The end of class racing....again...

[goinbroke2]

Here's some posts from 2007;

They have given all our pit area to Motor Homes on both sides of the track, consession trailers, all sorts of tents, passenger cars, golf carts, Pro Mods with lots of room for each, and Alcohol Funny Cars with lots of room for each. There's just not any pit space left for us and the track just won't spend any money to make more.

Now I'm sitting at home with no transportation and my truck, trailer, race car sitting in an old rice field with 6" of water all around and piles of dirt in front of the truck and no telling when I'll be able to get it out, at least I'm not hundreds of miles from home like some.

Nhra took a day of racing away this year and charged us more money to get in and some wonder why the car count is down? I believe it maybe even less in the future.
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They wonder why racers are quitting, after more than 30 years of racing, it just was not fun anymore, miss the racers, don't miss NHRA.....
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NHRA= NOT HELPING RACERS ANYMORE
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NHRA needs to stop the insanity. How did we ever let it get this far? The only thing we S/SS have ever stuck together on was the mufflers and a lot of you didn?t want to sign the petition back then, but Dan and I with a hand full kept pushing the issue. A great division 3 tech man told me it was a done deal, but we did defeat them on that issue, the tech man remained neutral on the issue.
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"Just curious with all these problems with the mistreatment of sportsman racer's at NHRA national events why not just stop racing at them and try racing IHRA instead where stuff like this never happens."

when I can run at least 5 IHRA races within a 8 hr drive then I will consider it
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2 minute search and I can find the EXACT same "the sky is falling" threads from 2007 or farther since this has been going on since what 1972???

When smog stuff hit everyone said "8 to 1 compression, racing is done"
Then FI "racing is done"
Then imports and the exploding fwd's "these are the new muscle replacing the dinosaurs"
Then gas went to $6 per gallon "that's it, racing is done for now"
Then the "RPM Act" "it's all over now"

So what is "todays" reason for the end of racing??
Just curious as I don't have a crisis to panic about today, lol......

I see it as getting better. Perhaps it is just locally, but our local S/SS association went from about 16 cars when I tech'd in 2008 to about 40+ cars now (Thanks Jeff Kempton) and we have a series with real money thanks to John Scotti. We lost one track (PEI) but gained a new one. (Cape Breton)

I view drag racing in general and S/SS in particular as Henry Ford said "if you think you can or if you think you can't...you're right" In other words, I won't be joining the "woe is me" crowd.

So, any GOOD stories about racing to talk about???

[1320racer]

As I’ve stated before…

This is going to die, the only question that remains is when. My guess is the final curtain call happens in 10-15 years when you'll have less than half the class racers you do today. stock, super stock, comp will be decimated due to the large loss of racers. What little new blood is interested in drag racing, are going bracket racing where at least they have a chance of winning money that will allow them to be more competitive. Further they don't have to deal with NHRA's rules nor take a week off of work to compete at a 3 day event where you spend most of that time doing no racing.

This has been a long time coming. America fell out of love with their cars, no longer has a car culture. Young men and women no longer dream of the day they get their driver’s license much less dream of buying or building a hot rod. It’s no longer cool and the reason why auto shop no longer is a curriculum in high school. Without the youth of America loving cars, there is no future for drag racing except maybe on a screen gaming.

[Eman]

A few years ago it was Pro Stock and Fuel classes that were dying with low car counts. Now in this supposed horrid economy I've been listening to people moan about all of those classes have new teams and new drivers. Drag Illustrated has promoted races and so have others. Seems every week I hear about a lot of renovations at tracks all around the country and even new tracks being built. I guess I don't watch enough TV or play on FB.

[El Duderino]

1320,

Yes, you have commented on this topic, before and before and before...

The problem with your long winded, repetitive statement is; you are a former .90 racer who pretends to think you understand class racers.

You DON'T.

Your time would be better spent commenting on something you are actually participating in. You know, sitting in your garage, staring at the race car that you don't race

[1320racer]

El Douche is back again, aka imakehp aka Dave Kemblowski from DRR a pathetic old man that ain't ever done shyt on the track and no longer races, he had a reputation of being a hack with 1 reviewer referring to him as a "churlish slob" when he owned The Balance Shop in Cali and his only reason for posting on Class Racer is to bait me, having joined this forum on 1-14-24 with 22 of his current 25 posts commenting about me/my replies while he attempts to hide behind a computer screen, scared to own his comments. He's a self proclaimed billy badass that never got respect in the racing community and clearly was bullied in school with that last name.

Further El Douche has never been a former competitive racer in any class much less S/SS nor .90. Further yet, he is wrong as usual as I am not a former .90 racer.

