The Future of Sportsman Racing?

[Chris "drooze" Wertman]

Originally Posted by John Kelley

NHRA would do their best to SQUASH them !! Just like they have done with other groups that wanted to run meet's on NHRA affiliated tracks !
.

I have no doubt they will try but if the Geniuses who limited TF to 4 "test" runs keep that up, they will cross a line that is called "Unfair Competition" it is quite obvious to anyone that rule is intended to limit TF cars and drivers to the NHRA events and venues. THAT can cross a line of attempt to structure a monopoly, and unchecked they will.

All that needs to happen is for them to keep "squezing" and imposing rules like that and a line will be crossed they will wish (IF someone has enough stones to contest in a court of law)

The AHRA if they want TF cars, just got Nuked by that rule, IF they want established "Big Names"

Unlike the 70's and 80's where they would cross compete and match race.

The NHRA learned how to avoid this this time. (I believe)

There may be another reason the NHRA did this, but Im not aware, if it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, well......

Whats next a rule saying if you want to run Sportsman at a National event you cannot have run at any non-sanctioned tracks in the last year ? Yeah right, Glendora would have to hire armed guards.

Im not saying a Big National org, I would be VERY curious at IHRA and NHRA turnouts both cars and spectators over the last 2 years, Im sure both are down because of the economy but which is down further in terms of establised market share percentage ?

[Pete Beau]

As the saying goes, "actions speak louder than words".

[Mike Dahl]

Clearly, the sportsman racer is a large part of the financial ecosystem for NHRA, and for that matter, all drag racing sanctioning bodies.

That said, I think the future of sportsman racing is probably secure for at least a moderate term. However, the premise of this discussion is based on a broadly worded statement, "The Future of Sportsman Racing." Surely, it is not lost that sportsmen drag racers represent many different categories.

Now, if we wanted to focus more directly on the future of Stock/Super Stock and Competition Eliminator Racing, I would say the future of these categories is less certain. Notwithstanding the positive discussions from the SRAC, the root problem is, in my opinion, a simple one to understand and accept.

Roughly two weeks ago a thread titled, "Unscientific Informal Poll," was posted and I followed it, but as I read the posts, I took a few minutes to average the ages of the responding members. Of course this is not scientific or qualified, but here are the stats, should anyone find them interesting.

90 people responded
Their reported ages ranged from 18 to 75 years old.
The average age of the responders is 57.4 years old.

My questions are these:

Is there enough people with the interest, ability, and resources to follow in the footsteps of our amazing veteran racers? Remember the bar is pretty high.

My intuition is maybe, but I think if there was a way to look at the historical average ages since, let's say 1990, I believe it would reveal that the average racer age has climbed steadily to this day.

Again, this is far from scientific, but I would speculate NHRA has this data, and has considered these statistics as any business should.

Therefore, if younger racers are not cultivated, then what does it matter if the SRAC is successful or not? Forgive the analogy, but if NHRA were in the baby bottle business and people started having dramatically less babies, is it not reasonable for NHRA to sell something else to stay afloat? I know I would and suspect many business owners on this forum would too.

So, if my observation is true, and it may not be, then what should be done to lower the average age of our racers, while at the same time preserving the very spirit of who we are? Hopefully, the SRAC will consider the perceived barriers to entry that keep racers from making the commitment and realizing the rewards from Class Racing.

Mike Dahl

[cicero819]

My two cents, please be gentle. I hope that Stock, Super stock associate themselves with a major Bracket Race such as what Dick Moroso started many years ago before greed settled in and now all you have is a dragster race. Just imagine adding all these new cars to a complete new arena of racing, I would pay to see this.

[Bunkster]

Originally Posted by drooze

...
The racer commitment is an "honest" commitment, one of love, and passion not of $ , a corporate bottom line...

What's the problem with a corporate bottom line? What's dishonest about a corporate bottom line?

[Chris "drooze" Wertman]

Originally Posted by Bunkster

What's the problem with a corporate bottom line? What's dishonest about a corporate bottom line?

2 different reasons to do something in this case

1)Because you love the sport
2)To make a buck

Its not that its "dishonest" , rather that #1 is for a pure reason.

Who do you think would think of the sport first the bottom line 2nd ?

[BobOrme]

Originally Posted by drooze

I have no doubt they will try but if the Geniuses who limited TF to 4 "test" runs keep that up, they will cross a line that is called "Unfair Competition" it is quite obvious to anyone that rule is intended to limit TF cars and drivers to the NHRA events and venues. THAT can cross a line of attempt to structure a monopoly, and unchecked they will.

All that needs to happen is for them to keep "squezing" and imposing rules like that and a line will be crossed they will wish (IF someone has enough stones to contest in a court of law)

The AHRA if they want TF cars, just got Nuked by that rule, IF they want established "Big Names"

Unlike the 70's and 80's where they would cross compete and match race.

The NHRA learned how to avoid this this time. (I believe)

There may be another reason the NHRA did this, but Im not aware, if it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, well......

Whats next a rule saying if you want to run Sportsman at a National event you cannot have run at any non-sanctioned tracks in the last year ? Yeah right, Glendora would have to hire armed guards.

Im not saying a Big National org, I would be VERY curious at IHRA and NHRA turnouts both cars and spectators over the last 2 years, Im sure both are down because of the economy but which is down further in terms of establised market share percentage ?

The reported reason for limiting the fuel teams to 4 "test" days was to lessen the advantage the high dollar teams have over the lessor funded teams who couldn't afford the extra test days. It does have an affect on TF teams that run both sanctioning bodies, but it doesn't prevent anyone from racing in both series. It does penalize the ability to earn points toward a season championship or top 10 finish and the subsequent prize monies involved. I don't happen to think that is fair, but it also doesn't affect any of the top teams - those most likely to finish in the top 10 anyway. Very few (if any) of those teams were racing in both series before the testing rule went into effect. That said, the rule does hinder the ability of the top teams to earn extra revenue by appearing at special shows like match races. Not that there has been very much match racing over the last ten or more years, but I think the ability to do that kind of thing should still be available without penalty.

The AHRA got "nuked" from conducting events at NHRA sanctioned tracks because the AHRA decided to go into the sanctioning body business instead of just conducting events like the ADRL does. I can't see the NHRA or IHRA allowing events on their competitors' sanctioned tracks, but they both allow other promoters like the ADRL and Pinks to conduct their events because they aren't in direct competition for track sanctioning rights and privileges. If they didn't allow those types of events, then I believe they'd be guilty of restraint of trade, and that would be illegal.

[blkjack]

When the "gray hairs" are dead and gone,,,,,,,,,,,,,Stock, S/S and Comp will be gone. Problem solved for NHRA. Easy to police classes will remain.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by blkjack

When the "gray hairs" are dead and gone,,,,,,,,,,,,,Stock, S/S and Comp will be gone. Problem solved for NHRA. Easy to police classes will remain.

This says it all. This way NHRA wont be sued with a class action law suite like the Pro Stock Truck fiasco.

[will prater]

Originally Posted by blkjack

When the "gray hairs" are dead and gone,,,,,,,,,,,,,Stock, S/S and Comp will be gone. Problem solved for NHRA. Easy to police classes will remain.

No offense to anyone but when we were at Topeka my son commented about the age of most of the stock and super stock participants as being old like my age. (54). Thanks son. I could see Top Dragster and Top Sportsman becoming the 'Sportsman' classes in the future. Easy to tech and most Super Pro dragsters at local tracks all over the country can turn off the stop and run fast enough.