Len Imbrogno.....Seriously now

[Dick Butler]

Len,
As always thanks for your opinions and information.
Dick Butler

Dick Butler 3529

[76 RACER]

Nhra Sportsman racing can only also benefit.............for who?

[tim worner]

Thank you Len for an informative and positive reply.

tim w

[ken robinson]

Len well said , you are wright . We never get to see nhras books but you know how some racers view this . Lic. has fees , membership has fees , field marketing funded by sales , tech. services ok , field services aren't covered by entry fees , I got into nhra way before you started ed. programs and Vin Napps (rip) JR dragsters , div. offices ok , member tracks are self supported to turn a profit , travel exp. ok / employees ok . Alot of racers run there own companies and unstand the overhead profit and loss thing .We see money changing hands , but nothing changing on the sportman side yet . I hope your wright Len nothing personal .

[Lynn A McCarty]

I also appreciate Len's forthright comments as well as all the other constructive ones.

S/SS combined by NHRA's own poll outvoted most PRO's. It is a valuable untapped resource.

I share Len's optimism that good things are in store for Sportsman popularity. All the outlaw classes, Pinks, brass beds with nitrous weed eater motors until now have outdone S/SS's ability to show their stuff. The opportunity still awaits.

Lynn

[Adger Smith]

Very well said Ken.
It was nice to see Len's post & his opinions.
Most of us that have been or that are at higher levels of corporate management know that your opinion of issues & policy might not be the same as your board or CEO. It is always good that you show public support. It might help keep the pay check comming & give you a chance to get one of those golden parachutes.
A good business owner/manager also understands budgets & the budget process. The budget process can influnce profit & loss & how the profit generating & non profit departments function.

As time permits I will have a follow up post with a few facts & more of "my opinions" I might even start a new thread.

Adger Smith

[Bruce Noland]

Len,

Pull through effect? In the long run? Getting information on this deal should not be like pulling teeth. What's the point in eeking out a little information here and there? The real story will eventually come out any way. Any one of us is entitled to pursue the information on this deal. We should not have to pursue the prospective buyers to get it.

How about the 100 mil going to the .org side? If true, that should provide an immediate benifit to the Sportsman racers. Wally's handlers say he really wants to get busy for the Sportsman racers. Why should we have to wait for positive results from the Pro's, if they are receiving the money and telling the truth?

Obviously there is still a lot to be learned about this deal!

[Mike Mayhew]

Mr Imbrogno/NHRA management,

Obviously, and I think rightfully, most racers on this board and in general are extremely skeptical about the direction that the sportsman side of this transaction will head. And as you can see there is a lot of wonderment on how 100 Million Very Big will be spent. Money I might add that was created by a vision of a wonderful man, Wally Parks, but implemented by the hard work, determination, and $$$$ of dedicated racers thruought the past 40+ years. Without whom, Wally's dream would have stayed just that .

So I am wondering if your bosses, and whomever will be the new sportsman heirarchy whenever this all takes place, will give us sportsman some "earnest moneys" .
Just to let everyone know that the sportsman racers will be appreciated and in fact are appreciated for building the NHRA into what it is today. ( and what it's worth today ).
I propose the NHRA immediatley suspend, no REVOKE, the 250 $ oil down penalty. And promise that this will never be implemented again.
Also, a promise of bringing the purses up to modern day standards. To be implemented upon the first race after the split. ( I mean somewhere around double what payout is today ). And a complete revamping of the contingency operation so that the racers get the money they earn, not the NHRA in the escrow set up.

How 'bout a promise that when all this happens, asking the sportsman to work WITH the nhra, with some sportsman representation, instead of shoving everything down our throats as in the past.
I have other hopes for our mutual betterment, but I believe these particular things could be communicated from the NHRA to the sportsman racers forthwith, to show some appreciationg for those that built the NHRA into what it is today.

The financial details of this sale seem to have been pretty much finalized on your end. I don't think it would be too early to discuss and announce a tentative updated payout schedule for the NEW NHRA. Along with the other things I have mentioned.
I believe now might be the perfect time to show the appreciation to those that have made the NHRA what it is today. And to alleviate some fears that the 100 Mill will not be used in the obvious and proper manner.
I am, in my best tactful way, saying that the sportsman need, and deserve, beneficial change for our behalf, and in fact we need and deserve straight talk, NUMBERS, and at least a couple immediate and ironclad promises.

Thank you


Mike ( madness & ) Mayhem

[Jim Wahl]

Very well put Mike. All this sounds reasonable and doable. Lets get started! Jim

Jim Wahl
6 Time National record Holder
2239 BF/S
I miss Buster Couch also! 'cause Div.2 will always be "Buster's Rebels"

[LNorton]

Everyone is concerned with the payout.... but that isn't going to make any difference. Racers are going to show up whether NHRA races are $500 or $5000 to win.

The biggest misconception is that most racers think that NHRA needs to payout 100% of what they take in to the racers. What most don't understand is that it takes a lot to put on a single race.

Every person that is working the event must be paid (tech, tower, track personnel, gates, etc.). The track has to be prepped, which can include fuel in all of the track support vehicles. Also you have to allocate some of the income towards things like insurance, mortgage/lease payments, property taxes, etc.

Personally, I look forward to what NHRA can offer in the coming years, and that does not include payout increases. I would go to Indy if it paid $0 to win, simply because of the prestige and following in my father's footsteps of winning the big one.

I'd rather see NHRA take the money and work more with equality of the rules, and getting rid of throttle stops. Also, work more with bringing in the young racers, whether they race rice rockets or whatever.

To truly ensure the future of sportsman racing we have to have young racers that will still be around in 30 or so years.


Lee Norton
I/PS '02 Firebird 231 V6