Re: National event chaos?
 

I once worked for a real good general manager that always said " the answers are in this room" ! Every time he looked into solutions or change he held a meeting with workers from each department and listened to there opinions. Yes he was a smart man and made huge profits for this company.
So I believe that the answers are among the sportsman racers. This forum alone is proof of that. I would hope that members would leave and start a Sportsman Association. Leave NHRA and all the pros on there own. I wonder how well they would do and how well the sportsman racers would do?? Just a thought.

Re: National event chaos?
 

This is about math, and economics.

The question is, who do the numbers favor?

Re: National event chaos?
 

I've read every post on here concerning Nat event chaos my opinion is if u don't like the hand ur dealt push ur @sses away from the table!!!!! All of the complaining will never get u anywhere all of us together will not change their mind they've got their own agenda deal with it have fun while your out there make it the best u can or stay home u'll be happier in the long run

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Re: National event chaos?
 

Very well said. Hopefully the truth hurts someone. Bob

Re: National event chaos?
 

Sorry I missed this one.

Re: National event chaos?
 

X2 Some parallels, for sure, and we have our boots on:)
The "no tech" shortcut seems short sighted. I have been teched in by card alone, in the rain and at E-town in the morning, but I didn`t expect it. Its ridiculous to cut tech inspection jobs. What is going on? Like Washington politics, this seems more like a part of a scheme, than the step of a plan. We need leadership.


Mike A114
P/SA

Re: National event chaos?
 

That's where the rigs are parked days before the event starts.
NHRA tells you where to park

Re: National event chaos?
 

Hey, hang on there a minute Sparky! I'm not just a participant here even though NHRA would like to think so. I'm a membership paying, card carrying member who, thanks to their new membership and number policy is paid in through the end of 2018! They've got a couple of years yet to listen to my complaints.
If you don't like the hand you're dealt and you're the only guy in the game that don't like his hand, then get up. However, If everyone at the table don't like his hand, I wouldn't want to be the dealer!

Re: National event chaos?
 

What has happened to NHRA is all to typical of corporate America today. Walley Parks, Henery Ford, Lee Iacocca all had a vision AND experience in their respective industries. Walley raced, Henery actually built his first cars, Lee came up through the ranks and knew the business. Now the board of directors, most of them without experience in the industry whose board they sit on, hire a "bean counting" cost cutting CEO to run a business he/she has no experience in. The business course they took at Harvard was taught by a professor who most likely had no "real" world experience in any type of industry. All they know is theory with no understanding of the "nuts and bolts" they manage.

The one size fits all business plan / mentallity is a sure thing if failure is the desired outcome.

Re: National event chaos?
 

Pretty well sums it up. I would just add that the only reason more don't fail is because they pretty much all operate in the same manner.

Re: National event chaos?
 

My thoughts exactly Billy Nees, were you born in Texas ?

Re: National event chaos?
 

NHRA is ALL in with the pro classes and has been since they quit running the pro classes at the divisional level. I remember when Jeb Allen (world champion at the time), Frank Hawley, Vern Moats, John Hagen, Tom Hoover and many others passing though or needed a divisional race would show up at Thunder Valley in Marion, SD to run the points meet. Combined with the independent local teams, more times than not, there were enough cars to fill out the 8 car field. THE STANDS WERE FULL!! It was a "local" national event.

As it is now those who do not live close to a National event track and are not die hard fans are not going to drive hours to a race. Points meets today draw only a fraction of fans they use to. There are few if any local pro teams, the expense of running such a team is out of hand. The fan interest just is not there. If you have to pay a network to televise your sport it is like an infomercial /advertisement. Without fan base / sponsor advertising revenue will never support any type of sport at this level.

As for the Sportsman classes at most National events, they are a "fill" in between Pro class rounds. I do not mean that in a bad way but most fans show up to watch the pro cars. I have only ever competed at 2 National events and they were very special to me. The 85 North Stars and the 90 Heartlands (where i recieved my only Wally).

