Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

In 2001, my dad won class eliminations 9 times! Each class win was worth around $2000.00 in contingency money. To put that in perspective, I got $15,000 for winning the World Championship in 2020. What do we have now, a total of 7 class eliminations races country wide that you'll be lucky to claim $200 for winning!

I was wondering if NASCAR's payouts were the same as they were in 2001 and if their executives still got their 150% increases in salary and bonuses over that time span???

Maybe instead of focusing on the AHFS, someone should focus on bringing class racing back to what it used to be and the AHFS would take care of itself! Don't you think someone might push their combo a little harder if the payout was worth a little more than $100-$200???? I do!

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

AMEN!!!
Well put sir!

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

What are we bringing to the table?

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Your car!

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

I've been doing that. Why aren't the manufacturers lining up to give me money?

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

While I to would love to see class/heads up racing make a comeback. There is one GIANT issue to overcome. There are too many classes now in stk and ss. If you look back to the when class was paying good there were NO FS, FSS, FSGT or EFI standalone classes in STK or SS. This deal alone has added almost 50 classes to the list. This move alone has costed contingence sponsors an extra $5000-$10000 per year for the class category. which has caused to sponsors to leave and go elsewhere with their sponsorship dollars.
I believe the last time I looked between the two category's there are just over 160 class. If you had a payout rate of around 40% that means manufactures would payout around 60 winners at $100 each equaling $6000 per event. If you have 5 class paying races that $30,000. What manufacture is going to sign up for this?
Now this can be fixed easy if people are willing to put the better good of the class ahead of their own agenda.
Step one get rid of the FS, FSS FGT classes. This along will cut out 40-50 classes. And produce more opportunity for heads up runs in class and the eliminator
Step two get rid of 1/2 lbs weight breaks and have only full pound weight breaks. This will cut out 20-30 more classes. also produce more opportunity for heads up runs in class and the eliminator
We have seen the last 4-5 years with the combining of sticks and auto in the FS, FSS, FSGT and modified ss classes can and does work with min issue. So, it’s now time for the other classes to catch up and do this with the remaining category’s.
These three things will get stock down around 20-25 classes and ss down under 50-45 classes. Now you can have a real talk/conversation with sponsors about paying out for class eliminations.

Don't forget folks this was a performance based class once upon a time. It might be time we got back there before it’s just Bracket 1 with stock appearing cars

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

At Indy 2021 in Stock there were 30 classes plus 3 combos contested. In Super Stock a total of 34 classes/combos were contested. Multiply that by the seven divisions that Class will be contested and it becomes a lot of contingency to payout for a potential sponsor of class winners, even if the other events attract fewer cars. With a $100 payout per class winner, it could easily be $40-50,000 to pay contingency to all class winners in one year.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

But back then you had all bye runs for single car classes! Now you have the combos for FSS, FGT, Stick and Auto, so they would actually be paying out for a lot less class wins.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

They obviously did it back then, paying the same $100 or $50 for a class win!

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Could it be that the ROI has changed for the parts manufacturers?

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

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

With the advent of social media marketing campaigns, you can reach a wider audience quickly and cheaper than having your decals on cars at divisionals where there are 5 people in the stands or at a national event when your decal is hopefully on the remaining 4 cars on Sunday. And if you’re lucky, maybe the 10 second tv spot but only if alcohol dragster is in town. Personally, given the current ad impressions my stickers would get, I would not join the program if I had a business, other than the fact that I would want to support my racing community and be a nice guy but I would have to have LOTS of extra money to do so. Why do you think I push so hard for increased coverage and more favorable Friday-Sunday scheduling? If I were a potential contingency sponsor on the fence I would be asking NHRA to get my stickered cars in front of the crowd as much as possible. It has to be worth it for them. And to be honest some of the companies have to step into the 21st century with their payment process but that’s another issue. The team at Draginsights could fix that easily.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Race class at divisional races
More racer show up.
1 race per division minimum
National events. Same thing. 1 class race per division

Nhra doesn’t want to do it at national events
Not enough help

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

You said it! Social Media! Put picks of your car with those contingency decals all over your social media!!! Instant exposure, win, lose or draw!

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Correct. GT/JA and KA, mostly K. I've emailed Kennedy many times and he has been helpful with contingency claims, but I've had a few suggestions lately and have yet to receive replies on those. We shall see.

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

We can't put all of those decal on our trailers. DOT will pull us over!!!

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

Here's where it starts. Get asses in the seats and support PC Richard & Son in the process. Notice this flyer has 3 class cars on it :D I have high hopes for an Atco resurgence this year. Share this flyer everywhere.

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...TQ&oe=620DA942

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

also run class at sportsnationals in each division

Re: Want to "bring back" Class Racing?
 

hearding cats. class racers cannot agree on anything. if NHRA said we are going to make 10 classes in stock and adjust weights to make 10 classes work, then run all cars off heads up. 10 cars would show up, maybe 20. that is how stock started in the 60's, now look how many classes..what do you think?