Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

Alan, you may not hate NHRA, but there are many that do. This forum is full of unhappy racers. Unhappy the way they are treated by NHRA. Contempt for Tom Compton and his salary. NHRA finances are not my concern. I worry about my own finances. Anybody that goes into debt so then can race with NHRA is a fool. If they raise there fee's, then I have to assume they have good cause to do so. My god, if you can not afford on avarage of $200.00 more a year, should you really be racing?

Some say that's not the point, what is the point? Do you think drag racing should be a right? You pay money for a service, you don't get the service you want. Why would anyone pay for that service again? I am still at a lose why some racers would continue supporting something that has not changed for over 20 years. I knew what I was getting into when I started my membership. And even if I didn't, after few seasons I would have quit if I felt NHRA was not living up to what I thought a sanctioning body should be.

Do you really think that you or anyone else has had major impact on NHRA and there policy towards the sportsman racer? In all the years that I have been racing with NHRA, I have not seen them doing anything different they have done today.

If NHRA fees are to high and they are not looking out for our best intrest, then logically the membership will drop along with its participants. I guess time will tell, but I don't see that happening. If it does, then you can tell me I told you so.

As for me, I'm going NHRA racing. I enjoy it, knowing its not perfect, but in this world nothing is. I will take the best parts of it and not worry about the things I can not control. You go on, fight for what you think is right, I whish you well. Life is to short for me not to find good in the sport I love.

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

The money is not my concern but what someone needs to do is send a copy of the IHRA letter, found elsewhere in this site, and send it to the NHRA so that they may see how other associations treat their racers!

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

I fully understand Ken's points. Maybe even agree with all of them. But that does't negate the foolish timing of the enhancements. The following is what I sent to NHRA last night..............

Folks, 2 years ago, at the age of 50, I found myself taking economics at the local tech college to complete a 2 year degree. It is amazing how NHRA could believe they are immune from the laws of economics. I'm not ready to quit, but I have no doubt that some will. Double up the fees?? You don't have to be a Harvard phd to know that raising costs is how you discourage activity. This is like the water dripping on a rock. Drip long enough, you get a hole in the rock. Our sport is in more trouble than you folks might care to admit. 1000 ft fuel racing is a joke. Fans aren't interested. Now is the time to cultivate participation, not kill it. My first National event was 1984. It was a lot more fun then. I didn't even bother entering my home event in Houston this year. I'm being much more selective.

Someone is making bad decisions. I hope my 2 grandsons will carry on NHRA dragracing like my son and I do now. I have my doubts of NHRA survival.

Now is the worst time to make racing harder.

Mike Van Winkle
SC4400

P.S. I hate to tell you, but the website @&^#%!((# .... pulls a vacuum for user friendliness.

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

Ken,
Please don't toss me off for this post. You make quite a few good points. There are always those with half full or others with half empty glasses. In your last post you made the point that you look out for your own finances. That is understandable, we all do if we are responsible. NHRA is looking out for themselves. In your case I can see you have no other choice than be a supporter of what NHRA does. I can see very clearly that taking the wrong side could have a negative impact on this forum, in many ways. The big deal to me is they have no Love for us, only our pocketbooks. It shows by what most of America is doing in these hard times & what they choose to do. Point: Most every Friday night I stop by my (National Chain) Pizza place & get a medium 3 topping pizza for my wife & myself. That is our Friday night meal I cook. :~) Until a few weeks ago it cost 14.95 for that meal. It has gone down in price by almost 1/3. It is not on special. The manager told me it was due to the economy & sagging sales. She also said most items on the menu have had a decrease in price. I apreciate that approach in hard times. As stated in other places on this forum there are other companies taking the lower price approach. Most business is taking the lower price business model for these hard times. I have a good friend that is a manager at one of our local Wal Marts. He told me today that their last months sales were up 1 1/2 percent, even with an overall 28 % lowering in prices. Just spend some time reading Wall Street reports & a few investments prospectus. It's pretty ovbious the leadership of NHRA went to a different business school. Most everything said in this debate, pro & con, has merit. Thanks for providing this forum where we can voice our opinions & debate issues.

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

Mike, It maybe turn out to be a bad decision to raise the fees, time will tell. With all of the negative feedback on this forum they may listen, they may not. I can't begin to know what it takes to run an organization the size if NHRA.

