How would you SAVE CLASS RACING ???

[Eric Merryfield]

Thank You Bernie and Charlie.

Posting the class round results on NHRA.COM under Results

I noticed last night while trying to research how many solo's were at say Bristol, that.......class wasn't there........then I check Etown for superstock.....same result......this morning.....I checked Indy stock and same result.

I didn't check prior years, just 2010 but it would be nice to be able to document the results for fans, sponsors, etc without having to go to dragrace central.

It should be a free/painfree fix and would certainly help with fan and sponsor knowledge who's main point of contact is NHRA.COM

Thanks

Eric

[Bob Don]

Award championship points to the winner and runner-up in class eliminations. Now the top points contenders will have to consider the relative performance of their car as well as their driving abilities. Bring back bonus points for setting a record.

[chevy620]

If you want to raise money, through sponsors, for Class Eliminations (and for all Stock, S/Stock and Super Class eliminations) you simply need more companies to support it. There are a lot of small companies that will support Class Eliminations...Here is the problem:
NHRA charges $5500.00 to be a contingency sponsor at LODRS events.
What that means is $1000.00 (administrative fees) and if you do not pay the racers $4500.00 in contingency checks, you owe NHRA the balance.

If they would only charge the $1000.00 and allow you a selected number of LODRS display areas (say 2 per division or 10 max) the $1000.00 becomes affordable. Paying the racer the contingency $$ is the part that every manufacturer should like, they are paying their customers for winning with their products.

If it wasn't for the "penalty" of up to $4500 if you do not pay out contingency a LOT OF SMALL COMPANIES WOULD join.

They could do something similar for Class Eliminations Sponsors". It would be a smaller program but a $1000 to sign up, allowed to display product within your normal pit-parking area at events with class eliminations and given access to hand out decals in staging and pits to Class eliminator racers would be a great start.
Most small companies do not have semi-trailers for display, they are usually companies that will probably have one of their customers bring some product, set up a table at the end of their trailer and promote their products and then watch over Class Eliminations to make sure decals and products are there.

Why does every program always have to end up paying NHRA if the sponsor doesn;t pay the racers. If you think $5500 is a lot for LODRS you ought to see the minimums to be a National Event COntingency Sponsor.....then you would know why it is hard to get paid. Lot of money and literally no exposure for their money posted.

If NHRA and Charlie in contingencies could work out a program that brought a little money to the NHRA and let the racers deal with the Class Sponsors, they might get NHRA back to where it was a win/win for everyone, not just the NHRA.

Send me a Private Message if you have any ideas or questions you don;t want seen on this forum. Otherwise, get what you think known, this is a great forum and the input is excellent.

Thanks,
Jok

[Nitro Joe Jackson]

I wrote a story for Drag Racing action magazine last year about what its going to take to save class racing, simple, support all the independent racing you can cause when the day the 2 big brothers end SS & Stock as we know it, if nobody supports all these different association groups running SS/Stock combos, it will all be gone.
Hats off to everybody that runs SS/Stock Combo's across the country and please try to support these deals.

[B Aceves]

My 2 cents, How about NHRA maybe doing something about helping the exposure for these companies dissing out so much money !! Why not at least try to do a little
something to keep the fans in the stands during Sportsman Racing YA RIGHT !
How about a announcer that truly markets the Sportsman Classes instead of trying to be Funny ALL THE TIME.
It could be done is all you guys need to do is look back at your old Drag Race Photos and look in the stands behind you and scratch your chin and say HMM what changed!!

[Bernie Cunningham]

OK, this is good stuff.

Jeff, we have heads up racing and that's exactly what we need to preserve. It takes dollars and sense. They've dropped a bunch of Class races from the schedule over the years because of the lack of interest from the Manufactures, contingency payers and US, the racers as a group.

Eric, you are right on. Can't say anything but expect that to change as we know it mid 2011.

Bob Don, that's the goal of the new system that will 'Morph' into something bigger as time goes by. As suggested earlier, record runs need a good look from Technical as you would need to bust into a healthy HP hit to do as it is.

Jok, what you said is great too. Talked to Charlie again today and he likes a lot of our ideas. This situation requires a new beginning of Class elimination payouts as we know it. Basically, starting from scratch with a whole new, late model version. Small companies should look forward to a new program for them.

Ntiroe Joe, I'd prefer you to be a part of the solution and not the problem. This thread is for saving Class Eliminations cause we need the sponsors backing for that to happen. You may have the subject confused and I understand why.

As a side note, if we can get the support back into Class Elims. then it's only a matter of time before we see it come back to the main Elim. as well, it's a new crawl then walk situation!!! We've gotta start somewhere and it'll take some time however, it's taken years already to get as deprived as it is now.

