For Your Reading Pleasure....

[Hagen Gary]

NHRA Definitely needs us at the Nationals.... Just to pay the bills. They don't care what time they run us, as long as we bring our entry money and a few pit crew members. Imagine how empty the stands would be if we weren’t there. Seriously, I know 9 people who would have never came to Houston if I wasn't racing. They like the sport, but would never have traveled to Houston and spent that kind of money unless I was there. I’m sure there are plenty of racers out there that can say the same. Sportsmen bring at least an avg of 3-4 people per car. That’s a lot of cash out of their pockets. As far as I'm concerned, they can have the Nationals as long as we have Sportsnats and the prize money/contingency from the Nationals. They can even have the track oiling Alkys, TS and TDs. Those take so damn long to run it will be plenty of fill between pros.

[D.Johns]

Originally Posted by Hagen Gary

Imagine how empty the stands would be if we weren’t there.

I can imagine the stands filled with the "true racing euthusiast" and Racers friends. It's called a divisional and they are nearly empty! I laugh on yellowbullet with the guys who say "I'd rather watch the sportsman guys" but yet the stands are nearly empty. The other comical thing is the constant complaining about the NHRA but not many choose to leave. I don't want to see them seperate at national events because it would lose sportsman exposure. It's hard enough to get sponsors in the sportsman world and it would be even harder with less traffic. A lot of the people that go to national events are fans of the Excitement the nitro cars bring. A lot are not "car guys"(not quite as bad as the NASCAR group though).

[Hagen Gary]

Originally Posted by D.Johns

I can imagine the stands filled with the "true racing euthusiast" and Racers friends. It's called a divisional and they are nearly empty!).

In case you haven't noticed, they are nearly empty at nationals also. The only reason they have anyone there is because of the exposure. If NHRA would promote sportsmen the same way they do pros, you would get a similar response at divisionals. Like I said before, a lot of those people are there because they know a racer. Just because nobody cares to see some people race, doesn't make my point invalid. My 8-10 people will make up for your nobody. Still an avg of 3-4 people per sportsmen show up just to watch. Take that away and our entry fees and NHRA can't do a show.

Put us on TV and explain the classes and watch people show up. Look at Pinks. A bunch of junk bracket cars and fans turn out because they have TV time and do interviews with avg racers. I don't have to be on yellow bullet to laugh at you hoping some sponsor stumbles into your pit after watching the John Force show. I'm the real show and a separation from the pros and some TV time would only highlight that.

[KRatcliff]

Have you noticed at the Houston divisionals one or more of the high schools will bring a bus load or two of students? I think they do this at other tracks, but I am not sure.

The kids seem to roam the pits in groups and are truly interested in the cars, engines, etc... Must be an automotive class or something, but there are also several girls. Not that girls don't take those classes because I realize they do.

Whatever it is, I try to take as much time as I can to explain the car and each time I ask them if they want to sit in the car. They always do and hand their phone or camera to their buddy to take pics of them in the car. You can see a small transformation of the whole concept becoming a little more real.

Slowly, but surely we are gaining fans of people that we don't even know by doing things like this.

[jmcarter]

Graham Light's defensive posturing in the article shows just how out of touch NHRA is....really sad when Jim Hughes pulls his team and you read Mark Lelchook's account of his run and helpless feeling standing at the end of the track while people are asking them to stop running cars and they continue on until a racer is fatally injured. Recall the Phoenix fiasco of three years ago when Larry Morgan and others simply pulled their Pro Stock cars back to the pits and it finally got their attention. Granted, any sportsman class refusing to run is not going to be as effective but somebody has to demonstrate that this crap has to stop.

Would it be so terrible to withdraw from a race when you think people are needlessly put at risk and then just go bracket race for a while?

[cicero819]

What would happen if no one registered for a National event. Would NHRA get the message. I know that if people stop coming to your local store the message is quite loud to the owners usually.Remember that NHRA needs you for your money that you bring in and the show that you contribute. As I fan that spectate many events a year, I have found throughout the recent years the total lack of care from NHRA to it's core customer the racer and it's spectators. Without your millions of dollars they're in trouble. Maybe just maybe this would get the ball going in finally having a real executive committee for the sportsman. I'm not NHRA bashing, they seem to do a good job without my help, I just want them to be more accountable to the racers who bring in all those millions they need to continue operating. I do care and do not want to see NHRA becoming a Fields Entertainment running John Force Snoopy Dog Funny Car! CR

[John Kissel]

I would try to go to The Gators especially to see Stock & SuperStock, and stay away from the sat. or sunday shows, but somehow I ended up there on sunday when they had just installed those "dumbo tron" t.v./commerical things 1/2 way down the track on either side grandstands. While I was sitting there watching them prep the track for what seemed like an eternity and listening to one commerical after another, wanting to see the finals, and thinking about the ride home to Arcadia, I had enough.It is like that nascar stuff, I'd pay $100.00 to see the '67 Permatex race, but you couldn't pay me to go to the current stuff.