Why Aren't You Racing? - Page 3

Wade Mahaffey · 07-02-2010, 08:21 AM

While I understand the issues reguarding money, both cost of going and payout. And I know that class racers are a very proud bunch. My opinion is that it is easier to talk yourself out of going more now than it used to be. The fire of competing is dwindling down as we get older. This is a sure sign that you are getting older. I feel this myself at 54 years old, but the fire burns on as strong as ever. I am building a car for Super/Stock at my own pace, and do all of the work myself (one person team, design, fabricating, paint, body, engine assembly, electrical, etc ). I'll be lucky to see -.3 under the index, but that's enough to light the "W" on my side in most cases. My point is that you can race for half the cost, if you want to. I can scale back, and back, and back some more but I'll keep going. If I did'nt, well I guess it did'nt mean that much to me anyway. Racers have a tough time going to the races without their car (as a fan), I don't. NHRA, IHRA, Local ET, I still give support to the sport!

Wade Mahaffey

X-TECH MAN · 07-02-2010, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

While I understand the issues reguarding money, both cost of going and payout. And I know that class racers are a very proud bunch. My opinion is that it is easier to talk yourself out of going more now than it used to be. The fire of competing is dwindling down as we get older. This is a sure sign that you are getting older. I feel this myself at 54 years old, but the fire burns on as strong as ever. I am building a car for Super/Stock at my own pace, and do all of the work myself (one person team, design, fabricating, paint, body, engine assembly, electrical, etc ). I'll be lucky to see -.3 under the index, but that's enough to light the "W" on my side in most cases. My point is that you can race for half the cost, if you want to. I can scale back, and back, and back some more but I'll keep going. If I did'nt, well I guess it did'nt mean that much to me anyway. Racers have a tough time going to the races without their car (as a fan), I don't. NHRA, IHRA, Local ET, I still give support to the sport!

Wade Mahaffey

You are fortunate Wade. Not everyone has the talents and shop that you have to construct a car from the ground up. From the pictures I see on this site your Corvette is first class all the way. Cant wait to see it when finished. as you know Im a Corvette nut anyway. The number of races and race tracks (both IHRA and NHRA) in your area (I used to live near you) is about as good as it gets for a certified car nut except maybe where Mike Beard lives....lol. The job situation is better in the D.C. metro area though by far. The guys and gals further out west dont have it so good. Tracks are farther apart and IHRA dosent even exist in most areas. Even here in Florida the travel distance is greater (1 1/2 hours one way here instead of 10 miles) meaning more travel time and expense.

Nitro Joe Jackson · 07-02-2010, 09:03 AM

For the longest time I always wondered how a blue collar type racer could make it these days racing. Lets face it to run a divisional anymore if you live 2 hours away your looking at $600 plus to leave the driveway.
OK lets see, if a person is making lets say $800 a week, average person has house payments, kids, food bill, electric, ect, ect. Well going racing every week isn't getting it done unless you win once in a while and we all know round money don't pay crap anymore. So people not racing and car counts down doesn't surprise me at all anymore. I am doing a story in the next Drag Racing Action Magazine talking about all the SS/Stock series around the country and how they are another avenue to race at if you can not afford the NHRA/IHRA national and divisional events.

mannymen · 07-02-2010, 09:09 AM

Living in New England will do it to you (No tracks and land is expensive). Grew up having a ton of tracks nearby in Ohio/Michigan and the same when living in VA.

Plus the D1 races are to far from the Boston area (5-8 hour ride to attend most of the divisionals). Anchored in with the inlaws, so it's going to be tough racing elsewhere.

Chris Hill · 07-02-2010, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

My question is why? Why are racers choosing to just stay home?

Because somebody has to pay for Mom and Dad's trip out west

Paul Plummer · 07-03-2010, 05:05 PM

Jim,

Fantastic Post! Everyone is dead on with the economic times,cost, rules migration and the aging population of Stock and Superstock racers who are slowing down as retirement age approaches.

