Did anyone get a rebate because they sold alot of parking places, I'm sure not! The point is towards NHRA and not the local track operator, we need the tracks to stay open and I support my local track more now then when I was going to divisional points races.

Casey Miles
248H

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Did everyone else get the same form letter email reply? I got the same one as above, with a final "customized" line added at the bottom.

Regards,

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Seems sad to me that they can just raise prices to sportsman racers, do you think the "Sportsman Committees" were asked about it?

I just got my National Event entry form for Topeka. $60.00 Insurance Surcharge??? Are you kidding me. 500 cars x $60.00= $30,000.00 in "Supplemental Insurance Surcharges"??????????? WOW! I cannot imaging the entire insurance premium for a National Event is much more than $7 to $10K Max. It seems with payouts FROZEN, contingency payouts slipping to 50% of a couple years ago and their premier facility at Indy looking like a "worn-out *****" with bad roads, loose gravel everywhere andgrass parking that is so rutted you can barely even get on the grass..........
they would want new customers, not chase the existing one off?

But then again, their Pres makes $700K a year, what the heck do I know.

Jok

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Ya it is nice to work for NHRA isn't it, if they need to spend money, they invent a new position for the assistant, to the assistant (or a Goodbuddy). What in the world does the Board of Directors really do that justifies their salaries? There are a couple of Board of Directors that I have never even seen at a race or heard from them on TV. How does their background qualify them to be on the Board of Directors for a Racing Organization?

With that said, lets go to insurance; who is the policy holder for the "professionals', it seems to me that the corporations sponsoring these teams have "some sort of coverage" for them. Why do the "sportsmen racers" have to cover everybody on property that includes spectators. So, who is the policyholder? Is it K&K insurance? Because I believe being Members of NHRA that we should know some of these small details. I also believe that we should be able to call the insurance company & get a copy of the policy. (JUST SOME THOUGHTS)

Next.

Yes, it is nice to go to a race and watch side by side racing, but it gets old real fast when, let's say the car come off the concrete they go up in smoke. Could it be that there is a BUMP there? With the money that NHRA is not making (ha ha) they could FIX IT!!!!!! JUST VENTING, what do I know, I am just a Super Street/SuperGas Racer that is tired of bending over and not getting kissed. I'm also, disgusted with promotors trying to save money and not preparing a track properly, VENTING AGAIN

So here I am working for $8.00 an hour so that I can go to a damn race to have fun and maybe win an old stock piled "Wally"!! (ask Mike D.) Is it not too much to ask that we all race on even playing field? VENTING!!!

It use to be fun to go to the races and see people you don't see everyday, but because of the econmoy and the things that are going on in the world, people can not afford to pay their mortgage's or monthly bills and have made the decision to stay home. So the car count is down,and NHRA just raises entry to make up the diff. i think ill look for a assistnats job at NHRA, damn that's funny.

So, in closing, I'm sure that this is not the NHRA that Wally Parks had invisioned in the 1950's!!!! Yes, gas & the cost of living were low, we don't live the in the 50's anymore!!!!!!!! some of you damn super stock & stockers think so by what you say on this think, we are all racers and you cant get 25 of us to agree on anthing.bs bs bs!!!!!!!!!!!
JOE YES IM #1 IN MY MIND
DAN MOORE SST238D

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

Ed,

I have to correct myself for yesterdays reply...I agree with everything you said, except the "I really don't care" part of it, because if I didn't care then I would've stayed back in Denver (with the snow, the cold, and the enormously long tows that Colorado class racers have to make to get to their non-Bandimere Speedway divisionals, nationals, and even national open races!!!

I moved to Az., to race more (not less), and this stinking economy is getting to be such that I'm seriously pending another move either to Div. 6 (where divisionals are even closer to home, and they have a national open points series as well), or back to Denver...which I'll only do as a last resort, because I don't have Burton/Hagberg/Cotten kind of money! I wonder if that's part of the reason Glenn Person moved away from Mesa, Az. back to Canada also???

Sitting at home, and reading in the dragster mags of others doing what I moved away from my (now grown) children & family to pursue (becoming one of the most successful fwd stocker racers ever, and the first to win multiple national/divisional events, or even becoming the first fwd stocker racer to win a national/divisional event this century--which I came close to doing one of the two 3x's... from the '06 Mile Highs, to the '08 LODRS D7 R1 race here in Chandler, Az.).

Now that I missed my home state races, I may join you in not caring about racing this year (at least for a points chase, like last year), but I'll do my darndest to be sure that wherever I'm living post 09/09, that I'll be plotting to get back into the championship points chase next year!!!Wish me well please Ed, because I need it???

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

If moving Is'nt a problem then move to either Div.1 or 2.Either one has a multitude of tracks (Div 2gives
you an IHRA option,a little milder weather too).There,open and shut case.

Re: nhra increase fees explained
 

I wish it was that cut and dry of an option, but the company I work for is no closer to any of those areas than the state of Illinois. Now that would be an option to ponder...Div 3 & the IHRA racing from that area...as the pop song said, "things that make you go hmmm". Now that I'm soon to be 51 (and being a parts delivery driver), most of my works competition is younger than I...thus age discrimination has to be considered as well as starting over anew, which after investing 6.5yrs of my working life into my present job, I'm not willing (nor do I think it's a good ideal) to start over again (especially since I'm one of the alpha drivers, and I get to enjoy 3wks of paid time off for my racing!).

Btw Ed, you call Hurricane season (esp. in Fl.) "a little milder weather"? Now that's funny...R.O.L.O.L.!!!