[Ron Ortiz]

I fully understand the grade point system, always have always will. The PROBLEM is with the amount of entries per category. Why did they start the gators with only 55 Super Stock quota. 80 Stock, 70 S/G, and 100 S/C. And "class" racing for Stk and SS on top of it. That is stupid. Finally, SS was increased to 80 due to a flood of entries by the third week. Hey, common sense, but it stopped there.

Nothing against the S/C guys, but their rigs are all going to be long, why 100 then, while the others have less amount quota. Don't give me that BS of limited space, I've been pitted at the gators outside the fence and in the parking lot for too many years. It does not matter if you get there on Tuesday or Thursday, you're in the boondocks. The only time spectators see your car is on the way in to the gate or on the way out.

A major problem is that they are shrinking the quotas and giving more space to the "NHRA Needy". I said years ago that they were little by little eliminating bottom sportsman from National Events. Gators in the past were 128, then 100, then 90, now 80, why? With the advent of geographical "Sportsnationals" you can see the trend happening. It's coming. If they only have a 64 car field they would be happy, then your grade point system is a joke. You all know they treat you like crap, why else would you run eliminations at 8:00 AM, then at 10:00 PM on occasion. Yeah, I love racing, but not at 8:00 AM, especially with the sun looking down the track at you, heck I could not find the tree last year as I came out of the water box, much less see the bulbs.

Spectators love fuel cars at night, why don't they qualify at night to free up time trials during the day for other classes, that is just a lost opportunity to increase spectator presence, which results in more spending.

Jack, you said, " its their job to keep control of the entries - look at the IHRA - they never know how many are going to show up .How could you properly staff a race like Indy when you haven't a clue who will show up at the gate ?
Answer, you can enter the gators with 1 grade point up to March 5th, the race is the 8th, kind of like showing up at the gate. All they know is that only 80 can enter and that's what they go by. Staffing is predictable, this applies to an IHRA event like wise, but the option of entering on race day is a benefit to the racer, and the sanctioning body as it is increased revenue, without the loss of control.

You all need to take a real close look at the way things are happening, it is becoming obvious that only the "select" will be racing at future national events.

Ron Ortiz
U/SA only 13 from FL