Nhra
 

This isn't a complaint post but a question of how to fix the problems. How can we improve nhra not only for tv but live events at the track. What could be done to improve the racing from top fuel on down. Since I am a fan I have some ideas but want to hear the racers opinion first.

Re: Nhra
 

As you wish:

Re: Nhra
 

HAHAHA, Damn ED

Re: Nhra
 

As always, Ed - a class act!!

Re: Nhra
 

More Sportsnationals......let the pros race with pros and sportsman race with sportsman !!!

Re: Nhra
 

They have already started turning it around all oil down penalities waived for next weekends rainout for sportsman on the NHRA competition site

Re: Nhra
 

You can't split the sportsmen off both sides would die without the fans and tv. My ideas are: every class back to quarter mile that is what drag racing is and that's what records should be. Take a fuel pump and mag off the fuelers less fuel means less power. It will make it cheaper wear less parts and hopefully less boom. Making it cheap can bring in more independent teams. Bring back the ability to match race more which will help out tracks bring in more exposure and also help local racers with more fans. Lower the entry fees for sportsmen racers and give them a bigger break for entering more than one car. Expand the sportsmen nationals for sportsmen each region and up the payouts for larger car counts. Pay money for national records to help put the performance back into sportsmen racing.

Re: Nhra
 

Performance killer is the AHFS....1 second trigger at all races....they should let us run all out at opens...at least.

Re: Nhra
 

Joe I gotta disagree with this.. I really do (believe it or not) like the circus and racing with the pros. It makes for a crowd, hot girls serving full throttle, and actually some spectators in the stands. It's the only time people watch us race. Racing sportsman with sportsman is done at every divisional and open already. I like the feeling of making the turn to the burnout box and seeing partially filled stands and it's the only way I can justify spending $305. And for some other sick reason, I like running 10am on Friday and then the next round Sat night at 5pm because it forces you to be on top of your game and know how to dial your car.

Re: Nhra
 

You like it because you havent raced that long.....wait till youve have your fair share of butt spreading and see if all that changes. Just remember you complain when its a points meet and your getting screwed. Just remember the PROS always come first, your just filler material, any change that will occur will be for the television benifit, so if that means the sportsman get pushed around, so be it.

Re: Nhra
 

I agree with Joe.....let us run fast somewhere....SportsNats....

Rock Haas

Re: Nhra
 

I second what Rock and Joe said! But you got to limit the number of events at which that happens. A max of two events per division, maybe even only one event per division.

Re: Nhra
 

Go ahead and run it out. Its called drag RACING not drag your azz thru the lights.

Re: Nhra
 

You guys can run it out at any race you want, anytime you want. No one is stopping you.

Re: Nhra
 

Damn, I missed the hot girls serving full throttle. Where is that :-)?

Re: Nhra
 

In the "PRO" ? pits !

Re: Nhra
 

Right on!

Re: Nhra
 

HP costs money as you know...just because NHRA says the new trigger is gonna be X at all the races I'm supposed to be stupid enough and say well lets see how fast I can go today...NO WAY !!!....I can always spend that money on the weekends enjoying other things in the summer....I don't have to race !!!!

Re: Nhra
 

Exactly!



Stick around sometime at a winner's circle celebration at a National event!

Re: Nhra
 

The point was how do you fix the problems not just for the sportsmen but for everybody involved. I can only give an opinion as a fan. Just remember there are more sportsmen and family racers then there are pros.

Re: Nhra
 

Forget the AHFS, make everyone run their qualifying time in elims instead of dialing.

Mike Moller

Re: Nhra
 

Point is it's my money...if I wanted to flush it down the toilet I can do that too......no NHRA Loveslave here....just see it for what it is.......I'll race when I wanna..and if I feel my wallet is being skimmed by Glendora...I'll stay home......even more shallower !!

