Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

I probably mentioned this before. Many years ago when I raced in Englishtown. You would walk through the pits and one favorite of mine was the tender fender SuperStockers. They would be lined up in the pits it seemed for ever. Anywhere from Steve Bagwell's SS/BS to many SS/FA. The cars were all to see. Now if the cars are out they are packed in between two giant white trailer. Nice rear bumper view if any. Pretty sure there aren't any sportsman parades before the race.
I'm not much of a street hotrodder these days. Why should I. The best car show of the nicest cars are racing at NHRA events. Not sure many local folks hear or see that.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

says you who wasn't there and who also doesn't know how much an entry is for a national event.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

If I remember correctly Clear Channel Entertainment was to buy the pro division only of the NHRA but it was voted down by the Clear Channel stockholders.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

Random observations-

As I remember history, Compton and those folks were looking to sell the Pro classes off to Bruton, a group of NHRA pro racers, or whomever, and keep the sportsman side for itself. Maybe they saw the decline coming and wanted to cash out. Who knows what would have happened had that occurred.

NHRA wants and needs the Sportsman's money; membership, license, cert, entry, contingency sponsors, advertisers, divisional support, etc. and not have to work or spend anymore than they need to keep it coming in. I suppose they may be afraid a national event will seem to be less of an event without all of those cars. They need something going on between pro sessions and rounds. Shooting t-shirts into the stands gets old.

NHRA is all about TV because big sponsors are all about TV. And the TV stars are who the casual fans pay to come see. Even Pro Stock is treated like an afterthought.

Sportsman classes are populated by an aging group and are becoming less relevant to younger people. We are our own biggest fans. People I talk to who don't follow it, or the NHRA in general, are no more concerned or knowledgeable of classes, indexes, rules, what all those letters mean, etc., than they are about what throttle stop racing is. But they can tell you about turbos, nitrous, X275, Ultra and RVW.

The alternative to the Pro circus now is the no prep, boosted, radial, small tire, heads up, Lights Out/No Mercy, outlaw door car scene. I'm surprised NHRA hasn't tried to become more of a player after seeing the popularity and the amount of money involved.

High dollar bracket racing is the new domain of the traveling non-heads up Pro-Sportsman with large fields, sponsors who's customers are the racers and very little walk in spectator support.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

Been like that forever. First round loser Friday morning and your weekend is over.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

Was there not a "Classracer "event held a few years ago ? where was it contested and might there ever be another one ?

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

I’m pretty sure you are referring to: “Class Nationals”.."
Michael Beard put that race together.
It was held in Columbus, Ohio.
Not sure if their would be another one.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

A few years ago, we went to PRI. There were a number of the Street Outlaw guys there walking around as well. People were following them around, stopping them for photos, standing in line to meet them wherever they stopped to shoot the breeze with someone. I had to ask a buddy who they were and why they were such celebrities.

Later in the weekend while walking, we saw the Top Fuel World Champion car in a booth, stopped to look at it a second and noticed the Top Fuel World Champion sitting there at a table with hero cards. No one talking to him, no line to meet him, just sitting there watching people walk past. That was an enlightening moment.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

Those of us that are racers clearly don't do this for the $, hero cards, autographs, no mind any kind of self serving celebrity. WE do this for the competition in an attempt to be the best for a day, weekend, season.

Re: A subject for discussion on a winter's day.
 

I'm sorry but I don't understand your reply.