More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

"In a letter to their advertisers the NHRA recently stated that going forward National Dragster will make 50 percent of their editorial content about the NHRA sportsman classes, 25 percent dedicated to NHRA’s ET and bracket racers, with the pro classes getting just 25 percent of the editorial content"

Full story:
http://www.dragracingonline.com/agen...xvii_1-47.html

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

I for one will be looking forward to more sportsman coverage. Hope it's not smoke and mirrors. After reducing the frequency of the issues to every other week and now the size has shrunk also, seeing more news about our grassroots racers would certainly be welcome. Hope it's not just another "enhancement".
I'm trying to be positive here.
Good racing all.
Walt

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

I might even subscribe...........I did say MIGHT.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

I just hope they deliver. Maybe they'll quit trying to make National Dragster a fan magazine. I know I'm sick and tired of the pro driver stories. I'm surprised they didn't add Robin Leach from "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" as a feature writer for that garbage.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Dragster used to be a cash cow for NHRA.The classifieds,and Sponsor directory brought in alot of income.Maybe now they are starting to realize that it was the Sportsmen racers that spent the cash that kept that going.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

I think everyone needs to re-read the quote from NHRA..."editorial".

"Editorial" not "feature"...how much of the Dragster is editorial anyway? Twenty, 30, 60 column inches? Most of the Dragster would be considered feature articles.

I also agree with Lyn on who the advertising dollar is targeting.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Bill, I believe in their lingo, 'editorial' is most everything, not just like the editorial section of a newspaper. This change is driven by the input from advertisers, who see that racers themselves are the ones who primarily purchase their race parts. More interested racers and hard core fans, more advertising effectiveness. I'm optimistic. I'm also biased as I still write for ND and I advertise.

Bruce Deveau

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Could they include any less ?? Geez....I have read enough of the Force girls to last me a lifetime. How bout an article about Randi Lynn Shipp jumping off the Stratosphere (spelling) while competing at Las Vegas. Now, that's entertainment. M.J.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Great news, maybe I will renew after all ... too bad there is no more free T-shirt !

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

It is true. The focus of National Dragster will be shifting in the coming weeks and months as we continue to pursue the proper balance of editorial content that appeals to our subscribers, readers, and advertisers. To that end, we plan on adding much more sportsman-related content.

Over the past couple of years, some of you have no doubt noticed that we’ve included at least one sportsman feature in every issue. Some of the prominent class racers that have been featured include Austin Williams, the Teuton family, PB and Brett Candies, Bo Butner, and others. We certainly plan to do more of that going forward.

We are also planning a return of Dan Fletcher's very popular "Route 2015" column for what we hope will be six issues this year. As most of you know, Dan's writing it top notch and he's very honest and forthcoming about his life on tour.

As for race coverage, we began including an extra photo page with each sportsman story last year and that was very well received so we’re going to continue that as well.

From time to time we do surveys and one of the things that seems to always be at or near the top of the list is tech features. To that end, Mike Galimi will continue to contribute with his regular tech columns and we’re also going to roll out a new feature that I believe will be very popular. We’ve taken some of the most successful and best-known NHRA sportsman drivers and asked them to reveal some of their best-kept secrets for success. We’ve asked them to sound off on a wide variety of topics including car prep, record keeping, dial-in selection, and the finer points of finish line driving. It’s our hope that this will provide useful info that can actually help make you improve your program.

If you’ve got comments, suggestions I can always be reached at kmckenna@NHRA.com

Kevin McKenna
Sr. Editor
National Dragster

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Good to hear.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Kevin for starters bring back Evan Smith. His articles were very interesting and tech wise. Also you said you 'll do more sportsman feature articles. How about articles on
lower classed racers ( i.e. Mike Koski,Billy Nees, and slower cars in comp,and the super categories)? I could go on and on but that's just for starters.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Ed,

I'd love to feature more of Evan 's work in ND. He remains one of the best tech writers in the biz (and one of my best friends). However, his current employment makes that very difficult.

When you mention slow Stockers, I assume you mean "Bill" Koski and Billy Nees. I actually wrote an column a while back on racing slow cars. I recall interviewing Mark Yacavone, who remains the only driver to win a national event in a FWD car. That's not to say I wouldn't revisit the topic in the future.

Thanks for the input,

Kevin

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

The divisional coverage has been very poor the past few years. 90% of the time it goes straight to recycle. Will be nice to have more sportsman stuff!!!

