attn Ed wright and Tony Janes

[farmco r/sa]

As 2 of the apparent experts on NHRA drag racing
curious? Sonoma filled 1 class to 100 percent,
stock filled to 75 percent and super stock 78 percent.
interested in your expert insight why classes aren't full ?

[SStockDart]

Ed can speak for himself.....but in my opinion they weren't filled is because not enough cars entered.

[Ed Wright]

Don't think it could be it's located on one side of the country, making travel to it time consuming and expensive for too many to justify making the trip? Central locations make it closer for more people. Money is tight for many of us, and diesel isn't cheap. It's over 24 hours each way from Oklahoma for me, I'm going on 71 years old. Want to come drive me out there? Maybe buy a couple thousand dollars worth of diesel for my motor home? I can swing VP for the car on my Social Security checks, but not that much diesel to get there and back.

Going to those far off races was all new and shiney when I was young. Jeanie and I used to hook up the tow bar after working all day, and drive straight through to Pomona. We were in our 20s when the Winter Nationals began.
No Problem and Indy are long hard trips for me now. Walk through the staging lanes, I'm not the only white haired guy doing this. May be the ugliest, but not the only.
If everybody was 20 to 50 years old with lots of disposable income (or $1.00 a gallon fuel) and almost unlimited vacation days available from work, there would be more entries.
JMHO

[farmco r/sa]

Originally Posted by SStockDart

Ed can speak for himself.....but in my opinion they weren't filled is because not enough cars entered.

good point Gary. certainly open to input from others.

[farmco r/sa]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Don't think it could be it's located on one side of the country, making travel to it time consuming and expensive for too many to justify making the trip? Central locations make it closer for more people. Money is tight for many of us, and diesel isn't cheap. It's over 24 hours each way from Oklahoma for me, I'm going on 71 years old. Want to come drive me out there? Maybe buy a couple thousand dollars worth of diesel for my motor home? I can swing VP for the car on my Social Security checks, but not that much diesel to get there and back.

Going to those far off races was all new and shiney when I was young. Jeanie and I used to hook up the tow bar after working all day, and drive straight through to Pomona. We were in our 20s when the Winter Nationals began.
No Problem and Indy are long hard trips for me now. Walk through the staging lanes, I'm not the only white haired guy doing this. May be the ugliest, but not the only.
If everybody was 20 to 50 years old with lots of disposable income (or $1.00 a gallon fuel) and almost unlimited vacation days available from work, there would be more entries.
JMHO

Ed I realize your along way away. would have expected
a few more division 6 and 7 cars.

[Tony Janes]

I am a little late to the game. One thing I do see that this post is not getting much interest. Now to Sonoma.Since 2006 Stock has had a high of 79 in 2010 a low of 43 in 2008, the average being the low fifties. In 2010 class was run at Sonoma, something to think about NHRA. There were ten withdrawals from Stock this year due mostly to breakage. One person did not make the Monday 1PM cut off and it was not Dan.

[MadMax404]

Ed sparked my interest up for a question I have wondered since I first sat in a stocker.

What is the median age of Stocker racers?

What is the median age for Super Stock racers?

Alot of people lately have attributed age to car count ratios whether it be too old and can't hang with the elements or too young and can't afford to race in stock/super stock.

[Mike Pearson]

Lots of gray hair in the sportsman pits in general. Stock and Super Stock is even more so than others. The age of most classes in all of the categories contested in LODRS and national events has gotten older over the years. I am 55 and have been actively racing either modified or Super Stock since 1977.

[Ed Wright]

I'm almost 71, and have been racing since Jr Stockers in the mid/late 1960s, except for the '80s when I raced Sprints Cars on dirt tracks around here. I hired drivers. Not quite as dumb as I look. Paid more to win here in town Saturday nights than NHRA or IHRA points races, with no travel time or expenses.
I sold that stuff in 1990, and didn't race until about 2004 when I lost what was left of my mind and started this all over again. Seems like most of the Div 4 SS guys are at least 50. I'm not the oldest, either.

[farmco r/sa]

Originally Posted by Tony Janes

I am a little late to the game. One thing I do see that this post is not getting much interest. Now to Sonoma.Since 2006 Stock has had a high of 79 in 2010 a low of 43 in 2008, the average being the low fifties. In 2010 class was run at Sonoma, something to think about NHRA. There were ten withdrawals from Stock this year due mostly to breakage. One person did not make the Monday 1PM cut off and it was not Dan.

with the back to back division/national event
scheduling that is very favorable I am surprised turn outs not
better. seems like sonoma is a fine track. I think at least 10
degrees cooler than denver..... not as dusty either.