So, How Did The Gainesville Race Go?

[Jim Wahl]

Originally Posted by greatinspirational

I would gladly help. I can tell you from my experience at Orlando bracket races I don’t think it’s going to be viable. They have a pretty hefty car count. Really wish we could do something in Orlando week before or after the divisional. I attended my first Gainesville bracket race and the car count was much much lower. In fact it seems like car counts at Gainesville in general are very low. I thought it worked great with the TNT personally. The race moved very fast. The idea of doubles is a spectacular one if it can be achieved. Especially with gas prices being ludicrous. The association desperately needs a bigger social media presence and a lot more promoting in my opinion, or people won’t even know we are racing. I can make flyers for the races to help with that.

Fact is there is no easy way out. If we want it bad enough were just going to have to put in the work. Scheduling, money and low car counts in the beginning are going to be a hurdle but if we can work through that for a year or two with a solid consistent 5 or so race schedule, promote the races and in time it will build up.

I strongly think it should be run like a regular race with a qualifying order, ladder system, points program and limited to stock / super stock. The more serious we take it the more respect it will garner in my opinion. Anyway I’m around if needed 321-356-8607

First of all, now offence meant to you sir but.... who are you? All your ideas have been tried and were either being used until Jim Woods came back or tried and did not work. What works in D1 or NC doesn't mean it will work here. Believe me, I have spoken at one time or another with 90% of the other S/SS associations in the U.S. and Canada. Remember I was here in the very beginning, and was V.P. and Pres. for 12 of the 14 years. WE actually had other associations call and ask advice on how to run their
groups.
Once again I ask, who are you? I take NO advice from someone I don't know or know about. Been burned like that before. So, if you really want to help, please out yourself in this thread, Name, and are you an SSSSA member? Do you race other than brackets? Stocker, Super Stocker? Thanks for your ideas but.....
Jim

Mike will be seeing this also.

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[Jim Wahl]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

I was one that did not make it there. Several reasons. One my car was still apart getting it ready for the race this weekend in Rockingham. Originally i was going to skip the Rockingham divisional and race the SSSSA race. Plans changed after I won the divisional race in Reynolds a couple of weeks ago. Here are a few reasons which I think might have contributed to the low car count. Bear in mind the SSSSA has been inactive for about 4 years before this race

1. The next weekend is a divisional race
2. High fuel cost
3. Late start time. Gates opening at 6pm makes it a night race.
4. The Orlando fiasco at the previous SSSSA race might have made some stay home too.
5. Many of the stock and SS racers in Florida have either quit or retired. Just not many cars left to fill the field.

I was told there will be no more SSSSA races. Thanks to all that helped put on the SSSSA events.

Mike. Who told you there would be no more SSSSA races?? Please don't post stuff like that based on the opinion of someone who obviously doesn't have a clue or doesn't care what happens to the Association. Jim


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[Mike Pearson]

I was told that is what Jim Woods told some of the racers that there wold be no more races. I guess that meant with him as president. I am glad to see that there is still interest in restarting the association. Personally I don’t know if there is enough of us left to make it go.
I would try to keep the future association races away from the NHRA races and not the week before or after. It’s costly to travel to these races with the high fuel costs these days
Originally the association was going to try to race during the times of the year that NHRA is not having events in the area.
Getting a list of potential competitors that would race with the association might be a good place to start. Keeping some regular communication on this website is good for keeping interest.
I have supported the association from the beginning and raced at most of the event’s that were put on. Even won one of them. Plus several RUs. I will continue when I can. Going to have to crawl before we can walk again. Thanks to all that are interested in getting the association up and running again

[Jim Wahl]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

I was told that is what Jim Woods told some of the racers that there wold be no more races. I guess that meant with him as president. I am glad to see that there is still interest in restarting the association. Personally I don’t know if there is enough of us left to make it go.
I would try to keep the future association races away from the NHRA races and not the week before or after. It’s costly to travel to these races with the high fuel costs these days
Originally the association was going to try to race during the times of the year that NHRA is not having events in the area.
Getting a list of potential competitors that would race with the association might be a good place to start. Keeping some regular communication on this website is good for keeping interest.
I have supported the association from the beginning and raced at most of the event’s that were put on. Even won one of them. Plus several RUs. I will continue when I can. Going to have to crawl before we can walk again. Thanks to all that are interested in getting the association up and running again

You are correct. The Association (all of them probably) need to take a good look at the future of the economics of racing. We may be the last real racing generation. I seriously doubt that even if Trump or a Trump-like person and an all Republican House and Senate were to come back that you would ever see fuel prices as we had before Biden. Oil companies will see to that. Thank you Brandon!

