Why Aren't You Racing?

[Jimi B]

Maybe health aside, I think even the non money problems could be solved with money ha. Of course it might be a little boring if we all had CJs now wouldnt it? Ha.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Jimi B

Of course it might be a little boring if we all had CJs now wouldnt it? Ha.

Then again it could be more exciting because all of the runs would be HEADS UP (after combining the sticks and automatics together) and flat out.

[THE LEGEND]

BP,
I could'nt agree more.
It's all about money , committment ,and priority.

Chip Johnson

[BobOrme]

I hope you folks don't mind my weighing in on this subject because I'm not a racer, but I am someone who is passionate about the sport and I make part of my living from it. Hopefully Adger won't mind my borrowing his soapbox for a minute or two.

I've read every post, and the reasons folks aren't racing as much as they have in the past or would like to now does, for the most part, have a central theme - money. The current economy is hitting a lot of people very hard. My own event schedule for this year was cut by 40% from what I worked last year.

The two major sanctioning bodies are night-and-day different on the structure of how they conduct divisional events. NHRA is 11 classes while IHRA is 7 classes. Therefore, the IHRA has much more flexibility concerning scheduling events that can be contested and completed in one or two days. Some NHRA divisional events are scheduled for two days, but those can only be conducted at tracks that have no curfews and have lights for night racing. Any time either sanctioning body can cut the required time for racers to be away from home and still compete is an obvious incentive for more participation.

Some feel eliminating alcohol classes from NHRA divisionals would be beneficial to everyone. Given that some tracks can and have opted not to include those classes, that is sometimes the only way a particular track can afford to host a divisional event. The costs of the purse is an added expense to the track owners, and if they know they can't cover that expense with both the back and front gate receipts, and their market won't draw enough front gate to cover it no matter how much they promote those classes as the headliners of the event, they'll have to eat some of the expense.That is sad. Given the short fields in the alky classes at many (too many) divisional events, entry fees would further shorten those fields, yet the track owners would still have to pay the same 1st place and R/U purses (there have been events with only two cars entered), so the track owners would still be on the hook for added purse money. That means added pressure to cover that expense from the back gate, or charging $3 for a soda that they were charging $1.25 for at the concession stand three years ago. I think the alky classes are exciting to watch. They've already been cut from quite a few national events. I'd really hate to see them cut on a larger basis at the divisional level, but given that this year's NHRA divisional schedule is smaller than it has ever been since I started working them, this may well be a trend that will find more tracks opting out of hosting alky, or hosting a divisional at all.

I'll touch on Comp Eliminator for just a moment, prompted just a little bit by Adger's post about open/all run fields. Having 32 Comp cars show up for most NHRA divisional events has been relatively rare over the last few years, and in some divisional events, it has never happened (see Fallon this year - no Comp entries and Fallon last year - two Comp entries). Comp happens to be my favorite class. I truly appreciate the diversity of the cars involved. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy this sport at every level, and Stock and Super Stock are right up there. To me personally, wheels up cutting a great light in both lanes and racing the stripe within a foot (or less) of each other is just as exciting as top fuel!

I don't know what the IHRA charges a track to host a divisional event. While there have been some cutbacks and/or changes made to who is hosting the events, it must be relatively reasonable. Perhaps it's time for the NHRA to adjust their hosting fees for divisional events to reflect the current economy.

[Adger Smith]

Bob,
You stood tall on my soap box...
Very good points. I was going to say we had seen about a 40 % drop. I had based it on Nitro Joe's stats. We have been having a lengthy discussion on one of the Comp forums about attendance/participation and how to make changes to improve it. I'm of the opinion that things are going to have to change in near future to keep the majority of track owners in the black. Even some of the better local tracks are having trouble staying out of the red. I hope the future of our sport can be a good one, but it doesn't look so good to me. I'm not trying to be a gloom and doom guy, just a realist that things aren't the same & our sport needs to evolve/grow with the times....
Bob,
Thanks for an insiders perspective

[Patric Fox]

I have not raced this year because my old boss just about bankrupt me over the winter with a lack of working hours. I save my few vacation days to go racing the last couple of years and had to quit my job(and didn't get my vacation pay) and take another job with no vacation time this year. My new job is always 40 hours a week but more travel time. Hopefully I can go racing soon, and have to get used to racing in 98 degree weather, since I missed the nice springtime conditions.

[rayfin]

I $ don't $ remember why $ I $ quit $ racing...

[Rich Erickson]

Even though I love drag racing! I would say it's $$$ - Unfortuantly, the cost to start up again is way to expen$ive. I make much more $$$ building engines for the local dirt track guys.

[FLEMING]

Originally Posted by THE LEGEND

BP,
I could'nt agree more.
It's all about money , committment ,and priority.

Chip Johnson

Chip you have helped me see this... When I was younger I would race somewhere on friday night, sleep in my 84 suburban and race somewhere on saturday, I raced alot of times when I didnt have the money too, i made it work and it always seemed to work out..... Now I have more money than I had then, but I have a house payment now, and other things, so I make excuses alot and talk myself into not going.... My priorities have changed somewhat, and my committment is definately not where it used to be....

SF needs to get off the couch..