Grade Point Alternative

[Whalen3186]

This is the 2nd year in a row that stock for the Gators has filled in under 6 minutes. Why hasn’t anyone addressed the elephant in the room of how ridiculously easy it is to accumulate grade points in D2?? With the amount of divisionals and national opens offered in the southeast, everyone can easily get 12-15 gp’s in a season.

A few short years ago many guys were b!tching about how hard it was to get gp’s in d2. Now there’s more gp opportunities than any other division in the country and you wonder why a race fills so quick. This is capitalism working at its finest to fix a problem that NHRA created.

Quotas are half of what they should be, especially for a 4 day national event. That deserves a whole other thread and NHRA should do more to meet customer demands/expectations for the sportsman racer.

[Ron Ortiz]

Not all of D2 has easy access, down in south Florida it is a long haul just to get out of the state. I really feel for the racers out in the northwest, it's closer to Mars than a divisional. The northeast has tracks everywhere, just takes a long time to cross a street.
Every national event should cater to the area they are in. Local (statewide) racers should be able to attend national in their division, along with all the other traveling "pros". Small quote are a bad thing for racing. A qualified field is way more appropriate. That is why we have divisions.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Ron Ortiz

Every national event should cater to the area they are in. Local (statewide) racers should be able to attend national in their division, along with all the other traveling "pros".

This kind of thinking is the problem. "The circus is coming to town and I want to be a part of it."

Edit: the above quote is fine. The problem is "The circus is coming to town and, as a local racer, I am entitled to be a part of it."

This is a national racing points series. If you aren't out there running the races needed to compete in the series, you really don't need to be there.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Lenny5160

This kind of thinking is the problem. "The circus is coming to town and I want to be a part of it."

This is a national racing points series. If you aren't out there running the races needed to compete in the series, you really don't need to be there.

Actually you can only claim 3 national events towards the championship. Makes no sense to drive from California to Florida to race a national event. I tend to agree with the local home division guys have first crack at the national events in their home division.
I like to race at the Gators. It’s only 150 miles from my house. I do bust my a&& to get enough grade points to enter. This might be my last year trying to do it.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

Actually you can only claim 3 national events towards the championship. Makes no sense to drive from California to Florida to race a national event. I tend to agree with the local home division guys have first crack at the national events in their home division.
I like to race at the Gators. It’s only 150 miles from my house. I do bust my a&& to get enough grade points to enter. This might be my last year trying to do it.

I'd argue that any serious competitor is going to use all 6 potential claims, but I'll stick with your 3 for now.

What does a serious points challenger from Divisions 1, 4, or 6 do when they do not have 3 in-division national events and the 'home division' racers are given priority at all other events?

There are no California racers currently entered in the Gators but I do appreciate a good strawman.

In reply to Daryl - unfortunately it would pretty much require a 'burn year' to acquire grade points before someone could seriously battle for a championship in most classes.

[Billy Nees]

Just out of curiosity, where and when can "car owner" grade points be used for entries?

[Ron Ortiz]

Well Tony, I paid my membership fees, got my competition number and pay money to race at D2 tracks. I have a car that fits into an NHRA class. If. I choose to run for a national title, a divisional title or a double digit is of my choosing.
I raced at the Gators in '88 when there was a whole bunch of Fl (local) racers competing. Before any of the super categories existed. It has turned into a circus. And you are part of it.
Get off your high horse, I'll race where I want and don't need your approval. I'll complain if I want to, and I'll deal with NHRA's nonsense the way I see fit. 50 cars in Stock for a four day event.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Just out of curiosity, where and when can "car owner" grade points be used for entries?

It's more or less a 'hardship' thing when the owner was already entered but they need to swap another driver into that car. Each case must be approved by NHRA.

Owner credits may be awarded in cases involving a driver change. The owner must have grade points from the previous year for the category entering. Owner grade points cannot be a combination of multiple vehicles or combined with driver grade points. NHRA approval required.

[mrfast]

NHRA might take doing this as unsportsmanlike conduct

[Stan Weiss]

What happens when someone at NHRA sees this and decide that when the person that entered backs out no one can / will fill that spot?

Stan