Contingency & Purses
 

With the announcement of this year’s NHRA Contingency Sponsor list and what appears to be a very short one at that (although I believe we’ll find that by the time the first car pulls into the water box in Pomona in less than a month, that list will grow), does anyone realize that there is only a small percentage of racers who will be lucky enough to take advantage of the money posted? As an example, at most divisional events, there are only 16 racers (winner and r/u from the eight “core” classes – TAD, TAFC, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Gas and Street) who will be able to pull from the now-reduced list. This begs to ask the question: Does it REALLY matter to you if that list had 100 or just 50 sponsors? For some, the “thought” of being able to “win” the big money is a risk they’d like to take, but does it really MATTER? What WOULD cause you to either attend or not attend a race?

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Re: Contingency & Purses
 

My dad built our first drag car in 1992, a '74 Duster for bracket racing, mostly in our driveway, and it was painted there, too. After the paint had cured, I collected contingency decals, but was hesitant to put anything on the new paint, due to odds even longer than those faced by those racing at National events. "The only way these would pay anything was if I won the Bracket Finals." We shrugged and put them on anyway. At least it looked more like a race car! In 1994, I won the NHRA Div. 1 Heavy E.T. title, and those contingency decals not only helped fund the following season, but also helped put me through college.

Today, I can't say that I race for a living, but I couldn't make a living without racing. I call it a very rewarding part-time job, and it is an integral part of my graphic design and printing business. Decals make the difference. Although the odds are long to make it to the finals and collect on those decals, over the course of a season, a few finals here and there far outweigh the losses of other events. Without the support of contingency sponsors, racing on a national level would not be financially viable, and I would return to racing locally.

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

I sure am relieved to see that JW and Crane are on the list...with any luck, maybe Barry Grant will return...

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

:eek: :D

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

lol! Now that's some funny S#*T right there!

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

Thats good stuff...

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

Does it matter! .....HELL YES ........we chase that elusive Wally not only for the glory and the "points", but the money. ..........Most of us will only hope to make it to the money rounds,but when we do get there, there must be something other than the pittance that NHRA offers to make it worth it all.. The contingency program is NHRA's way of shifting the payout burden to someone other than themselves........With the economic crisis we are facing , the sanctioning body must step up and make up the difference in payout. ......I had a ten year drought between National event finals,and I can tell you I got about $3000 less for the latest one!!...............Racers like Dan ,when he's not making a hilarious post, can really shed the light on how much the actual purse has diminished over the last decade. ...........It does not matter how many racers are actually going to get the money, the potential for getting the payout is what matters........Tom

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

Actually it is funny if you know the payout history of those three companies,

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

I'm going to use my jw money for my retirement

Re: Contingency & Purses
 

Dan don't forget to add Jet Hot to that list. They had a full page ad to let us know they are still around and posting for everything again.