As far as Jim Woods, I spoke with him tonight. He is gone. Jim said, and I quote "I am done, I am not telling anyone what to do". So I would take what he said to you with a grain of salt. I have spoken with Mike Clifford (SSSSA Administrator, no more President etc.) several times and will continue to help him however I can. The last thing I want is to see the Association fail. I hope Tommy Jr. will also. I guess we could be called advisors.

Anyway, All of us need to help Mike, he has some good ideas and is already hard at work to build the SSSSA up again. After all you never know what the future holds for Drag Racing. The S/SS associations could be the only place to race in the next few of years. Look at the car counts at National Events! Jim


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[greatinspirational]

I’m John Riley the guy you sold the FWD trans to. I own Tom Kasch and Harry Morgans old stockers I’m really not sure why the consensus is that the Gainesville race was so terrible other then a few facts. In the past they may have done these obvious things but it didn’t happen at this race

1- There was no qualified car ladder system and at one point there were 5 cars left. 1 car couldn’t make the round, so they just put the 4 cars together and called it the semi finals when in fact there should have been the odd car count bye as well as a competition single. Maybe it doesn’t bother others but to me just small details like that made it feel not like a regular true stock super stock race

2- A none stock / super stock truck entered and competed in the race

3- And finally the one everyone is most concerned with - the low car count. Yes it had a low car count, but there was very little promotion of the race. VERY LITTLE. The December race events that were cut short probably didn’t help matters either. In my opinion it’s going to be low fin the beginning until the reputation is earned back and there will be a need to persevere and work through it even if it takes smaller payouts until car counts start coming up

Other then that I thought the race moved very fast and Gainesville was extremely accommodating and seemed to like having us there

Anyways that’s my 2 cents.


For me the association is spectacular. I want it to work out and need it to work out. I’m on an extreme legitimate budget and it represents a potential fantastic way for me and my son to run our stockers on a budget at the level we would like to compete at.

[Jim Woods]

Just to set the record straight , I was planning me resignation way before this
Race . i am suffering from advaned memory loss. 1st stage of dimentia. However I
will support the association as much as I can. As for finding out how tuff it is . Jim please dont say that anymore. I have more than showed what I can do. I wish all of you well . The sssa is still alive .Iam just not an officer anymore.Its been fun over the years.

[KennyAnderson]

Jim Woods please know that your efforts are very much appreciated!! It will be a long haul back since the association was basically dormant for the last several years. Myself and others tried to get some interest in getting a race or two going but there didn't seem to be much interest. Continued prayers for your good health!!

Jim Wahl where are you going with your comment about National Event entries?? Even with continued challenges for many and record high fuel prices its hard to get into any Natty's. Some like Gainesville near impossible. We had good counts in Reynolds and Rockingham over the last few weeks. In fact things in the stock/super stock world look strong. So far this year over one thousand S/SS racers have run at least one NHRA Natty or Divisional. Add in the IHRA cars that can only run Natty Opens, NMCA, and Association races and despite this trying year I'm impressed by the participation.

Hopefully someone can get this ship righted and sailing.

Here are some ideas from my feeble brain.

*Double races are almost mandatory in my book. Make it attractive for racers to travel.

*It's gotta make financial sense......$135 plus crew at the gate, plus travel, for $500 to win doesn't. If you can't find sponsorship help maybe base it on car count at first to limit risk.

*Schedule races when the weather is AWESOME and away from any Division 2 races. Maybe one or two early in the season as a "test" session and late in the year. Most everything is wound down by mid October.

*I know that Gville was an anomaly but it HAS to be a legit class car. If its going to be a watered down bracket race we can race far more often and for far better money elsewhere.

*There was interest in a Super Street Association. Maybe if that came back and showed interest, a combined showing might help us be more attractive to track owner/managers. Strength in numbers.

