Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Probably NOT going to happen. I've been working on it for years NO interest from the top at nhra. Maybe we could pick up a couple of races.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

IMHO, the current S/St national event schedule is crazy. I realize that they're trying to do one event in each division, but my guess is that you have a LOT more competitors in the Northeast than you do in the Midwest (and when I mean Midwest, I mean Kansas, not Ohio). Yet, right now, St. Louis would probably be the ultimate place to live if you were a S/St racer, as you'd have 3 races (Dallas, Chicago, and Topeka, and not including the Sportsnationals) within about 500 miles.

In the Northeast, we obviously have Englishtown, but from there Chicago and Atlanta are each going to be about 800 miles for the majority of the racers in the Northeast.

So, have one national event race in each division to give all of your competitors a shot at racing at a national event. But then add a few more events to the schedule in the geographic regions with the highest density of S/St racers.

I think the other complaint that people had about the S/St races is don't put so many in a row. Topeka / Chicago / Englishtown are back to back to back. I don't think any S/St racer would go to all 3, but I could definitely see a bunch trying to go to Topeka / Chicago or Chicago / Englishtown.

All that said, my preference would still be for ALL CLASSES AT ALL NATIONAL EVENTS, INCLUDING S/St!

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Sad to say, but I would be suprised if anything changed. They might throw us a bone by giving us a free oil down and then they will say that the advisory counsil is making a HUGE difference, don't get me wrong, not making a difference wont be from lack of effort on the counsils part, just lack of care on NHRA's part. It would not suprise me if NHRA formed the counsil just to take some of the heat off of them and put it on the shoulders of poor guys like Rock that really care.

Bottom line is I am still happy to go .90 racing, I am honored to race at national events, and I race with the best group of racers in the world! (not you Tom, I was talking about Ron & Scott)

I only wanted a S/ST national Champ to give Lynn another trophy to get, poor girl is running out of things to win.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

I understand your opinion and agree that S/St should be contested at all events. In checking the NHRA points for S/ST for div 1 and div 5 here is the breakdown:
2005: Div 1 146, Div 5 177 point earning drivers
2006: Div 1 153, Div 5 170
2007: Div 1 140, Div 5 167

look like div 5 has more drivers than div 1, and the fact that in div 5, quite a few racers travel more than 1,000 miles each way to three in division races. As for this thread I agree with the recomendations for oil down penalties, having S/St at all events, payouts could be better, ( as suggested to be payed out at event).
Here is a question? Since everyone has to preregister for National events, and the tracks know how many cars they can handle, could there be a way to have reserved spots online, that could eliminate some of the problems during parking at those events.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Well, those numbers don't lie. I also went back and looked at the number of competitors in S/St at each of the division races for Division 1 and 5 in 2007:

Division 5
1 - Grand Bend, KS - 70
2 - Brainerd, MN - 44
3 - Morrison, CO - 60
4 - Cordova, IL - 50
5 - Topeka, KS - 60
6 - Earlville, IA - 70

Division 1
1 - Virginia - 30
2 - Maple Grove, PA - 70
3 - Atco, NH - 66
4 - Lebanon Valley, NY - 66
5 - Cecil County, MD - 54
6 - Englishtown, NJ - 62
7 - Atco, NH - 68

Throwing out the low and the high in each, and averaging the rest, Division 5 averaged 60 S/St cars per division event in 2007, and Division 1 averaged 63 cars. So, they're basically identical in division race attendance.

I don't know though...I still have a hard time believing that there's more competitors in S/St in states like South Dakota, Kansas, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Iowa than there are in states like NY, NJ, Mass., CT, and PA. I base that SOLELY on the population base. Maybe we're too busy up here in the Northeast attending the opera and drinking fine wine though.

What I DO know is that there was only ONE national event where the field was completely full, and that was Englishtown. I think a one or two people got in last year with a grade of 4, but if you want to guarantee yourself a spot over the past few years, you basically had to have a grade of 6 to get in. Here are the attendance stats for S/St for 2007 national events:

Phoenix - 58
Atlanta - 48
Chicago - 56
Englishtown - 60
Denver - 56
Seattle - 54
Houston / Dallas Debacle - 34, but I don't know how many were in Houston in the spring, but given that Houston is this weekend and the only class that's full is TA/D, I highly doubt Houston was full in S/St last year (especially considering how the weather looked going into that race).

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Another question for the council:

Why does the tree have to be .370 for sc and sg? I understand it for the pro stock classes.
Can't the computer be changed between the pro's and sportsman. Shouldn't the computer be programmed for each classes tree setting. Doesn't sound too difficult to me.
A .370 tree could be sending some sg racers to sst- I did.
What is the setting for sst at a national? .470 or .500. If it's .470 like I think it is-does it make any sense?
Some sst cars may only be able to go .500 with no time in the box. It also may stop some foot brakers from trying out sst at a divisional or two.

Of course if someone wanted to just buy: a new motor, a box and brake, smaller front tires, shocks and struts, maybe even a new car----than the tree settings would make no difference.
I say the more restrictions the better. My odds of winning get better with every racer that decides not to go to divisionals or nationals.

Oh, thats right..........I'm not going either..........oh well

(sorry about the jasonesque post)

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Personal observation: I "suspect" that the tree is as you said ".470" for S/ST at Div. 2 events. I'm carrying 1.070 or so for brackets and .045 or so for S/ST on the same trees at several of the same tracks. I don't know if the delay applies by class name in the StarTrak system, has to be preset before an event, or even involves different lamps - I'm sure Jeff Foster can answer that and I think he reads this board. If it applies by class that would support my hypothesis - simply switching the class from S/P to S/ST would cause a software-controlled delay.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Gary-

Because when they swapped to the LED bulbs everyone on the average gained .025-.030 in RT, so by making it a .370/.470 tree, it puts everyone back to where they were on the incandescent bulbs.

