Bracket Racing vs Stock/Super Stock Racing

[Lenny5160]

The joke is on these 8 bracket racers, really. How can they possibly appreciate the glory that is a NHRA national event without having experienced all of the personal sacrifice required by all other competitors to get there?

[Hacksaw]

Seems like 10 or so years ago they started offering a Wally to winners of a bracket race. I never thought that was right and also think it moved us down a notch.

[cmracing]

Pete, I read the same shyt on here last year when the Index Classes got to run at the Divisionals. We didn't have to pay $180 or whatever Stk/SSTK has to pay for the entry. I paid $60 and the payout was based on entries. Heck, Maple Grove gave us great parking which I declined since I was also driving your Stocker.

So now we have these fabulous racers on here upset that 8 Pro ET cars were invited to race. Did they complain last year when Street ET and 11.50 Index did the same thing? How about the Bracket Motorcycles that will also be running this weekend? Maybe they even know about them yet......

Or the 25 Jr. Dragsters that will also be taking their valuable track time.....

E-Town is not the only track doing this. NHRA started this a few years ago. I don't know how many tracks are participating in this, I could find out, but it really doesn't matter.

What the Stockers should be complaining about is the quota for this race, and the fact that Shootout Cars that don't qualify get inserted into the class. So, they basically buy their way into the program......... What if a Comp racer doesn't qualify, what do they get to do? WATCH!!!!!!!!

Not that that will happen anymore, that class is just about dead.

I said a month or so I was leaving this site, and after this I will be gone. The post will probably be removed anyway........

[HR9121]

Originally Posted by cmracing

Pete, I read the same shyt on here last year when the Index Classes got to run at the Divisionals. We didn't have to pay $180 or whatever Stk/SSTK has to pay for the entry. I paid $60 and the payout was based on entries. Heck, Maple Grove gave us great parking which I declined since I was also driving your Stocker.

So now we have these fabulous racers on here upset that 8 Pro ET cars were invited to race. Did they complain last year when Street ET and 11.50 Index did the same thing? How about the Bracket Motorcycles that will also be running this weekend? Maybe they even know about them yet......

Or the 25 Jr. Dragsters that will also be taking their valuable track time.....

E-Town is not the only track doing this. NHRA started this a few years ago. I don't know how many tracks are participating in this, I could find out, but it really doesn't matter.

What the Stockers should be complaining about is the quota for this race, and the fact that Shootout Cars that don't qualify get inserted into the class. So, they basically buy their way into the program......... What if a Comp racer doesn't qualify, what do they get to do? WATCH!!!!!!!!

Not that that will happen anymore, that class is just about dead.

I said a month or so I was leaving this site, and after this I will be gone. The post will probably be removed anyway........

Don't you think this is about as contradicting as you can get. Us fabulous racers complaining about some pro et cars instead we should be complaining about quotas. Don't you think one is a direct correlation with the other?

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Hacksaw

Seems like 10 or so years ago they started offering a Wally to winners of a bracket race. I never thought that was right and also think it moved us down a notch.

I agree that those Wallys are dumb, but disagree that it moved anything else down a notch. It just created a new bottom rung on the ladder.

It's all about your own perspective. Sure, a lot of people now have Wallys that look like a divisional Wally from a distance. I have a bracket race Wally and a divisional Wally. The bracket Wally means no more to me than the many other trophies with a plastic car on top. The divisional Wally is special. The division championship Wally is even more special.

Don't let your own feelings and memories be tainted by what someone else has been able to obtain.

