What's with all the Harley crap at Atlanta?

[Lew Silverman]

I haven't seen video or pictures of the race at Atlanta, but I'm willing to make an intelligent guess as to how "full" the stands were versus the half-dozen or so die-hard fanatics who've been watching the race at Maple Grove. Track operators need to make money, just like any other business-person, and if that means bringing another draw in to put the "a$$es into the stands", then that's what they are going to do!

The alternative wouldn't make you any happier, believe me!

[The Hawk]

It`s something they are doing once in every division this year. Division 5 is Bandimere in a few weeks.

[Larry Hill]

There were not that many of them, so it was never a problem.
Patsy

[Ed Wright]

Think we had the same thing at Houston. Wasn't many of them. Sure didn't put butts in the bleachers. Was nothing to see. Harley probably pays to have them there.

[BobUnkefer]

Chad,
With the demise of the AHDRA, H-D & NHRA put together a series that (as the Hawk stated) races once in each division this year. It gives all the H-D racers a series to race & earn points and earn a national championship.
Ed was right, we had them @ Houston and I think all said & done there were less than 20 total. Hasn't been an issue at any event yet that I've seen and the Nitro Harleys are kinda cool...... CRAZY but cool.

Unk

[Bench Racer]

The bikes brought some more spectators to the track, and helped to pay the bills. Like it or not, only the class racer diehards like myself will pay to watch cars run 115+mph. The crowds come for the nitro circus.The bikes were pretty neat and did not "clutter" up the race. It could have been rice rockets, stereo's and bikinis lol! Don Jackson

[D.Johns]

Originally Posted by Bench Racer

The bikes brought some more spectators to the track, and helped to pay the bills. Like it or not, only the class racer diehards like myself will pay to watch cars run 115+mph. The crowds come for the nitro circus.The bikes were pretty neat and did not "clutter" up the race. It could have been rice rockets, stereo's and bikinis lol! Don Jackson

Can we have a vote on the bikini thing again?

[The Hawk]

Originally Posted by D.Johns

Can we have a vote on the bikini thing again?

I agree!!

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Bench Racer

The bikes brought some more spectators to the track, and helped to pay the bills. Like it or not, only the class racer diehards like myself will pay to watch cars run 115+mph. The crowds come for the nitro circus.The bikes were pretty neat and did not "clutter" up the race. It could have been rice rockets, stereo's and bikinis lol! Don Jackson

That's just an excuse for NHRA being unwilling to spend any money or effort promoting class racing. Which is just another symptom of the ills of NHRA.

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

That's just an excuse for NHRA being unwilling to spend any money or effort promoting class racing. Which is just another symptom of the ills of NHRA.

I was at the Norwalk Division 3 points race two weeks ago. Bill Bader Jr. packed the place. The stands were full and people were four and five deep at the railing for the evening session.

They had the Harleys and made a big deal about Top Fuel Harley. They had two jet dragsters. They had Bob Motz and his jet truck.

The ran one round of Super Stock at 6:00. After that, all they ran when the big crowd was there was Top Dragster, Top Sportsman, Comp, Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, the Harleys, snowmobiles and the jet cars. The big crowd did not see Stock, Super Street, Super Gas or Super Comp and didn't care.

The people in the stands were cheering loudly all night. They came to see the show that Bill Bader gave them and they loved it.

Jim