National car counts

[W J]

Originally Posted by chris3racing

This is a post I have been waiting to see. I had mentioned on other threads the empty seats in the last three National event races. If you have the events recorded both Saturday qualifing and Sunday finals, you can look back and see how few spectators there are on Sundays. I would like to see NHRA run some qualifying runs for Stock and Superstock on Saturday morning and then go in to the races. At Z-max, earlier this year, we went on Saturday and the pits were nearly empty and we only got to see a few cars run. I have noticed a lot of video of the "wheels up" Superstocker, placed at the very end of the commercials, when the show starts back. Not going to kill this post with the wrong comment, but most of these, not NHRA/IHRA races are drawing these crowds to see these "older cars" leave the starting line with the "wheels up." There are a lot of Superstockers making an appearance on the TV show Pass Time and, yes those guys do not know alot about the cars but they do get real excited and comment when a nice looking Stock/Superstock leaves the starting line with the wheels up.

I would really like to see the races opened up to "cars that show, pay at the gate and race." I do not have the time to travel around to all of the divisional races but I would like to race at Z-Max, the only NHRA track within a 6 hour drive of Raleigh.

Cars not showing at all, and it will have to be either alot or no cars at all, will be the only way that NHRA will understand what these Sportsman cars, the money and the people they bring with them, means to NHRA. Right now they have 15 to 16 cars in these fuel classes with only three Owners having the majority of the cars entered and they don't pay. The people that travel and make up these teams, along with the people who get "VIP" passes from these teams, neither pay to get in the race nor do they buy from concession stands. They have food and drinks available to them all day long.

The Pro Stock cars bring so many cars they have sometimes as many as 8 or 9 cars that do not even qualify and have to go home. They have the closest races of any of the cars. NHRA continues to shove these cars around and they, as a group, are going to do something. That will be interesting.

chris3, The last 2 paragraphs of your post pretty much hit the nail right on the head....Pro Stock people at least stick together, stand up to, and won't be bullied by NHRA.... WJ

[Daran Summerton]

I did not mean to start a bitch session with this and hope someone with influence gets to read this. I am on a fixed income but there is the occasional side job I knock out and have some race $. I no longer have a 50 ft trailer because it was too much expense. Now I can hook up my open trailer and be on the interstate in about 20 minutes. OOpps no I can't because I forgot my online registration password and I think I missed the cutoff ?????? The cutoff should be making tech before the final qualifying session!!!!! I cannot say this will increase counts but it might help.

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Not being a long time NHRA racer I will say that in the past the quota system may have made sense. That being said, it's no longer the past. Like many corporations it takes time for the reality of the here and now to sink in then as we all know there is a knee jerk reaction to it. I've had no real issues with the system other than the preregistration, you never know if your stuff will still be raceable when the race actually happens. I always liked the IHRA deal... Show up pay your money and race. This year we've only attended 1 Nat. since it was in our backyard, doubtful on Indy, not that it's far but the amount of days plus the high entry fees make it not very appealing for us. Thanks to the local S-S/S combo races we can still go race and have fun without using all our vacation time for racing. Joe

[Daran Summerton]

Exactly Joe, let's all pretend its Wed Aug 28 and the car is running awesome and it's in the trailer already strapped down just need to hook up the truck and head to the track and pay at the gate. Would this influence your decision? I think it Might, maybe not but it Might....

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Daran, you will get no argument from me on this, however until things get to a point of no more denial... which may or may not happen NHRA will continue with their current play book. If and when NHRA sees that this strategy is not in their best interest they may have a change of heart. I'm not holding my breathe on this as I recall their response to things going in the toilet as far as the economy was to immediately double all costs to their customers, chassis certs lic. fees ect. Maybe just maybe this move is finally coming back to roost. Joe

[7423]

Yes Denver has a weak car count. I have never been there, but we all know it is slow, real slow. I am sure the index change didn't help that count. Those who went may wish they didn't. How about in the 90's and raining.....................not my idea of a good time!!
http://weather.aol.com/forecast/toda...enver/id/80247

[John Quinn]

Originally Posted by 7423

Yes Denver has a weak car count. I have never been there, but we all know it is slow, real slow. I am sure the index change didn't help that count. Those who went may wish they didn't. How about in the 90's and raining.....................not my idea of a good time!!
http://weather.aol.com/forecast/toda...enver/id/80247

The kind of rain that's happening today is real spotty, more like squalls. I have sat at a dry track many times watching rain storms blowing by without touching the track.

A little while ago lightning struck about 50 feet from my house. WOW! Now that could make a bad day.