[Mike Pearson]

Most of the stock and SS guys that are upset about this are PO'd because of the reduced quota in our classes. NHRA has steadily cut back on the quota for stock and especially super stock. This limits the amount of national events that a stock or SS racer can attend. If his closest national event happens to be one of the more attended races then the chance getting in the race is even smaller. Stock and SS racers have a fairly finite amount of races to run their cars. National and divisional races and a few stock an SS associations through out the country. We are being told that there is not enough space at the tracks for any more cars at the national events. Then they add these so called exhibition classes. No wonder people are aggravated They already have big money bracket classes running at the national and divisional level. They are called top sportsman and top dragster. They don't need the local bracket guys at the national events. They don't need snowmobiles and draggin baggers either. We don't race at their events do we. Its difficult to get the grade points to be able to enter. It involves a lot of money and time. The divisional races in my home division are all one on top of another. If you have any mechanical problems you could miss 2-3 races real easy.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

Most of the stock and SS guys that are upset about this are PO'd because of the reduced quota in our classes. NHRA has steadily cut back on the quota for stock and especially super stock. This limits the amount of national events that a stock or SS racer can attend. If his closest national event happens to be one of the more attended races then the chance getting in the race is even smaller. Stock and SS racers have a fairly finite amount of races to run their cars. National and divisional races and a few stock an SS associations through out the country. We are being told that there is not enough space at the tracks for any more cars at the national events. Then they add these so called exhibition classes. No wonder people are aggravated They already have big money bracket classes running at the national and divisional level. They are called top sportsman and top dragster. They don't need the local bracket guys at the national events. They don't need snowmobiles and draggin baggers either. We don't race at their events do we. Its difficult to get the grade points to be able to enter. It involves a lot of money and time. The divisional races in my home division are all one on top of another. If you have any mechanical problems you could miss 2-3 races real easy.

This argument loses a lot of steam if you look through the event entry statistics so far this season. More often than not, classes are not filled so even a Grade 1 will get you in. If a class is filled, it is likely Stock.

I can imagine that it is frustrating to be a local racer for some early and late-season destination races, such as your local Gators. The out-of-towners will make it more difficult to get in those.

[Sean Marconette]

Here is a different perspective. Anyone that races at a National or Divisional has to have a valid competition number and membership. I guarantee that 75% of the local bracket racers would not have any idea what that is or the cost. Then to throw a Wally in the mix is BS. It takes us competing at divisional races to accumulate gp's to even be able to enter a national. So look at it from that point of view and maybe that's why this rubs people wrong. It's nothing against the racers, whether it's 8 cars or 2 cars, it's not the event to do this.

Sean

[7423]

[QUOTE=Sean Marconette;536864 Anyone that races at a National or Divisional has to have a valid competition number and membership. I guarantee that 75% of the local bracket racers would not have any idea what that is or the cost.

Sean[/QUOTE]


Really? 90% or more of the local bracket racers do have a valid comp # and license and membership...................required for participation in the Summit ET series all any NHRA sanctioned tracks. They would very aware of what it cost and bitch about it just as loud as the class racers. BTW....all Summit ET finals winners get a Wally.

I believe that the racers that have their panties in a wad over a few bracket cars getting in for free and stealing their thunder should address the powers to be in Glendora. Tell NHRA that they are over taxed and under paid for the amount of work they put into being a class racer.

Those bracket racers read this forum and pay close attention to the NHRA class and sportsman racers. That is why they bracket race.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Lenny5160

This argument loses a lot of steam if you look through the event entry statistics so far this season. More often than not, classes are not filled so even a Grade 1 will get you in. If a class is filled, it is likely Stock.

I can imagine that it is frustrating to be a local racer for some early and late-season destination races, such as your local Gators. The out-of-towners will make it more difficult to get in those.

Obviously you don't race a stock or super stock class. Most of the races this year filled up long before even a grade 3 was reached. What you are seeing is the final car counts after some of the cars drop out for one reason or another. Maybe a mechanical problem that can't be fixed. Maybe a health or family related issue or even a tow vehicle that breaks down. It's not unusual to have 10 percent of the field drop out at a national event. The spots don't get filled because the racers have until noon on Monday before the race to drop out. That late most can't get the time off of work or have other plans already made. If you watch the stock and SS page on this website ther are always racers looking for spots in both classes. It is definitely a problem. The super categories rarely fill and seem to be loosing interest in the national and divisional programs. Most of those guys also bracket race their cars. I had to wait to get in at the gators on a drop out at the last minute as a few others like me did.