NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

The top five execs have agreed to take a 20% ..... Nah, just kiddin' Here's the real deal;

In 2004 , when we went to Topeka and Indy, "my driver" was the 2003 Div. 7 Pro ET Race of Champions winner. For that accomplishment, he had a regular NHRA Gold Card, which he used for admission to those two events in Stock Eliminator.

This year he was again, the ROC winner and the Summit Series Pro ET World Champion for which ,among other things, he was awarded another Gold Card.
He just went to use it to enter a Nat'l event, and was told that card is no good. You can only use it for Pro ET. He's already a track champion, so he gets in free anyway, all he can do with that card now is use it for the bracket finals later this year.

Now ,according to the Div 7 office , that really was always the case. NHRA just let that slide, out of the goodness of their heart.

Any off you guys ever use a bracket-won Gold Card to enter S/SS?
Well , it ain't happenin' now. Nice .

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

Well D-4 (or maybe everybody but on D-4 site) just increased everybody crew $5 per day, and racer entry is an extra $10 for the Div. Races. Also, they said alcohol cars use to race free, and now they will have to pay an entry fee.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

its about time the mechanical rain delays had to pay an entry

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

Mark, I've been lucky enough to have won a couple of Gold Cards although it was about a half a lifetime ago. I wore those suckers out running NHRA and bracket races! Even the big $$$ winter races one year.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

I have a Gold Card from winning the NHRA Div. 1 Bracket Finals in 1994. The card was good for 1 car and driver *AND* 1 crew member. There was no mention of bracket vs S/SS. Unfortunately, it was a few years before I started running Stock, so I had only used it to bracket race. I was going to help one of the NHRA Bracket Finals champs get started in Stock Eliminator this year, but when he found out his Gold Card wasn't good for Nat'l/Div'l races, he backed out, and NHRA failed to "set the hook" on yet another racer.

I won the IHRA Div. 2 East Bracket Finals this year, and received a Silver Card, (same deal as NHRA's "new" bracket-only Gold Card... not good for Pro-Ams or Nationals). Bracket Finals champs used to get "full" Gold Cards, up until about 5-6 years ago. I think Jim Cimarolli was among the first to receive the "revised" Gold Card, which was later renamed Silver Card to reduce confusion.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

Sounds about right. Goes along nicely with the index reduction to decrease participation in class racing. It removes one of the incentives for ET racers to step up.

Just like you think the person that runs .06 under their index shouldn't be able to win an event, NHRA is saying if you can't win a gold card at the divisional level, you shouldn't be able to use any other gold cards.

Should make a lot of people happy to see less bracket racers in stock/super stock.


-Toby

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

Yep , It seems to me it would make sense from a business standpoint, to let a bracket racer run S/SS for a season. Then they could hook them for life at $270 plus, a shot .

Oh, and that was 5 tenths, not 6 Don't want to get too carried away all at once

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

We had confirmed with NHRA headquarters in Calif that Coltons gold card would be good for sportsman classes in Pomona.With no grade point.(Just in case).He even came on here to get you guys help.Then the D4 office called and said Sorry you need a grade point.Directly conflicts with what their website still says.They didnt say entry fee,s were not covered.Just said he needed a grade point.so maybe they downgraded the gold card again? We will be at the D4 banquet end of the month so maybe we can get this cleared up.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

Ask guys like Chip Johnson and Chris Gulitti how much their Gold Cards cost them! LOL :D Chris had always been "just" a bracket racer, then ran T/D after earning his Gold Card, and later built a T/S car, in which Bob Gulitti followed suit. Chip Johnson has had at least three different Stockers, a 10.90 car, a 9.90 car, and an 8.90 dragster since earning his Gold Card... not only did he get hooked on Div'l/Nat'l racing in a big way, but think about all of the additional money these guys have spent with manufacturers since they got hooked!

