If an advocate could be found - what would you say?

[HR9121]

Overall I'm not at all worried about NHRA doing away with sportsman racing, as I've said before they need us and now more than ever. What does concern me are some of the issues stated above already. One thing we should remember though, it's about sportsman racing not just Stock and SS, these other classes are just as important as they give us a much bigger voice and as some of you know I started racing in the Super classes. We must refrain about making any recommendations about just Stock or SS if we want to be taking seriously otherwise it becomes just a one-sided agenda.
First of all I would like to see quotas for all sportsman classes increased somewhat to more realistic versions of a few years ago. For Heavens sake 70 or 75 per class would look like Indy at this point. I feel they are keeping it to a bare necessity of what's the income they need from us at each event and it could easily be risen up some without creating too much of a schedule conflict. It's been done in the past and can be done again, I know some of it has to do with pit space at certain places but not all. Over the last couple years at Charlotte for instance there has been plenty of room left on the sportsman side that they have turned into Gold parking and there is plenty of places for those to be parked elsewhere.
My other concern would be cost vs payout, it is ridiculous but it will not stop me from doing this. I as well the vast majority don't do it for the money ofcourse but I got to admit a little bigger check wouldn't hurt my feelings a little and might even give me a little more leeway with my financial director at home.
I started following Stock and SS in the mid to late 80's and it's obviously not what it was then but I don't feel we or sportsman racing are on life support just yet. Actually over the last couple of seasons I've noticed a little bit of increase in car counts. There's still some new people trickling in across various classes and there's the appointment of Charles Myers by NHRA as sportsman relations director. Charles loves sportsman racing especially Stock and SS and has dreamed of working in this capacity since he was a kid. He will do good things for us I believe and may just be the voice we've been needing in Glendora for a while. Hope everyone has a great season and I look forward to seeing you all at the races.