Sportsman racing WILL survive. It does not need a national venue...all it needs is YOU to support your local track.

Re: National event chaos?
 

And there you have it!
A few years ago I was talking to the local track owner and asked him "what would happen if the sanctioning body goes belly up". He told me that the track would open just like nothing happened. Within a week, he and the other local tracks would put together a bracket program and there would be a bracket finals at the end of the year.
I see no reason why the local "Divisions" wouldn't do the same thing.

Re: National event chaos?
 

Agreed.

We can exercise both options at once, by taking our grievances to NHRA, as a relatively organized group, and with the help of the people we buy our parts from. And we can organize at the grass roots level at our local tracks and in our divisions.

Re: National event chaos?
 

I agree that when pro cars were run at divisional it made all races like national events for the fans. If they did this again it might open the door for low or no fund teams to compete again and they would probably help fill the starving pro fields at national events. Also filling the stands. I think most casual fans just think the divisional races are overpriced bracket races because they don't understand the classes.

Re: National event chaos?
 

If you remember when the pros ran at the divisional events there were no super comp, gas and street. Also no TS and TD classes. No Jr dragsters either. Only stock, SS, Modified and Comp then the pro classes. There aren't enough pros left in existence to race at the divisional level again. Plus there is not enough time with the other classes that are in the program now. Some of the divisions have snowmobile and 3-4 classes of Harleys running too.

Re: National event chaos?
 

Trump! Dear Mr. President, Can you step in and clean up things?
BTW, our STOCK needs help too...

One can wish right?

Re: National event chaos?
 

Back in the 60s & 70s at a points meet they didn't pair
first round of Modified eliminator the rest of the rounds I
don't remember. When Great Lakes Dragway and Byron
stopped running class Ron Leek told me it cost too much
for class racing, with bracket racing they just made sure
each car had all its lug nuts.When you race they still need to
tech in cars if only for safety.


Robert Keller 62 Corvette G/G 1970-1978

Re: National event chaos?
 

If there is no tech how are they going to class cars?

Re: National event chaos?
 

No tech inspection and random pair first round. For me, no problem with it. Anyway, i done the tech in LORDS. Random pair first round! O.K. but NO HEAD-UP.
I hope the money saved by NHRA return to the sportsman racers entry.

Re: National event chaos?
 

Don't bet on that!

Re: National event chaos?
 

True on all counts. It was a long time ago. I do believe if there were even a small pro cars even promos at night on Saturday would help bring people in.

Re: National event chaos?
 

I agree with Billy we should have a vote , with the money spend on membership fee's and all the other costs , its like owning stock in a company / nhra with no say . SSGT mustang has a very good point ....Let the bracket cars 8.50 /10./& 11.5 , come be the filler for $330 and 3days off out of the work week....O wait they let them in on sat am for less $$$

Re: National event chaos?
 

Personally, I'm not sure what I think about the possibility of no tech at National events. Obviously, there's an issue of ensuring a "fair" race in the possibility of a heads up run. I would hope there's some thought given to this.

On the flip side, I think some responsibility to follow the rules should be placed on the racer. Should the tech personnel have to ensure a racers safety equipment is up to date? Should they have to ensure you have and are wearing the proper safety equipment based on class/elapsed time or speed? Should they have to ensure your running the correct class or that your minimum weight is correct? Isn't that the racers responsibility and if you're unsure, maybe you could take the iniative at a Divisional race to make sure your car is correct.

Maybe random spot checks and/or checking all quarter finalists for the various items that are typically checked in the technical inspection process. Just my $.02!

Nick Morris
FGT/F 3718

Re: National event chaos?
 

Lets get back to the original subject, if you look they still have class at
events, will we still have to go across the scales? fuel check? We have all sat in the tech lines for hours just to get are tech card stamped so we could stand in another line at the trailer to get entered into the event. Having how many tech guys working all day before the events is maybe what there after and once the event starts back to the norm? Tom

Re: National event chaos?
 