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

I had a gold card from the ET Summit Series and it was good for NHRA National events only, they didn't honor it for divisionals for Stock. I called California when I had it and they assured me that an NHRA gold card would be at National events. I race a number of National events in Stock Eliminator on their dime with no hassels.
Casey Miles
248H

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

No reason they should get in free. They cost enough time in track clean ups, materials, down time for everybody else. It's not like fans turn out to see them, or TD or TS.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

I think he's getting screwed! I put a bunch of *** by the important line. Here's from the D6 website:

2010 NHRA Northwest Division Gold/Silver/Bronze Card Entry Policy
*
NHRA Gold Card
Awarded to National and Divisional points champions in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, the NHRA Summit Racing Series and the NHRA Northwest National Open Series.* A contestant may earn two Gold Cards by winning championships in two different categories, however a contestant winning a National and Divisional championship in the same category does NOT receive two cards.* Cards are only honored with the individual to whom the card was issued as the driver, and are not transferable.
*
Includes: Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Competition, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, Top Comp, Sportsman Motorcycle, as well as the NHRA Summit Series classes.
*
A Lucas Oil Series Gold Card can only be used at a Lucas Oil Series event.
*
A National Open Series Gold Card can only be used at a National Open Series event.
*
A Summit Series Gold Card can only be used at a track points event for the Summit Series, as well as at the Summit ET Finals.
*
Jr. Drag Racing Series Gold Cards can only be used at a track points event for the Jr. Drag Racing Series, as well as at the Summit ET Finals. A racer moving up from the Jr. Series to the Summit Series should receive a credit equal to the cost of a Jr. Dragster entry, and must pay the difference in price at any Summit Series points events.
*
********All Gold Cards may be used for National Event entry.********
*
Gold cards, when accepted, are good for complimentary car and driver plus one event crew credential.* If a driver is not racing, s/he should receive two spectator passes.
*
NHRA Silver Card
Awarded to the 2 through 10 finishers (all classes) in National points and 2 through 5 finishers (TAD and TAFC only) in Divisional points who DO NOT earn a Gold Card in the same eliminator.* Silver Cards are valid for National Event entry only and DO NOT apply to Divisional event entry.
*
NHRA Bronze Card
Awarded to the 6 through 10 finishers (TAD and TAFC only) in Divisional points who DO NOT earn a Gold or Silver Card in the same eliminator.* Bronze Cards are valid for National Event entry only and DO NOT apply to Divisional event entry.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

********All Gold Cards may be used for National Event entry.********
*
Gold cards, when accepted, are good for complimentary car and driver plus one event crew credential.* If a driver is not racing, s/he should receive two spectator passes.

Thats what they (calif) told him on the phone

And this from the D4 website

Provisional entries
NHRA''s Sportsman grading system allows for the following provisional entries:

NHRA Gold, Silver, and Bronze Card holders. These contestants are guaranteed national event entry for the specified racing season. Gold Card holders are national and divisional champions on the Lucas Oil and Jr. Drag Racing League levels and divisional champions in the Summit Racing Series.


But a phone call from the D4 office has blown all this up. We were preparing to upgrade license and equip etc--etc

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

O.K So I win a Gold Card at Summit bracket finals I read the guidlines above off NHRA,s website and assume those are exactly what they say they are.I go out and buy a sportsman car, enclosed trailer, and dually truck. upgrade my license --And show up at Pomona with my gold card.They tell me to come back when I have a grade point and some more cash,Or turn around and go find a bracket race.I show them guidlines I printed off their website.They say----"Well we changed that" Do I have a case for legal action?

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

None. It is posted on the Div 6 Website and that is good enough in Court.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

Mark, was he actually "told" this or did he go to enter online and wasn't able to?

Many times this issue has to be brought to your Div. Director's attention so the online entry system can be updated.

Re: NHRA's New Budget Cut
 

If I have this in the right order he tried to enter online and it would not let him. Then he got in touch with the div. director (Mike Rice) and he said its not good anymore, you won it bracket racing and its good for bracket races.