What would it take for you to attend a Sportsman Race

[Larry Hill]

I think the promoters do it to make a profit and all of us racers want them to make a profit so we can race with them again the next time.

[Dave Muller]

About all I would need is for the race to be less than a thousand miles away from me and not conflict with a division 7 race.

Sometimes other schedule or budget constraints might stop me but generally that would do it. But out west here it's not so likely.

[Eric Merryfield]

Perhaps a bit of perspective from a outsider here would be helpful.

I'm a outsider? Well I didn't grow up watching my dad do it, I just started doing it 15 or so years ago.

So I don't have the same experiences that 98% of the forum does. I run a small business like many and 100% of the money in it is mine and at risk so I can relate to the promoters, tracks, sponsors and the racers. At least I should be able too!


BUT, I have supported a lot of these races, over the years that were listed when I could. Big $ opens too in Canada which also suffered from poor turnout but have not been previously mentioned......got grade points and got to compete for up to 25K at one open...........10K many times at Napierville, Beards, Tylers, Kens, the allstar race that paid 10K for $100(right Barry?), etc etc etc


Why? How could I not? Its just fiscally irresponsible to not go and try to compete for the best return on your ahem investment, support fellow racers, and go and experience the labors of love that have been put on.....Some of the best times at the track have been at these events, they are so enjoyable in so many ways.

I do think its possible though for a race of this nature to be successful....but it would have to have a different focus.....Stock and Superstock may just need a 501 c 3 formed to try and preserve the heritage. Putting on a race for the benefit of the charity.....Support it or it will go away......

Perhaps the racers can support Tyler's race......I'll try. Its another labor of love event. Its not like he can pencil in a rate of return for like his other races that cater to their bracket racing events...

FYI racers, actually the NHRA experience isn't as bad as you paint it to be, considering whats involved with putting on a event. Don't like the national event crowds, and schedule etc, go to a divisional, don't like them, go to the opens, go to the the association races........

Go to stay sharp, for the independent races that you WILL be attending in the future correct?

Eric

Re: What would it take for you to attend a Sportsman Race?

To have At least more than O N E Sportsman Points Race in California.
Bakersfield is a double and thank you.

[my69396]

I am still of the mind that all divisions need a Sports National's. A race with all the NHRA trappings, tech, record setting, grade points, division points and Wally's. Believe it or not the racers that are in Stock and Super Stock are there for that recognition. To make it monetarily viable there needs to be some draw. More payout, contingency would make some difference money wise. The big dollar races that don't have these trappings are just money races. I am not saying that they don't have a place. The long and short of it is we built NHRA Stock and Super Stock cars and that is difference between class racers and bracket racers. The biggest problem with this is NHRA. Has anyone tried to get in touch with the division contacts lately? I tried before and after the holidays and no response. Until they decide we deserve a voice we are up a well known creek.

[Dave Turner]

A common theme within this thread is the fact that a promoter’s first race has received the most support. If the experience taken from those inaugural events was overwhelmingly positive, why did numbers dwindle in subsequent years? One would have hoped that attendees had a good news story to share with those who missed out, that they would have been successful in convincing other racers to join them the next time? There is no simple answer…every one of Tim’s reasons for a pass are valid if we’re playing a drag racing version of Jeopardy - “Event Cop-Outs for $$$$”.

One thing stands out for me. Our group seems to have become increasingly critical of the administrative side of the NHRA over the years, especially where it has “messed” with the performance based roots of the category. Many of us have called for a return to some of the structural attributes of the past. It would be interesting, if nothing else, to look at something “old” as a format for a future race. Go back in time and revive some of the aspects of Stock/SuperStock competition that have fallen off the table….perhaps hold a smaller scale event as a dry run?

[Speer Drag Racing]

Timothy nailed it, WAY too many excuses. It is really sad that these races are not attended greatly with how hard they are trying. We have NHRA who seems to be pushing us all away and we just beg more to get in while these promoters are sticking their necks out trying to give us another option and putting BIG money up for grabs. Tyler's Class Racers Revival 2 years ago was one of the best put on shows out there. It had pretty much everything anyone was asking for. Weather was great. He had a CIC race. $25K to win plus some decent round $$. $25K to win with the same entry as a National event to win $1500 from NHRA. $6K if you play the contingency program perfectly. Well he is doing it again at one of the best facilities in the nation. August 4-6. Hopefully we can support this one a little better!!

Up here in Minnesota and surrounding states we have the MCR races and a really good group of people putting these races on. We try to attend as many as we can. It gives us another option anyways. They are working on getting more and more payouts out and at least giving us a few races where there are $4-5K payouts! And they do this with giving out first round win $$ as well.

It would be nice at all of these events to have more of a tech for the people who are still trying to play by the rules but I realize that is a lot to ask for! NHRA really can't even do much of that. I feel old saying it but I remember when I used to worry about having to spend an afternoon putting my car back together after getting tore down.

Hopefully we can figure something else out to get more people to go to these races so NHRA isn't the only thing out there for us diehard S/SS racers!!

[Tony Fagnilli]

In 40+ years of racing, I've NEVER attended, or not attended, a race for the payout. 100 percent of the time, I don't have a clue as to how much the payout is at a race. LOL