Adger, I do not remove posts or thread because they have a different opinion then mine. If that were the case, half the threads would be gone. You have a right to your opinion and I respect that. I do not agree with they way some members view NHRA, but as long as members stay relatively civil and respect the rules it is fine with me.

Passing judgment on NHRA without knowing all the facts is a mistake in my opinion.

This forum has opened my eyes when dealing with a larger number of members. There are no membership fees on Class Racer, we offer free classifieds and free forums for associations along with lots of features for the members to enjoy. Yet there are members that are not happy with the way I run the site. Most complaints are with the classifieds, but others have problems with the site in general.

I receive letters calling me the worst names you can imagine. I charge no fee and people are still not happy. Thankfully it is a very small percentage, but I wanted to point out you can never make everyone happy all the time.

I know i'm the minority about NHRA. I have had issues with NHRA, but its not enough to make me stay away. There is to many good things about the sport that overrides the bad.

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

and thats totally your right to do so, Kenny...

You can look at things as a black and white situation if you choose, as in "if you don't like the way you're being treated, then don't go back." I, on the other hand, have a lot of time and money invested in NHRA and choose to voice my input when I feel I've been done wrong. I don't do so very often, but this particular situation I found to be most objectionable.

I do not hate NHRA. I like NHRA, their employees, and their product. I have made a very respectable living racing at NHRA events. Most people love to bitch...about anything. That is not what this is about. Frankly, I feel NHRA does a pretty good job of pleasing a bunch of hard to please people, many with their own agendas.

But I look at it like this:

If had a long time employer and did not like the way I was being treated, I would speak to someone in an attempt to remedy the situation. I would not just quit and get a new job.

If I lived in a given township and did not like the way things were being handled, I would voice my opinion. I would not just sell my house and move to a new town.

If my wife and I were arguing and I thought she was treating me unfairly, I would work on the relationship to improve it. I would not just get a divorce and find a new spouse.

If the local store, during a time of enonomic crisis, chose to raise prices on their loyal customers, I would shop at a different store. Obviously, IHRA isn't a big enough store for me to shop at full time, so I've chosen to speak to the manager of my primary store.

As is your right, you can just quit or leave if you don't like a situation. Some of us would prefer to have a voice and be heard in an attempt to right a wrong. Some would like to just bitch. I guess thats why there are forums and bar stools.

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

Another thought is that NHRA has TWO customers:

The racers who spend the money to enter and put on the "show"

The spectator that comes to see the show.

Who's prices are going up and who's are getting a "break"?

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

Ken , i thank you for the right to read and post Jim Hanig

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

Dan,

There is less then 1% of sportsman's racers that make a living with NHRA.

I can not see how the comparisons you have made relate to a hobby for the other 99%.

I do not see it as black and white. I see it as a hobby for most, and if NHRA makes the hobby less enjoyable then they need to move on.

In your case you do have a point, but I'm sure you know people that have left there job situation because they were not happy with it, even if they have invested allot time with them.

Voice your opinion, I have no problem with that, I'm just voicing mine.

Jim, uhhhhh what?

Re: Send Letters to NHRA
 

Interesting discussion,
A different angle- You have an enjoyment of cars, racing and invest a significant amount in a competitive Stk or SS car so you can participate. It is assumed (except for pro sportsman like Dan) your main pay back is a track to race. A serious attempt at good traction to make it fun. Fairly efficient crew to run it.An opportunity to run eliminator and try for pay back.
NHRA provides this at points meets and Nationals. A Crew dedicated to being there and offering what you look for in a place to race.
The increase in entry is what part of your racing budget? We know the change is offensive on the surface but the place to race at this level is one of a kind if you are serious about participating.
You are paying to be allowed to participate at this level of track or event. Probably not many Sunday tracks offer the same set of advantages for their entry money.
Will it cut some cars? maybe. Will it make people be more selective where to race? maybe.Will it hurt THEIR bottom line directly? Doubtful. They are a business and if they make decisions of this direction and they find them wrong by bottom line evaluation then they will have tried it and may change later.
I think they have been bothered by Sportsman racing demands of time and materials and personnel for some time and the decrease in participants is not an issue knowing the numbers who they need to fill the event.
I think letters are good input to them if short and business like.
Comment on Pizza story- Pizza is available on most streets in most towns. Competition for your dollars.
NHRA is in a limited market. NO other place in town or close by percieved as offering the same level professionalism for a place to race for your money at this time