We're Evolving!

[Bobby Zlatkin]

About two years ago when there was talk of a 'for profit' corporation buying the professional side of the NHRA only and not the sportsman side, it seemed to everyone that would be a terrible thing. In retrospect, it probably would have been a good thing.

Let's face it, the only thing the professional and the sportsman drag racers have in common is the venue. The race track. Other than that, our interests are different. We' re not doing this for a living (well, the most of us), We're doing it for fun.

Maybe if the two had been seperated, and the sportsman side remained 'not for profit', still belonging to it's members, we could control our own destiny.

That's why I believe sports national events are much more fun for a sportsman racer than national events where we suck hind teat.

We could still have Indy as the premier event. Just a different weekend.

I never could understand how our organization got sold out from under us. Instead of the organization being our adversary, it should represent the wants of the majority.

[Billy Nees]

Guys! Come on, we've only had 6 replies and we're already O/T to NHRA sucks and his d**k is bigger than mine!
I think that topics like this can be important! Did I say that? Woah!
Come on Terry? Where are we going ? Let's hear some real opinions about where our sport might be heading in the future. Come on, you smart guys out there! Don't make me call you out!
BTW, if you can measure your d**k by the horsepower you're making, I've got the smallest d**k out there so don't be shy.
(no offense to anyone named D**k!)

[gmonde]

from my side of the fence ,there is going to be a time where it will become just a flat hood 9" tire class,,the ecoonmy in the state thats its in,people loosing jobs on a daily basis ,people will have to scale back and racing is luxury for most of us and the car counts will be down ,pay outs will be lower than they already are,nhra will have no choice but to consolidate classes ,they guys running divisionals can run fast as they want ,i havent seen tear downs at divisionals(to much going on),there enough of us out there stock/super stock guys to have our own events (we do with associations but not nhra) but in todays world that will never happen,but i cant see it going a way completely ,i walk around the pits and see some of the innovation,dedication,compasion that is put to each car to get as much out of it as possible its just amazing ,,,is nhra bad ,i dont think so ,its just like any thing else in life when thing are rolling along and demand is up you build up to meet demand,now its more bussiness than doing whats best for the racers,,, a major shake up good or bad would be good ,this way the decision is clear gmonde

[Robert Simpson]

I believe that the ultimate goal is to have a 1-2 day race with a limited field. I see only 16-32 cars that are on a invitaion list. You qualify for the list based on how you do at the divisionals etc. A large entry fee, with a so-so payout.

Yes I believe that SS will eventually be turned into a ci/pd description with a spec carb. For example your car came with a 283 so you fit into a ci/pd that fits your weight break. You can have any heads and a spec carb. Then teck would have nothing to do but pump it and check the carb/weight/gas and they are done.

Yes I believe that Stock will gradually turn into a 9" Super Stock class. Roller rockers everyone allowed solid roller cams with the stock lift. We do not know what they have in store. But, I have been around this for years and if there are several different ways that NHRA can go on a decision, there decision will typically be the least logical one and one that usually costs the most.

When a rule is changed to "enhance" it opens up other doors that effect other things. If the rule on the lifters would have been lets say 120pds seat pressure checked on the car for all cars then you would not have the lifters, cams and valve train expense we have and the power that comes with it, then the extra HP we earn on our combo.....NHRA wants us and needs us to fill in some and to receive our money. There is no one in the high ups of NHRA who is/was a racer so they have no idea what it takes to race.

I love to race and the challenge of making my combo better. I have only raced at Divisionals and other meets and not Nationals. I can not easily get 5 days off to race a event or leave on a Wed just to get a parking spot at a divisional and more that 1 time run.

If NHRA would let there Divisional tech directors make there decisions and stand by them while having every division communicate with the other divisions it would help alot. If NHRA would just be consistent with there rules that would help alone.

I believe that the sportsman classes could be marketed in such a way that it would be very inviting to companies of all kinds. Thus helping NHRA and in turn help the racers.

