Changes?

[Rsmith38]

Its the ECONOMY!! (or lack of it) I keep reading that Fans can't afford the NHRA prices - yet it's cheaper to attend a full day race than to attend a 3 hour Pro Football, Baseball Hockey or Basketball game. The working man (FAN) is still not recovering $ even if the Stock Market is at a high level. He is the guy who filled the seats several years ago. Until he starts making more money he can't spend it! On anything except food, gas and housing!! If you think NHRA prices are high - look at the F1 website - tickets range from $675 down to $100. with another $100 for parking! And they are SOLD OUT! I guess the Euro economy is a lot better than the USA!

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Rsmith38

Its the ECONOMY!! (or lack of it) I keep reading that Fans can't afford the NHRA prices - yet it's cheaper to attend a full day race than to attend a 3 hour Pro Football, Baseball Hockey or Basketball game. The working man (FAN) is still not recovering $ even if the Stock Market is at a high level. He is the guy who filled the seats several years ago. Until he starts making more money he can't spend it! On anything except food, gas and housing!! If you think NHRA prices are high - look at the F1 website - tickets range from $675 down to $100. with another $100 for parking! And they are SOLD OUT! I guess the Euro economy is a lot better than the USA!

I'll have to disagree. While the economy is not great, people are spending more money on other forms of entertainment.

[joe cool]

In my opinion there is just too many ways to spend your entertainment dollars today. I have friends and grandkids who when ask have no desire to attend the races.Their dollars are better spent at amusement parks, local forms of gaming ,and certainly BETTER food at a lot less $$$.
If we do not get the kids interested in this sport it will die a slow death as us seniors also die a slow death.Part of it is money of course but its hard to deny with video games and computer junk for almost free ,how can we compete?
When most drag racing sites are full of people bitching and moaning about everything under the sun its hard to attract new fans. Don't take this wrong but how these new fans are handled at the races determines their perspective of the sport. Of course I could be wrong ,I frequently am.

[Adger Smith]

I totally agree with this quote from Alan. "I'll have to disagree. While the economy is not great, people are spending more money on other forms of entertainment."
Drag racing has become a poor form of entertainment. In the 70's I was a track owner I saw the spectators drop with the introduction of Bracket Racing & the demise of local level Class Racing. Bracket racing is in place for the benefit of the racer, not the spectator. At Hallsville and I-20 we tried to slow that spectator loss by the introduction of our own "Street Modified" classes. Loosely based on Lbs per Cu in classes with minimal spots showing on the tree.
The Heads up S/G came about and was an instant hit with both racers and spectators. Then the sanctioning bodies got into the money grab with "allowed" electronics and the off the line "Dead Throttle" killed the heads up effect for the spectators. So as I see it we have done a real good job making Drag Racing rules for the racers benefit and running the spectators to other venues.

[Ed Wright]

I think Adger nailed it. Bracket racing came along, and that is where the slower class racer guys went, instead of learning more and working harder. Down went the car counts.

Then we got this bogus-slow index deal. A sharp guy can make a legal street car run many of them. They need another half second or more whacked off where they are now. Who, sitting in the stands, wants to hear throttle wop wops & see brake lights? Who, sitting in the stands, wants to hear somebody lost because they went too fast? Makes no sense to most people. It's like watching bracket racing. People don't consider that racing. It has ruined Stock & Super Stock. IMHO, the CIC system would be much better than running too quick. It would racing. Being fast would mean something again. The AHFS could be adapted to work with that.

As it is, the stands empty when we are called up. Just my thoughts, but I'm old, so.....

[NHRAFAN156]

You took the words right out of my mouth. I am far from being cheap. But I don't like feeling like I am getting bent over. The last NHRA national event I went to I went into the Nitro mall to look around. t shirts were $25.00 make them $15.00 and more people will buy them.

