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http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCSt...UMMIT#indextop

Some of the points discussed:
-Talks about making participation easier for Lucas Oil Competitors by easing up on the requirements?
-No plans to increase any purses, only to help Pros find more sponsors.
-In house TV coverage and more media coverage coming but no increased coverage for sportsman.
-Plans to improve Pro Stock
-No plans to elevate factory stock yet
-Every question seems to be answered with "Exciting announcements on this coming shortly, stay tuned!"

What are your thoughts?

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How can they make it easier for sportsman to participate? Pro and Super ET at our races? No heads up? Reducing rules? Maybe do away with us? Hope we are as excited as they are about the answers that are coming. We shall see.

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realistically, whether you race NHRA or IHRA or mud race, or whatever,
when the vast majority of sportsman have north of $125,000-$150,000+ in truck, trailer, motorhomes, cars, pit bikes, generators, etc, and the purse is $1000-$1500, the sanctioning bodies obviously see no reason to increase purses....or decrease entry fees for that matter.

....think about it.

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I think there's going to be more shakeouts on this than originally assumed. And I'm willing to bet Dallas Gardner will finally be placed in the crosshairs now that Compton is out of the way. Once he's gone, I think NHRA can turn back to it's former glory (no, I don't mean the 'good ol' days", but back into a sensible racing organization that it was intended to be...not just a money maker).

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^^ good point.
Never thought of the subject from that angle.

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I was in the tower with a Division Director some years ago just basically bi**hing about my inability to make any money at his races anymore. He pointed out the window into the pits and told me "Billy, looking out this window at all of those $X00,000 coaches and trailers, they don't seem to have a problem"! "You've got to understand, I don't sanction drag races anymore, I sanction alternative lifestyle weekends"!

....think about that.

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and that's why the sport continues to decline, you only have the folks with disposable, or excess income out there...everybody else is sitting on the sidelines.


now, it the purse was $125,000-$150,000+......


think about it

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I think the powers that be take note of sportsman racers "in-line" 2-3 days early to get a good pit spot.

They could double the purse and its still a drop in the bucket, or they could cut it in half and not lose many entries

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Depends on what the announcements are and as far as purses, it sounds like there's not enough money to do it. Without seeing the books, we can verify how its spent or the amounts, so without speculating, the assumption is they don't have it. So from a realistic perspective, seeking further sponsorship to increase purses makes sense.

Also seems a little early to get crazy with factory stock. A few questions: Is there enough of a following to support a 16 car field for a 10 race series for them?, who's going to sponsor it? Can every competitor make it to all 10 races? One the riggors of keeping up sets in, will un-competitive cars quit the series? Lots of questions there even though it has significant potential right now.

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it's all the people with the motor homes and trailers You haters are pathetic You keyboard racers keep throwing stones Maybe if you raced you would understand why . Car counts fine where I race

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Great, after all these years I finally managed to save my nickels and dimes and buy a living quarters trailer and now I have been labeled as part of the 'problem'. I didn't realize that my instinct to win had deteriorates because of it, thanks for letting me in on it, I'll try to work on my attitude...

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

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I seriously do not understand the animosity toward people with a nice motorhome and trailer, or a nice truck and living quarters trailer? What damned difference does it make?

Oh, by the way, I have a 12 year old gasoline engine crew cab Chevy dooley, and I'm looking at trailers now. I may or may not be able to afford living quarters. I might have to sleep on a cheap mattress up in the gooseneck and hope the track has showers. Not sure if I'll be allowed to like or hang out with my friends who have nicer rigs.

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Who says I am a Hater? I am just stating the facts. and yes, I am sitting on the sidelines at the moment. The return on investment is just not there to take the time away from my business at this time

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I'd hate to think anyone, except maybe those as good at it as Dan Fletcher and was doing it for a living, was racing on anything other than disposable income, it would not be very wise.

The vast majority of sportsman racers have always been doing it on disposable income. Those who are not, and are not doing it on someone else's money (sponsored), most likely will not be doing it for long.


And once again, I do not really understand what the cost of anyone's rig has to do with any of this. It certainly does not have any effect on how many cars you can get to race, or how many fans you can put in the stands, if you really want to promote a race and make money. And continue to do so. I can assure you that guys like Michael Beard do not care in the least what people haul their race cars to his races in, so long as they show up and put on a great racing show.

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That Division Director needs to look at his business model. Customers with disposable income are good for business. I seriously doubt any of his customers paid for their rigs with purse or contingencies from his races.


It's a really big problem when small time guys like Michael Beard (not a knock at Michael at all, and he knows it) can promote a race, pay good money, and make money, but NHRA can't seem to make it happen at their races. Someone is doing something really wrong, and it sure ain't Michael.

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If it is the same conversation I am thinking of, I was sitting right there. The same Division Director also asked the group of racers whether most racers were there to race or for a social event with some racing thrown in. The answer was that for most, it was a social event with some racing thrown in.

