Nhra

[skills]

Since I am in Hershey I have the joy of being able to get to carlisle for the car shows. The mopar show is huge even when chysler was making junk people love hemis! I love my dads superbee and he hasn't raced since I was little. People love cars and speed and nhra has tons of both in all shapes and sizes no matter what you like. You know my little sisters boyfriend went to etown with us the first time he had ever went to a drag strip. Loves motorcycles and is a fairly small guy. So we are at karen stoffers pit talking to her about the bike. She invites him to sit on her bike he was smiles for a month. See that is what you guys have that nascar doesn't. We have to built on what we have, the reason why guys like you ed do this year after year.

[stefan callender]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Let's face it,you're entheusisitic about our cars because your family is is a racee family.The average fan is just that,a fan,with no direct drag racing ties.There's wayyy
to much competition today for the consumers money than in the "good old days".
We are dinosaurs in the final phase of our existance.

I have to agree with Ed. I have a son that is 19 years old. He loves muscle cars, and he also loves the new muscle and ricers. He loves muscle because he was brought up going to the track, car shows etc. His friends couldnt care less about those "old" cars. They are too busy trying to figure out how to make their Hondas fast. They cant afford new vehicles, so their 90's Hondas are our 69 Camaros.

[skills]

I drive a turbo Mazda love it but like the new challengers. We have new muscle cars too(yes there are issues there). This sport has just about everything for everybody the engine combos are endless. Remember Bruno Maxwell was a world champ with an turbo in comp. How about discounted price if your there before it starts in the morning? You would have fans there for early rounds of sportsmen. How about pushing the splendors to promote the racing and events more. Maybe promote more at schools. Say Monday before etown hit a trade or vocational school with three or four different cars and drivers. Say ashley force and funny car, Melanie grossly with her pro mod turbo, Thomas fletcher and his super stocker or the canaries and maybe a super comp car. Talk to the kids we love cars in this world. Fire them up draw the kids senses in the smell and noise will be something that will draw them in. Tell them about the friday night street legal races and try to hook them from the bottom up.

[stefan callender]

Originally Posted by clutch man

What a shallow post, thats like having a box of chocolate and not eating it because it's good? What's the point

Hey Clutchman, what class do you run??

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by skills

I drive a turbo Mazda love it but like the new challengers. We have new muscle cars too(yes there are issues there). This sport has just about everything for everybody the engine combos are endless. Remember Bruno Maxwell was a world champ with an turbo in comp. How about discounted price if your there before it starts in the morning? You would have fans there for early rounds of sportsmen. How about pushing the splendors to promote the racing and events more. Maybe promote more at schools. Say Monday before etown hit a trade or vocational school with three or four different cars and drivers. Say ashley force and funny car, Melanie grossly with her pro mod turbo, Thomas fletcher and his super stocker or the canaries and maybe a super comp car. Talk to the kids we love cars in this world. Fire them up draw the kids senses in the smell and noise will be something that will draw them in. Tell them about the friday night street legal races and try to hook them from the bottom up.

You're further reinforcing my point.The people you mention are second generation racers.Bruno Massell's car has enough money in it to support a third world nation.
Fans don't carry the experience of seeing and talking to us as races home with them.
It's just another day out for them.

[skills]

Ed my generation is no different than yours we all love cars. People remember a good time and will spend money when it is worth it. Nhra has to get people to the track when there you enjoy yourself.

[Chris Barnes]

Even though I feel like I just started I've been racing for sixteen years. There are a couple of successful young racers who I let sit in one or another of my cars when they were younger. When they tell me about the influence I had it just makes me want to continue on being an ambassador for the sport. I think people do take their experiences at the track home with them. As we all know, there is more to our sport than just going fast, it's shining with what you've got--a powerful lesson for many of life's pursuits.

Digression anyone? I guess the NHRA must continue to appeal to the fans in any way possible. I would like to hear more radio promotion or whatever the latest hip transmission device is. Once someone gets to a National Event they want to come back.

Chris Barnes
Wagons of Steel
Stock 6621

[blkjack]

Originally Posted by stefan callender

I have to agree with Ed. I have a son that is 19 years old. He loves muscle cars, and he also loves the new muscle and ricers. He loves muscle because he was brought up going to the track, car shows etc. His friends couldnt care less about those "old" cars. They are too busy trying to figure out how to make their Hondas fast. They cant afford new vehicles, so their 90's Hondas are our 69 Camaros.

X2 on that. Too much competition for the amount of disposable income available for young people. Even relative to today's wages, I think it just takes alot more money to get started in racing today than it did in the seventies/eighties. Unless someone in your family is already a player, this is a tough deal to get into.

[Ken Miele]

Skills, you have to understand guys like Ed Fernandez are stuck in the past and don’t except change very well. There are a small minority of Class Racer members that have been predicting the demise of Stock and Super Stock for many years.

The truth is, although the numbers are down this year, both classes are as popular as ever. What would have these guys said if it was 1973, when there were gas shortages, and the death of the muscle car started. They would say, “this is it guys, its all over, there is no way anyone will be interested now”. 38 years later and we are still here. I’m tired of hearing there is no new blood. There are plenty of new racers running Stock and Super Stock. Ford and Dodge have invested heavily into Stock and Super Stock, and GM is about to. Do you think the big three would be interested in a class that is dying. Yes there are other venues for young people to race, Class Racing is just one of them. The heads up racing is great, but all the numbers combined at one of their events still does not come close to the numbers of class cars.

This forum is proof that class racing is not dying. The Class Racer forum numbers have grown every year by 10%, and the last two months have been the best months ever on Class Racer.

The class is changing, there is no doubt about it, but its not the 1960’s. You can not compare what was done then to today. It cost more money to race today, but the people that have it are willing to spend it. I’m sorry if people like Ed can not or choose not to race with NHRA anymore. Things are changing, NHRA is not for everyone, the old guard is dying, its time for the new, like it or not. The problem is that the same old minority would rather see the demise of NHRA than offer solutions to help improve the over all drag racing experience.

[Troy Pourciau]

Very well said Ken... I totally agree.