[Jack Matyas]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

El Douche is back again, aka imakehp aka Dave Kemblowski from DRR a pathetic old man that ain't ever done shyt on the track and no longer races, he had a reputation of being a hack with 1 reviewer referring to him as a "churlish slob" when he owned The Balance Shop in Cali and his only reason for posting on Class Racer is to bait me, having joined this forum on 1-14-24 with 22 of his current 25 posts commenting about me/my replies while he attempts to hide behind a computer screen, scared to own his comments. He's a self proclaimed billy badass that never got respect in the racing community and clearly was bullied in school with that last name.

Further El Douche has never been a former competitive racer in any class much less S/SS nor .90. Further yet, he is wrong as usual as I am not a former .90 racer.

Well Mr.1320 here's the thing - I don't know you or Mr.El Duderino 'cause I'm just another pathetic old man who is not trying to bait you but maybe you should lighten up a bit as you seem to be down on Stock - Super Stock and the NHRA for many years .As a racer who has raced in New Jersey alot not to mention D1 and many other divisions I can't remember seeing you at all let alone winning anything anywhere in Stock or S/S yet you act as an expert on these matters .Why not just have a little fun instead of trying to belittle folks . Merry Christmas PS - Wally may be in his grave but his spirit lives on thru many of us.

[CMcAllister]

"It's the economy, stupid." James Carville

As with many hobbies and avocations, the economy and disposable incomes has a lot to do with who participates and at what level.

We've been stuck in the mud for the past 4 years. I see attitudes, outlooks and reasons to be optimistic getting better every day. I see people with that "let's roll up our sleeves and get busy now" frame of mind.

I'd like to think fuel will come down and travel not be so expensive. Inflation not be such a killer to budgets. Business pick up.

Now that we know what the next few years won't be, we can be optimistic about what they will be.

As we get into 2025, I think people will feel more able to spend some money, get cars back out, and get out of that bunker mentality. When things get tight and uncertain, often parking the race car is the first thing that happens for many people.

[Chuck Weissberg]

[QUOTE=goinbroke2;706427]Here's some posts from 2007;

They have given all our pit area to Motor Homes on both sides of the track, consession trailers, all sorts of tents, passenger cars, golf carts, Pro Mods with lots of room for each, and Alcohol Funny Cars with lots of room for each. There's just not any pit space left for us and the track just won't spend any money to make more.

Now I'm sitting at home with no transportation and my truck, trailer, race car sitting in an old rice field with 6" of water all around and piles of dirt in front of the truck and no telling when I'll be able to get it out, at least I'm not hundreds of miles from home like some.

Nhra took a day of racing away this year and charged us more money to get in and some wonder why the car count is down? I believe it maybe even less in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They wonder why racers are quitting, after more than 30 years of racing, it just was not fun anymore, miss the racers, don't miss NHRA.....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHRA= NOT HELPING RACERS ANYMORE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHRA needs to stop the insanity. How did we ever let it get this far? The only thing we S/SS have ever stuck together on was the mufflers and a lot of you didn?t want to sign the petition back then, but Dan and I with a hand full kept pushing the issue. A great division 3 tech man told me it was a done deal, but we did defeat them on that issue, the tech man remained neutral on the issue.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Just curious with all these problems with the mistreatment of sportsman racer's at NHRA national events why not just stop racing at them and try racing IHRA instead where stuff like this never happens."

when I can run at least 5 IHRA races within a 8 hr drive then I will consider it
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 minute search and I can find the EXACT same "the sky is falling" threads from 2007 or farther since this has been going on since what 1972???

When smog stuff hit everyone said "8 to 1 compression, racing is done"
Then FI "racing is done"
Then imports and the exploding fwd's "these are the new muscle replacing the dinosaurs"
Then gas went to $6 per gallon "that's it, racing is done for now"
Then the "RPM Act" "it's all over now"

So what is "todays" reason for the end of racing??
Just curious as I don't have a crisis to panic about today, lol......

I see it as getting better. Perhaps it is just locally, but our local S/SS association went from about 16 cars when I tech'd in 2008 to about 40+ cars now (Thanks Jeff Kempton) and we have a series with real money thanks to John Scotti. We lost one track (PEI) but gained a new one. (Cape Breton)

I view drag racing in general and S/SS in particular as Henry Ford said "if you think you can or if you think you can't...you're right" In other words, I won't be joining the "woe is me" crowd.

So, any GOOD stories about racing to talk about???[/QUOTE


As I hear, racing is a way to make new friends and bond over issues

[DG]

Pleople don't ride horses and buggies like they did 150 years ago, but as far as I can tell, there is still a pretty active equestian community hanging around. I think auto racing is going to outlast most of us.

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by DG

Pleople don't ride horses and buggies like they did 150 years ago, but as far as I can tell, there is still a pretty active equestian community hanging around. I think auto racing is going to outlast most of us.

I agree ^^

Every time there is a slump in car counts there is always a rebound.