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

You cannot charge people what NHRA and NASCAR want to charge. It simply won't work. The tickets are high, the concessions are high and they are not good, and the memorabilia is outrageous. They are not even close to being competitive for the entertainment dollar.

I dearly love this sport, to the point of doing fiscally stupid things to stay in it. But I won't pay what they charge just to spectate.

There is nothing wrong with profit, profit is a good thing, and it inspires businesses, and keeps them viable. But NHRA and NASCAR are killing motorsports with greed. They drive off the live spectators with price gouging, and then NHRA drives off the TV audience with their ESPN deal. All of which drives off sponsors. Half the pro fields are hanging on by their fingernails and going broke doing it.

[NHRAFAN156]

I live in NJ and for the last 20 years or more I have been going to the E town National event on Fri Sat and Sun. This year I only went on Sunday. and I got a free ticket from a friend of mine. I just could not see spending all that money for 3 days at the races. on top of the price of the ticket's the food and drink's are way out of hand. as long as the NHRA keep the bean counter's they have working for them thing's will keep going the way they are.

[Rose Racing]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

I think Adger nailed it. Bracket racing came along, and that is where the slower class racer guys went, instead of learning more and working harder. Down went the car counts.
As it is, the stands empty when we are called up. Just my thoughts, but I'm old, so.....

Then we got this bogus-slow index deal. A sharp guy can make a legal street car run many of them. They need another half second or more whacked off where they are now. Who, sitting in the stands, wants to hear throttle wop wops & see brake lights? Who, sitting in the stands, wants to hear somebody lost because they went too fast? Makes no sense to most people. It's like watching bracket racing. People don't consider that racing. It has ruined Stock & Super Stock. IMHO, the CIC system would be much better than running too quick. It would racing. Being fast would mean something again. The AHFS could be adapted to work with that.
,aybe we can just run everybody heads up and become Pro Stock lol oh wait that happened once jk I dont think people run out of the stands because of the format of S or S/s but I think they dont have a clue of whats going on or theyre completely hooked of flaming lawndarts and the fuel they burn. While walking the pits at the cavalcade(Div 3 race at Norwalk I saw plenty of folks walking the pits and crowding around the Stockers and asking ?s and just being interested in them and actually watching them pull wheelstands without hood scoopes and big tires the crowd seemed to love them even though it was techincally bracket racing...... I think if the National Event crowd were actually exposed to the Sportsman ranks instead of being ran at 8 in the morning parked in the back and when they are on the track announcers screaming go check out the nitro pits etc theyre would be more interest. I usually go to the Norwalk Nats on Sunday and usually theyres always a few folks that ask us hey when are the doorslammers coming out? and we say eventually and only 8 of em run they are usually disapointed and I think unfair exposure to the pros are why theyres not as much interest in class racing and If the powers at be wouldnt waste oppurtunities to expand the(REST) of the sport instead of pushing sponsors and sucking drag racing dry it would create more sportsman fans.I wish instead of running Class during the mid week at indy it would be run during primtime friday or saturday night and I also wish they would run class at a few more national and Divisional events. just my 2 cents that aint worth anything

[Ed Wright]

People come around and look at my car all the time. I don't kid myself into thinking it is even 1% of the people there.
I don't see how the CIC deal Comp runs under is anything like Pro Stock. That makes no sense.

[Rose Racing]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

People come around and look at my car all the time. I don't kid myself into thinking it is even 1% of the people there.
I don't see how the CIC deal Comp runs under is anything like Pro Stock. That makes no sense.

I wasnt being serious......LOL I didnt really wanna give my opinion but that would kill the smaller budget guys as it would make it a 100& performance based class and if you have a higher budget with more money to go faster you would win and eventually dominate and eventually kill off the little guy and as you see as much as I hate it comp numbers are dwindling down to nothing. I dont really see whats wrong with current format as if you like bracket racing you can focus on the bracket race and if you like heads up then running class fits you why do we need to change it whats not broke?and with the CIC the blown cars would have an incredible advantage ofer NA cars.