OK, all the posts have some interest, but who do we contact at NHRA to listen to our grievances that will listen? We can post all we want, NHRA managing honchos don't read this thread, if they did, we would see changes in S/SS already. So who and how do we get their attention? I for one pay for services that I'm not getting any longer, why and what happened?

Casey Miles
248H "F" Stock

Re: National event chaos?
 

This is a joke right?
What other official, world wide sanctioning body takes away a technical inspection of a vehicle that's a race car before it goes down their highly regulated (read insurance requirements) race track.
There are so many issues associated with this here and on so many levels. !! I'm dumb -founded.

My 2 cents worth for today, Insurance companies need to quit controlling society and businesses, they seem to have way too much power and adjust the way you have to live, just say'in. Bloody Hell !!

Re: National event chaos?
 

NHRA is self insured! Jim

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Re: National event chaos?
 

With all the changes the IHRA is making for 2017 it might be worth looking into for some of you. Starting next year they will be checking fuel in S/SS. S/SS will return to National Events. They have gone back to a National Points program where there are no more "Divisional" boundaries.You will be allowed to claim points from your best 7 of a maximum of 10 races. Whom ever has the most points at the end of the year is the Champion. Just like NHRA is now.

"The renewal of the partnership with Summit Racing Equipment also includes some updates to the existing sportsman programs. The Summit Pro-Am Tour will be replaced and move from a divisional based system to a national based points system in 2017.* The change in structure will eliminate “divisions” and return to utilizing a national points based system that will improve a competitor’s ability to pick and choose the races he or she wants to attend without having geographical constraints. Additionally, the Summit SuperSeries will feature an increased and expanded Summit World Finals purse.
“The sportsman racer, at every level, has been and will continue to be one of the most important components of the Summit Racing Equipment family,” said Summit Motorsports and Events Manager Jim Greenleaf.* “We are proud to support the men, women and kids who gather at their local IHRA track to participate in the Summit SuperSeries or travel throughout their region chasing a class racing championship.* It is a great feeling for us to see Summit SuperSeries champions from all over North America show up at Memphis for the Summit World Finals to race*for a World Championship.* It takes the entire family of IHRA racers, member tracks, sanctioning body staff and Summit Racing Equipment working together to move the sportsman racing component of IHRA Drag Racing to the incredible level of support and enthusiasm we have today and we are proud to continue our efforts in these programs,” Greenleaf continued.
The new national class racing program will be called the Summit Sportsman National Championship and it will feature the same line-up of classes including: Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Super Stock, Stock, Quick Rod, Super Rod, Hot Rod and a class for Juniors.* The Summit Sportsman National Championship will kick off in Immokalee, Florida (Immokalee Regional Raceway) in early February and conclude in West Salem, Ohio (Dragway 42) in late September.* Complete details and dates for the new Summit Sportsman National Championship will be released soon.
In addition, the Summit Sportsman National Championship will boast a championship point fund that pays more than anything currently in the marketplace with $15,000 to win the national championship, $5,000 for second and $3,000 for third place in each of the seven primary classes.* The Junior champion will win $2,000, $1,500 for second place and $1,000 for the third place finisher in the national points chase.* The event purses have also been improved to ensure the IHRA is extremely competitive in the market while still having an entry fee that is less than any other event of its type.*
IHRA was the first organization to live stream the entire series of class racing events and in 2017 will build upon that platform by announcing a new media partnership with a major network provider.** The new partnership will provide unprecedented live stream coverage of each Summit Sportsman National Championship event in its entirety with an industry leading provider of sports content. This partnership will be announced shortly and will further demonstrate IHRA’s dominate role in providing national exposure to sportsman competitors."

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Re: National event chaos?
 

How about having the "New" Pro Stock and Pro Mod at points races?

Re: National event chaos?
 

