National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication

Superfan1 · 01-28-2021, 04:15 PM

The first National Dragster issue for 2021 is available to view on the NHRA site; but it is transitioning to a monthly publication. It started as a weekly publication, then a few years ago it went to every other week, and now it is going monthly. At this rate, in a few years, it won't be published at all.

nhramnl · 01-28-2021, 05:18 PM

But we all know we can count on the cost of a membership increasing. NHRA is getting more like the US Government every day; more money for less service.

Frank Castros · 01-28-2021, 07:28 PM

Back in the day I used to get my Dragster about once a month anyway.

Bob Don · 01-28-2021, 07:40 PM

Another "enhancement"

Blackgar · 01-28-2021, 09:11 PM

It's amazing to me that an organization that could publish a weekly magazine back in the stone age of the 70s & 80s with a whole bunch more info ( records ect) cant do it today. I realize that everything is going digital today, but it's kinda hard to put those digital images in a scrapbook!!

Keith 944 · 01-28-2021, 09:15 PM

If you’re going to take that away from us at least give us the damn rulebook back!

GTS340 · 01-28-2021, 09:36 PM

It would be great if our membership went towards live coverage. I can see way more than the dragster can ever give me personally. I used to years ago look at the record page but that isn't much to observe either these days.
I bet even manufactures that advertise in the dragster would enjoy a new format possibly.

My two cents,
Paul Haszlauer

Rich Biebel · 01-29-2021, 11:41 AM

How times have changed !!

It used to be something I really looked forward to every week......ND

Sit down and read thru it and all the results from everywhere in the country and good feature articles, write ups and stories...

Couldn't even read the paper at one time once the year got going it was so thick !

I was out of racing for about 10 years and reading ND was my weekly fix....LOL

Now I barely bother reading the current version......nothing in there to read most of the time and race write ups are minimal.....

Wayne Scraba · 01-29-2021, 02:41 PM

This is really sad for me. Before I went to work for National Dragster, I'd wait for those Huge X Large issues to arrive in my mailbox. As others have stated, many issues were so big, you couldn't read them in one sitting. Gee whiz, many of the ads were entertaining too.

And when I eventually went to work for Dragster (as a weekly), there was a very large editorial staff. Daily Dragster at Indy was an equally massive undertaking.

Now the regular editorial staff is down to Editor Phil and Kevin McKenna. It wouldn't surprise me to see it shrink down to the Editor and a few freelancers. Sad state.

cgall · 01-30-2021, 05:25 PM

I got issue 1 today, 130 pages! Heavier stock paper, lots of large photos, even a full page N/SA wagon on page 7. Phil and Kevin have done an excellent job, I'm sure their staff and budget are bare bones.

01-28-2021, 04:15 PM	#1
Superfan1 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bridgeport,CT. Posts: 1,993 Likes: 1,666 Liked 2,638 Times in 440 Posts	National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication The first National Dragster issue for 2021 is available to view on the NHRA site; but it is transitioning to a monthly publication. It started as a weekly publication, then a few years ago it went to every other week, and now it is going monthly. At this rate, in a few years, it won't be published at all. __________________ Bill Seabrooks - superfan1 Bridgeport, CT

01-28-2021, 05:18 PM	#2
nhramnl Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 507 Likes: 8 Liked 358 Times in 83 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication But we all know we can count on the cost of a membership increasing. NHRA is getting more like the US Government every day; more money for less service.

01-28-2021, 07:28 PM	#3
Frank Castros VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Lowcountry. Posts: 2,984 Likes: 2,610 Liked 2,737 Times in 965 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication Back in the day I used to get my Dragster about once a month anyway. Last edited by Frank Castros; 01-28-2021 at 07:35 PM.

01-28-2021, 07:40 PM	#4
Bob Don VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Greater Boston Posts: 1,496 Likes: 1,135 Liked 903 Times in 192 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication Another "enhancement" __________________ Bob Don 128 SS

01-28-2021, 09:11 PM	#5
Blackgar Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Antonio Posts: 119 Likes: 1 Liked 48 Times in 18 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication It's amazing to me that an organization that could publish a weekly magazine back in the stone age of the 70s & 80s with a whole bunch more info ( records ect) cant do it today. I realize that everything is going digital today, but it's kinda hard to put those digital images in a scrapbook!!

01-28-2021, 09:15 PM	#6
Keith 944 VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Dela-where? Posts: 2,195 Likes: 1,162 Liked 1,885 Times in 578 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication If you’re going to take that away from us at least give us the damn rulebook back! __________________ KEITH MAYERS 2-1/2 X somebody Still many X nobody

01-28-2021, 09:36 PM	#7
GTS340 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 872 Likes: 273 Liked 1,345 Times in 410 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication It would be great if our membership went towards live coverage. I can see way more than the dragster can ever give me personally. I used to years ago look at the record page but that isn't much to observe either these days. I bet even manufactures that advertise in the dragster would enjoy a new format possibly. My two cents, Paul Haszlauer

01-29-2021, 11:41 AM	#8
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,315 Likes: 25 Liked 544 Times in 213 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication How times have changed !! It used to be something I really looked forward to every week......ND Sit down and read thru it and all the results from everywhere in the country and good feature articles, write ups and stories... Couldn't even read the paper at one time once the year got going it was so thick ! I was out of racing for about 10 years and reading ND was my weekly fix....LOL Now I barely bother reading the current version......nothing in there to read most of the time and race write ups are minimal..... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

01-29-2021, 02:41 PM	#9
Wayne Scraba Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 152 Likes: 376 Liked 186 Times in 48 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication This is really sad for me. Before I went to work for National Dragster, I'd wait for those Huge X Large issues to arrive in my mailbox. As others have stated, many issues were so big, you couldn't read them in one sitting. Gee whiz, many of the ads were entertaining too. And when I eventually went to work for Dragster (as a weekly), there was a very large editorial staff. Daily Dragster at Indy was an equally massive undertaking. Now the regular editorial staff is down to Editor Phil and Kevin McKenna. It wouldn't surprise me to see it shrink down to the Editor and a few freelancers. Sad state.

01-30-2021, 05:25 PM	#10
cgall Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 36 Likes: 0 Liked 23 Times in 8 Posts	Re: National Dragster transitioning to a monthly publication I got issue 1 today, 130 pages! Heavier stock paper, lots of large photos, even a full page N/SA wagon on page 7. Phil and Kevin have done an excellent job, I'm sure their staff and budget are bare bones.