Re: Nhra
 

Sadly NHRA has lost control of it's own Monster! What used to be run for the "Racers" by the "Racers" has turned into a bunch of college educated "pencil pushing" how much are we putting to the bottom line and in our pockets people. They know they are the only game in town and have everyone by the horns. Now I really wish people would go and support local bracket racing, stk/ss. sg, sc associations and the IHRA. I mean as I told me father tonight, no matter how much complaining and crying we do about how we get treated we will go right back to the well or someone else will be next in line to bump us out of the way. I personally don't support National Events any longer and haven't for over 3 years now. Do I miss it...yes I do but, I rather spend my money on a SG Association event at Atco where I can run 2 different races in 2 days for about the same amount of payout, less entry fee, have a great time, a free meal and still get to watch Stock/SS & SC without the 3 ring Circus coming to town.

Re: Nhra
 

Are you guys just going to keep attacking each other or throw out some thoughts. Look nhra is a business now if it can make them more money they will listen. As a fan if I can go someplace like the dutch and see hundreds of cars for 20 bucks then I am happy. I also go to etown and maple grove because do like the pros also. Everybody loves muscle cars so you have people attention how can you rope them in not only with force but with fletcher too.

Re: Nhra
 

The kids today could give two $hitS less about the old muscle cars.And the boobs in Glendora are getting near retirement age and have only need a few more years of milking the cow to retire comfortably.
1969 Camaro-42 years old.Think about it.It's like me looking at a 42 year old car when I was 18 years old.That would be a 1931 Ford.Not much to relate to.Unless I was a street rod fan.

Re: Nhra
 

I have early 20's guys that love muscle cars. Remember every fast and the furious had muscle cars in them. Sure they are use to the japanese 4 bangers, but they are classied in stock too. The people are there you just have to get their attention. Think about it not only can I look at your and ed but I can talk to you about it too. How many other motorsports can you do that at.

Re: Nhra
 

Don't be jealous !!

Re: Nhra
 

Ed,
I beg to differ! I'm 32 years old and I'd take a 68 Camaro or 66 Chevy Nova over the Fast and Furious Rice Rockets that are out their today. I love old cars and if I didn't drive 50 miles to work one way each day I'd be driving one of them right now. What we need to do as a whole is educate the youth on the old cars. I remember as a kid going to Atco on Saturday night and I'd go over to look at the car and the driver would be like "Hey you want to get in there and they would start it up....really got the blood flowing in my young heart" now we are too worried about someone coming over and looking at the car and scratching the paint on the car rather then answering questions that people would have about the car and where it came from. I'd be more then welcoming to introduce anyone to my car and explain what goes into the whole t-stop and why it does what it does.

Re: Nhra
 

I believe that NHRA does not know how to make things better. I believe that they are running on there history and not trying to plan to make the future better by reaching out to todays generation. By that I mean promoting the local tracks for there bracket and test and tune races. Educate the novice racer that they can run on the same track as the big names in the sport. I don't believe that there is any other motorsport where you can race on the same track as a professional and be a complete novice? As far as the sportsman racers are concerned start taking steps to help us save money and treat us with respect by comunicating with us. Decrease the length of some races by a full day. Lower entry fees, provide a racers appreciation lunch, promote early arival fan ticket sales. etc. With Stock and SS, start a campain to make SMART decisions to help promote true performance racing and lower cost. Example promote a gas was between companies, the lower price better performer wins. Tire wars etc. Extend seat belt inspections to 5yrs. Good healthy competition between manufactures. Put a speak valve spring pressure at 120pds seat and ? open. This would lower cost and decrease performance which would lower factored HP and place cars in different classes, maybe. These are just a couple ideas that I believe could help promote our racing.

Re: Nhra
 

Let's face it,you're entheusisitic about our cars because your family is is a racee family.The average fan is just that,a fan,with no direct drag racing ties.There's wayyy
to much competition today for the consumers money than in the "good old days".
We are dinosaurs in the final phase of our existance.

Re: Nhra
 

Since I am in Hershey I have the joy of being able to get to carlisle for the car shows. The mopar show is huge even when chysler was making junk people love hemis! I love my dads superbee and he hasn't raced since I was little. People love cars and speed and nhra has tons of both in all shapes and sizes no matter what you like. You know my little sisters boyfriend went to etown with us the first time he had ever went to a drag strip. Loves motorcycles and is a fairly small guy. So we are at karen stoffers pit talking to her about the bike. She invites him to sit on her bike he was smiles for a month. See that is what you guys have that nascar doesn't. We have to built on what we have, the reason why guys like you ed do this year after year.