Although the factors covered so well in this string are contributing to the immediate reduction in car counts, there is another issue that needs to be brought to light as well as some potential solutions.

Like many of you on this forum, I eat, sleep, drink and dream about drag racing. As I get older I am really concerned that the nostalgia stock and super stockers (1975 and earlier), the essence of this sport, will go by the way of the dinosaur. Shy of a few father/son teams, the youth of today were not raised in the 60's and 70's and have little appreciation or interest in these cars not to mention the science of class racing.

The new muscle cars are cool but so expensive that young people cannot afford to own one let alone set one up for class racing. In my opinion, the only way to get new blood into this sport which would help the industry in times of economic downturn, is to figure out how to attract the youngsters of today to the muscle cars of yesterday.

I am not sure how each of you became interested in the sport of drag racing? For me it was two of my "cool" uncles who took me for a ride across town in their SS B/Mod production Mustang at the ripe old age of 6. I was hooked the minute they started that car and remember be scared, nervous and excited all at the same time. The result of that day ( I remember every detail as if it were yesterday) has been the life long pursuit of getting an education and financially situated enough to enjoy drag racing. I am 100% a budget racer from trailer park roots. It took me until 1992 to actually get financially ahead enough to buy a car and race locally and until 2005 to field a stock eliminator car. The point is that it took from age 6 to age 24 to be able to start my racing career. Had I not been exposed at that young age, I would probably ended up being another video gamer.

The hook was being able to sit inside and experience one of these fire breathing dragons, something you cannot do from the stands or your sofa via the television set or video game console. From the stands all of these cars look slow compared to rail dragsters, alcohol cars, etc.

If our sport is to survive and along with it these classic stock and superstock muscle cars, we need to put together a grass roots movement to attract the youth of today to the old muscle.

Here is an idea:

The 2 schools in my area have about 2000 kids each. Only about 200 kids in each (10%) can make the sports teams. Another 200 each can participate in some of the other extra curricular activities. So lets say this leaves 1600 other kids in each school not involved in extra-curricular activities.

So you go to your local school and talk to the administrators and talk to them about this new "Geezer Program" you are trying to promote at your local track. The program consists of letting the "too young to drive crowd" take a ride in your car through the pits and down the track (not under full power) to experience the sights and sounds and a little of the feel of the big power. Ask the school administrators to poll the students/parents for interest. Next talk to your local track operator to see if they would be interested hosting a "Geezer Program" and let the know there is interest on the part of the school. THEN MAKE IT HAPPEN!

For the children of driving age who may be interested, pick out one or two kids, train them on how to drive your car, set the rev limiter in your MSD to 4000 rpm and let them take it for a spin with you in the seat next to them.

I am working on a proposal to present to my local track in Spokane, WA to put something together like this as a way to give back to the sport. At the very least it will be cool to see the kids eyes light up when I hit the throttle and would make for a fun track day. I remember one event in Denver, CO where I had 4 handicapped kids in the car for a ride down the track. Two of the youngsters had tears in their eyes (happy) when it was over and all four asked me for my autograph. The rest of that week-end I had a 4 person cheering section at my trailer after every round. It was cool.

If anyone in the Spokane, Coeur D Alene, ID area reads this post and would be interested in working on a "Geezer Project" please email me at m900rider@gmail.com.

Gary Smith · 07-04-2010, 04:04 PM

$$$$ is killin' me. Cost of living increase with a reduction in pay. I can barely afford to pull the RV out of the lot right now. Also, trying to save what I have for an event I'll really enjoy and during the cooler months. NHRA costs have become an absolute joke as they're completely blind to the economic downturn with us racers.

Paul Precht · 07-04-2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Smith

$$$$ is killin' me. Cost of living increase with a reduction in pay. I can barely afford to pull the RV out of the lot right now. Also, trying to save what I have for an event I'll really enjoy and during the cooler months. NHRA costs have become an absolute joke as they're completely blind to the economic downturn with us racers.

