[Michael Kilduff]

One of the basic fundamentals of problem solving is to correctly identify the problem.

Is the lack of heads up racing the real problem in sportsman racing? There is evidence that heads up racing isn't alive and well. Consider the fact that one of the greatest heads up races in the country has died after about 17 years or so of thriving like mad. That's the Orlando World Street Finals (or similar).

The Orlando race was the 'heads up street car (I use that phrase ambiguously)' equivalent of NHRA's US Nationals. Competitiors from all over the country descended upon Orlando's hallowed grounds and spectators flocked to the place religiously year after year.

That race isn't being run this year. If heads up racing is what so many fans and racers desire why then did the greatest heads up 1/4 mile race in the country go down?

Another ugly fact that disproves the 'heads up is where it's at' hypothesis is the success of "Pinks".

Rich didn't seem like the biggest gear head on the planet to me. Matter of fact his lack of experience around serious drag cars was evident early on in his TV program when a pair of 7-8 second cars blasted by his arm drop. Looked like a deer in the head lights and his camera guy at the finish line dropped a Cleveland Steamer Bean in his drawers when the T/S style Corvette got loose on the big end and kept the hammer down.

Rich was/is a promotor extraordinaire, he made index style racing more popular than any other drag racing series in the country. Bigger than NHRA, bigger than ADRL, bigger than IHRA-and the cars were usually run of the mill bracket cars, or street/strip cars.
What other series fills up its qualifying fields in 15 minutes? No 32 car fields, 64 car fields, or 128 car fields either. This was 350 plus cars and the whole facility would be jammed with spectators. Granted he started out with some hokey heads up stuff that ultimately was manipulated by racers....the crowds still flocked to his events even when cars were spotted 'lengths' and then the gradual switch to index type racing. It thrived.

I think Dwight touched on something very appealing about Stock and SS racing....there are cars from every generation, a real live history of drag racing over many decades.

For what it's worth I spoke to a bracket race promoter in south eastern NC this past weekend. I asked him, during about one hour conversation, 'what will it take to get spectators to the aces again?'

His answer was to lower the spectator ticket to 5 bucks. 10-15-20 is too high in this economy when people have so many avenues for entertainment that are almost free-the web, NFL, WI, facebook, etc......

Rich C has, imo, laid down the blueprint for making drag racing popular. Hopefully someone within class racing that has the intestinal fortitude and the venture capital to risk will take a shot with it.