Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

How many of you like or can appreciate the Indy schedule? (for lack of better terminology)

Let me ask another question ... how many of you can take off Friday's to race a divisional OR are you like me that has a job and have a tough time getting the day off or don't have enough vacation time?

Let me start off by saying this is nothing against the people that run these classes (top sportsman and top dragster). I also know that things have changed over time. How many of you (like me) went to divisional races when we had Pro stockers? I can remember back in the day that even with the Pros we always were scheduled for 2 qualifying runs on Saturday and eliminations were on Sunday (this included Indy). We would get called up in the lanes and sit for hours. Sometimes we ran and sometimes we didn't. I ALWAYS went to a divisional on Saturday. The procedure is so much better now and everything is done in a more timely fashion.

Then came more classes and more cars. This soon lead to starting divisionals on Friday for qualifying and record runs.

Now to the point. We (stock and super stock) are the backbone of this sport. These classes have been around longer than any other class including Pros (starting back in the 50's). Can anyone tell me why we are now required to get to a divisional on Friday so that we can get more than 1 qualifying run? I am not saying that we are better than any other class, but where has our respect gone? Getting bumped on Saturday so that top sportsman and top dragster can get 2 runs is a kick in the crouch. Besides who is there to watch these classes anyway? I for one will not show up at any divisionals if I cannot get at least 2 qualifying runs on Saturday if I cannot make it on a Friday.

Let's put this in perspective ... I have a job and I have to work .. to go to a divisional and get 1 qualifying run and then 1st round (and possibly get eliminated) is not an option for me.

Let's add it up .. or better yet you add it up
1) the cost of fuel
2) the cost of entry
3) the cost racing fuel
4) the cost of food
5) the cost of a hotel
6) my time
7) uncontrollable weather
8) etc.

The possibility of making 2 runs down the track for HOW MUCH? Maybe it is time for me to find something else to do ....

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Chuck, . I agree wholeheartedly with what you have posted here and as you know, I am a S/ST racer. You guys need to raise this question with your representative from the sportsman advisory councils. This site is a great place to pose this question and suggestion to him.
3 days for a divisional is ridiculous and BORING. So much so that I am taking a break from it myself.
Good luck.

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Amen to THAT !! That is one question I am going to raise to my Div D. I was one that went to WDRS meets when everything from Top Fuel, Funny Cars, Pro Stock and all the sportsman cars were there. The problem I have is now the TOP WHATEVER cars get the best parking. Stock & Super Stock get to park in the ugly areas. WHO was always there to support these races in the past, S& SS!!!! And now we are second class. Just burns my butt!!!

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Now then if it were me & I was the track opprator what I would do would be to advertise a night of "SPEED" what I would do is have frist round of T/S & T/D along with the last round of Comp, A/F & A/D qual. & tell everybody as the last pair of Funnycars go down the track to come back tomorrow for first round & "see all the finals!" but that's just me...;)

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Chuck you are right who needs NHRA. I started racing in 1970 started running stock in 73. I remember the Top Fuelers at points races. After every oildown they would call stock to the lanes. The latest enhancement with the 2 step rule and how it is applied to stick cars was the last straw I sold my car right after the Phoenix race and I didn't renew my NHRA membership. I think I will put my challenger together and race it at different Mopar races and have fun again.

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

When I open a NHRA rule book it mentions nothing about TD & TS. When I look at national points it mentions nothing about TD & TS. They are an exhibition classes. As such they are lowest on the totem pole. They should be the FIRST to get bumped when conditions limit runs.

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

This is a big reason why we run IHRA events when we run division races. We can leave early on Saturday morning, sometimes get to race twice over the weekend, and be back on Sunday night. Never have to take off a Friday enless you really want to.

If you live in the right areas, these double races really work out nicely.

