[BKSG1198]

I really think the decline of SG started with the changing of the tree from a .400 to .370 LED compensation type tree. For the most part when this came about most cars were back halved bracket cars with “smaller” big block chevys / fords / mopars in them and could compete with everyone, when I tell people we have a 468 BBC, they laugh and say...ohh you have a small BBC for SG. When the tree changed it forced the back half racers to either redo their cars, build bigger motors or buy a new car. I was told by one chassis fabricator “what’s $10,000 to $15,000 to drop to make your car competitive?” Well, for some with the entry cost, prize money and extra days off from work they either quit super gas all together, sold their stuff and retired or went bracket racing because their cars were still competitive just not on the .370 tree. I know of at least 20 racers who were staples on the D1 tour in 1995 to 2010 that now bracket race at the 4 tracks within 4 hours of my house. This also caused the racers to build bigger and bigger motors and go faster and faster so they can hit the tree harder and in turn go 165-175 mph, all that costs money and when you only win $2k to $1,800 per race it doesn’t pay. Racers with slower mph cars also don’t feel competitive against the 170mph cars so they have turned to top end stops or got with the masses and slammed a 565BBC in a Vega Wagon, which gives the high mph car seconds to judge the finish line. Another thing is the youth getting involved, with the high costs for these cars, no kid coming out of high school, college or trade school can afford this, also Junior Dragsters (Love or Hate them) teach the kids how to race via a Dragster, not a door car, so they know where to drop and can wheel race better....yes Door Cars are way more fun than a dragster. Most of the cars are chop-top roadsters but, as you can see they are becoming big in the bracket world because you can see better and the winnings is way better, kids these days are about the $$$, not the legacy that their parents had in a class. At 42, myself, Mike Sawyer, Jason Kenny, Sean Lang, Joe Gallucci are considered the “young guns” of the 9.90 class in D1 and I belive everyone except Joe are in their 40's. I said a long time ago that NHRA let these classes get out of hand and a MPH or ET adjustment should have been made or a class (7.90) added for those who were too fast for 8.90 but, didn’t want to run TD or TS. Last but, not least is tracks are facing the “your track sucks” comments from these high mph cars because let’s face it, your on the stop till 500 feet then come on full throttle, that part of the track is not set up for that type of horsepower or prepped for that.

In the Mid Atlantic .90 Series we still run on a .400 pro tree in SG because we have a few racers who love 9.90 racing but, know they are ducks going to a NHRA D1 or National event because they are .50 to .60 on the tree with no delay. It's a HOT Topic and one that I face every year as president, do you switch to a .370 in SG and risk losing racers or keep it at a .400 and satisfy the racers who don't want to run on a .370 tree. Normally the ones who complain about the .400 tree have been the ones that still win the championships and races. I can personally say, one of them is my father, at 74 he’s just not killing the tree in NHRA anymore so he allows me to run those events while he feels more competitive in the MASGA series. At some of the .90 events we actually draw more cars then a D1 race in Super Gas because people like the one day events and they feel competitive on the .400 tree. I know some racers express their concerns but, this would have to be a division wide call and not just one division and sometimes you wonder if every track is set up on a .370 or .400 tree in the computer. It's a simple fix but, you question it at some tracks, I know it's the first thing I do every morning is go up and make sure the .030 LED Comp is not in the computer in the tower.

I'm sure it's not going to get people back because their stuff is sold & long gone and nobody is building anything new these days.