"Live From" 2023 Baby Gators / Gatornationals

[Ken Miele]

Round 3 Factory Stock Showdown....

Davies in the Drag Pack over Hamp in the Copo

Stanfield in the Copo over Berge in the Drag Pack

Welch in the Drag Pack over Alexandra in the Copo


I believe the 7.62 is the quickest it in FSS. Not sure about the MPH.

[Ken Miele]

TV time has pushed back the finals for Sportsman until after the pro finals. Super Street semi's coming up soon... as with the rest of the Sportsman semi's.

[Steve Calabro]

Originally Posted by Ken Miele

Round 3 Factory Stock Showdown....

Davies in the Drag Pack over Hamp in the Copo

Stanfield in the Copo over Berge in the Drag Pack

Welch in the Drag Pack over Alexandra in the Copo


I believe the 7.62 is the quickest it in FSS. Not sure about the MPH.

3 Aaron Stanfield 3285 Joseph Welch
E5 0.038 8.309 134.70 ****WINNER**** 0.018 7.638 185.18

[Ken Miele]

Thanks Steve....

Stock..
Strickland over Grubbs

Super Stock
D'Agnola over Helms

Be back later with photos

[Ken Miele]

Hey guys, what a long day. I will post photos of the semi's and the finals and the winners. I do have some thoughts, (good and bad) on the last 2 weeks of racing and will post them later. Right now here is Stock, an upset in the semi's with Brenda Grubbs taking out John Grey in a heads up match up. I will be back shortly with Super Stock.

[Ken Miele]

Super Stock semi's, finals and in the winner circle...

[Ken Miele]

Okay guys, my thoughts on the past two weeks of racing. First, I'm grateful that I get to race and cover the race. The weather has been great, we did have some down time during the Baby Gators along with traction issues. Its hard for me to make a call on what the issue was because I am not privy to what's going with the track crew. The next day the track seemed like it was better. All in all the Baby Gators went well, even though the scheduling seemed kind of strange. The Baby Gators are for the sportsman racer so I have been told, but every year it seems they take I little of the enhancement away from us. The Gators use to be the second biggest race of the year, and now its reduced to a points meet and low car count category national event.

The Baby Gators had 600 plus cars here, it still amazes me how much we support NHRA, but they treat us as liabilities instead of assets. The resources that racers have spent supporting NHRA for decades, yet NHRA takes a little bite from us every year, and we still come. Why do we keep coming back. If I did not have Class Racer I don't think I would be at another national event. The division races are much more enjoyable for me.

As you guys know I very rarely bash NHRA. I want them to do well, but its just got to the point where there is very little enjoyment at a national event, and except for the racers that have become good friends, its just hard to get that feeling that you want to be here. I understand NHRA has to be efficient, but the current management has no respect for the racers that support them the most. The sportsman are the back bone of what NHRA use to stand for, now its just a distant memory of what it use to be. I know I sound bitter, but many of you know me... I always like to stay up beat, but what happened today just put me in a mood. Not an angry mood, just a sad mood... things are changing and they are never going to get better... its so very sad.

So what happed today... well I'll tell ya. The day was going smooth no long down time from oil downs or issues, yet they schedule changed. So instead of running the sportsman that support NHRA all year long, go to 8 plus division races to get into these events, spend time and money, lots of money... lets just run a tesla down the track against a Charger... WTF. Who gives a rats *** about a tesla. What the hell does that have to do with drag racing. Do you think the fans want to see a hair dryer go down the track. Who the F makes these calls. Next we get a parade of cool cars, great we all love cool cars, but why. Junior Dragsters, yes they are the future, but come on, do the sportsman have to take a back seat to everyone. I understand the pros are the show, but its just getting worse for the sportsman.

So you wonder why this has made me sad. Well because of the schedule change, the sportsman were the last ones down the track... schedule said the pros would be the last down the track... why even have a schedule for the sportsman... really, why? Anyway, the sportsman did not get the usually ride back in front of the stands, where there was 100's if not thousands of fans waiting against the fences to just be a part of the the winners interviews. No Joe Castello, not Walley's, no camera crew. Just go to the staging lanes and wait for the pros to take their 40 minutes of photos so you can get your photos done in 5 minutes or less. Joe was down at the other end of the track to talk to the winners, but there was no fans to enjoy the winners. It may seem like a little thing and to the winners I am sure they did not mind, but its so sad that sportsman are hiding from the fans. Yes the fans come to see the pros, but they like us too, we are not a liability, we are an asset, its just NHRA has no clue how to use us as an asset.

So there it is, will I be back at another National... sure will, at least I know you like to see the coverage and that's what makes it worth it. Like I said in the beginning of this post, I am grateful I get to do this. Next race... D2 at Valdosta, GA, next week.

[Brett C]

Same thing happened at Indy last year.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Ken Miele

The Baby Gators had 600 plus cars here, it still amazes me how much we support NHRA, but they treat us as liabilities instead of assets. The resources that racers have spent supporting NHRA for decades, yet NHRA takes a little bite from us every year, and we still come. Why do we keep coming back. If I did not have Class Racer I don't think I would be at another national event. The division races are much more enjoyable for me.

So what happed today... well I'll tell ya. The day was going smooth no long down time from oil downs or issues, yet they schedule changed. So instead of running the sportsman that support NHRA all year long, go to 8 plus division races to get into these events, spend time and money, lots of money... lets just run a tesla down the track against a Charger... WTF. Who gives a rats *** about a tesla. What the hell does that have to do with drag racing.

I understand the pros are the show, but its just getting worse for the sportsman.

I feel your pain Ken! I gave up Natl. Events YEARS ago for EXACTLY the same reasons that you've mentioned.

All of the "distractions" that you've mentioned are there because a prominent Sponsor/Benefactor WANTED them there and the NHRA or someone IN the NHRA stood to benefit from those "distractions" being there. I hate to say it but they pay better than you do.

The Pros aren't even the "show" anymore. The Sponsors are. Kinda like network TV.

Maybe it's time for me to try and find and dust off my old thread regarding Tom Compton's idea to "split" the Pros and Sportsmen!