I hope I'm wrong on this but it almost seems like NHRA will milk it dry till there's nothing left. Kind of like a kid with no business sense taking over a family business and running it into the ground. I manage a large building supply store and like Home Depot or Walmart when I'm having a slow month I make special sales and bulk deals to keep the cash coming in. When is the last time NHRA threw anybody a bone or did anything that made sense for that matter, Paul.

Chevellewagon · 07-04-2010, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

It has become very evident that car counts are down at all events this year. Whether it be NHRA, IHRA or our own Association down here in the South. Counts are about half of what they were 5 years ago and down by a third from 2 years ago. My question is why? Why are racers choosing to just stay home? What reason would you give as to why you are not racing as much as you used to? What would the Associations have to do to get you to attend more races? I would ask that you answer these questions seriously as I am sure representatives from the Associations will see this. Jim

I want to get back out but since the car has sat since '06 in storeage (no place to work on it) and bringing home under 400 a week things look pretty bleak for me (before rent and food). I want to get back out but will have to drop down in class as I don't have the money to be competitive in K/SA any more. Will see what 2011 will bring with a 2bbl set up. I can run New England ASRA and possibly the Valley for the Divisional but that's it. New England is supposed to go NHRA next year so a National is out.

Phil aka Chevellewagon.

07-02-2010, 08:21 AM	#1
Wade Mahaffey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 581 Likes: 0 Liked 18 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Why Aren't You Racing? While I understand the issues reguarding money, both cost of going and payout. And I know that class racers are a very proud bunch. My opinion is that it is easier to talk yourself out of going more now than it used to be. The fire of competing is dwindling down as we get older. This is a sure sign that you are getting older. I feel this myself at 54 years old, but the fire burns on as strong as ever. I am building a car for Super/Stock at my own pace, and do all of the work myself (one person team, design, fabricating, paint, body, engine assembly, electrical, etc ). I'll be lucky to see -.3 under the index, but that's enough to light the "W" on my side in most cases. My point is that you can race for half the cost, if you want to. I can scale back, and back, and back some more but I'll keep going. If I did'nt, well I guess it did'nt mean that much to me anyway. Racers have a tough time going to the races without their car (as a fan), I don't. NHRA, IHRA, Local ET, I still give support to the sport! Wade Mahaffey Last edited by Wade Mahaffey; 07-02-2010 at 08:30 AM.

07-02-2010, 09:03 AM	#3
Nitro Joe Jackson VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Loudonville, Ohio or where ever the Nitro Lounge is parked Posts: 2,293 Likes: 58 Liked 67 Times in 19 Posts	Re: Why Aren't You Racing? For the longest time I always wondered how a blue collar type racer could make it these days racing. Lets face it to run a divisional anymore if you live 2 hours away your looking at $600 plus to leave the driveway. OK lets see, if a person is making lets say $800 a week, average person has house payments, kids, food bill, electric, ect, ect. Well going racing every week isn't getting it done unless you win once in a while and we all know round money don't pay crap anymore. So people not racing and car counts down doesn't surprise me at all anymore. I am doing a story in the next Drag Racing Action Magazine talking about all the SS/Stock series around the country and how they are another avenue to race at if you can not afford the NHRA/IHRA national and divisional events. __________________ Nitro Joe Jackson STK 3431 nitrojoe@neo.rr.com

07-02-2010, 09:09 AM	#4
mannymen Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 728 Likes: 5 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Why Aren't You Racing? Living in New England will do it to you (No tracks and land is expensive). Grew up having a ton of tracks nearby in Ohio/Michigan and the same when living in VA. Plus the D1 races are to far from the Boston area (5-8 hour ride to attend most of the divisionals). Anchored in with the inlaws, so it's going to be tough racing elsewhere. __________________ N/A

