Index Change Rumor

[nhramnl]

Originally Posted by GUMP

So, you are saying that money in class racing is a new thing?

I also find it interesting that you have the perspective that people with money didn't earn it. I guess nobody ever worked their way up to the top? Nobody ever put racing to the side to build a career? Heaven forbid that somebody like that should spend their hard earned money to have nice stuff. Is it now a sin to pay smart, hard working people to catch up?

Oh Jesus, here we go...

First, I AM saying that money in class racing is a relatively new thing. I am old enough to remember when class racing did not consist primarily of check-writing. The guys in the staging lanes actually built their cars, they didn't just assemble the stuff they paid others to do. Disagree if you want, but I WAS THERE. They didn't pull their COPO Camaro, transported in a stacker trailer, with a $500,000 motorhome. They towed their home-built car, on an open trailer, with a pickup truck. They weren't there for the fashion show; they were there to put their skill and knowledge up against the skill and knowledge of their competitors. Sure, money was involved, but intelligence, skill and hard work were the real keys to being fast.

I'm talking about a very specific group of "racers", who aren't really racers at all. They're "poseurs", who decide to spend their money (hard-earned, or otherwise) on "something cool", like drag racing. I hate the way people on this site take simple, unambiguous arguments and twist the intent into something they think the author should be ashamed of. How many "put racing to the side to build a career" guys do you REALLY assume there are? And why do you single out the rich guys as having "nice stuff". I've seen hundreds of bucks-down guys with very nice stuff. And finally, did I say that it's a sin to pay smart, hard working people to "catch up"? Not a single one of your chosen words or phrases appear in my post.

Make whatever bull**** you want to out of my post. I don't care. I'll stick to the position that the more you involve money in the sport (whether corporate or personal money), the farther away from its roots drag racing drifts.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by nhramnl

Oh Jesus, here we go...

Make whatever bull**** you want to out of my post. I don't care. I'll stick to the position that the more you involve money in the sport (whether corporate or personal money), the farther away from its roots drag racing drifts.

Stop calling it a "sport"! NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing is in the position that it's in because either the B-O-D, the Sponsors, the Track Owners, the Racers themselves, etc.etc.etc., blame whoever you want, allowed Drag Racing to become an expensive HOBBY! It is no longer a "sport"!

[Pedigo Perf]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Stop calling it a "sport"! NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing is in the position that it's in because either the B-O-D, the Sponsors, the Track Owners, the Racers themselves, etc.etc.etc., blame whoever you want, allowed Drag Racing to become an expensive HOBBY! It is no longer a "sport"!

dictionary.com › browse › sport
noun. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Pedigo Perf

dictionary.com › browse › sport
noun. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

OK wise guy,

dictionary.com/browse/hobby
noun.an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation

So it's still a "sport" to Fletcher.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

OK wise guy,

dictionary.com/browse/hobby
noun.an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation

So it's still a "sport" to Fletcher.

When did "hobby" and "sport" become mutually exclusive terms? For me, racing absolutely falls under both headings.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Lenny5160

When did "hobby" and "sport" become mutually exclusive terms? For me, racing absolutely falls under both headings.

Can you generate an income doing it? Could you possibly generate an income doing it? Will it at least generate enough monies to pay for itself? If not, then you are doing it using disposable income. It's a hobby.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Can you generate an income doing it? Could you possibly generate an income doing it? Will it at least generate enough monies to pay for itself? If not, then you are doing it using disposable income. It's a hobby.

Yes, I said that in my post. It is a hobby.

It is also a sport. I don't see where the definition of sport has anything to do with income, be it primary or supplemental.

I also bowl. It is a hobby, and it is a sport.

[B Parker]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Stop calling it a "sport"! NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing is in the position that it's in because either the B-O-D, the Sponsors, the Track Owners, the Racers themselves, etc.etc.etc., blame whoever you want, allowed Drag Racing to become an expensive HOBBY! It is no longer a "sport"!

Billy now we agree. I think you might be coming over to the dark. Remember how much more fun it was 30 year ago. Not anywhere near the amount of crying. BP

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by nhramnl

First, I AM saying that money in class racing is a relatively new thing. I am old enough to remember when class racing did not consist primarily of check-writing. The guys in the staging lanes actually built their cars, they didn't just assemble the stuff they paid others to do. Disagree if you want, but I WAS THERE.

I think that one thing that has greatly changed is that the factories have stopped handing out cars like they used to. There was a time when a lot talented racers would get serious help.

They didn't pull their COPO Camaro, transported in a stacker trailer, with a $500,000 motorhome. They towed their home-built car, on an open trailer, with a pickup truck.

I agree, you don't see that much any more. Even when I started it was hard to get a hotel room on race weekends. Now the pits are full of motorhomes and hotel rooms are pretty easy to find. That's one thing that I don't get. You can't say that it is tied to the new cars because it started way before that. Maybe it's an age thing that started it? A lot of the current racers are at an age where they have some "expendable" money for creature comforts?

I'm talking about a very specific group of "racers", who aren't really racers at all. They're "poseurs", who decide to spend their money (hard-earned, or otherwise) on "something cool", like drag racing.

I haven't met many of "those" guys. Several haven't lasted long.

How many "put racing to the side to build a career" guys do you REALLY assume there are?

More than the other kind. I find them much more dedicated and enthusiastic than a lot of the guys who have been at it for a long time.

And why do you single out the rich guys as having "nice stuff".

I didn't.

[Bob Smith]

It seems that lowering the index's would not hurt the racers at the bottom so much. Everyone should be able to run 2 tenths under the index in 2019/2020...especially with all that NHRA has allowed racers to do in recent years.

It will be a positive for those many racers that do work hard and spend a lot of money so that they can run their cars without being penalized, holding back so much and shutting off at the 1,000. Not fun to watch! Even combos that are not considered "soft" can go 1.00 second under the index these days...why penalize them for the rules that NHRA has allowed or the money they spent or hard work the racer put in?! Stock and Super Stock are performance categories and meant to go fast, not shut-off and hold back.