[AJ Laferty]

This is a great thread.

I am a class racer, just not a class drag racer. I am a class autocrosser. Now, before you scroll on, I wanted to chime in here about young racers.

There is no shortage of young class racers, just young class drag racers. I can't swing a dead cat without hitting a young person at an autocross. But, autocross is more about driver skill than making power skill. Don't get me wrong, power certainly has it's place, but a great driver in a low power car will beat a lousy driver in a high power car every time in autocross.

I think there is something to the idea that a class drag car really needs to be towed, but very few "street" (Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) equivalent to NHRA "stock") cars are towed to events. These are the same cars they commute to work/school and go on dates in. I will offer that a "street" class autocross car is pretty much a really stock car with only dampers, tires/wheels and cat back exhaust as allowed modifications. That keeps the costs a little lower i think. In drag racing, I would think the stock rule allowance creep over the years has an impact. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY talks about aftermarket lifters being allowed in "Street." The rules are just tighter and there may be an advantage there.

Young drag racers, who are towing cars, need a tow vehicle and a trailer in addition to their race car. Many young people I know live in apartments where parking a tow vehicle/trailer and race car is just not practical, even if the young folks can afford it. So, "street" class autocross works well for them. (there is no shortage of towed autocross cars, just more street driven autocross cars at events than what I see even at street class bracket racing).

So, I think part of the question that should be asked is not why aren't young people racing, they are, but what and how are they racing? The Solo (autocross) Nationals goes for 4 days and sells out at 1300+ competitors every year (sells out in hours if not minutes). Where was the last 1300 car drag race? So, there is something that is missing. (I can't even get young people to come out to street class bracket race regularly).

Oh, and SCCA national competition, there is a maximum 30 year old car rule for the "street" class. Anything older has to go up a level in modification to continue competing. This is to discourage the advantage of a "unicorn" car combination which has not been available for decades. I am aware of the penalties of rulemaking, if this were to be applied to stock drag racing-many $100K cars would become worth very little and there would be a huge argument against it. But, 40 year old cars can cost a lot of money compared to 10-20 year old cars.

Most "street" class are late models, which can be readily financed and I think there is probably some advantage there. I am not sure many late model stockers in the guide can be financed by average young people due to the cost (not to mention the insurance costs).

The final point i would like to make is there is absolutely zero expectation of winning a purse in autocross. Sure, you may win a set of tires if you win class at a national event, but that's about it. No money. No expectation of covering the cost of entry or tow gas. None of that entire conversation. It's a hobby, why would anyone expect someone else to pay for your hobby? Autocross is not a spectator event so no paying crowd in the stands---pretty much like all the s/ss events I have attended.

I didn't make this post to tout SCCA and autocrossing or bust anybody's chops, but to point out that young people are class racing, but in a different venue. Why is that? Answer that question and I think you'll be on your way to putting young butts in drag race cars.