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Chuck, Problem is NHRA rates a success by numbers of entries and who helps pay the bills.
Stk and SS , mainly are entry payers today.
T/S and T/S came into being to allow S/G and S/C racers to run faster and get away from the fixed et of 9.90, 8.90.
They allow BIG costly somewhat generic Motors to become needed by these classes. Sponsors see an opportunity to get customers and help with the payout.
They require a more sophisticated Chassis which is more expensive and requires big time chassis builder who sees a chance to sponsor and get additional customers.
NHRA sees a chance to draw IHRA racers and increase entry payers to the same meet.
With all the varied classes I am sure it would be hard to give any class all its runs on one day at the exclusion of another group....but if you create a Buzz with one group like these new classes have it is naturally get attention to grow it.

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Then the sponsors are wasting their time and money. When was the last time you saw spectators at the Indy divisional race, THEY DON"T ADVERTISE IT. 95% of the crowd at Indy are racers and I have no interest in watching these guys run ...

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Dick,
Nice way to ramble on about the inclusion of T/S & T/D in NHRA. Why didn't you just sum it up in one line.( or one word)
NHRA saw a way to make more "MONEY".... :~)

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

I can not agree that Stock and Super Stock are the main entry payers.
Just take a look at the entry numbers from any of the Division or National Events and you will find there are many more Super Comp and Super Gas entries. Facts are Facts.
I do agree that the Top Sportsman and Top Dragsters entries should not get special treatment. You are right there are no National Champions and are just fast bracket cars competing. I really do not think they should get special parking with a special spot that may not even be filled when none of them show up for the race.
At the Division 5 races last year the Top Sportsman and Top Dragsters had reserved pit spots. Usually 20 to 30 prime pit spots were saved for them. I witnessed the fact that usually no more than 20 of those spots were used. The other prime spots sat empty with spectators parking in them at some of the events. That did not leave a very good feeling for the 2 categories with the other sportsman racers. I know some of the people running Top Sportsman and Top Dragster and they feel they are entitled to a better pit spot if they have a fast car. Some say they need it because their car is low to the ground and need a good flat spot. That may be true but, special treatment for some classes just causes discontent in the others.
Just My 2 Cents

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

Yeah, but the car counts aren't as high in IHRA, so why would you want to race with them? Wouldn't you rather take an extra day off of work, run one less race, pay a higher entry fee, and get shorter black & white coverage in the magazine? And you still have to deal with T/S and T/D cars, not to mention crate motors and SS/Production cars, even if they don't have Alky and Comp cars. I was even parked next to a T/S car in the back 40 at Mooresville, and there were Super Stock cars parked up front near the staging lanes. What gives? :rolleyes:

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

63 corvette, I agree 100% All S and SS and S/G and S/C and S/St are based on entry payers for income.It always is that way. It seems for lots of reasons attracting entries meets the financial needs of the event more efficiently than advertising for spectators, again for many reasons. I feel there is room to improve this but it takes change and hard work and an open mind on the part of everyone. There are new car lovers born every minute and we need to reshape our sport to some extent to appeal to them TODAY like it did when we got started...

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

YEAH. The biggest problem with IHRA races is that it doesn't say "NHRA" on them.
:confused:

Been there, raced them, took the extra day or two off work to do it.

Re: Question for you stock & super stock racers
 

I run SC and will likely do some TD this year...my reason? Tired of running at night just before the gates close. If I was racing for the $$ I would bracket race a lot more. I don't really care for throttle stops so TD is at least an option. I don't care where I pit, as long as it's not in a lake at National Trail. As far as changes go, I would like to see Thu-Sun Division races that are combined to have 2 events in one weekend. Gas prices are killing all of us.

Food for thought...So the big $$$ business deal didn't work out. Rumor has it that Bruton Smith is interested. If that happens many people believe that NHRA national events will be professionals only. He believes in a class system similar to NASCAR, where the Nationwide series is to develop future pros. It is possible that another series (IHRA perhaps) would be the sportsman series. Wally would have never let his beloved sportsman racers down, but Wally's gone and things change. We all knew what we were getting into when we decided to build nice cars and go NHRA racing. Although it is costly and eats vacation time I still enjoy it a lot.

Just my $.02