Later!
................ Mike

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Get the iCard turned on and have someone at NHRA come up with a proposal that I can handle to get it turned on at divisional races also.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

were trying Don....

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

I have to agree with alot of the points that have been brought up. As far as the guy who said well with the LED bulbs we are back where w were with the incandesents. put some more time in the box and make eeveryone happy. so this is my promotional list.
1. one free oil down
2. all classes at national events
3. I card at divisional events
4. Im going to add make the tree 00s
if the first three were changed i might come back and run NHRA but after going to an IHRA event and having the best time i have had racing its going to be hard for nhra to compete

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

I got into S/G last year in Englishtown with a grade 2. What grade was S/ST full? Kinda makes you wonder why we S/ST has trouble getting to race at other events when some classes dont even come close to filling at one of the biggest races in the country.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

I was pretty sure it was full at grade 4! I remember it was mostly full at 6, but I was surprised that there were still about a dozen spots left. Then, for some reason not many people registered with a grade of 5. My recollection was that there was something like 5 spots left when it went to a grade 4. It's possible that it never filled until it got to a 2, but I doubt it. My guess is that if you got in with a two, it was because somebody else dropped out. But, that's all speculation on my part.

But hey, who cares? You got in, right?

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Just to jump on the band wagon. Make the sportman pro tree a 500 tree. Gives more flexibilty for bigger and older cars to change classes.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Another thing to think about as far as the National Events we do get to race S/ST at. I don't know about you guys in other divisions but here in D7, if you look at the stats for the Phoenix National Event in S/ST, they take 60 cars and I believe there were only 55 entered, if I'm not mistaken. What I would propose is move the D7 S/ST national to Pomona. I would venture to bet that NHRA would get close to 100 entrys for S/ST. My reason behind this theory is because there is more local S/ST racers in So. Cal than in Phoenix. Once you open the flood gate for Pomona, I believe it would rise the moral for the local S/ST racer. How about you guys in other divisions???...Is the track that has the one and only national for S/ST not in the best area per capita for S/ST racers?

-Ventura Motorsports

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Greg, We have our S/st Nat at Englishtown, a beautiful place to have a race closest to NY, NJ, Ct area, but Etown fills up instantly and has major time restrictions as to when you can race and when you stop. Has only 60 spots.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

When did this turn into a S/ST discussion? Geez. I guess the Advisory Council members have their hands full with issues that racers want changed (we knew they would).......Good Luck Representatives!

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

It's a S/ST discussion because S/ST is the "black sheep " of the .90 classes. I will have to get into your dads lawn dart (milk dud) and try S/C.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Hey Gary, thats my point exactly!... S/ST is pretty popular in D1, so when E-Town opens up, all of the folks who have the grade 8 and so on fill it up. Out here in D7, as we all know gas prices aren't the cheapest, so alot of folks skip the National in Phoenix. Trying to get into Pomona out here is a 7 grade minimum, if you are a S/G, S/C racer. If they had S/ST at Pomona, it would fill up just as fast.... Are you and the "Mayor" coming to Vegas this year?

-Ventura Motorsports

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

I'm thinking they should only allow one car in SST @ ETOWN & that should be determined by most round wins there over the past 4 years !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . Greg I agreed with SST @ Pomona I would have a ride right pal! Yes the MAYOR & CREW will be @ Vegas. Finally HAAC finish my MILK DUD BEFORE IT MELTS ON THE JIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Spring Vegas race or the Fall?

-Ventura Motorsports

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

One problem with pomona ....time besides i like phoenix.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

That's a jig under your car?? I thought it was part of the car, and to think all this time, I was wondering how I was going to make it cut a light with all that iron. I was going to call James and have him build a 1200 CID engine to move that mild dud.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Phoenix is a pit!

-Ventura Motorsports

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Hey Rock,

Just a thought...

I don't know how other div. run their super street program but as far as D3 goes... Super street gets 2 runs Friday, one Saturday morning, and then we wait until first round Sunday morning. Saturday ends up being a complete waste of a day for us, we just sit around. Why wouldn't they just give us our time runs on Saturday and then race Sunday?

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Hey RL.....how are ya....

I'll bring that one up.....

it would be nice if they ran the alcohol cars and time runs on Saturday....and just had us on Sunday...

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

When you step up from bracket racing to pro tree racing, you usually have to buy some of the parts you listed. From that point, you need to TUNE your car for the desired results. Bet the majority of the cars out there, with existing parts, can hit the tree with testing different tuning techniques.

Pete, Thanks for wanting SST Championship for a new goal of mine. Don't think it will ever happen though. I'll have to think of some other goal.

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Welcome back Ray and "hello" to you also!!
Where have you been hiding?!?

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

Hi Lynn- Nice job @ the gators, I was pulling for ya! Thanks again for thr GREAT pilaf! Did you guys decide if you're gonna hit Rockingham?

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

A good for instance is look at the Las Vegas national event that is happening next weekend. Only 105 S/G racers entered, they are taking 150. In years past, if it wasn't full, it was pretty close. I just entered today (4/4/08) and look at the other classes, they are way down on car count. Why wouldn't they open it up to all classes in this instance?....All of the ideas we have also make their pockets bigger, they should atleast listen with open ears....You'd think!

-Ventura Motorsports

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

I think they will Greg...this issue is one of the top 3...

Re: Sportsman Advisory Counsil
 

I had just spoke with our DD here in D7. He told me that we will be getting 4 time shots at the Vegas National, due to a low car count. 3 runs Thursday & 1 Friday, with 1st round being soon after...We have never had 4 TT's at Vegas! Times are changing.

-Ventura Motorsports