Another National Event price increase

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Jim Caughlin

The last time I recall a pit vehicle / race car accident was when an intoxicated NHRA official on a pit bike crashed into the side of a race car. In that particular instance, NHRA did not pay. Maybe now that they have insurance, they will pay???

I would have taken the damages out of his ***.......if you know me I'm not joking...

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by Jim Caughlin

The last time I recall a pit vehicle / race car accident was when an intoxicated NHRA official on a pit bike crashed into the side of a race car. In that particular instance, NHRA did not pay. Maybe now that they have insurance, they will pay???

I think when we sign the waiver at tech or the credential trailer we relinquish all of our rights to legal action against NHRA. I have never really read one of those waivers and it doesn't really matter because if you don't sign you don't race. I only race 1 or 2 national events per year as that is all my work schedule will allow so a few more dollars to race is not a huge deal for me although I don't like it. It does seem that they do keep nickel and dime-ing us to death. I guess they see that the events are filling up with the reduced quota's and the price of fuel being less expensive of late so the figure they can jack up the cost of the sportsman racers and still fill the quota's. I am not sure where my breaking point will be cost wise. When I started the entry for a national was $70.

[Irace007]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

I think when we sign the waiver at tech or the credential trailer we relinquish all of our rights to legal action against NHRA. I have never really read one of those waivers and it doesn't really matter because if you don't sign you don't race. I only race 1 or 2 national events per year as that is all my work schedule will allow so a few more dollars to race is not a huge deal for me although I don't like it. It does seem that they do keep nickel and dime-ing us to death. I guess they see that the events are filling up with the reduced quota's and the price of fuel being less expensive of late so the figure they can jack up the cost of the sportsman racers and still fill the quota's. I am not sure where my breaking point will be cost wise. When I started the entry for a national was $70.

Yep And you always got a bunch of stuff FREE from the manufactures.
Plugs ,oil change and T's
It was FUN back then............now it's just a BATTLE !!

[Bob Don]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

When I started the entry for a national was $70.

I have an old entry form for the 1978 US Nationals - entry fee is $50!

[63corvette]

I attended Peter Cliffords presentation on Wednesday at the Pomona race in February.
As we walked out of the tent where it was held I told the racers around me another fee increase was coming as reading in between the lines of his presentation you could see it coming. It is all about the money as is the oil down fees are just that. About the money. I just thought it would be at years end.

I was very surprised at Pomona and at Phoneix two weeks later how much time was wasted on Sunday with no cars going down the track. On both Saturday and again really on Sunday due to the smaller car counts. While going rounds the racers were told by the staging officials to slow it down due to the timing for the TV show. That was the first time in 40 plus years of racing I have ever been told to slow the pace down at a race.

As things are going now I do not see a sustainable business model for the Sportsman racer. I know I do not do it for the money but there comes a point where the fun is gone along with the increasing costs. Being retired I do have a break point and if fuel was not the price it is today I would have already hit that break point.

It is just so sad for me to watch the sport I love being destroyed right in front of my old eyes. There are not enough young people to replace most of the racers my age and I just see the Sportsman racing going completely away with NHRA at some some point in the not to distant future. NHRA just keeps trying to run all of us off however, most of us just keep coming back. We just like the punishment I guess.

Today being Tax day is a sad day for most of us and this just adds to it.
My 2 Cents
Rick Cates
Canyon, TX

By the way a little known fact is the insurance fees the Sportsman categories pay funds the entire event insurance for everyone who comes through the gate. Everyone....

[tpoh815]

As long as racers attend they will not care one bit! People cant wait to pull their money out fast enough. Look in the mirror. They make it easier for me to go back to smoking crack. Its cheaper! Four wheel crack is just too expensive.

[Andys dad]

Originally Posted by tpoh815

As long as racers attend they will not care one bit! People cant wait to pull their money out fast enough. Look in the mirror. They make it easier for me to go back to smoking crack. Its cheaper! Four wheel crack is just too expensive.

Not sure about "cheaper" -- they both can cost you everything that matters ...

Ron

[Daran Summerton]

It is critical everyone support your local Stock Super Stock Assoc. Fontana is this weekend.

[Rob3105]

Darren Summerton is right! Support your local series because they are the best deal going! We have a Heartland race this weekend in Cordova by the way.

Since I started racing National events in the late 90s the entry fee has doubled. $170 to now $340 and the payout has stayed the same or has gotten worse because of contingencies being about half. also no class win money. Still there are people waiting in line to pay the entry. Why would NHRA ever change. They must think we are all idiots because they raise the price and we keep going to their races.

What is your breaking point? Keep raising the cost NHRA and make it easy for me to race brackets more.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Rob3105

Why would NHRA ever change. They must think we are all idiots because they raise the price and we keep going to their races.

Why do you (collectively) think they bend over backwards for the FX racers?
Go where the money is.
Somebody has to replace the guys on the lower end of the spectrum that drop out every year.