Houston Sportsman cancelled

[Jim Cimarolli]

NHRA has had prior experience in handling this type of situation.
Can't remember the year, but it was back in the 2000's, we were all stuck in the sesspool at Houston, and our D4 director of the time told us all that we could not move any rigs, anyone caught trying to get out would be disqualified from the event, nobody was to try to get out. Someone asked him : How do we get home? His answer was "They have planes, buses, taxis, you might even try hitchhiking". I was standing right there and that is what he said!

[Andys dad]

Originally Posted by Jim Cimarolli

NHRA has had prior experience in handling this type of situation.
Can't remember the year, but it was back in the 2000's, we were all stuck in the sesspool at Houston, and our D4 director of the time told us all that we could not move any rigs, anyone caught trying to get out would be disqualified from the event, nobody was to try to get out. Someone asked him : How do we get home? His answer was "They have planes, buses, taxis, you might even try hitchhiking". I was standing right there and that is what he said!

I remember that event - it was one of the two times I have been to Houston - 199x something
- maybe 1994

Ron

[Hudlow66]

Good lord! I can't believe this (what happened to all you guys). The live coverage was a joke, on ESPN. They killed to feed on the internet, when it went live on tv. I was not impressed AT ALL! I know that no one can do anything about the weather, but seriously... To screw over the Sportsman Racer like this is just plain and simple bullsh*t.

[Bill Bogues]

If we would have waited for any help from the track people getting pulled out of the mud we would still be down at that sh#t hole. It's absolutely unbelievable how the sportsman racer was treated at that race. Sure makes it easy when it's time to go to another one of their races to just stay at home.

[Jim Cimarolli]

Originally Posted by Andys dad

I remember that event - it was one of the two times I have been to Houston - 199x something
- maybe 1994

Ron

There have been several memorable debacles down there, but the one I was in reference to was definitely not in 1994. Maybe someone else remembers the year, but I want to say it was 2006. I had to hitch a ride home with another racer, if not I was slap a** afoot!

[partsbob67]

this was a good test for them to see if they can eliminate the sportsman completely from the nationals. I feel bad for the guys and gals there.

[Toby Lang]

I don't think they have ever cancelled sportsman eliminations before (i.e. not run them at a later date), have they? I can't remember this ever happening. Wow.

[nickh]

I want to say it was 2006, and that next weekend another turd floating rain came. There were still rigs left from the previous washout still stuck.

I cannot believe that they told the sportsman racers "just act like you were not here"......!

You know how to fix that everyone stay home at the next national event, it is a swift kick you know where to treat sportsman racers like this. It would only take 1 event with no sportsman classes showing up and it would get their attention.

[Michael Colaluca]

Originally Posted by Jim Cimarolli

NHRA has had prior experience in handling this type of situation.
Can't remember the year, but it was back in the 2000's, we were all stuck in the sesspool at Houston, and our D4 director of the time told us all that we could not move any rigs, anyone caught trying to get out would be disqualified from the event, nobody was to try to get out. Someone asked him : How do we get home? His answer was "They have planes, buses, taxis, you might even try hitchhiking". I was standing right there and that is what he said!

I remember that race. We went back the next weekend to get our rig out. Sure am glad I didn't go to this national!

As I am getting older I am finding out these national events are a joke.

[jmcarter]

One would think the logistics of transporting tons of equipment over 800 miles to Atlanta before Friday had something to do with it but then any reason why the D4 staff couldn't handle the reduced number of racers on Monday given the good forecast? Historic amount of rainfall didn't seem to stop NHRA from proceeding with their 'historic' live coverage of the PRO's. It seems incomprehensible that they wouldn't have just run off the other classes today, same as they did at Gainesville and other places that Mother Nature rendered the unpaved pits useless.