[FED 387]

As little as about 8 years ago we could "earn" about $1300-1700 in qualifying monies @ a NHRA National Event with our Comp car using different products--that slowly went away til it no longer exists---not only that during this time the entry fees have increased dramatically and the PURSE has either remaind stagnant or gone up ever so little-IHRA for the most part in our area has disappeared I think because their format allowed no "breakout" in ET--- so basically it became ET racing---I do not care for ET racing---Most Comp racers do not like ET racing-- I have always thought it should be the first car to the stripe wins!!!-- I do not have a problem with handicap starts---
Going back a long time ago lotsa free products were given away to the racers at the track( lubricants/plugs/brake cleaner etc just to name a few), MSD freely did ignition repairs, and things of that nature-- then the HRA's(both) started charging the manufacturers HUGE amounts of money to be on the MIDWAY at an event and what happened is that before you knew it the mfg. had thousands of dollars paid out to be there in the hopes that the fans would see &might/would buy their products. Then next thing they knew they doubled what they were charging them----This coupled with the tremendous increase in spectator admission which caused decreases in attendence, the economy going sour, unemployment etc has caused many companies not just the little guys but the big ones to to rethink how they are going to do business------It is hard for the average racer or fan to understand the additional financial burden BOTH the HRA's have placed on the "sponsors" and why many no longer choose to participate or have cut back if not eliminated participation altogether.--- MY .02 ---FED 387