Not sure if any of the National Events have had OPEN Index Racing. Several tracks have invited a few cars to participate, for free, for a Wally and $$$. I may jump in my 11.50 car to try that out also........

I do like showing up on Saturday for a $60 entry, payout based-on entries, I got $250 for R/U at Maples Groves Divisional this year. I'm fine with being filler.

No way in he!! am I paying $330 for a National Event. Won't pay $170 for a Divisional either. I can enter big $$$ Footbrake Races for less money and a shot at $10K.

You wanna know what's killing Stock/Super Stock, and Sportsman racing in general. You already know, NHRA greed!

Re: National event chaos?
 

Perfect Dan!

Re: National event chaos?
 

I think some of you may be misunderstanding the "no tech".

As Jody Lang stated earlier in this thread. I also received an email before the fall vegas race and the finals stating that I had the option to participate in a trial program where I was able to go directly to the credential trailer with my tech card.

It further stated that spot checks (I assumed for belt expiration etc) would be conducted during qualifying.

I don't believe the program is meant to eliminate tech but to speed the tech in process up. I assume and hope performance oriented tech will continue, at least at the current level.

I am not happy about the prospect of random pairing however, certainly not the no stacking., as that is a big part of my social life.

Re: National event chaos?
 

Thanks for the clarification of the "no tech" term.

Re: National event chaos?
 

I thought I read that S/SS were laddered from the first rd as always. The .90 cars are random run. Am I wrong? Jim

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Re: National event chaos?
 

so what happens to the e t I system they have now ? its just like not going through tech other than still having to wait in long lines while other cars get teched in. with no stacking do we just drive in and self park?

Re: National event chaos?
 

You know, between a couple of days of work, 10 hours of driving, and 3 days at the PRI Show, where I saw a lot of my racing friends, no, not just friends, but my racing family, there's been a lot of time to think about this news, and discuss it with some of the family.

One of the first things that came up is the NHRA officials that take care of us, who are part of our family, too. The people who don't race, but come to the track, and make it possible for us to race, for the love of the sport, and their racing family, because they sure ain't doing it for the money.

So when NHRA starts cutting the budget for tech, and the people who park us, what happens to those NHRA people? Yeah, what about our friends?

And then, as mentioned above, there's the social part of racing, because we sure ain't doing this for the money. Yes, we're doing it to go fast, and to compete. But as a close friend said today, when we're not racing, we're hanging out, cooking together, eating together, working on our cars together, so, yeah, where we park is important. And our NHRA friends know this, the know us, and they do a good job of parking us close to our friends, because it means a lot.

They're going to push all of this on us, and tell us it's no big deal, and we should just take it and go on. But as one guy told me Friday, this is not something to take lightly, and it looks like a bad omen for our sport.

You know, when you think about it, when a car rolls through the gate with a driver and usually at least one other person, that's around $400. So with an 80 car quota, several sportsman classes are bringing in about $32,000 per class. And that's just getting through the gate. Never mind what gets spent inside the gate, or the membership and license fees.

Sportsman drag racing contributes a pretty fair amount to NHRA's bottom line.

And that does not even take into consideration what racers spend on cars, parts, and rigs. And a lot of the companies we buy from contribute a fair amount as well.

And yet, NHRA continues to short sheet sportsman racing and treat the racers like second class citizens.

I think my friend was right, this looks like a really bad omen for our sport.

Re: National event chaos?
 

So you and others were at PRI for several days. Did you or anyone else casually bring these items up at the for discussion with NHRA?

Re: National event chaos?
 

Was under the impression that there was a SRAC meeting at PRI...would expect something semi-official to be forthcoming.

Having so many great conversations with NHRA tech people over the years it's hard to swallow that NHRA is headed this direction. The very NHRA people we regularly interface with represents the 'true' NHRA, not the corporate carpetbaggers who migrate through headquarters with visions of increasing their compensation packages.