NHRA and the Olympics - Page 3

FED 387 · 02-15-2011, 05:29 PM

Marvin---ABSOLUTELY correct---everybody is talking about/around the subject both in this thread and the other one concerning the old days of TV---somebody makes the decision on what gets shown and what does not--the announcer can only announce what is presented to him or what is happening before his eyes----If whoever ONLY presents PRO classes then that's all the announcer has to work with---what has to happen is to find out who makes the decision as to what gets shown--- if its tow cars or golf carts then thats all they have to work with---if its Pros same scenario---if its sportsman same thing---comp

Greg Gay · 02-20-2011, 01:07 PM

Thank you for the responses, everyone. My real problem is not with the television coverage, it is with the money, although after rereading my post, I can see why the discussion has gone down this path. I remember hearing of guys in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s winning three times as much as they had invested in the car. When I bought my Stocker, I paid $18,000 for a car (and trailer) that could win $15,000. Not THAT long ago, I heard rumors of a guy building a Hemi Plymouth, and he would have $40,000 invested in it by the time he was done. That was considered outrageous at the time. Now, how much does it cost to build a Stocker? And, how much can you win with it?

My two main points were that we missed a huge opportunity when Wally Park’s proposal to split the Pros from the Sportsman didn’t go through (with what amounted to a trust fund to support sportsman racing well into the future). And two, I think the publicity that we do get is what separates NHRA Sportsman racing from other forms of racing at the same level. Many organizations have put together a $10,000 to win race for far less entry than $305. Here, more and more money continues to go to the nitro class. But, they know they can continue doing it, and still keep the fields full, because we all want to see our picture in National Dragster, I guess.

Ed Wright · 02-20-2011, 02:34 PM

When I quit drag racing the first time (1979) points races and national events (including contingency money) paid the same to a little more than now. That same dollar number does not go nearly as far as it used to. A new $100,000.00 SS/GT roller now would pay for three or four complete SS cars back then.

skills · 02-20-2011, 04:28 PM

I can only give my opinion as a spectator since I have never raced. I attend 2-3 national events and a few divisionals and the dutch. The problem I think is NHRA just doesn't care as much for the sportsmen racers. They could enhance the racing experience for all fans by pushing the sportsmen classes more. If you could get more sponsors in sportsmen it would boost the payouts and up some of the fields. Maybe Lucas should push a sportsmen show if only an hours show maybe show the quarterfinals of comp on down. You could do some pit stuff on the cars and some of the racers. Explain the classes if you did that and more it will draw more fans to the local tracks. Look at inside MMA everybody knows the UFC but they talk about the amateur shows all over the world and show highlights. People care about the UFC because they know the fighters. You mean to tell me putting somebody like Fletcher on tv wouldn't be entertaining?

02-15-2011, 05:29 PM	#21
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,349 Likes: 329 Liked 280 Times in 150 Posts	Re: NHRA and the Olympics Marvin---ABSOLUTELY correct---everybody is talking about/around the subject both in this thread and the other one concerning the old days of TV---somebody makes the decision on what gets shown and what does not--the announcer can only announce what is presented to him or what is happening before his eyes----If whoever ONLY presents PRO classes then that's all the announcer has to work with---what has to happen is to find out who makes the decision as to what gets shown--- if its tow cars or golf carts then thats all they have to work with---if its Pros same scenario---if its sportsman same thing---comp

02-20-2011, 01:07 PM	#22
Greg Gay Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Vermont Posts: 348 Likes: 8 Liked 218 Times in 48 Posts	Re: NHRA and the Olympics Thank you for the responses, everyone. My real problem is not with the television coverage, it is with the money, although after rereading my post, I can see why the discussion has gone down this path. I remember hearing of guys in the ‘60’s and ‘70’s winning three times as much as they had invested in the car. When I bought my Stocker, I paid $18,000 for a car (and trailer) that could win $15,000. Not THAT long ago, I heard rumors of a guy building a Hemi Plymouth, and he would have $40,000 invested in it by the time he was done. That was considered outrageous at the time. Now, how much does it cost to build a Stocker? And, how much can you win with it? My two main points were that we missed a huge opportunity when Wally Park’s proposal to split the Pros from the Sportsman didn’t go through (with what amounted to a trust fund to support sportsman racing well into the future). And two, I think the publicity that we do get is what separates NHRA Sportsman racing from other forms of racing at the same level. Many organizations have put together a $10,000 to win race for far less entry than $305. Here, more and more money continues to go to the nitro class. But, they know they can continue doing it, and still keep the fields full, because we all want to see our picture in National Dragster, I guess.

02-20-2011, 02:34 PM	#23
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 389 Times in 168 Posts	Re: NHRA and the Olympics When I quit drag racing the first time (1979) points races and national events (including contingency money) paid the same to a little more than now. That same dollar number does not go nearly as far as it used to. A new $100,000.00 SS/GT roller now would pay for three or four complete SS cars back then. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

02-20-2011, 04:28 PM	#24
skills Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Hershey,pa Posts: 185 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: NHRA and the Olympics I can only give my opinion as a spectator since I have never raced. I attend 2-3 national events and a few divisionals and the dutch. The problem I think is NHRA just doesn't care as much for the sportsmen racers. They could enhance the racing experience for all fans by pushing the sportsmen classes more. If you could get more sponsors in sportsmen it would boost the payouts and up some of the fields. Maybe Lucas should push a sportsmen show if only an hours show maybe show the quarterfinals of comp on down. You could do some pit stuff on the cars and some of the racers. Explain the classes if you did that and more it will draw more fans to the local tracks. Look at inside MMA everybody knows the UFC but they talk about the amateur shows all over the world and show highlights. People care about the UFC because they know the fighters. You mean to tell me putting somebody like Fletcher on tv wouldn't be entertaining?