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Yeah, we have a good time at the races. For us, we get up in the morning, and we flip the "race mode" switch on, and it stays on until we're done for the day. Then the "fun mode" switch gets flipped on, and we get out and enjoy some time away from the rest of the world with our friends. For racers, at least most of us who have a "day job" and/or a business, going races is a much needed vacation, and a chance to compete, something that we're fortunate to enjoy.

When the Nitroplate racer appreciation deal went on at Bristol, we had a lot of the professionals down there having fun, too. Does that make them any less professional? Or any less a racer?

Again, I fail to see how the cost of some racer's rigs, and the fact that we are enjoying ourselves, has anything to do with how poor a business model NHRA follows.

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That pic in my avatar was taken at union grove Wisconsin 35 years ago,...at that time the closest other track, Byron was paying 1000 to win per week and held the first 10,000 to win cash nationals. George Rupert won that first race. That car to the left was built with an investment of around 10,000 dollars, today those same parts cost nearly 100,000...granted some parts today are better and hence the pricetag


The bottom line is....the payouts or "purse" of today is pitfull, compared to what the return on investment was years ago.


The mindset of "just give everybody a trophy" just does not cut it in the real world...to prove that point, there is less people in the "game" today than there was 35 years ago.


I was watching ESPN several hrs ago and scrolling across the bottom of the screen was all the new "contracts" that basketball stars were signing 15,40 25 30, 12 MILLION dollars for 1,2 and 3 year contracts.


folks....its all about the money period! don't let anybody BS you into otherwise. on that note, I will say that I could care less what anybody else spends on there stuff...but I do care what I can get out my investment as do others ... we can probably fill the next 10 pages with guys that gave parked there stuff because of it


carry on

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Bill, so you're saying that you found a way to get the toothpaste back into the tube? Can you please share with us how you did it?

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You have to be able to catch the cat first...

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-I don't care who tows with what, the payouts are not in line with the times and they love putting that burden on sponsors or wealthy racers who do not "need the money."

-I don't really watch the pros when I am there but they are the main reason I run national events. They bring in spectators who see my car, ask me questions about it, take pictures of it, etc. so I'm glad they have a plan in place for Pro Stock. Although I think the driving is the best and closest it has ever been, fan interest is down but can that be fixed?

-No mention of manufacturers' midway and the plan to offer a more enticing deal for them. Maybe part of new announcements..

-I could care less about a million dollar payout, I don't even know why that was a question but I could see how it could generate attention and media coverage toward our sport.

-I'm always hoping for more sportsman coverage

-Don't really think factory stock being elevated to the new pro stock yet because it won't fix a money problem. It will be a millionaire's game by it's third year, nothing will stop smart people from being smart or rich people from spending money. I have no solution to this one.

-Get rid of reserved grandstands, my buddy's first time there and I had to go all the way down to 1000' at New England. Looks terrible on TV when those starting line stands are empty. And for the love of Pete, ease up on the $40-$50 ticket prices!

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I raced at Indy-Nationals in 1966.
Flat towed there and stayed in a motel.
We were young and had very little resources but going to Indy was a big goal for most racers back then. We made it to the class final and that was a pretty big deal to us.

I raced Englishtown's Summernationals a month ago and my motivation after all these years is simply because it is the top level of NHRA competition. Just like back in 1966....same deal.

It is also a social event as well but every race is for me and my friends.
We look forward to it and the time we spend having fun doing what we enjoy.

You either can afford it or you can't.
I have nowhere near the level of equipment many do and never have.
I don't let it bother me one bit.
The purse structure and contingency program is pitiful vs the costs but you either accept it or stay home.
I skip races and take time off just to keep the costs within reason.

I seriously doubt a change at the top of NHRA will mean much of anything at this point to sportsman racers.

It's all about the money as was said earlier......
It is many times more expensive at every level to race, run a track or run NHRA.....
NASCAR, Indy Car all the same deal.....Higher costs, lower spectators, sponsor money, etc.

TV coverage it seems to me is the only possible big revenue possibility....
If they could put an attractive show together and sell it ....

Sportsman coverage? That's Not gonna happen...

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I don't think that anyone is pointing the finger at the guys that have nice equipment and nice tow rigs, but I would have to think that is something that the NHRA brass
can't help but see when they come to the events. People spend their money however they choose. You could have just as much money tied up in an rv and dune buggies or wood working equipment or a beach house.

and as Bobby said, they "love putting the burden on those who can afford it."-because they can.

Just like for not for profit hospitals, they keep hiring more of their buddies as vp's and pay them 250K per year so they can hide profit and keep their non profit status.
They have a captive audience in their patients and for all intensive purposes, NHRA has a captive audience with sportsman racers. They have no incentive to change.

They could care less about getting a full quota of sportsman. They worry much more about having only 15 of 16 pros in a class than they ever will about having 128 sportsmen.

