What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Just spent a long conversation with our engine builder, Gale Powley, regarding why and what were the reasons for racing with NHRA. The reasons we do it appear to be no longer there. The only plus they have is Jack Jones and the Iron Man.

Bottom line was the racer believed (past tense) it was the most legitimate place to race because of tech and the officials trying to keep a level playing field and you knew the car in the other lane was more than likely held to the same standards.

In other words, no tech and combinations that are way under factored will be and are the major down fall of why many have lost and will continue to lose the enthusiasm that was once there.

I don't believe and actually do not like the word "fair." I always felt that if a combo could get within a tenth of the legit fast guy there was a chance and it just required some more work.

Having said this, I hope that Bo, Jason, Ken and Little Bohannon can somehow group together and maybe pick up others so that they can have a series among themselves where there is a payout at the end of the year, sponsor support at the races, real tech with adjustments made as needed, along with the recognition of being the best of the best.

The current powers to be (speaking specifically of Glendora) are essentially so lost in the woods with class racing they will need a compass to get it fixed. Then outside of tech, we have the race master (scheduler) not giving a hoot about what it takes to actually race competively in our classes with the get them in and out mentally.

If you never raced Indy in class where you were covered by a tenth or played the game so you didn't line up with the fast guy you won't understand.

IHRA, AHRA, and local tracks that use to actually have a stock/super stock class with tear down are long gone. Hope that NHRA powers see the light and make some changes. Too young to give up on them just yet.

Michael Volkman
412.651.2356

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Is there literally no tech?

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Scales and fuel. Neither of which is needed other than heads-up, class and qualifying runs.

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

That's a bunch of cr@p.

What about teardowns?

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

In recent years before Covid tech was mostly about the safety items needed to race the class you were entered. They would check your class and weight on your weight sticker to make sure that was correct.

Now it is self tech when you fill out your tech card online. They do make spot checks periodically in the lanes for safety compliance.

Fuel and weight after the run

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

They need the fuel for the scooters

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

And, if I may make an additional comment. The tech people and other division personnel put in long hours, at slave wages, to support our sport. Inadequate mandates on staffing, enforcement, etc. hinder them from doing the stuff they want and know to do. Our guys in division 2 are pretty fair and good as the other guys in the central/east are without mentioning names. Don't know about out west as I've have no experience but assume they are just like they are here. So you tech guys who love the sport and actually appreciate stock and super stock racing we appreciate you and thanks!

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Mike,

I hear what you're saying, but I also think that the NHRA is in a battle to keep this alive.

How often are you a tenth behind?

Daren

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

I'm not sure of the point being made. Are you saying that NHRA can't tech and create level playing fields because they are struggling to stay alive? Unsure of the connection.

They have no sponsors anymore and have literally made those who did help us angry with their practices. Look at the behaviors between NASCAR during covid and NHRA. Big difference.

I see it as repeated poor or ineffective decision making in many areas starting at the top by non-racing people. We pay them to race in their organization. In class racing they have the inherited responsibility to not only enforce their rules but to also bring parity to the class. Unless I'm way of base here this is the feel received from many racers, I'm just a little more vocal.

Take the Factory Stock cars - they constantly are forcing changes in pulley sizes and weights in an attempt to level the field. I see this as inconsistency in decision making. Only applies to FS?

Here's the point. I just told Em that I've been here doing this since I was 8 years old when Tom Sheehan and I got yelled at for using the outhouse roof's shingles as Frisbees. That's 54 years. I've seen alot. They were yanking a head off Carl's car after he won a race at the local track following a stock race. I got to clean the bolts and thought it was something special.

Racers race in class racing, and they may complain about being torn apart, but there was integrity to the sport and in my opinion, the down fall to class racing will not be the economy or electric vehicles or any other of the changes we are going through in the world. The down fall for "the true class racer" will be these 2 issues.

In an aging population of racers, my hope is that either NHRA will come to realize they have a problem which needs addressed or Bo, Jason, Ken, Tyler and whomever can get together and create a series that has some validity to it with real parity and tech. Other than that it is no different than the local bracket or association races. I will still support all types of racing organizations in hope something changes until I get tired of it and then as with things in life, with you're done, you're done.

I know that the SRAC members wanted feedback on the AHFS and received very little. Unsure as to why?

My thoughts are majority rules. I'm not a my way or the highway type of guy. If everyone wants no tech and no parity then so be it. I even went as far as to tell NHRA and SRAC, that SDS would pay for "Survey Monkey" to canvas all stock/ss racers who have raced in the last 2 years and get their opinion with majority winning. This way it removes everyone's personal agenda. Survey Monkey is a established company and not one of these put your mark here surveys with multiple voting, etc.

Just my opinions.

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

This is very true.

Mike I like you lol

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

All good points Mike. We've been doing this for about 4-5 years but have seen what stock and super stock has become. In my opinion, its still the best form of drag racing on the planet. But, there has to be some type of integrity. Even if NHRA does "token spot checks" just to keep racers honest. Its not hard to check a carb part number or pull a valve cover to check a head casting. Those are quick and easy things things NHRA can do to at least show they are making an effort other than scales and fuel. There is a rabbit hole we can all go down which I'm going to do my best to stay away from regarding legality of some of these engines. Because at the end of the day, its still a bracket race. We've all seen 13-14 second cars beat 150k+ 8-9 second factory stockers. NHRA has basically turned a blind eye to all the stuff going on with these rocket ship engines that are being built, but I understand that it takes a dedicated team (which will cost money) that has the knowledge base to know what to look for and compare to "stock" parts. Also, Mike, if people start getting torn down and booted, how many cars do you think are going to show up to these events?