07-03-2010, 05:05 PM	#6
Paul Plummer Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Coeur D Alene, Idaho Posts: 67 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Why Aren't You Racing? Jim, Fantastic Post! Everyone is dead on with the economic times,cost, rules migration and the aging population of Stock and Superstock racers who are slowing down as retirement age approaches. Although the factors covered so well in this string are contributing to the immediate reduction in car counts, there is another issue that needs to be brought to light as well as some potential solutions. Like many of you on this forum, I eat, sleep, drink and dream about drag racing. As I get older I am really concerned that the nostalgia stock and super stockers (1975 and earlier), the essence of this sport, will go by the way of the dinosaur. Shy of a few father/son teams, the youth of today were not raised in the 60's and 70's and have little appreciation or interest in these cars not to mention the science of class racing. The new muscle cars are cool but so expensive that young people cannot afford to own one let alone set one up for class racing. In my opinion, the only way to get new blood into this sport which would help the industry in times of economic downturn, is to figure out how to attract the youngsters of today to the muscle cars of yesterday. I am not sure how each of you became interested in the sport of drag racing? For me it was two of my "cool" uncles who took me for a ride across town in their SS B/Mod production Mustang at the ripe old age of 6. I was hooked the minute they started that car and remember be scared, nervous and excited all at the same time. The result of that day ( I remember every detail as if it were yesterday) has been the life long pursuit of getting an education and financially situated enough to enjoy drag racing. I am 100% a budget racer from trailer park roots. It took me until 1992 to actually get financially ahead enough to buy a car and race locally and until 2005 to field a stock eliminator car. The point is that it took from age 6 to age 24 to be able to start my racing career. Had I not been exposed at that young age, I would probably ended up being another video gamer. The hook was being able to sit inside and experience one of these fire breathing dragons, something you cannot do from the stands or your sofa via the television set or video game console. From the stands all of these cars look slow compared to rail dragsters, alcohol cars, etc. If our sport is to survive and along with it these classic stock and superstock muscle cars, we need to put together a grass roots movement to attract the youth of today to the old muscle. Here is an idea: The 2 schools in my area have about 2000 kids each. Only about 200 kids in each (10%) can make the sports teams. Another 200 each can participate in some of the other extra curricular activities. So lets say this leaves 1600 other kids in each school not involved in extra-curricular activities. So you go to your local school and talk to the administrators and talk to them about this new "Geezer Program" you are trying to promote at your local track. The program consists of letting the "too young to drive crowd" take a ride in your car through the pits and down the track (not under full power) to experience the sights and sounds and a little of the feel of the big power. Ask the school administrators to poll the students/parents for interest. Next talk to your local track operator to see if they would be interested hosting a "Geezer Program" and let the know there is interest on the part of the school. THEN MAKE IT HAPPEN! For the children of driving age who may be interested, pick out one or two kids, train them on how to drive your car, set the rev limiter in your MSD to 4000 rpm and let them take it for a spin with you in the seat next to them. I am working on a proposal to present to my local track in Spokane, WA to put something together like this as a way to give back to the sport. At the very least it will be cool to see the kids eyes light up when I hit the throttle and would make for a fun track day. I remember one event in Denver, CO where I had 4 handicapped kids in the car for a ride down the track. Two of the youngsters had tears in their eyes (happy) when it was over and all four asked me for my autograph. The rest of that week-end I had a 4 person cheering section at my trailer after every round. It was cool. If anyone in the Spokane, Coeur D Alene, ID area reads this post and would be interested in working on a "Geezer Project" please email me at m900rider@gmail.com.

07-04-2010, 04:04 PM	#7
Gary Smith Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 820 Likes: 9 Liked 132 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Why Aren't You Racing? $$$$ is killin' me. Cost of living increase with a reduction in pay. I can barely afford to pull the RV out of the lot right now. Also, trying to save what I have for an event I'll really enjoy and during the cooler months. NHRA costs have become an absolute joke as they're completely blind to the economic downturn with us racers. __________________ Gary Smith "another broke racer spectating"