[Chuck Beach]

Guys,
I have to agree with Ed on this one. Just because you are a professional racer shouldn't mean you should get special treatment. I would like to think that if I pay $250.00 to enter a national event, take time off work to go (usually vaction time), fuel for the truck, fuel for the car, hotel expense, food, etc. that I should get at least a decent place to park my rig regardless of the size. No one has control over the weather but to push the sportsman racer farther and farther away from the staging lanes is getting absurd. I have been racing since the late 70's and I have been parked in some pretty remote places at national events as well as divisionals. Last year at Indy NHRA blocked off a large area for the PM's and they didn't fill half of it. Whether we are sportsman racers or pros we are still competitors. We are still part of the show. We the sportsman racers are paying to compete and should be given a decent place to pit. I think there are plenty of fans out there that still like to see stock and super stock. I know things have changed over the years but this sport was built on stock and super stock, not bracket racing or pros. At the rate things are going NHRA will be lucky to fill the pro fields at a lot of the races. The alky classes very seldom have a full field. I know we need to adapt but at least make us feel like we are part of the show .....