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Oh, plenty will show up.

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

I guess that I am hoping that this relaxation is temporary. I'm sure that the schedules that we see are being driven by finances. The daily overhead for NHRA has to be pretty substantial. It is my hope that things will settle down soon and things can go back to normal.

I carry gaskets with me to every race.....

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Gump - it's not temporary. The AHFS hasn't been worth a hoot since at least 2008. Not sure that a phone call from the division Monday following the race wasn't more effective because you went fast - continually and had opponents covered by xx rather than a 1 time hit.

Other:

Tech went south when Bruce left. Bruce would tell you that he didn't like something and better have it fixed by next race.

AFHS group at NHRA has no one who is qualified in understanding/building/racing competitively in s/ss. Wesley, Dave, Travis, Bob are not a part of. New guy Lonnie is technical and on AHFS but hasn't been around s/ss racing. Does understand that two identical 350 engines, same Dart head with same runner volumes, one carb, one fi, and very close deck and cc specs should not be rated 400 pounds difference at a 10# weight break. Hope he is a fast learner and doesn't drink the cool-aid.

As far as NHRA struggling financially. I here this all the time and know they have sold off properties etc. Is this a result to improve the bottom line or is there an actual need that they and therefore we, are in a bad way?

Where is the transparency and communication?

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

What was their excuse before Covid? This no tear down policy has been expanded every year since the mid 2000's. Remember when they always tore down at the All Stars? Show up with your head off ? Random tear downs at multiple National events, not just Indy. After those went away at least you still had the 30 cars or so at Indy. Then half that amount, then half that amount, then throttle body's only, now NOTHING....
NHRA has changed so much since we began. I remember thinking if I can just go a couple rounds, I will be running in front of my friends, as back in the day 2nd,3rd 4th rounds could very well be in the middle of the day, usually Saturday's. And that call you got from National Dragster after winning an event. And the nice article and personal things that came out in the articles. Remember the free coolers we all received when Powerade came on board? When you needed parts, just head for the Midway, or even if you needed a new ring and pinion installed ! I bought metering rods up there one year, how ridiculous does that sound now?
And those pesky payouts. Good God, what an embarrassment. I kept them to myself, as when I told people those payouts I would get those " Wow, your an idiot" .. looks. All us old guys remember the challenge to be #1 qualifier and receive enough money to pay your fuel bill to and from the event. I could go on and on. We all know the backsliding our (now your) association has gone through in the last 10 years.
All that is just icing on the cake, but without teardowns and policing you have no basic ingredients for the cake. End of story.... You then have bracket racing with unpoliced very expensive class cars..

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Michael, I think you've nailed every post in this thread. I do slightly disagree here. I don't think you even need to have raced Indy in class to understand. Someone walking through the pit area and staging lanes on Wednesday/Thursday/Friday of Indy, with their eyes open, could understand. They'd see the parade of cars with chillers, the small crowds pushing their cars from nearly US 136 all the way to the starting line, the pit area thrashings to change motors or adjust clutches or fit new slicks, the commotion around the teardown barn, the starting line celebrations when all those efforts result in a class victory.

But it's hard to witness and understand those things from a corporate office that's 2,116 miles away.

I certainly remember my dad getting "invited to a little party at the teardown barn," running ~.50 under the old indexes, at the Brainerd nationals, less than 2 years after setting the national record...

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

Would it kill the over paid upper echelon leadership to re-appropriate compensation capital to the compensation fund for these support teams?

I already know the answer to this rhetorical question but I put it out there to jog the senses of the dedicated class racers who want a level playing field.

Fund and staff the Technical Dept. with highly skilled and motivated professionals!

Re: What Made NHRA Legitimate to the Racer
 

I still enjoy racing super stock as much as i ever have. I really don’t get involved in the politics of what happens in NHRA. Could things be better. Yes they could. Could they be worse. Absolutely. I race a combo that can no way be competitive. Even the best engine builder would not be able to get my combo to the top of the Q sheet. I don’t and can’t spend the amount of money that some can. I understand that and race within my means.
In Division 2. We have a really good group of racers. The number is dwindling down for sure. I don’t think we have an actual tech director any more. We are lucky to have Dave and Gloria Ley that have adopted division 2 and are at almost all of our races doing tech, Scales and Gloria does the pairings at the lanes. They are awesome people and deserve a big thanks. We have a very young and inexperienced divisional director. Cody took over after our Rich Schaefer was let go. He has done a good job and makes good decisions with the events. I am not sure how much he understands our type of racing. I will keep doing this until it either doesn’t exist any more or my health won’t allow it.
I also want to thank Mike Volkman and Emily for what they do for us. They really are what this sport is all about.
In closing I don’t think it will ever go back to where it once was so we have to grin and bear it and try to continue to enjoy what we do

See y’all at the Rock in October.