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Bobby,
The -I could care less about a million dollar payout, I don't even know why that was a question but I could see how it could generate attention and media coverage toward our sport.
That was ask by a person making his living writing articles. I think It was just thrown out there to get a reaction so he would have something to write about.
I'm like you. a 1,000,000 winner means absolutely nothing to me.
What would do me more good would be loosening some of these rules that are costing me so much money. Cut out the Deal making with companies that provide some of these items. It costs so much to just get all the "required" little things bought just to get to the track. Esp if you can only race a few times a year. It is the small guy that doesn't have the vast disposable income that needs the help.

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Before we get too far astray here...words DO mean things
Thank you

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Bobby well said, only time will tell if the change in command will bring about beneficial change/improvement.

RJ

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See above I agree....

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Here is my 1977 Chevy PU I just dug up out of the weeds of my buddies back yard of his shop. Has not been started in 9 years.Started right up. I used it to tow my 68 Impala back and forth to track in 2002-2005 I will use it again with an open trailer to get me back and forth with my 65 Impala in progress. In the Race car Build section. I cannot afford a nicer truck, an enclosed trailer ect plus I am building my 65 doing most of the work myself. But I WILL be racing, For a guy like me if I want to be real comfortable I'll stay home weekends, sell everything and.. play video games and watch Football.

Will Lamprecht Div 1 65 Impala I/SA 396/325 HP

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Is it just me or does "alternative lifestyle weekends" sound like getting naked and/or smoking dope? I know that would certainly be cheaper than drag racing!

Seriously, I have always thought that there are some great stories in sports, including sportsman drag racing, that could be told well enough to keep people's attention, and generate interest. It just never happens. I can't tell you how many times I have been watching NHRA on TV and it seems like they are just wasting time. Sometimes I even see cool sportsman cars driving by in the back ground, usually during some especially vapid interview segment.

There is no sport I can think of where I can compete against David Rampy or Dan Fletcher or Jimmy DeFrank. It would be like pitching to Alex Rodriguez at a softball game. Nothing compares. I know John Force and Big Daddy, they ask about my kids. They admire my car. Lebron James? Not so much.

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Maybe I'm wrong but I think you guys are missing the point as far as sportsman racing. Who do you think the "fans" at a Natl. event come to see? Eric M. in my old gremlin?
they come to see the "pros". The low cash flow is divisionals. I could fill the stands with more butts with female mud wrestling than sportsman racing. The casual drag racing fan dedicated to sportsman racing is long gone. Whoever can figure out a formula to pack in divisionals and increase the gate will be the salvation of drag racing as a whole.
Any suggestions? Come on Billy you can think of something.

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God bless those with Motor Coaches, Stackers, Factory Stockers and nothing better to do but wait in line for 2-3 days.
You can still go racing on a budget, Pick up truck, open trailer and a reasonably classed car and a cheap motel room.
The payouts haven't changed much since I last raced because the sanctioning bodies see no reason to based on the high level of participation.
Don't stop complaining, but little will change.

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Love those ol' crew cab duallies.

When I got hooked on Stock/Super Stock racing in the early 80's, I thought it so cool the class racers were pulling their open trailers with those trucks and here were those beautiful cars on trailers for all to see.

Not many racers had enclosed trailers then.

My 2004 dually isn't as old as yours, but it kind of reminds me of the those great years when I was in awe of the Stockers and Super Stockers.

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And there I thought I was the only language nit-picker in drag racing. :)

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That's the way I'll be doing it. Just please, guys, hold the laughter until my Ranger and tiny open trailer move along to where I'm out of earshot.

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Not into the big rigs, but you've got more nerve than I do, buddy.
I hate towing so much as my golf cart with my S10.
At least out here, you don't have many hills to contend with or have to be concerned with towing down the NE Thruway to the Cross Bronx to the GW Bridge

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I went over to the road racers side of the track at PBIR, They were testing 3 Ferraris, they told me that they went through 3 drums of fuel, 2 sets of brake pads and this was just testing. So I asked them what kind of purse they race for. The answer was "it's a gentlemen's race" with a trophy and notoriety as the purse. I asked them how much each car was valued at, this was a few years ago, between 150 to 200k each. So when you look at how much NHRA is going to pay as a purse, let's hope they don't talk to the road racers.

Casey Miles
248H "F" NHRA Stock

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Ah, the Cross Bronx Expressway was always my favorite part of the tow!

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The Cross Bronx was the reason I switched to the George Washington Bridge. It's longer trip to Englishtown from Long Island that way, yet so much easier.

Towing out West here is much easier in my opinion.

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An outside perspective.

http://www.motorsport.com/nhra/news/...-a-crossroads/

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I think Clifford will have great new plans of NHRA good changes. He just needs to talk to Bill Bader he has his place packed when its just a D-3 race !