Can NHRA survive without John Force ?

[CMcAllister]

https://www.dragzine.com/news/bandim...lth-violation/

These people appear to be trying to see how many businesses and activities that they don't agree with can be forced to shut down and close up.

Give someone a hammer and the power to use it, and everything starts to look like a nail.

I'm less concerned about NHRA than I am these racetracks.

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by Paul Sarvas

I guess it's ok to post about Covid19 "sometimes"



pS

I'm sick of it and look forward to NOT talking about it, hearing about it, dealing with it and life being upside down because of it.

[jmcarter]

Watched NHRAtv for Pro Stock, then first few minutes of FC to see if Alan would address the elephant in the room (no JFR). He indicated he had no insights and confirmed JFR has made no formal announcement. Personally don’t care for JFR or DSR but with the large fan base that Force enjoys you’d think he’d owe them some kind of statement. Many may say “who cares?” but since the thread is NHRA’s survival it’s pertinent that one of the super teams that NHRA promotes so heavily may be folding.

[Dave Gantz]

To answer the question in the title of this thread... No matter what Force has done in racing, it's racing that made NHRA and Force. Wally Parks stumbled upon an undiscovered addiction and did a good job developing it.
Force has been smart enough and entrepreneurial enough to take advantage .Even if NHRA has put too many eggs in the Force basket, NHRA will survive despite itself. Racing is bigger than NHRA and/or Force.

[Curt Rees]

Along the same lines, not drag racing, but shows the pure stupidity of some of these "edicts". I was in Lincoln, NE this weekend to watch my grandson play baseball.

We were in the stands watching the game preceeding his. Between games, the "edict" came down that we were not "social distancing", there fore we could no longer sit in the grandstands in the shade. We had to move to the sidelines to watch through the fence. Several of the fans for both teams were grandpas and granmas in their 70's. The majority had to stand through 2 games, in 90 degree heat......all 100 of us, if that.

#5458

Curt Rees

[Bob Don]

Watched the Fox coverage of Indy without Force. It looks like everything went just fine without him.

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by Curt Rees

Along the same lines, not drag racing, but shows the pure stupidity of some of these "edicts". I was in Lincoln, NE this weekend to watch my grandson play baseball.

We were in the stands watching the game preceeding his. Between games, the "edict" came down that we were not "social distancing", there fore we could no longer sit in the grandstands in the shade. We had to move to the sidelines to watch through the fence. Several of the fans for both teams were grandpas and granmas in their 70's. The majority had to stand through 2 games, in 90 degree heat......all 100 of us, if that.

#5458

Curt Rees

Or else what?...

To be polite about it, I would have refused and wouldn't have stood for Grannies and Grandpas standing in the sun for 2 hours. Until people stop complying with this crap, "they" are going to continue to play Kings & Queens with no concern for the ramifications.

[Carguy49]

It seemed strange without the John Force group there, but the event went well.

Curt, I don't agree with grand parents in their 70's or so having to stand to watch a game or 2, especially in 90 degree heat. They could have them sit distanced without any problems, I would think.

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by Dave Gantz

To answer the question in the title of this thread... No matter what Force has done in racing, it's racing that made NHRA and Force. Wally Parks stumbled upon an undiscovered addiction and did a good job developing it.
Force has been smart enough and entrepreneurial enough to take advantage .Even if NHRA has put too many eggs in the Force basket, NHRA will survive despite itself. Racing is bigger than NHRA and/or Force.

NHRA survived the retirement of Garlits, Prudhomme, Glidden and every other star. It will survive the loss of Force--and his organization if he shuts it all down after he retires.

Hard to tell what NHRA will look like in the future though. It could be sold, split, or just continue as it has. The people in charge have to be careful with the gimmicks and enhancements that the marketing and TV "experts" are trying to use to attract the "casual" fan. They are in danger of jumping the shark like NASCAR has and alienating the hardcore people.

The legacy sportsman classes are mostly populated by old guys. I don't see a strategy to attract young people to those classes. A good start would be to stop treating them like a redheaded step child, stop trying to squeeze every nickle they can out of them and pay some damn money. There were 700 people who showed up, and paid thousands in entry fees to race for big money last weekend - and it's happening other places almost every weekend. I'm not saying they have to pay $1.1m or even $100k, but c'mon guys. Look at where your GOAT sportsman guys are going.

I hope they figure it out, stop trying to be all things to all people and avoid ending up being the next IHRA.

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by CMcAllister

NHRA survived the retirement of Garlits, Prudhomme, Glidden and every other star. It will survive the loss of Force--and his organization if he shuts it all down after he retires.

Hard to tell what NHRA will look like in the future though. It could be sold, split, or just continue as it has. The people in charge have to be careful with the gimmicks and enhancements that the marketing and TV "experts" are trying to use to attract the "casual" fan. They are in danger of jumping the shark like NASCAR has and alienating the hardcore people.

The legacy sportsman classes are mostly populated by old guys. I don't see a strategy to attract young people to those classes. A good start would be to stop treating them like a redheaded step child, stop trying to squeeze every nickle they can out of them and pay some damn money. There were 700 people who showed up, and paid thousands in entry fees to race for big money last weekend - and it's happening other places almost every weekend. I'm not saying they have to pay $1.1m or even $100k, but c'mon guys. Look at where your GOAT sportsman guys are going.

I hope they figure it out, stop trying to be all things to all people and avoid ending up being the next IHRA.

Or it could be after what happened with the Pro Stock Truck deal. They are trying to do away with you without actually saying they are doing away with you.


Stan