The Demise Of Class Eliminations

[Ron Ortiz]

Class at nationals are a joke, how can you have class when the field is getting smaller and smaller quotas.

[MR DERBY CITY]

Gump, I feel your pain ….I will share with you a quote from my close friend Charles Norton ……”Nothing lasts forever “

[Charley Downing]

Crazy idea add two more class events for SS/STK. Run them both at national open's. Maybe one at the Dutch classic and one at Belle Rose in Nov or INDY fall classic in Oct. The air should be killer and guys can run there cars flat out with no penalty. Give NHRA Wally's away for the class wins not plaques and let them set records along with a hemi shootout. I don't see how this would not work . I bet you could even get a few sponsors for events like this.

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

Gump, I feel your pain ….I will share with you a quote from my close friend Charles Norton ……”Nothing lasts forever “

Seems like the bills do....

Originally Posted by Ron Ortiz

Class at nationals are a joke, how can you have class when the field is getting smaller and smaller quotas.

Only 32 cars at Nats is hardly a class runoff imo.
NHRA Nats do not care about sportsman racing. Half the field is home on Thursday or Friday and even sooner if weather plays in.

[DG]

Originally Posted by Ron Ortiz

Class at nationals are a joke, how can you have class when the field is getting smaller and smaller quotas.

Ron, I agree. I have seen class contested at Nationals with a quota of 50. Its has no meaning at that point. Now were seeing cars capable of running -1.20 making deals to lift at a 1000' or setting their car up to only run -.98 and hoping with a good light to get the win. Between no prize money, running at Divisionals and the AHFS, racing for class is all screwed up except for Indy. Maybe running Class at National Opens where we can also set records without the threat of a AHFS hit, as suggested by Yac and Charley, is the way to go. Preferably these Nationals Opens would be at the fastest track in the Division and at a time of year when the DA is very good. And let us go down the the track at 8:00 am not at 11:00 am after Jr dragsters. Maybe making National Opens great is the way to go. NHRA isn't gonna give us what we want at National events.

[GUMP]

I would be all for adding MORE Class Eliminations. My issue is that we really did lose something that it's we are still paying for.

Why do I like Class at Nationals? There is something very cool (to me) about being able to show a spectator the Wally that says XXXX Nationals that I just won. It was kind of sad for me to finally win Class at Gainesville and get a trophy that doesn't say Gator Nationals.

As I see it, if we do cave in Division 2 and only do Class at Divisionals, there should be no up-charge for two more opportunities to win each year.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by GUMP

My issue is that we really did lose something that it's we are still paying for.

Ya know, I've been NHRA racing for kissin' close to 50 years and we (the Sportsmen) have been "losing something that we are still paying for" just a little bit at a time, every year, for close to that long.

[Chuck Weissberg]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Ya know, I've been NHRA racing for kissin' close to 50 years and we (the Sportsmen) have been "losing something that we are still paying for" just a little bit at a time, every year, for close to that long.

Billy, I STUMBLED on this feed by accident, but reading it REMINDED ne why I stopped racing stock in the old days, when you had the NOVA. I had been considering getting back into it again, but seeing all this stuff is still getting worse rather then getting better gave me a wake up call.THANKS

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Chuck Weissberg

I had been considering getting back into it again, but seeing all this stuff is still getting worse rather then getting better gave me a wake up call.THANKS

Ya know Chuck, there are very few Racers making any money at this anymore but there are plenty of fine, intelligent, friendly people to be found in this sport (oops, hobby). The friendships and camaraderie that I have felt and seen over the years still makes dealing with the NHRA worth it!