Sorry Billy I got a little off subject...............

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Robert Simpson

I believe that the ultimate goal is to have a 1-2 day race with a limited field. I see only 16-32 cars that are on a invitaion list. You qualify for the list based on how you do at the divisionals etc. A large entry fee, with a so-so payout.

Yes I believe that SS will eventually be turned into a ci/pd description with a spec carb. For example your car came with a 283 so you fit into a ci/pd that fits your weight break. You can have any heads and a spec carb. Then teck would have nothing to do but pump it and check the carb/weight/gas and they are done.

Yes I believe that Stock will gradually turn into a 9" Super Stock class. Roller rockers everyone allowed solid roller cams with the stock lift. We do not know what they have in store. But, I have been around this for years and if there are several different ways that NHRA can go on a decision, there decision will typically be the least logical one and one that usually costs the most.

When a rule is changed to "enhance" it opens up other doors that effect other things. If the rule on the lifters would have been lets say 120pds seat pressure checked on the car for all cars then you would not have the lifters, cams and valve train expense we have and the power that comes with it, then the extra HP we earn on our combo.....NHRA wants us and needs us to fill in some and to receive our money. There is no one in the high ups of NHRA who is/was a racer so they have no idea what it takes to race.

I love to race and the challenge of making my combo better. I have only raced at Divisionals and other meets and not Nationals. I can not easily get 5 days off to race a event or leave on a Wed just to get a parking spot at a divisional and more that 1 time run.

If NHRA would let there Divisional tech directors make there decisions and stand by them while having every division communicate with the other divisions it would help alot. If NHRA would just be consistent with there rules that would help alone.

I believe that the sportsman classes could be marketed in such a way that it would be very inviting to companies of all kinds. Thus helping NHRA and in turn help the racers.

Sorry Billy I got a little off subject...............

I'm afraid to say I'm think along the same lines.

Mark, I wasn't bringing into the equation National politics! Throw that in and we may not last 5 years!

[7423]

Six months ago, I heard a rumor at the Sonoma National. I posted on this forum what I had heard and was laughed at and told never to repeat those types on rumors without real proof.
I think I will try this again........................."NHRA is strongly considering a S/SS combo with a qualified field of xxx amount". That really does not sound to far out of line based on the latest changes from Glendora.

[Jason]

Maybe there is something else the sanctioning bodies are looking at when it comes to class racing. The real Stock/SS tech guys are all getting older, as in old enough to start retiring from tech. Like the country music song goes...

"Who's gonna fill their shoes?"

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Jason

Maybe there is something else the sanctioning bodies are looking at when it comes to class racing. The real Stock/SS tech guys are all getting older, as in old enough to start retiring from tech. Like the country music song goes...

"Who's gonna fill their shoes?"

If they retire, most of them won't do it because of age............................................... ..

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Billy Nees

Guys! Come on, we've only had 6 replies and we're already O/T to NHRA sucks and his d**k is bigger than mine!
I think that topics like this can be important! Did I say that? Woah!
Come on Terry? Where are we going ? Let's hear some real opinions about where our sport might be heading in the future. Come on, you smart guys out there! Don't make me call you out!
BTW, if you can measure your d**k by the horsepower you're making, I've got the smallest d**k out there so don't be shy.
(no offense to anyone named D**k!)

What do I think? I believe Robert Simpson's post is not far off of what could be in the not so distant future. Less tech problems for the associations is a sure bet. The HP game is a joke and requires to much man power to keep up with even though there are some who would do it for nothing if allowed. As for tech (tear downs) the Marty Barretts and Greg X;s are long gone. No one wants to do it anymore or has the knowledge to keep up with it only to be over ruled. Limited fields most likely to shorten the number of days at the track and the number of hours to put on a circus like show. It may not come in a year or two but its coming like it or not. I will think more about this and post when I can be more sure of what Im saying.

[Larry Hill]

Bob I got one of all the hoods