NHRA as seen by the pros.

[Chris Cogan]

Those in the professional ranks need to wake up. Last year at the Norwalk event, rain cut Saturday's activities short so I ventured into the pro pits as the masses were heading toward the parking lot. I looked like a minnow trying to swim into an opposing stream of salmon! Anyway, eventhough I was wet all the way to my BVD's, I was rewarded in the fact that most of the pro guys were still out (under their awnings) tidying up for the day and the crowd was almost non-existent. I am a avid pro stock fan, so I was hanging out around the pro stock boys and many of them had taken their ropes down and allowed me to check out their cars up close. I was in gearhead heaven. I had an opportunity to speak with a very well known driver while I was checking out his car and I asked him why he wasn't using titanium fasterners on his beadlock wheels. Many teams do. His response was, "Well, I've only got so big a budget each year and eventhough I considered them because it is the right thing to do for performance, I opted to spend my money elsewhere." I then looked over his shoulder and this is what I observed: Two 53' transport trailers and matching rigs to pull them. Two custom pusher RV's with a tent between them and about 20 people fine dining on steaks coming off the grill. Two portable air conditioning units providing cool air for the guests and also branched off to provide cool air to the cars (note plural) radiators. About a dozen crew members all dressed in matching uniforms, Custom golf carts, etc........I was speechless. Here was a guy who has won numerous championships and wouldn't spend $700 to reduce nearly a pound of rotating mass, but had all the comfort items that don't help those cars get down the track any quicker or faster. UNBELIEVEABLE!!! I was totally and utterly dumbfounded. I don't know about any of the rest of you, but if I could afford to run pro stock, I would tow to the races with my 3/4 suburban and a 28' enclosed trailer and put all of my available racing budget into making the car as nasty as possible. I can remember going to the races with my dad and we would sleep in the back of the crew cab or in a sleeping bag under the open trailer. We probably didn't smell to well by Sunday, but we were there to race........PERIOD!!! Nothing else mattered. I'm sure many of you have similar stories. Let's hear them. Check out the picture of the Grump's operation back in the day. Nothing fancy, all about the racing.

[danny waters sr]

He was probably doing all that to keep his sponsors.( assuming he had sponsors). A lot in a sponsorship is P R work . I know as we were fotunate enough to have a large sponsorship program with STANBACK headache powders back in the late 90's and 2000 for a sportsman program. We actually did some things out of our pocket to promote them in diff ways. Sure makes a diff when they left. We now have MOSER ENGINEERING as our sponsor thru 2010 , and will do the same for them. Maybe he rather to save and keep his sponsor than to loose 1 pound .Maybe he can get them (screws) this year .

[Chris Cogan]

Mr. Waters,
I totally get what you are saying, but I think this guy could have easily given his "guests" the same level of comfort and still found ways to budget an extra couple grand to equip his cars with quicker stuff. For example, he could have forgone the billet aluminum golf cart wheels and put that money into making his RACECAR wheels more competitive. Afterall, sponsors pay him the big $$$$ to win races and to put their logo in front of the masses to move/sell whatever product or service they provide. Not so they can eat grilled steak at the racetrack. I do not disagree with you regarding taking care of your sponsors, but come on! Those guys are supposed to be professional racers because they are the best of the best at winning races by out performing the next guy, not because they know how to throw the best party.

[Robert Swartz]

Originally Posted by Chris Cogan

Mr. Waters,
I totally get what you are saying, but I think this guy could have easily given his "guests" the same level of comfort and still found ways to budget an extra couple grand to equip his cars with quicker stuff. For example, he could have forgone the billet aluminum golf cart wheels and put that money into making his RACECAR wheels more competitive. Afterall, sponsors pay him the big $$$$ to win races and to put their logo in front of the masses to move/sell whatever product or service they provide. Not so they can eat grilled steak at the racetrack. I do not disagree with you regarding taking care of your sponsors, but come on! Those guys are supposed to be professional racers because they are the best of the best at winning races by out performing the next guy, not because they know how to throw the best party.

Pros vs. sportsman, two entirely different worlds, for the majority of us. Bear with me here, I've been away from this for a long time. I was blown away recently when I saw a sportsman car pull into Ohio Valley with a semi? I'm simply refurbing the same old open trailer that my partner and I have been towing around since 1976! I'd love to have a "mobile garage" and I've found a few relatively inexpensive trailers. For now, I can't justify a monthly payment on one, I'd rather concentrate the money into building my cars.

We had a thread on this awhile back, I still remember flat towing to the track. Things get bad, this may make a comeback, LOL! In fact, I still had my old tow bar until a few months ago, my son offered to "clean" out the junk in the shed over the hill, he sold it for scrap.

The current economic situation will sort alot of things out shortly. Most of the local tracks I visited last year, I was shocked by the low car counts. I don't anticipate this year being alot different. For those doing this for a living, it's going to be a lot tougher.

[danny waters sr]

It all depends on what the sponsor wants.All the grilling was probably for customer pr. Just guesing from my sponsorship experience. We used to cook on a smaller level ,but it was for people (possible new buyers) that our sponsor invited to the track. They were very pleased as their help for us did exactly what they wanted for new and current business.Not trying to take up for the poor old pro guy, but some things on a sponsorship contract have nothing to do with racing. I was just giving my 2 cents worth.Heck we even painted our car pink and wore pink uniforms one year(glad that did'nt last long)lol..I can see where you are coming from, just letting you know there is more to it than take the money and race,,.Good Luck racing this year.

[Chris Cogan]

Good luck to you too Mr. Waters. It has been a pleasure chatting with you. Take care.