Ya know,
 

I just put a post on the Factory X thread regarding the cost to build a F/X program and the people who might do that.
Now, there are always all sorts of posts on this site about how the NHRA is "out of touch" and how they "don't care" about the "Sportsman Racers" (the backbone of the sport?) and the "Little Guys".
Well, right here I have a very graphic example of just that.
I was speaking to a well-known, long time Racer just the other day about the juggling of the FWD weight breaks in Stock and he wanted to let me know that he sent NHRA a letter requesting the addition of a Class (22lbs.) between DF/S (19lbs) and EF/S (25lbs). What we got is a change in the CF/S weight break (from 17.5lbs. to 19lbs.) and the DF/S weight break (from 19lbs. to 22lbs.) and an explanation that "NHRA didn't want to add any more classes".
NHRA can't add ONE class to Stock Eliminator to help out the "Little Guys" but they're willing to add an entire eliminator for the "Big $$$$ Guys" to play in!
Thanks a lot NHRA, we know where you're priorities are!

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Well stated Billy. I think the powers that be at NHRA need to get their heads out of their collective butts and see the real picture. Without the "little guy", where would they be?? A traveling circus and nothing more.

We all know it is all about the big show right now. Most fans leave the stands after the show and look for food, beer or photo opportunities in the pits.

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Good post BN,

Also, NHRA seems to have a knack for taking the predictable and making it even worse by turning some categories into being virtually unwatchable.
Examples>
Stock Eliminator ..Combo classes where guys won't want to build a "one off" combo for a middle class because he will have to go a second under, right away, to have a chance of winning class.
Weight juggling so that a 67-69 Camaro fits in every possible class ,from AA to V /Stock.
Gone are the Chevelles and BBC Biscaynes , station wagons, etc.

Previously mentioned..They won't add a low, "slow" FWD class or even RWD X/Stock
for the variety if nothing else.. As a part time promoter, I notice that folks in the stands like big head start races, but there aren't many these days, the way everything is structured

Comp> Supposed to be flat out, handicap start, but way too complicated and confusing.
It takes more luck than horsepower these days.

.90's > NHRA knew the throttle stop deal was boring, and instead of of showing leader
ship and taking them away, they let the player vote on what they wanted...The easier, researched out method..They did not do that with Pro Stock.

Pro Stock > Everyone knows the deal here ..Rental BBC's in everything, funny , odd looking body shapes, cowl hoods, EFI that nobody sees but makes the qualifying sheet even narrower than before. So, exactly what has all this done to build Pro Stock?

Feel free to add more examples....

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How about combining sticks and autos to make room?

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who will this benefit, besides NHRA?

Ernie Neal
SS 354

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To make room for WHAT? FS/AAA? FS/AAAAA?
If they want to combine the sticks and autos then they should go for it! The F/S and FS/ classes are combined already. The factors are different * /S vs.* /SA anyway.

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Ernie, I'm missing your point here. There SHOULD be more heads-up runs. Do you have a problem with that? How would it benefit NHRA? They have to give out a few less class Wallys? If you need Wallys that bad, give me your address and I'll send you a couple. I haven't learned how to eat them yet and NHRA won't just give me the $20 that they're worth.

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The fans?

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Fans? The majority of fans of sportsman racing are on this forum.
I love Comp but it's become so complicated I'm not sure many of us truly understand the dynamics of it.
The .90 classes are important to only those who compete within them.
Super Stock has become a "Crate Motor" eliminator with all the different GT combinations and very few true SS combinations.
Which brings me to Stock Eliminator, the original "Run What you Brung" (as long as it was in the book). If it's a mass produced car find a viable class for it to compete. If not it belongs in Super Stock with all of the other esoteric combinations.
You know who has fans? Southeast Gassers Association. Why? Because it's nostalgic and exciting.
The N.H.R.A Marketing Department has no clue what drag racing really is other than Top Fuel and Funny Car and never will. If you view old videos and photos from the '60 and '70 the stands are SRO. Why? Because it was about cars that they drove. Maybe just maybe if A/FX is done right ( Please Lonnie) drag racing has a chance to sustain the sport we all love.

