Both or neither this week in Phoenix!!!

[ss wannabee]

Originally Posted by Doug Blackley

I normally don't comment on these kinds of posts but this particular post has boothered me since I read it earlier today. This has to be the most insensitive and ignorant posts I have read on this forum in some time. He is not alone in this current economy that have either had to cut back or sadly park their race cars. You don't know everyones circumstance and to say it in that way is down right rude. Perhaps he or his wife has been one of the millions of laid off workers out there and let me tell you, it's absolutely an employers market out there and the wage offers reflect it. Many of us have seen household incomes shrink to less than half of what they were just four years ago while working more days and longer hours just to make less.

Agree with you 100% Doug...and also want to say that some of those prices...crew passes and spectator...are a tad bit too high...given the state of the economy..

[Mile High]

Originally Posted by ss wannabee

Agree with you 100% Doug...and also want to say that some of those prices...crew passes and spectator...are a tad bit too high...given the state of the economy..

Last year I bought tickets for Saturday at the Nationals at Firebird online then I went back on Thursday of the first divisional. I told friends I'd come back to see them before I knew how much it was. A few weeks later I got an online survey from Firebird asking what I thought about the races and stuff. I let them know that I thought the spectator fee along with the concessions were way over priced. Crew shouldn't get gouged either. Do you wonder why there isn't anyone in the stands to watch you? If I can't race I'd like to go watch but that's getting too expensive.

Jeff

[Casey Miles]

Down here in south Florida, we have a different problems with the N & IHRA. Granted, we have the double up races for IHRA, I went to the IHRA points race at PBIR and there wasn't a sufficent car count for them to run their program. On the other hand, NHRA, the closest track to a points race is 300 miles away. When you have to work on Friday (because of the economy, there is no one to back fill your job) and you want to go to the points race for NHRA, you might get a one time run in before eliminations. So you travel through the night and possibly travel home the following night because of they way they run their races. So here is the question you have to ask yourself, do you chance spending all that time and money going to the sanctioning bodies races or do you just go bracket racing locally?
NHRA and IHRA should see the writing on the wall that the economy is eating away at our wanting to participate. Modify the entry fees, a 15 to 25% cut across the board. Also, the scheduled run times should accomodate the racers who have to enter on Saturday.
Make sure that if a racer is showing up Saturday, that the catigories they race in get 2 time runs before eliminations. Become user friendly!
I not whinning, I want to race the N and IHRA points races. Time is the main concern for me, but for some people it is the entry fees.
I have 5 IHRA sanctioned race tracks within 100 miles, so I do have choices on where to go to race.

Casey Miles
248H "F" NHRA Stock!

[Harry 6674]

Originally Posted by Doug Blackley

I normally don't comment on these kinds of posts but this particular post has boothered me since I read it earlier today. This has to be the most insensitive and ignorant posts I have read on this forum in some time. He is not alone in this current economy that have either had to cut back or sadly park their race cars. You don't know everyones circumstance and to say it in that way is down right rude. Perhaps he or his wife has been one of the millions of laid off workers out there and let me tell you, it's absolutely an employers market out there and the wage offers reflect it. Many of us have seen household incomes shrink to less than half of what they were just four years ago while working more days and longer hours just to make less.

Ok Doug don't get your panties in a wad. I apologize if you think I was rude. I was just stateing what I have had to do. If I can't afford to do something I either find a way to make some extra cash or I go a different direction. I'm not going to whine about my failures as a bread winner. My wife is good at that. All Gary does is bitch about NHRA. He has never said anything good about it. Granted it is getting out of hand but the only thing that will change it is cars staying home. Don't see that happening. NHRA is all I've ever had so I know nothing about IHRA. Sorry to get you on the chip.

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Doug Blackley

I normally don't comment on these kinds of posts but this particular post has boothered me since I read it earlier today. This has to be the most insensitive and ignorant posts I have read on this forum in some time. He is not alone in this current economy that have either had to cut back or sadly park their race cars. You don't know everyones circumstance and to say it in that way is down right rude. Perhaps he or his wife has been one of the millions of laid off workers out there and let me tell you, it's absolutely an employers market out there and the wage offers reflect it. Many of us have seen household incomes shrink to less than half of what they were just four years ago while working more days and longer hours just to make less.

Thanks Doug, and I couldn't agree with you more about Harry. Sorry about one thing though, I'm neither married nor am I laid off. However, although I do have a steady job, my wages have not kept pace with the growing cost of living (or racing...sorry Toby but the truth is what it is, and if my wages were on par with NHRA's entry fee increases since I moved here in '08, I'd be a home owner instead of an apartment renter, and I'd be there with money to throw at a race set-up like this one...like I could back in '99)! Your post was spot on, and I applaud you for it...someday Harry may think beyond himself and realize that too? Just as there are a variety of different cars in Stock & Super Stock Eliminator, there too are a variety of budgets for the racers in those classes, and our sanctioning bodies need to be sensitive to the masses, and not just to the more fortunate...sadly the one that is more so that way, is over 1,000 miles (at their nearest track) away from me where I can race at our level....

