D1 NHRA Boycott?

[Tom DePascale]

Originally Posted by Mark Schmidt

This is just my .02 but disrupting races and boycotts is not the answer. I believe getting an open meeting with the big dogs at a national event would be of value. If you can't afford to go to the races because the price doubled, it's a fair arguement. A lot of racers won't finish the season if they break a motor. Times have changed and we got the short end. NHRA owes us at least a chance to discuss.

I agree with Mark to talk to the Big Dogs to me would be the best bet & try to get some answers about were sportsman racing is heading. Again will the big dogs speak to a crowd of angry racers or is this why the set up SPORTSMAN ADVISORY COMMITEE.Chris & myself will be in Atlanta how many commitee members will be there? Lets try to get some answers this weekend!

[John DiBartolomeo]

I've said this before and someone else mentioned it earlier, the "pen is mighter than the sword." I would like to suggest that everyone who is taking the time to complain on this board about this latest "problem" would make better use of that time by sitting down and composing a letter/e-mail directly to the powers-that-be. I'm not suggesting the use of this board is useless, but it's awful easy to just post. Petitions don't work and protests are another problem. Stick a petition on someone's desk with a thousand-two thousand-whatever signatures and it can be easily ignored. But stick that same amount of letters on someone's desk and it's hard to ignore. Anyone can simply sign a petition, but a letter tells me the person is serious about their concerns. You have to make an effort. I seem to beleive that the greatest form of protesting has got to be the dwindling pre-entries at national events (if that is indeed the reason). Now it's time to flood the offices with letters. Maybe it won't have any effect, but you can't say it we didn't try. Don't just complain, do something!

[sc1153]

Brian,

You may want to take a better look at the S/C and S/G entry list from atlanta.....Im in both! I will be composing a letter in Atlanta and will post it before I send it so EVERYONE can be on the same page...Suggest the same is done by everyone else on this site....lets put our heads together

[mcaruso]

How's a guy suppose to afford to drink with all these price increases?

[Mark Schmidt]

I guess there's this thing (gross as it sounds) called a "single" shot. Never had one, but I guess you could have them instead of a double. Personally I'd rather sell the wheels off the car than have a watered down Jack & Coke.

[Michael Pliska]

Does anyone here have a direct way to contact Forrest and Charlotte Lucas? Maybe we should focus this through them, as it is their name which is associated with NHRA Sportsman racing. In other words, see if they can be our allies in this and help in the discussions with NHRA.

Regards,
Michael Pliska

[sc1153]

Originally Posted by Michael Pliska

Does anyone here have a direct way to contact Forrest and Charlotte Lucas? Maybe we should focus this through them, as it is their name which is associated with NHRA Sportsman racing. In other words, see if they can be our allies in this and help in the discussions with NHRA.

Regards,
Michael Pliska

I LIKE IT! That is a GREAT idea. Jeff Kundradic knows them well..

[Tod Lane]

Maybe quit sending them membership money as well as a boycott? How big a dent would that put in their budget?

Or send them a duplicate copy of your entry to any othr sanctioning body's event you attend with a note, "this is because of your treatment of sportsman racers, I won't be at your event this weekend."

Hurts local track owners and promoters if you boycott NHRA events? Maybe they need to rethink their association with the NHRA

[Tom DePascale]

Originally Posted by Michael Pliska

Does anyone here have a direct way to contact Forrest and Charlotte Lucas? Maybe we should focus this through them, as it is their name which is associated with NHRA Sportsman racing. In other words, see if they can be our allies in this and help in the discussions with NHRA.

Regards,
Michael Pliska

Great idea,isnt one of there drivers super comp world champ? Wonder what his feelings are about this?

[Jason Oldfield]

I could write War & Peace on this subject, but I'll keep it short. IMHO, the ONLY way to get NHRA's attention is to hit them in the pocketbook. They basically know that they have us all bent over a barrel with what they feel is the only game in town. I'm all for giving letter writing a try, but whether you put one letter on my desk or 1000, I can still easily throw them all in the trash without even reading them (I'll just need a larger trash receptacle - and e-mails are even easier to delete, as I bet I easily delete 100 per day without even getting past the subject line).

Protesting at a race will do nothing. Ask the Modified Eliminator boys what they're little show got them other than their name on NHRA's ***** list.

But, if the money stops flowing in, now you're going to get their attention. Not counting crew passes, 500 cars times $250 per car = $125,000. What does NHRA pay out at a national event, $50,000 tops? Taking $75,000 away from them (again, not counting crew passes, concessions, souvenir sales, etc.) will have more of an affect on them than writing 1,000 letters. And if they don't get the hint after one race, continue it at the next until they come looking for us to have an open discussion.

Remember, WE ARE THEIR CUSTOMERS! This is not some special society that only the privledged can join. If you have $64 per year, you can be a member of NHRA, and for $270 more, you too can compete at one of their "prestigious" events.