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

I hardly even look at my Dragsters any more. I usually just chuck them in the garbage can. Sometime I will look if there is an article on a sportsman racer or local guy. Other than that I am not interested in the content as it has been for the last quite a few years. I actually wish we could get a reduction in our membership cost if we opted out of the National Dragster.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

More slow stocker's would be great, not every stocker is A to F

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

If I do read read Natl Dragster, I always start at the back cover and page forward to about the middle and then pitch it. Mainly, I am looking through the ads and the sportsman coverage which are all in the back pages. I really could care less about seeing glossy full page pictures of nostalgia funny cars or one of the Force girls vacation photos and pets. When there are tech articles, they are always just a sales pitch that was offered as a bonus incentive to a company that agreed to buy advertising space. Not really a tech article if it is biased, most of us are technically smart enough to know what a rotten fish smells like. Excuse me if I am skeptical that things will improve.

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Jim, I think what you just said captures why ND is motivated to change to a more sportsman friendly publication. You look to the publication for the ads...what company wouldn't want to work with a magazine that has readers like you? ND has historically been where good information was available about cutting edge parts and technology. Your comments mirror the feedback that ND received and influenced a change.

Time will tell, and for lots of racers, they'll believe it when they see it. Skepticism is warranted. So is optimism.

Bruce Deveau

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

lol not many pros left in the sport to write about 7 full time pro stockers and a handful of fuel racers thats it...... Anyways this would be a welcomed change!

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Please pray for the continued good health of the "Greek". They need every spot they can fill.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

X 2.


Would also be nice to at least once every 3 months publish the 1/8th mile national records.

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Kevin:

You should interview Marty Buth from Illinois.
He runs in O/SA
He was the first driver to make an 11 second pass in Stock with a 4 cylinder and is currently the quickest 4 cyl. racer in Stock. ( 11.68 )

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Kevin:

Thank you for responding on here and trying to help improve the National Dragster. I have seen it go down, in my eyes, ALLOT over the past several years. From the physical size to the total lack of coverage at national and divisional races. You use to see several pictures of rounds of racing at a National event and AT LEAST the finals from divisional. To anyone that is fortunate to make it to a final and has someone on there car they are promoting, that picture can go along way. With that said, I really do hope the Dragster gets better. I know you guys do a great job and powers that be determine allot. I have a couple ideas. On several pages near the front, high light the borders with Lucas Oil with a blue border. In this section will be all the current points race information, recent records, recent HP's, recent parts accepted. Divisional contacts and Sportsman Representatives etc. This could take up several pages but you can quickly flip through go to the colored sportsman section and see what info is in this issue. How about a story submitted by racers showing them getting ready for a race, then what they faced while at the race? Weather, delays, breakage, heads up runs etc. Then having to drive all night to get back to work. etc. Thank you for what you do and I look forward to the next issues.

Robert

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Bring back the old sportsman national event and divisional coverage!

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Kevin, I agree with Byron Worner about bringing back the old coverage we used to get (I wish you could get ESPN to bring back "Inside Drag Racing" too, but that's a stretch I know)! I'm curious as to when that column on racing slow cars went to print, because I missed it, and would like to read it (hopefully it was in one of last years issues).

As for Mark being the only driver to win a national event in a FWD car, I'm trying to join him in that monumental feat (plus I believe Bill Drevo Jr. is the only driver to win an NHRA divisional with a FWD car). There's a lot of uncharted by a FWD racer plateau's out there, and I'm looking forward to adding my name to that very small list of accomplishments FWD drivers have accomplished. Outside of Division V (2yrs ago with Stan Kopejtka's Top Ten finish), I don't think many (or any) other divisions have had a FWD driver finish in the top ten, and I'm pretty sure there's been no national Top Ten finish by a FWD racer, and there's some very good racers throughout the country who could possibly change that...like Rob Seibenick, Stan and Brent Kopejtka, Charles Blossom, Bill O'Connor, and hopefully me. I'll definitely be chasing D7 points this year, and I look forward to the challenge of even quicker stockers chasing me than was the case back in 2008 when I last was able to run at least 5 divisionals.

I hope in your suggestion box, you can add bringing back the class indexes at national events, and occasionally the altitude correction factors (like the old dragster mags did)? Thanks....

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

I did not read National Dragster for a long time and am wondering what it used to include in divisional coverage that it does not include now.

What would you like to be seeing that you do not see now?

Jim

Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

This is good news! Thanks Kevin. Jim

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Re: More Sportsman coverage in National Dragster
 

Kevin,Hallelujah, National Dragster has finally seen the light! Took you guys a hell of a long time to understand that ninety percent of your readership are sportsman racers of all kinds.Less of Force and daughters and more of the Nees, Kosky's,Worner's Yaccavone. More articles of the racers at home, their shops, theirs cars and where they race. Please don't turn the articles into a advertising promos for their products like some past rags(I know that they're trying to make a living also). I left ND as my #1 enjoyment reading paper because they weren't representing us, I will give them a third chance and I hope not to be disappointed.Fletcher's articles were a favorite but try putting in articles of the little guys going to National events, maybe that's not a good idea, it might not show NHRA in a good light.Hope you guys have learned a lesson. Claude Ruel. p.s. remember that there is no more drag racing magazines around anymore!