National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Hello All
Just food for thought.
Is this the new norm?
7 & 8 grade points to get into a National event.
There goes the chance for the budget racer to even think about a National Championship.
I believe at one time a budget race could have done well at 5 Divisional and 3 Nationals events and came in the Top 10 or even win a National Championship.
Now a racer that normally goes to 5 or 6 divisional can't even get into a National event.
The traveling sportsman, Pro's will now have a better chance at winning a Championship.
How is this good for the Sportsman Racers?
Now I have nothing against the guys and gals that can go to 8 plus divisional, and 5 plus Nationals. Guys & Gals that race 2 cars at every race they go to get double the points! This is what they have choose to do, and can afford to do.

"But what about the little guy"?

I personly know, I most likely will never run for a National Championship, I will however hopefully be able to try and run for a Divisional Championship again someday.
(that is unless I hit the Lotto)

NHRA needs to figure out how to balance this situation out.

Should NHRA only allow racers from the National Events Home Division to enter for the 1st couple weeks at a lower grade point system?
Example Say they open up VMP to Division 1 racers with a grade point of 5 or 6 2 weeks before opening to all division at grade 8?
Could this help the local budget sportsman races, that can't travel more then 3 or 4 hours to race?

Just food for thought
Cal SST 1177

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

This is not realistic for racers out west.
My closest Divisional race is 5 hours away.
That race is one I never go to due to the track being what it is.
The race tracks out west with Divisional and National races are very far apart, not like the East coast.
Just My 2 Cents
Rick Cates
Canyon, TX

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

And yet somehow guys like Jody Lang find a way. Don’t recall him ever going east of Boise. Definitely those in certain parts of the East have easier tows than many but where there’s a will there’s a way.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Seems like I remember seeing Jody at Indy a few years back.
He watches this forum so he may post to this thread.
I know he goes to Las Vegas regularly and it is only a 1100+ mile drive for him to Vegas.
1100 miles is only about a 20 to 24 hour drive with a big rig if you are the only driver.
Living out west is a long drive to all your races unless you live near one of the tracks that hosts a National or Divisional race. Some of my Canadian friends have it even worse.
Just a big disadvantage for those with a job.
Just My 2 Cents
Rick Cates
Canyon, TX and retired.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

It does appear that this is the new normal. At least on the east side of the country and any of the popular events out west. NHRA is not interested in the "little guy" as you can tell by the new quotas. Chances of me ever running a national event again are slim unless something changes. I did want one of those national event Walley's before I hang it up. I am going to try to get 8 GP this year. I had 7 last year and got shut out of the gators this year that is close to home for me. I guess I will try Atlanta but the quota is only 45 cars in SS there.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

If this is true, I see that other tread about a rent-a-racer being more useful. I can see SS guys putting one in stock but what about the guys running stock. I doubt there are any rentals that might tech in SS?
Do they really get two grade points for two cars?

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Yep, each tech card is worth a grade point. But if you are entering a national event with 2 cars, you need to have enough grade points with each car.

You can combine them, but then you can only enter one class and you can't ration them out as you see fit. Example: I have 2 cars and have 3 grade points for each. I can enter one class as a Grade 6 or two cars at Grade 3, but I can't divide them and use 4 in the higher demand class and then enter as a 2 in another class.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Actually the new norm is probably 8 grade points for every Nat. Event. Stock and SS are not for everyone...seems as though every change squeezes the little guy out even more, and that is what the bean counters want.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

So 4 division races with 2 cars gets you 8 grade points for 1 car at a National event.
Why not enter the tow vehicle in super street at each division race, just like buying 4 grade point.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

You could do that if the tow vehicle could pass tech and meet the safety rules. You wouldn’t even have to run it

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

I would doubt that your tow vehicle has a diaper or oil retention device......

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Or an SFI balancer, trans blanket or roll bar.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

I thought the new rule from a couple years ago stated that in order to earn your GP you needed to at least break the beams in qualifying. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Getting harder this year in D6 to get points with the elimination of 3 of our closer national opens (Bremerton, Spokane and Mission) and only having national opens in Calgary and Edmondton. Another no-thanks for moving a divisional to Acton......

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

It's an old rule and hasn't been used in 20 years.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Good morning all.
I guess I did not realize the traveling the Midwest and west coast had to endure just to attend a divisional event.
Here on the East coast, most racers can drive 3 to 4 hours, or up to 6 to 8 hours and attend 5 to 6 races a year.
As I said before, I do not know what the answer is.
I guess we will all find out in time.
The new norm is what it is!

Cal SST 1177

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

The answer is: you knuckleheads get together, grow a backbone and get busy contacting nhra first. Then consider other measures if you are stonewalled.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Never happen. Too many personal agendas and egos.

Now I think that I'll go wash out my head because I am finding myself agreeing with Bruce entirely too much lately.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Thanks Billy............just spit my drink all over myself. LMAO

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Geez, Tongue in Cheek,
but a rent-a-racer for grade points is an idea.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

You would think manufacturing companies that truly depend on drag racing in general would want NHRA to up the car count. Maybe they could grow some backbone as well. We try to follow the rules with contingency needs. Buy, display their names proudly and usually tell others. Yet I see a lot of advertising above this thread alone that surely don't advertise a sportsnational or anything.
I gave up on myself ever attending a national events. I have family obligations that keeps me to maybe 4-5 divisional races. Makes a person like myself after 45 yrs of racing stock eliminator. Pretty much just fill for divisional count now. Then only some manufactures only pay at National events. Go figure!

Paul Haszlauer

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

First billy ... tell me if it works or if I need to get power washer out Bruce sounds legit lately 😳 second I see all class racing going to divisionals maybe good for us ? They could put together a divisional setup class at one race each division and have top 5 in each division race for championship ??? >>> do something cause this ain’t working 😒

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

This is what IHRA did in the end with out the class racing portion. They took the top 3 if I remember correctly. We are already a separate series. Sportsman are Lucas Oil and the pros are Mello Yellow.

Re: National Championship and Grade Points.
 

Billy, the biggest problem is, dey is skeerd!

Now about you washing out your head. This should worry a lot of people because we have only seen what you have allowed out so far. A complete head washing may be devastating to the planet.