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by Harry 6674

Maybe it's a sign that stock class drag racing has gotten to expensive for you. There are other options. Stick with brackets or find a way to increase your income. Lots of gold laying around in Arizona. Buy a detector and get ya some of that yella stuff.

Harry, you're as funny as a crutch, and that isn't very funny! There's no reason to have to pay for both events, when you only want to race one (with the option to buy into the other if your finish was good enough to make it worthwhile). I wanted to race the first race and go in to the facility today, because unlike you and many others here, I don't have a garage that I can store my race car in, nor do I own/rent a house where I can have my trailer close by. I was told about your post by another racer and I'll be polite here, but just because I wish to race Stock doesn't mean I have to like all of the changes that have come about since the late 2000's...especially when we're the ones who pay the bills for the rewards the pros get. I wanted to race the first event, because I had the days off to do it, and since I don't have a place where I can comfortably work on my car (like a garage or the race track), I was hoping to get in today for the first race, and use the day to work on my car, and hang out with buds that live in other states. What's so bad about that? You may be ok with it, but for racers who have more modest incomes (and want to race something more glamorous than the brackets), this is horse manure!!!

Mark, thanks for correcting Mr. Harry...that was rolol funny!!!

Jody, I wish my phone had internet access (maybe Wes will get someone to post the picture I took today of the posted notice that said, and I qoute: MUST PURCHASE FULL EVENT, with the the poster next to it showing the first bit of pricing for them listed as; "Double Event Car & Driver, $330.00"! So sorry Jody, I wasn't joking about this.

Toby, knowing that Charlie Allen is leaving the track in April, I believe it's he who my thoughts are primarily directed at, since he's the one who put up for this race in the first place. However, I agree with others here who've said what they did about the IHRA, because you can run the first event of a double header w/o having to run the second one if you don't want to (or can't afford to). I wanted to run the first race, and if I went some rounds like I did in 2008 (rnd 4 redlight loss to "Bad Brad Burton"), then I'd enter the 2nd race, and if I didn't then I'd pack up and be gone by race end Friday. If NHRA deserves to be slighted then the shoe must fit, however this gripe is primarily more the result of your future fellow Washington resident Charlie Allen...good luck with your new neighbor, you may need it!!!

Rich and Jim, I couldn't agree with you two more...the reason I said what I did about the IHRA!!!

Aspen 7709, I spoke with the people at the entrance trailer, and they told me if you don't come out until Friday, you can get the one race entry fee (for Sat/Sun). However, I was able to get the time off for today through Friday, and I shouldn't have had to pay for both races just to run the 1st one. As I said above, being there today would've allowed me to hang out with buds like you, and many others as well as given me the chance to do things I can't do to my car since it's being store on the property of people who don't race our class(es).

James, I'm not going to waste my time replying much to you, and your comments. You probably live in a state where you have options so you're not worth anymore of my time!

[Toby Lang]

Well, on the flyer it says you can tech for race 2 at 8AM on Friday. Kenny says one thing and you say another. I would think they would pit and tech people only running race 2 on Friday, but maybe not. If so, you can work on your car, visit your buds and maybe watch a little racing. Sure it would be nice to be able to run just the first race, but as Jack said, it would be tough to keep track of.

[James Perrone]

Gary for your info the nearest track to me is 123 mile away E-town.My problem with you is you are the biggest cryer on the forum.NHRA is the only option most of us have all you do it tear it down..You never say anything positive related to Class Racing..You have no class..internet whinners like you are not racers ..but you blow hards get stuff done....got to be in it to win it..Just stop bashing or move some where they will book in your fwd wanna be class car as a top fueler..you still wouldt be happy..whaaaaaaaa whaaaaaa..
By the way I think this is the last race at Phoneix ..good luck to all the Racers Racing This Weekend.. stop the CRYING

[BKSG1198]

James,

From what I heard Charlie Allen is out as Manager of Firebird and the Tribe has taken over. Rumors from some friends that were at the National last week was that they kept saying on the PA "NHRA will be back at Firebird in 2014". The Tribe is supposed to be putting 15 million into the racing facility to bring it up to standards.Went there in 2008 and ummm makes you appreciate everything we have out here!

Rob

[FINESPLINE]

Originally Posted by James Perrone

Gary for your info the nearest track to me is 123 mile away E-town.My problem with you is you are the biggest cryer on the forum.NHRA is the only option most of us have all you do it tear it down..You never say anything positive related to Class Racing..You have no class..internet whinners like you are not racers ..but you blow hards get stuff done....got to be in it to win it..Just stop bashing or move some where they will book in your fwd wanna be class car as a top fueler..you still wouldt be happy..whaaaaaaaa whaaaaaa..
By the way I think this is the last race at Phoneix ..good luck to all the Racers Racing This Weekend.. stop the CRYING

Hey James, you didn't explain to him how hard and expensive those 123 miles are. LOL ___John