[Jim Wahl]

Originally Posted by KennyAnderson

Jim Woods please know that your efforts are very much appreciated!! It will be a long haul back since the association was basically dormant for the last several years. Myself and others tried to get some interest in getting a race or two going but there didn't seem to be much interest. Continued prayers for your good health!!

Jim Wahl where are you going with your comment about National Event entries?? Even with continued challenges for many and record high fuel prices its hard to get into any Natty's. Some like Gainesville near impossible. We had good counts in Reynolds and Rockingham over the last few weeks. In fact things in the stock/super stock world look strong. So far this year over one thousand S/SS racers have run at least one NHRA Natty or Divisional. Add in the IHRA cars that can only run Natty Opens, NMCA, and Association races and despite this trying year I'm impressed by the participation.

Hopefully someone can get this ship righted and sailing.

Here are some ideas from my feeble brain.

*Double races are almost mandatory in my book. Make it attractive for racers to travel.

*It's gotta make financial sense......$135 plus crew at the gate, plus travel, for $500 to win doesn't. If you can't find sponsorship help maybe base it on car count at first to limit risk.

*Schedule races when the weather is AWESOME and away from any Division 2 races. Maybe one or two early in the season as a "test" session and late in the year. Most everything is wound down by mid October.

*I know that Gville was an anomaly but it HAS to be a legit class car. If its going to be a watered down bracket race we can race far more often and for far better money elsewhere.

*There was interest in a Super Street Association. Maybe if that came back and showed interest, a combined showing might help us be more attractive to track owner/managers. Strength in numbers.

Kenny,
I am basing my comments on is and average of 48 Stockers and 42 Super Stockers at the first 5 National Events. It doesn't take a PhD in math to figure out class racing in not what it used to be. The interest just isn't there with the younger generation along with NHRA cutting car entry numbers. The same thing happened to S/SS in the IHRA. The numbers weren't there anymore so they cut those classes. I predicted that move publicly two years before it happened and IHRA's administration said I was crazy but you know how that wound up. As the owner of a Stocker and a Super Stocker I take no pleasure in saying this to you but we are in trouble. Jim


.

[Jeff Stout]

...

[KennyAnderson]

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

Kenny,
I am basing my comments on is and average of 48 Stockers and 42 Super Stockers at the first 5 National Events. It doesn't take a PhD in math to figure out class racing in not what it used to be. The interest just isn't there with the younger generation along with NHRA cutting car entry numbers. The same thing happened to S/SS in the IHRA. The numbers weren't there anymore so they cut those classes. I predicted that move publicly two years before it happened and IHRA's administration said I was crazy but you know how that wound up. As the owner of a Stocker and a Super Stocker I take no pleasure in saying this to you but we are in trouble. Jim


.

Jim I'm sure you are aware of the quota system in place at National events. All of the races you speak of had 50, 55, or as in Gville 60 car caps. You also know that as in Gville when the forecast isn't good some/many pull out last minute. There are also travel issues and breakage issues so to see that almost every event went off close to max sits well with me. If you pay attention you will see that most races fill up at 6-8 grade points so I see that as "high demand".

The participation at LODRS races has been pretty strong also ESPECIALLY considering fuel prices. While I don't necessarily disagree with you in essence, class racing has a more "mature" base of racers, there are quite a few young guns showing up. Austin Alvey, Tyler Bohannon, Houston Raikes, Conner Statler, Autumn Greene, Jason McCandless, Dan Young, Curt Smith Jr., Danny Waters Jr.,Trey Payne, the Wilson sisters, my kids. Not to mention established racers adding new entries like Johnathan and Melissa Anderson, and Keith and Terri Bennett. I think we're going to be all right for the time being.

The IHRA deal I agree with. I LOVED the IHRA format but to be honest, two points exist. Most N racers looked down at the I program..... Snobbish at best especially considering the I actually paid better in many cases! And second..... this still blows my mind. Most N guys won't race 1/8 mile. I still amazes me how many load up and roll out after a LODRS and choose not to race the National Open cause they don't like 1/8th. The hard part is over! Your here! Roll your junk out and race! IMHO after doing it for years, 1/8 definitely sharpens up your skillset!