Crate Engines in NHRA?

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Dwight Southerland

The fly in the ointment is the Billy Nees and Bob Shaw racers, but how many new racers are being educated into that perspective and mentality?

Sorry for the rant, guys.

Well Dwight, it's not for lack of trying on my end! It seem to me that you and Alan (and others) are always trying to help Racers also.
The biggest problem I have trying to get young people to try Stock and SS is the purse structure. I personally believe the ridiculous purses we are running for is the BIGGEST issue that we face (moreso than the AHFS, new cars, etc.).
How can I convince someone who can go to their local track with a Bracket car that they should try building a "specialty" car, spending 3,4,5 days at some far away track where they'll pay a ridiculous entry fee to be treated like crap and in those 3,4,5 days run one race with a purse that's lower then they are used to running for locally? Exposure? Fame?
We'll get no new blood (other than SLRCs) until NHRA makes it worthwhile for them to try it. We're dead, we just haven't fallen down yet.