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Frank, the Sportsmen have been "sustaining" the sport since the 70s! Bracket racing has been "sustaining" local tracks since the 70s! Local bracket programs have been on the decline for at least the last decade! Big $$$ bracket racing has been declining recently because the price of poker has gotten too high for the average Racer! The pros have gotten down to maybe a dozen teams and maybe a dozen privateers keeping the whole dog-and-pony show alive! the only thing keeping up with participation as far as numbers is the NHRA Sportsman Racers!
Do you really think that "Comp" cars with "Stock" motors is the answer to sustaining the sport (which isn't a sport anymore, it's a hobby)?
When is the delivery date of your chassis scheduled for? Who's doing your motors?


Frank, just an FYI, I'm not picking on you I'm just trying to make a point. Where are all of the A/FX racers going to come from?

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Comp is really not all that complicated. It's like any of the performance based classes. Build a vehicle to the desired class and follow the rulebook closely. There are some real good cars for sale somewhat reasonable. Fastest car to the finish line wins. Faster than -.060 comes off next rounds index. Usually a 5 round race. It's a really great class once you get into it.

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If the Pro Stock Team owners become proverbial soothsayers, it's them. If they want to continue to compete, the writing is on the wall. How many fervent fans of Pro Stock are there? Those current cars they race represent nothing to me.

FYI; Billy, There will be no such thing as A/FX Dime Rocket (LOL. As you remember in 1970, Pro Stock cars were being home built by lots of dudes. $$$$ is the difference today. Technology is inflationary contrary to it's definition in my opinion.

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What about..Q sheet?..Go as fast as you want to ..Eliminator ...No more flat out, with out penalty , including index hits this week or permanent ..Personal driver indexes, Ladder games to get to round 2, clean and green?
Classes? Don't know where to start. Can't or won't drive a stick? No problem.We'll give you an automatic class.
Very cool and unique cars..But probably too many V6 and 4 cylinder sounding vehicles for the casual fan.

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Yea not complicated at all... the Shoe polish for the next round is in your ET from the previous round or a competitor in the same class somewhere in the country. For a bonus there are personal indexes. Fastest car to the finish line wins, occasionally.

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My post has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of this thread.

"...NHRA won't just give me the $20 that they're worth."

But, I got a chuckle out of that statement. Back in the '70's, we'd won so many trophies, we finally were able to talk all the local track operators into giving us $5, instead of another trophy. We had several cardboard boxes full of trophies. Only a few of the big ones really meant anything.

Hey, $5 don't sound like much now. But, back then it would buy around 10 gal or so of gas, for the tow truck. And, some of the small races had only a $6, $7, or $8 entry fee.

TJ sold several of her trophies to a single guy in her apartment complex, for $5 each. He didn't race, but used 'em to impress the girls he brought home. I often wondered exactly how impressed they were.

Carry on.

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Thank You! You're making my point for me.
Even IF every Pro Stock team builds one AND IF half of the Factory Showdown teams do and maybe a FSS or FS Racer or two, it's not enough cars and those cars are going to be built at the expense of car counts in other eliminators. How can NHRA expect Racers to build a what, 200k, 500k, 1m dollar program on the chance that they're going to get a high dollar sponsor or win a championship? Good luck with that! It's not the 70s anymore when your local GM dealer would sponsor your homebuilt Pro Stock Camaro.

Getting back on track here, NHRA is building another expensive swimming pool and are very willing to spend the time and effort AND our membership monies to do so while totally ignoring the needs of the Sportsman Racers in the kiddie pool. What does it cost them to add a class or two to Stock?

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Billy, Exactly- The FX class will hurt the FS class counts for sure.
They had the perfect opportunity when the FS cars were unveiled but that did not happen. Who plans this? Obviously not racers.

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I always thought when the Factory Stock first came out it was gonna be the new Pro Stock.

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I'm just asking, when Factory Stock Showdown is contested at National events do the fans stay in the grandstands?

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I have no idea. By the time they start the q runs for FS the sportsman classes are a couple rounds deep into their eliminator rounds and most of these cars are gone off the property. By friday afternoon at most national events half of the sportsman field has been eliminated.
NHRA has done everything they can to kill the sportsman programs. The short quotas and adding bracket classes like TS and TD. Adding Factory Stock Showdown and now this AFX class. This will be another very expensive class with over the line burnouts where they need 5-6 guys at the starting line to fan the doors, adjust the wheelie bars and get the car lined up just to blow the tires off at the drop of the clutch because they are on a small tire There is just too many of these classes now and none are very healthy. Stock and SS are holding their own for now. But we are a dieing too

If we dont get this country back on track politicly then all racing is going to suffer.