The State Of Sportsman Racing - Interesting Read

[Dan Fahey]

Good read!

[Ok stocker]

Sad but true. I remember a time when there was 6 NHRA tracks with in 4 hours from where I lived and they ran all sportsman classes every weekend. There were even a couple of Ihra tracks close that ran classes. What seems to have happened is the tracks run the weekly bracket programs and anyone can race. Few rules and expenses. When the tracks stopped running classes it seems like a natural evolution especially in these hard times races went to what paid and they could afford. The pride money at a lot of local tracks rivals what winning a sanctioned event would pay without the travel, expenses and the rules

[Jim Wahl]

Nothing in that article related to Stock and Super Stock racing except for Mike Beard talking about how he pretty much quit racing NHRA and IHRA in order to go bracket racing. Didn't whet my interest at all. Jim

.

[BRINK]

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

Nothing in that article related to Stock and Super Stock racing except for Mike Beard talking about how he pretty much quit racing NHRA and IHRA in order to go bracket racing. Didn't whet my interest at all. Jim

.

I couldn't agree with you more, Jim.

[cutta]

My questions:

Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?

Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.

How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?

Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?

When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.

What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?

[Dan Fahey]

My questions:

Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?
* Allow Pump Gas to be used or mixed with Race Gas
* Safety Harnesses Certify for 5 years instead of 2 years.
* Helmets extend all 5 years helmets for 8 years

Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.
*Advertising locally and far enough into the rural areas.

How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?
* About the same for the times

Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?
* Love to see a 3 Race Weekend

When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
* Before they treated the Sportsman Classes as Amateur Racers!

I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.
* Invite none industry vendors to help sponsor racing!

What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?
* You just started it .. ;-)
!

[nhramnl]

I've always felt that for the majority of Class racers, National Events are a waste of time and especially, money. We are treated (as someone above said) like amateurs (I might even say bracket racers) and our actual participation in the event is so limited that it's like we aren't even there. I personally don't enjoy them as much as a Divisional Event, because we are nothing but "filler" that appears to do little more than annoy NHRA. I would honestly like a more organized and extensive Divisional and National Open schedule and just be eliminated from participation in National Events. Also continue the recent practice of having multiple races within a given weekend, encourage the setting of National Records again, by awarding Divisional points for setting them and ban cheaters for life when they are caught. We have to accept that we just don't mean anything to NHRA and they are slowly doing what they can to eliminate Class legal cars from competition. When Super Street gets better parking spots at an event than Stock and Super Stock, you don't have to be a genius to see that our time is past.

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

My questions:

Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?
* Allow Pump Gas to be used or mixed with Race Gas
* Safety Harnesses Certify for 5 years instead of 2 years.
* Helmets extend all 5 years helmets for 8 years

Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.
*Advertising locally and far enough into the rural areas.

How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?
* About the same for the times

Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?
* Love to see a 3 Race Weekend

When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
* Before they treated the Sportsman Classes as Amateur Racers!

I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.
* Invite none industry vendors to help sponsor racing!

What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?
* You just started it .. ;-)
!

You guys crack me up. Michael Beard put his nuts on the line for a Big$$$ Stk/SS race and gets hardly no participation, he busts his butt getting sponsors to support his race but the racers stay home....What can we do ? Absolutely NOTHING. ...Too many agendas .....

[Dave Ley]

Dan, Just an FYI : Helmets are good for 12 years. Check the rulebook !

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

My questions:

Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?
* Allow Pump Gas to be used or mixed with Race Gas
* Safety Harnesses Certify for 5 years instead of 2 years.
* Helmets extend all 5 years helmets for 8 years

Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.
*Advertising locally and far enough into the rural areas.

How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?
* About the same for the times

Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?
* Love to see a 3 Race Weekend

When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
* Before they treated the Sportsman Classes as Amateur Racers!

I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.
* Invite none industry vendors to help sponsor racing!

What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?
* You just started it .. ;-)
!

[Dwight Southerland]

Adriel, I will give you my opinion.

1. Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?
** The increase of technology is the number one reason that building a class car is so expensive. Limiting the use of technology is one way to reduce costs. There are lots of ways to address this.
** Changing attitudes about what defines a race car will help. There are Stock & Super Stock combinations that can be competitive that can be built without having to incorporate $1200 pistons, $800 rods, $4000 transmissions, etc. You might not be a top sixteen qualifier, but you can win if you can drive.
** Reduce divisional races to two days and most national races to three days.

2. Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.
** Promotion and get the too-good-to-race-at-local-races guys to load their car up and show up.

3. How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?
** Ten years has not changed much. Inflation has taken its toll.
** The FS classes offer some creative combinations for SS that will be less than building traditional cars. Seems everybody wants a fast car (like low 9 sec/high 8 sec) and the traditional SS cars that will do that are horribly expensive to build.
** The class guide is filled with competitive Stock cars that could be built for less than $10-15K, but they will not be 10 sec cars. (Or 11 sec mostly)

4. Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?
** When I started racing, all divisional races were Sat-Sun events. It could be done again.

5. When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
** Class Nationals.

6. I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.
** Not until they really want to race and not be treated like prima donas.

7. What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?
** Quit the squabbling and realize that somebody needs to do something and be willing to participate.