Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

good chance then you won't like my position on the wall and illegal immigrants.:p

It is ghetto racing regardless that you have friends that support and participate it that hood atmosphere. Felons and weapons abound those events. You can have it!!

WE, NHRA/LODRS competitors are better than that!

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

Ed, that right there made me crack a smile reading this **** show.



Get your point on the Grudge Racing Crowd since we are both from NJ which has healthy participation those attending can be a show in itself. These events and cable shows evidence it has always been a national activity and has become at least interesting to race fans.

But I digress, the comment about "felons and weapons" insinuating there are none at NHRA/LODRS Events is a hoot. There are plenty but they show up in toters and stackers with top of the line race cars and crews.
Do agree that MOST of us are better than that or just don't derive our expendable income from illegal activities. :eek::D

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

My concerns: Costs of everything and the median age of current participants in racing. For the racing I love most(Super Stock and Comp), there is definitely a concern that once the next generating retires, that no one will replace them. Now, could it be that the age just reflects the financial mobility necessary to participate in these classes? Possibly so, but there should be a concerted effort to get costs down to whatever inflation deems is fair for today. I think manufacturers should aid in this as well too. I don't know if someone has the expertise to speak to how the rising costs of different things have effected the costs of racing but their input would be interesting to look at. Looking at the inflation calculator. From 1970 to today, things on average are 548.7% more expensive (https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/). Looking at the cost of racing as a whole, are the current expenses on par with that. Are working class job wages high enough to make sure the median of younger generations can afford to race? Or is racing simply a higher middle class hobby? If it is, can we really ever expect more participation given our nations current wealth distribution. I personally don't know what these numbers would look like as a whole for sportsman racers but it is something to consider.

I will say that I don't know how to combat getting younger generations interested in motorsports. It tends to be a love it or hate it mentality. I believe that Quotas are not needed anymore. I don't think there should be any barrier to entry. Anybody ready to spend there money should be allowed in. The move to stream all divisionals I believe was good move as well. It allows you to get more eyeballs on the product your trying to sell.

I think all opinions should be welcomed. I do agree that the way in which we share our opinions matter as well though. You can have the most insightful opinion ever but if you don't take the time to think about how that message can best be delivered, your words can fall on deaf hears. It reminds me of debating race and its problems in our country. Message delivery is everything to getting your message heard. Well, some of the time anyway.

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

I'm wondering how long no prep is going to last after the tracks insurance rates skyrocket with all the wreckage.,sooner or later someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed maybe spectators. They will start facing law suits and then it won't look so profitable. Plus a lot of tracks get their insurance through NHRA let's see how that flys.

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

My half baked ideas to increase interest are:

1. Friday or Saturday night no break out racing run off the indexes for stock and super stock. Separate $100 buy in from regular Sunday eliminator, 100% payout down to semi finalist. Let the real fast guys put on a show. Give it a catchy name that the public can relate to like "Muscle Car Showdown".

2. Online betting has exponentially grown on all forms of sports including E sports. It is a significant part of street racing allure. Find a way to do online betting on drag racing with a portion of the pot going to race winners and the track/tear down tech guys. It would be fun to be able to put bets on class racing at Indy from my couch.

3. Have more double points meets with Saturday and Sunday eliminators.

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

I like most of your ideas.........Not very comfortable with the idea of
Paramutual betting for a multitude of reasons.

My boy drives a Turbo Mustang in "No Prep" events for the owner.
One of the cars in our shop got to the finals in "Pinks All Out" and
gets raced in No Prep events at our local track.

I would strongly suggest that you do not come up to me at the Race Track
and call me "Ghetto" to my face (You might not like what happens next even
with my deteriorating elder skills)!

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

now we got one old man making internet forum threats...pathetic! I stated and standby my opinion regardless of who disagrees or whose feelings and ego are now bruised.

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

The problem I see with betting is what stops me from betting on the other guy and dumping the race?

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

My 2 cents, from someone who has followed nhra drag racing since the early seventies, was on the starting line when Jungle Jim ran summernationals, remember the days when you could sneak up to the starting line? NHRA member since 1984.

NHRA class racing completely changed the game when it put dial ins on Stock and super stockers, and even now in small part in comp with personal indexes.

They did this because participation was going down and it was done to increase participation. It did increase participation but at what cost?

What this has caused is It is more important to build a consistent car than it is to build a fast car. If you do not have to build the fastest car for it's class, what is the incentive to buy the latest and greatest part for your car. which creates, what is the reason for manufactures to post contingency?

I was to the Lights out 10 race this past weekend in georgia, 7 classes, heads up with the lowest winning purse $4,000 and top 2 classes $50,000 and $10,000 to winner in each. The stands were packed, yes, when some of the slower classes ran some fans did leave the stands. Slowest cars had to have at least a 8.50 cert and were running 125mph in 1/8 mile. Approx 200 heads up cars at race. I would say average age of participants were 35, I was there with a 40 year old who was racing in the slowest class in a 67 chevelle that can run supercomp and is supercomp legal.

Manufacturers midway had more sponsors than any national or divisional race i have been to since the NHRA national events in the 90's.

My opinion, go back to class runoffs for eliminations and then handicap off of record, with records being fastest recorded run in class, no backup needed.

Just opinion, I love to watch heads up stock / superstock class racing, when bracket part starts I tune out, or go back to pits.

I am presenting this not to bash

Re: If an advocate could be found - what would you say?
 

If you think the Lights Out and No Mercy races are ghetto you should probably educate yourself. I find it ironic that in another post you were busting the Stock-SS guys chops insinuating they thought they were better than you and your son yet you are quick to say because you run a NHRA LODRS series race you are better than others that race other series. Alex Laughlin won 50k in Georgia this weekend at the ghetto race and I am sure he will enjoy that purse money as much as any NHRA money. Ron and Jason Terrell were also at the race (Tin Soldier). Ron is a long time super stock racer and his son has a car that he raced in Ducks race. Many of the teams that race these events are professionals that do radial tire racing and Tune those style cars for a living or build the cars.