NHRA price hike

[Adger Smith]

Just start adding up the numbers on license & membership & Certifications. A little math will show what is brought into their coffers. Out of the old $75 fee they cut the amount the Certification employee gets, then they raise the fee to $150. I was told that just the Certifications in each division brought in enough money, at the old price, to run the Each Division. I was told this quite a while back, before the changes, by someone pretty high in NHRA that I consider very credable. Then they have all these other fees that they charge to all the alternative associations & local tracks. They have license & Certifications too. I don't buy the retoric that they are subsidizing the sportsman. The numbers just don't add up. I think the Sportsman being subsidized is more of a case of "Say the same thing over & over & it will become believed as the truth, even if it isn't." Think about it... Some profit center is paying for all the FREE that the Pro's get. What other big profit center is there besides Sportsman racers & T.V.? OH yes, Spectators, but they have given them a small reduction in ticket prices. I don't mind paying a little more, but double in these economic times... ??

[Michael Pliska]

This really stinks! I'm running on 60% of my regular salary, but was looking forward to bringing my Super-Gas car back out for the first time in 15 years. I suppose I'll pay the extortion for renewing my license (since I drive other people's cars on occasion), but I think my car is about to get throttle stopped to 10.10 (and skip the chassis cert). Literally I saw the NHRA article on this as I was coming in from working on the car, looking up the local chassis cert guy to see if he can recertify next week.

Regards,

[69ss/rs]

IF NHRA has to spend so much to subsidies the sportsmen classes, than somebody needs to find out where all of Forrest Lucas money is going. NHRA is not a business; therefore they do not make money, they only take it in. Having said that, any money they pay out either comes from you the racer or a company paying for the right to sponsor something. So for them to say we cost them money than they are full of s---t. Maybe if they would learn how to get ESPN to pay them for the rights to show the races, instead of NHRA paying ESPN; they could save some of the millions of dollars that they are trying to suck out of us.

[Barney B]

I sent NHRA a polite and professional e-mail about this whole deal. Maybe we should ALL do that. I do not agree with what they did I just don't like to complain where it does no good. I don't think you tracks or division had anything to do with it.

Just a thought, BB

[Roo]

Hi.

This is my first post here, but Ive been reading the site off and on, mostly whenever there is some crisis or goings on in the drag racing world. First off, I'm a nobody. Ive raced one divisional and one national, and was an easy trip for my opponent to the next round at both events.

As a novice S/G racer, I didnt expect to set the world on fire, all I wanted was to not look foolish. I barely met my goals. You see, I sat in the stands for years at the only National event within a reasonable distance of my home. I live in North/West Ontario, and my closest track is BIR. If I dont mess around I can make it there in 6 hours.

For many years, I watched the NorthStar--Champion Auto--Colonel's truck--Lucas oil Nationals from the stands and wanted so badly to someday race there. I had an 11 sec bracket car I owned since I was 15 years old, but at 3900lbs, it was a poor choice for super gas car. SST isnt contested at BIR, so I decided to construct a new car. As a professional mechanic, with great science and math skills, an ability to learn and read anything I can get my hands on, I knew I could do it.

Now, Im not a rich man, I worked hard on my dreams, doing whatever I could to get my car completed. I even went into great debt to do it. I built my own motor, transmission, rear ends etc.. I did my own welding, my own tin work, and I even painted the car myself in my own garage. A show winner it isnt, but I can park it anywhere, even amongst show winners, and it still looks pretty good.

So with the car done, years after I gave into my desire to race in S/G, I began the process of using it. Remember I said Im not rich, and I live 350 miles from the closest possible place to race, so using this car is an expensive adventure. A weekend going to race can get to $1000 pretty easily, so I'm lucky to get out more than 3 times/year. At BIR brackets, youre lucky if you can get more than 15 runs in 3 days, unless you enter 2 classes and pay more entry. Anyway, you can imagine at that rate,the S/G learning curve is very slow, especially for a guy that does everything himself.

So, since Im a Canadian that likes to race, and needs a competition license, I have to subscribe to National Dragster. Initially, I enjoyed it, but with everything NHRA, you can see its rapid decline in quality. I have to drive 6.5 hours to Minneapolis to get my chassis certified, and out of the 3 times Ive had it done, never once have I paid less than $150!! He seems to charge what he wants?? and of course, everytime it gets certified,he tells me I need another bar here, or another bar there.

Anyway, Im a shoestring budget racer, and there just isnt room for these cost increases. In 07, I entered the divisional, got my grade point, a $1000 grade point. I entered the National, whatever the cost was, I was excited to reach my goal. I was suprised at the "insurance" cost, epecially since there was no policy??? I know when I buy insurance anywhere else, I get a copy of the policy, so I know what Im insured for. Not this time.

anyway, to end this boring long story... after fuel prices went crazy last year, I decided to sit things out, and spent some money on home improvements, something that I can get a return on, instead of drag racing. I was hoping to return to racing this year, but the increase in everything $$NHRA$$, Im forced to sit it out again.

This time Im sitting out for good. I will never renew my membership, licence, or get my car certified, or enter anything NHRA ever again. I'l cut up my car if I cant sell it, and part out the rest. I still have my old bracket car, and if I need a fix, I'll race it now and then, staying out of the license range. Im not the only one who feels this way

[Michael Pliska]

I sent a professional but firm letter to NHRA, and a different one to Lucas Oil. I mentioned it on another thread, but I wonder what Forrest and Charlotte Lucas think about this, seeing as how their name is synonymous with NHRA Sportsman Drag Racing. With any luck (and more people contacting them) we can have the Lucas' on our side.

I've been adding up the cost of bringing my car back out (with all the SFI recertifications that were not necessary back when I raced it last). I'm thinking that I can run it consistently in the 10's for bracket races, so I'll only get a trans shield. I'll be one less car at LODRS that would have otherwise been there.

Regards,