Lets Root Cause the Detriment of Class Racing

[Mike Volkman]

It's a mess. So many angles and opinions and no mater what is done someone is going to be angry. And then we can't understand why NHRA doesn't know what direction to take. Shoot - you can't even say something on this board, brainstorming without getting a call or two .

Probably most would agree that we want more heads up racing.

Probably most would agree that the way out combos - relative to their particular stock or s/stock class (and maybe not in regards to the whole eliminator) need railed back to a point within xx of the others. (The guys at the 90-1.10 mark are the ones I personally think need a break.)

Probably most would agree that when it is railed in, NHRA or the system doesn't kill the combo. It also needs grass roots knowledge of combo/class to determine if hp should be given at all. example: Take 2 cars in G/SA - heads up both go 1.05 under and are within .02 of each other and with the whole group there is only .1 difference - why bother them?

We know from past experience that a 1 strike hit isn't good for several reasons. Mineshaft, heads up, etc.

Two with averaging doesn't get us anywhere if there are many cars with combo.

What if 3 strikes against combo gets it with human oversight based on facts and not opinions. Wish there were a way that we could help NHRA with decisions and no bias from outside. There's a bunch of smart racers, someone has to have an answer.

One last thing for the night. We need to be careful poking the bear. There has never been any outright hint that they don't want or need stk/ss. It's just the opposite but sometimes there's poor execution. In reality, the aggravation we cause and never let them win would have caused me to eliminate the source. What I'm saying is they don't need us. Kevin P calculated the $$ once. They don't get much. We need them. I hear a lot about partnership and customers and not being treated well. I agree and sometimes it makes you wonder. But here is the bottom line. If they said tomorrow. We're done next year w stk/ss (like what has been done with the trucks and look at pro stock) we all would have a pile of iron. We need them and all these other organizations that come and go don't have jack Jones (The coveted Wally) and the racers - you and I who love class racing and struting like a peacock after winning.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by SDS Inc

What I'm saying is they don't need us.

I've gotta call B.S. on this one! Take S/SS out of the equation on a Divisional level and there would be a vast majority of tracks losing loads of money at Div. and N.O. races instead of possibly making a few bucks. I don't know about what would happen out west but take out the S/SS stuff and there soon would be no LODRS east of the Mississippi.

Ya know, 156 Stockers on a Thursday had to make SOMEBODY a few bucks! (don't always believe in the company line)

[Larry Hill]

We are at St Louis and from what I observed everyone is happy, the track, NHRA, and above all the racers are very happy to be at such a great place with the volume of competition.

[Don Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

I've gotta call B.S. on this one! Take S/SS out of the equation on a Divisional level and there would be a vast majority of tracks losing loads of money at Div. and N.O. races instead of possibly making a few bucks. I don't know about what would happen out west but take out the S/SS stuff and there soon would be no LODRS east of the Mississippi.

Ya know, 156 Stockers on a Thursday had to make SOMEBODY a few bucks! (don't always believe in the company line)

Keep in mind NHRA is a Business . They have to have a lot of "Profit Centers" such as the Sportsman are one of those Profit Centers.NHRA gets money from us with fees,NHRA gets money with Advertising for Sportsman, in national Dragster, entry fees membership fees, and track fees get my point about income and I guarantee that NHRA accountants don't care where the money comes from as long as there is an income flow as any business would be

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

Keep in mind NHRA is a Business .

Don, I never insinuated that NHRA is not a business. Now I'll be the first one to admit that I (unlike you) am NOT a businessman but I DO know the value of money! I also know that the only way to keep the doors open on any business (even a badly run one) is to keep the "customers" (at another time would you please explain to me the difference between a customer and a member?) happy. If the NHRA was satisfied (as a business) with the income from spectators and "member tracks" then we would have been gone LONG ago. The fact that we're not gone must mean that we (the Sportsmen) must be at least, if not more than holding up our end.

[BG56]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Don, I never insinuated that NHRA is not a business. Now I'll be the first one to admit that I (unlike you) am NOT a businessman but I DO know the value of money! I also know that the only way to keep the doors open on any business (even a badly run one) is to keep the "customers" (at another time would you please explain to me the difference between a customer and a member?) happy. If the NHRA was satisfied (as a business) with the income from spectators and "member tracks" then we would have been gone LONG ago. The fact that we're not gone must mean that we (the Sportsmen) must be at least, if not more than holding up our end.

Billy- I sent you a PM

[Mike Volkman]

[QUOTE=Billy Nees;668800]I've gotta call B.S. on this one! Take S/SS out of the equation on a Divisional level.....

Yep you may be right Billy. I was thinking more in line at the National level. I believe what Don said to be true. They just want the numbers and I am not saying they want to dump us. They could easily pull in S/Street to fill spots and add SG and SC numbers to hit their number with reduce aggravation.

Division wise, St Louis double is an anomaly. End of year, guys and girls need points and only other option is Orlando next week for East Coast.

And Larry - of course racers are happy. They're racing. Knox (my boy) took his 1st jr dragster pass at Galot points and got out of the car and said "that was awesome".

We have Charlotte and Bristol that won't take a divisional race cause no $$. I'm not exactly sure what that means. It does seem some track operators are shakers and movers and get turnouts and others not. Va in D1 is not on schedule for 2023 for National. Points, Anyone know?

What I am saying and the point I want to make is that the racers need to get into a common bond/solution/opinion and say this is what we want and it needs to be, in my opinion, majority rules, racers feed to SRAC and to NHRA.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by SDS Inc

[ We have Charlotte and Bristol that won't take a divisional race cause no $$. I'm not exactly sure what that means. It does seem some track operators are shakers and movers and get turnouts and others not. Va in D1 is not on schedule for 2023 for National. Points

Ya know, back in the good-old-days before bruton became a Natl. Event track owner, IF you were given a Natl. Event, you HAD to have a Div. Event! Va. doesn't have a Natl.? Give Va. 2 and hold another 1 at Gainesville! If Vegas can have a Div. (a very successful one!), then why shouldn't Charlotte and Bristol? Personally, I feel that we need to get rid of at least a few Natl. Events anyway. The market is over-saturated. Make Natl. Events big ordeals again instead of "weekly affairs"!

[bert powell]

Bring back top stock and top super stock. Top 16 qualifiers race a separate bracket for same money as the rest of field or some other purse. This showcases the performance of the classes and pushes people to run as hard as they can. Flame away!

[Bobby Fazio]

Join the show and voice your suggestions. I will send you a link to join. Tuesday at Noon EDT.