Re: Nhra
 

I have to agree with Ed. I have a son that is 19 years old. He loves muscle cars, and he also loves the new muscle and ricers. He loves muscle because he was brought up going to the track, car shows etc. His friends couldnt care less about those "old" cars. They are too busy trying to figure out how to make their Hondas fast. They cant afford new vehicles, so their 90's Hondas are our 69 Camaros.

Re: Nhra
 

I drive a turbo Mazda love it but like the new challengers. We have new muscle cars too(yes there are issues there). This sport has just about everything for everybody the engine combos are endless. Remember Bruno Maxwell was a world champ with an turbo in comp. How about discounted price if your there before it starts in the morning? You would have fans there for early rounds of sportsmen. How about pushing the splendors to promote the racing and events more. Maybe promote more at schools. Say Monday before etown hit a trade or vocational school with three or four different cars and drivers. Say ashley force and funny car, Melanie grossly with her pro mod turbo, Thomas fletcher and his super stocker or the canaries and maybe a super comp car. Talk to the kids we love cars in this world. Fire them up draw the kids senses in the smell and noise will be something that will draw them in. Tell them about the friday night street legal races and try to hook them from the bottom up.

Re: Nhra
 

Hey Clutchman, what class do you run??

Re: Nhra
 

You're further reinforcing my point.The people you mention are second generation racers.Bruno Massell's car has enough money in it to support a third world nation.
Fans don't carry the experience of seeing and talking to us as races home with them.
It's just another day out for them.

Re: Nhra
 

Ed my generation is no different than yours we all love cars. People remember a good time and will spend money when it is worth it. Nhra has to get people to the track when there you enjoy yourself.

Re: Nhra
 

Even though I feel like I just started I've been racing for sixteen years. There are a couple of successful young racers who I let sit in one or another of my cars when they were younger. When they tell me about the influence I had it just makes me want to continue on being an ambassador for the sport. I think people do take their experiences at the track home with them. As we all know, there is more to our sport than just going fast, it's shining with what you've got--a powerful lesson for many of life's pursuits.

Digression anyone? I guess the NHRA must continue to appeal to the fans in any way possible. I would like to hear more radio promotion or whatever the latest hip transmission device is. Once someone gets to a National Event they want to come back.

Chris Barnes
Wagons of Steel
Stock 6621

Re: Nhra
 

X2 on that. Too much competition for the amount of disposable income available for young people. Even relative to today's wages, I think it just takes alot more money to get started in racing today than it did in the seventies/eighties. Unless someone in your family is already a player, this is a tough deal to get into. :(

Re: Nhra
 

Skills, you have to understand guys like Ed Fernandez are stuck in the past and don’t except change very well. There are a small minority of Class Racer members that have been predicting the demise of Stock and Super Stock for many years.

The truth is, although the numbers are down this year, both classes are as popular as ever. What would have these guys said if it was 1973, when there were gas shortages, and the death of the muscle car started. They would say, “this is it guys, its all over, there is no way anyone will be interested now”. 38 years later and we are still here. I’m tired of hearing there is no new blood. There are plenty of new racers running Stock and Super Stock. Ford and Dodge have invested heavily into Stock and Super Stock, and GM is about to. Do you think the big three would be interested in a class that is dying. Yes there are other venues for young people to race, Class Racing is just one of them. The heads up racing is great, but all the numbers combined at one of their events still does not come close to the numbers of class cars.

This forum is proof that class racing is not dying. The Class Racer forum numbers have grown every year by 10%, and the last two months have been the best months ever on Class Racer.

The class is changing, there is no doubt about it, but its not the 1960’s. You can not compare what was done then to today. It cost more money to race today, but the people that have it are willing to spend it. I’m sorry if people like Ed can not or choose not to race with NHRA anymore. Things are changing, NHRA is not for everyone, the old guard is dying, its time for the new, like it or not. The problem is that the same old minority would rather see the demise of NHRA than offer solutions to help improve the over all drag racing experience.

Re: Nhra
 

Very well said Ken... I totally agree.