Lots of discussion about the costs to Sponsors that post Contingency payments, it boils down to the cost of doing business. I dare anybody to take on the program for free, seriously, it costs money to run this kinda stuff. Have ya looked at the administration costs of all the good-will/ salvation army et. all BUSINESSES out there, it's a staggering part of the donations they receive from well mannered contributors. Unless you know the amount that it takes every year then I fail to see how anybody can say it's unjust. Get some numbers and then we can communicate with a smart solution.

Peace out and thanks for the ideas, they are being heard !!!!!!!!!

[Evan Smith]

At events where Class Racing is contested:

For the purpose of Class Eliminations, combine classes to lessen the number of overall classes, and to increase the difficulty in winning. This is racing, not singling! I've singled for enough class trophies and don't feel any sense of pride from it. Raise the entry fee to anyone who wants to participate and have 100% of the money go back to the racers, but anyone wishing not to participate can pay regular fee and stay in normal class.


Example:
AA/S and AA/SA, run together.

A/S, B/S, C/S and the automatic versions all run in one class.

D,E, F

G, H, I

J, K, L

M, N, O

P, Q, R,

All FWD, run staggared tree off own index or class closest to weight break.

Of course I understand that this doesn't suit everyone, but we have to be proactive and accept changes for this to survive and potentially grow. There would be eight class champions and each would be well earned. Yes, you may have to swing some weight, but that's racing my friends.

At the same time change the following:

Award points for qualifying: 16 to the number one qualifier, then 15, 14, etc and 1 point for 16th place.

Award round-win points for rounds won during Class Eliminations. If you can earn points for a heads-up run in eliminations, why not get some points for Class. And combining classes would allow everyone an opportunity to earn some valued points.

Award 20 points for setting a national record, up to twice per season.

This is a simple reward for those who show up because they actually like the performance aspect of Stock and Super Stock.

[art leong]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

At events where Class Racing is contested:

For the purpose of Class Eliminations, combine classes to lessen the number of overall classes, and to increase the difficulty in winning. This is racing, not singling! I've singled for enough class trophies and don't feel any sense of pride from it. Raise the entry fee to anyone who wants to participate and have 100% of the money go back to the racers, but anyone wishing not to participate can pay regular fee and stay in normal class.


Example:
AA/S and AA/SA, run together.

A/S, B/S, C/S and the automatic versions all run in one class.

D,E, F

G, H, I

J, K, L

M, N, O

P, Q, R,

All FWD, run staggared tree off own index or class closest to weight break.

Of course I understand that this doesn't suit everyone, but we have to be proactive and accept changes for this to survive and potentially grow. There would be eight class champions and each would be well earned. Yes, you may have to swing some weight, but that's racing my friends.

At the same time change the following:

Award points for qualifying: 16 to the number one qualifier, then 15, 14, etc and 1 point for 16th place.

Award round-win points for rounds won during Class Eliminations. If you can earn points for a heads-up run in eliminations, why not get some points for Class. And combining classes would allow everyone an opportunity to earn some valued points.

Award 20 points for setting a national record, up to twice per season.

This is a simple reward for those who show up because they actually like the performance aspect of Stock and Super Stock.

Evan. I think this is much more reasonable than the current change. Not perfect but a lot better.
But the problem is This other plan is a done deal. "Elvis has left the building"
The only thing I can hope for now is something in writing guaranteeing no more overnight major changes. No more back door deals.
Put any proposed major changes out to the SRAC at least 6 months prior to implementation.

[stefan callender]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

At events where Class Racing is contested:

For the purpose of Class Eliminations, combine classes to lessen the number of overall classes, and to increase the difficulty in winning. This is racing, not singling! I've singled for enough class trophies and don't feel any sense of pride from it. Raise the entry fee to anyone who wants to participate and have 100% of the money go back to the racers, but anyone wishing not to participate can pay regular fee and stay in normal class.


Example:
AA/S and AA/SA, run together.

A/S, B/S, C/S and the automatic versions all run in one class.

D,E, F

G, H, I

J, K, L

M, N, O

P, Q, R,

All FWD, run staggared tree off own index or class closest to weight break.

Of course I understand that this doesn't suit everyone, but we have to be proactive and accept changes for this to survive and potentially grow. There would be eight class champions and each would be well earned. Yes, you may have to swing some weight, but that's racing my friends.

At the same time change the following:

Award points for qualifying: 16 to the number one qualifier, then 15, 14, etc and 1 point for 16th place.

Award round-win points for rounds won during Class Eliminations. If you can earn points for a heads-up run in eliminations, why not get some points for Class. And combining classes would allow everyone an opportunity to earn some valued points.

Award 20 points for setting a national record, up to twice per season.

This is a simple reward for those who show up because they actually like the performance aspect of Stock and Super Stock.

Great Idea Evan.