$305.00 Nat. event entry

[Ed Wright]

Well said Bobby!!

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Well said Bobby!!

Well said for those who can afford to drag 2 (two) race cars around the country, 2 entries, and maintain them not to mention the rig it requires to haul them. Most can only afford ONE race car and the costs that go with one. Its coming down to the "Haves" and the "Have Nots". It used to be that stock eliminator was a place someone with talent and a small budget could race National events, and run for a championship, and have a chance at being a champion. Now you need $100,000 plus new under rated cars cars, stacker trailers, and the ever larger motor homes plus a business that runs itself while your away for a week just to run a points race. Where is the line drawn for the little guy. Staying home and bracket racing just dosent cut it for most on this board. This is not to cut down those who have the money to do this crazy sport in a down turned economy. But where does it leave the loyal dedicated racers who are not well funded and just get by ? Some say $95 more is no big deal for a fun weekend with their buddies but is it really FUN to give your money away to an association that dosent give a rats azz about the lowly sportsman racer?

[Chad Rhodes]

I think it all comes down to value, and that's different in everyone's eyes. Value could be the payout plus contingency, it could be fun with friends, it could be which race is closer.

But to expand on bobby's steak house analogy, what if the $120 steak house made you sit in the broom closet to eat and pay more for the privilege of doing while the customers who are the owners "friends" (you know the influential people, and the people who bring 20 peaple with them for a big party) sit in the main dining room and don't have to pay for their steaks. Not to mention you're told when you can come eat there and if they run short of ingredients, you don't get any.

[Daran Summerton]

Mr. Beard since I am reassessing my 2011 plans, I notice that Rockingham is not on the National event list, would you know where the TOC race will be run for those fortunate enough to qualify? Also do you make a calender of Good footbrake events? Please PM me.

[Rich Biebel]

Racing is expensive and at some point each time costs go up there are those who no longer will or can participate. If you keep making it cost more and more the number of participants drop so low the sport possibly can't sustain itself.

If you wanted it to be like a country club atmoshpere your wish is almost there already. Soon it will be like the Pebble Beach car show deal....with wine and cheese served to the millionares club as they primp around and talk about how much they spent on their Stockers and Super Stockers and various other cars.....LOL

Hopefully my local tracks stay open so I can have a little fun racing with friends.....

[X-TECH MAN]

The sad part is the sportsman racer gets almost no benifit from the extra insurance sur charge. Its purpose is to cover NHRA's expense to be able to run the Track Oilers (IE: Top Fool and Fuel Ha Ha cars) Enjoy the 1000 ft circus show for your extra insurance costs and the increased purse payouts...... and track time.....NOT.....LOL.

[buzzinhalfdozen]

Now I could be wrong about this, the way I understand the insurance we're paying for is it is only going to be used after all other insurances have been exhausted. So we're paying for something that 99% of us would never use. I agree insurance is expensive, my employer pays more he passes some of that cost onto me, and unless he raises his prices the added cost cuts into his profits. My first question would be exactly WHO are we insuring with these "premiums" we're paying....Just the Sportsman racers, the pros, the spectators? One thing that does bug me a bit is 500 racers can go to Norwalk on a Sat. nite and each pays $35 to race for $1000 no insurance surcharge. Hows that happen, do the Baders get some super low rate? Still seems to me NHRA is just trying to get it's Sportsmen racers to pay the cost of THEM doing business. Joe

[Terry Cain]

Since NHRA has bean counters to count every penny, I'm sure they could do a cost spreadsheet and see exactly where the major insurance claims come from. Insurance companies charges vs risk. Make the catalogies that cost the most pay the most and leave the sportsman racers alone.
Years ago I race nothing but IHRA. Had a great time. Might be my plan to run combo's and a few IHRA meets.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Daran Summerton

Mr. Beard since I am reassessing my 2011 plans, I notice that Rockingham is not on the National event list, would you know where the TOC race will be run for those fortunate enough to qualify? Also do you make a calender of Good footbrake events? Please PM me.

(I'll respond here as others may be interested in the info)

On the first half of questions, you would have to direct those to IHRA.

For footbrake events, Jim Young actually makes a physical calendar specifically for Footbrake races (and he's done one for Northeast Sportsman Racing this year as well) The biggies are the World Footbrake Challenge (Bristol), the Jim Harrington Footbrake Classic (Cecil County), and the Fall Footbrake Frenzy (Coastal Plains). Info on those and many others are typically available either in the Bracket Events forum on ClassRacer, or on DragRaceResults.com

I'll probably have my schedule up on my race team site in the next month or two. You can follow me around the eastern half of the country if you want! It'll be fun.

[X-TECH MAN]

The extra charge is to help pay the insurance coverage NHRA has to have to run the Fuel Cars which in turn draws in the spectators.. Take away the Fuel cars and there would be no extra sur charge and a lot less spectators. The cost for insurance gets crazy when fuel cars are involved and especially so after the accidents in 2010. The extra money you are paying is like the Govt. subsidizing low income housing.