Why is there no interest in all new combos

[DG]

AJ Laferty, I dabbled in autocross for a few years while taking a break from drag racing. Your observations are exactly what I noticed. Its a lot of fun for very little money. Best of all, you get their early in the morning and usually heading home by 2 pm the same day. Plus, an autocross can be run at pretty much any large parking lot or small airport. I will say, I think the local wednesday drags at Sacramento raceway had more young people participating than the autocross. Being competitive in autocross stock classes is a lot harder than it looks.

[AJ Laferty]

I've been autocrossing for 32 years, teaching ax for 28. I have had exactly two (2) that showed up for school that knew what they were doing. We all think we are Mario, ayrton senna, lewis hamilton, (pick one) but we are not.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by Mike Gray

This is the reason I sold my super gas car to build a “slower” stocker. I’ll get the same enjoyment building and driving it as the super gas car but there is NO excitement watching that group of cars run. Super comp dragsters have to be the worst, at least the others look like cars. What really kills it is watching a group of top dragsters run how they should preform and it makes super comp look like a grown up version of jr. dragster.

So true, I did race Super Street (10.90) for a couple of years, over 30 years ago. That was before the cars were all doing the "launch, die, coast, then take off again" dance, back then guys either used a throttle stop in high gear, or by a mechanical throttle pedal stop bolt or shortened travel. And most of the Super street cars were going 120-130 MPH. After 1/2 dozen divisional and 2 National events, I realized that the .90 classes just weren`t for me. Don`t get me wrong, I have a number of friends that race in Super Gas and Super Street, and I can appreciate what is involved in getting the stop and timer dialed in to hit the number, but to me, the thought of spending money to delibaritly slow the car down just seems counterintuitive to a "race".

[Tony Corley]

Just an observation, from the outside looking in. There are a multitude of obvious reasons that the younger crowd isn't class racing in Stock and Super Stock, but to think that they are not drag racing is delusional. Heads up racing is what excites the younger generation, with power adders taking the forefront. Go to any heads up race and look at the racers. Especially the latest fad of No Prep style racing. Or Grudge Racing. It's young guys (and gals), in turbo, supercharged, or nitrous cars, with very minimal rules, racing first to the finish line wins. They don't have to be bothered with certain part numbers to be legal. And they get to go way quicker than any Stock Eliminator, and probably all but maybe a couple Super Stock cars. And on top of that, the purses are larger. I'm an old guy. I grew up around Gas and Modified, Stock and Super Stock. I've been debating building a new Stock or SS car. But truthfully, every time I start adding up the cost, I wonder "why do I want to spend this much money, to go this slow, for this limited return on investment" For the same money, I can build a 7 second, (or quicker), stock style suspension doorslammer, and race somewhere almost every weekend, without the hassles you guys go through to even try to get accepted to enter a race. Again, I'm not knocking Class Racing, I have always loved it. But I'm just voicing my opinion why it is dying out.

[1320racer]

young to you maybe but regardless of the drag racing venue, young people... Millennials and Generation Z are not interested in Drag Racing no mind competing in any great numbers that will ensure the sports survival and replace one for one every baby boomer that has and will retire and die.

[nickh]

Charlie 69 is my favorite #

Originally Posted by Charlie Yannetti

WELL PAUL.. at the age of 69, and attending organized Drag Racing since the age of 15, I find myself looking around the staging lanes at most races and realizing that I'm actually one of the younger guys..

Many of the classes, Stock, Super Stock, and Comp Eliminator requires more than an interest in Drag Racing.. it requires mentoring, teaching, and grooming that interest..

To ask why there is no interest in new combos, one would have to ask, WHO WILL RACE THEM??

[1320racer]

in 10 years from now, stock, super stock, comp will be decimated due to the large loss of racers. Just walk their lanes at any divisional starting next month and start counting the racers that will be retired from racing or dead by then. The numbers should scare you.

[Tony Corley]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

young to you maybe but regardless of the drag racing venue, young people... Millennials and Generation Z are not interested in Drag Racing no mind competing in any great numbers that will ensure the sports survival and replace one for one every baby boomer that has and will retire and die.

I’m talking about 20 to 30 year olds. When I go to a local No Prep race, they are everywhere. Racing and spectating

Tony I agree,,like Pinks TV draws the kids in. Look at Drag Race results now. Do you see a stock, Superstock or any other sportsman cars there?? Nope!
Once in a great while we see Sportsman on TV. It’s all about the Pro’s. Sad.
Discovery does a good job on the story and not on the car and driver.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Tony Corley

Just an observation, from the outside looking in. There are a multitude of obvious reasons that the younger crowd isn't class racing in Stock and Super Stock, but to think that they are not drag racing is delusional. Heads up racing is what excites the younger generation, with power adders taking the forefront. Go to any heads up race and look at the racers. Especially the latest fad of No Prep style racing. Or Grudge Racing. It's young guys (and gals), in turbo, supercharged, or nitrous cars, with very minimal rules, racing first to the finish line wins. They don't have to be bothered with certain part numbers to be legal. And they get to go way quicker than any Stock Eliminator, and probably all but maybe a couple Super Stock cars. And on top of that, the purses are larger. I'm an old guy. I grew up around Gas and Modified, Stock and Super Stock. I've been debating building a new Stock or SS car. But truthfully, every time I start adding up the cost, I wonder "why do I want to spend this much money, to go this slow, for this limited return on investment" For the same money, I can build a 7 second, (or quicker), stock style suspension doorslammer, and race somewhere almost every weekend, without the hassles you guys go through to even try to get accepted to enter a race. Again, I'm not knocking Class Racing, I have always loved it. But I'm just voicing my opinion why it is dying out.

Tony, As an old Modified racer, I could fix you right up...for peanuts ;-)