The State Of Sportsman Racing - Interesting Read

[Dan Fahey]

Mike Beard
Your Class Nationals was the best race I have been to.
Sponsored the Pure Stock Challenge.
Despite the crazy grief from those that disliked my advocacy.
Until last year drove my car to the track for years and then set up to race.

Think 12 cars competed and put out a good bit of money.
Still a good turn out and made several new friends.
Yet my company did not get a bit of recognition other than from you.
DanSources is an IT & Technical Staffing and Consulting company.
Not your average Contingency fundee!
Would I do it again to help the cause?....YES !

Next year was a bit different.
Committed to the IHRA ProAm at Empire that same weekend.
Heavy investment in a trailer and setting up the wagon to go tow to races.
The year before cost me a $1100 to haul a broken car 200 miles.

I do feel bad not supporting you the next year.
20/20 hindsight...I should have. Could have made a difference.
It was a missed opportunity promoting Pure Stock that was getting a some traction.

Wish there was a Crate Motor and GT Advocate out there too.
Sometimes they are known as Community Organizers !

D

[Frank Castros]

I haven't raced for many years, but worked and spent as much as it took to "run with the crowd" as we liked to say back then, and it paid off.

What I don't understand about today's racing;

1) The excessive money spent on race rigs.
2) The excessive money spent on race car "bling".
3) Doesn't anyone do anything themselves anymore?
4) The racers themselves changed the rule book, not the NHRA, and it has cost them.
5) The racers showing up Wednesday for a divisional race. For a good pit spot?
6) A divisional race should be two days not three.

Please enlighten me.

[ALMACK]

The beauty of our class cars is that we can run both class racing and big bucks bracket racing if we want to ( non delay of course)

[Dave Ley]

Dan, Just an FYI : Helmets are good for 12 years. Check the rulebook !

Originally Posted by Dan Fahey

My questions:

Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?
* Allow Pump Gas to be used or mixed with Race Gas
* Safety Harnesses Certify for 5 years instead of 2 years.
* Helmets extend all 5 years helmets for 8 years

Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.
*Advertising locally and far enough into the rural areas.

How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?
* About the same for the times

Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?
* Love to see a 3 Race Weekend

When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
* Before they treated the Sportsman Classes as Amateur Racers!

I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.
* Invite none industry vendors to help sponsor racing!

What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?
* You just started it .. ;-)
!

[Steve Sullivan]

Originally Posted by Dave Ley

Dan, Just an FYI : Helmets are good for 12 years. Check the rulebook !

Perhaps your own tech guys should do the same Dave. I was told at this past LODRS meet in Columbus by an NHRA tech official that a Snell 2010 was only good until 2017!

[Dave Ley]

2016 NHRA Rulebook
Section 20, Page 44
Helmet expiration dates :


2005 expires 1/1/2017
2010 expires 1/1/2022
2015 expires 1/1/2027

Originally Posted by Steve Sullivan

Perhaps your own tech guys should do the same Dave. I was told at this past LODRS meet in Columbus by an NHRA tech official that a Snell 2010 was only good until 2017!

[James Perrone]

It still amazes me that the same group of wash women non racers that have so much time to spend on this forum yet don't race
Yeah I have a nice rv .nice trailer .nice car .yes I have an engine builder. Transmission builder You no why? Because I CAN !! Me and the wife like nice things We work hard for what we have. Question answered. Yeah I want a Wally.

[Frank Castros]

Originally Posted by James Perrone

It still amazes me that the same group of wash women non racers that have so much time to spend on this forum yet don't race
Yeah I have a nice rv .nice trailer .nice car .yes I have an engine builder. Transmission builder You no why? Because I CAN !! Me and the wife like nice things We work hard for what we have. Question answered. Yeah I want a Wally.

Wash women, this has come to name calling, who do you think you are Donald Trump?

[lstanford]

Originally Posted by Steve Sullivan

Perhaps your own tech guys should do the same Dave. I was told at this past LODRS meet in Columbus by an NHRA tech official that a Snell 2010 was only good until 2017!

The only person your protecting is yourself. I would think that you would want the very best helmet money will buy. A closed head injury is not a pretty thing. I know from experience.

[Dwight Southerland]

Adriel, I will give you my opinion.

1. Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?
** The increase of technology is the number one reason that building a class car is so expensive. Limiting the use of technology is one way to reduce costs. There are lots of ways to address this.
** Changing attitudes about what defines a race car will help. There are Stock & Super Stock combinations that can be competitive that can be built without having to incorporate $1200 pistons, $800 rods, $4000 transmissions, etc. You might not be a top sixteen qualifier, but you can win if you can drive.
** Reduce divisional races to two days and most national races to three days.

2. Is there a way to make it more accessible locally?
For me, we had once a year Stock/Super Stock combo races at our local tracks(Prescott and Centerville) that always peaked my interest when I was young. The rest was nurtured at NHRA events.
** Promotion and get the too-good-to-race-at-local-races guys to load their car up and show up.

3. How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?
** Ten years has not changed much. Inflation has taken its toll.
** The FS classes offer some creative combinations for SS that will be less than building traditional cars. Seems everybody wants a fast car (like low 9 sec/high 8 sec) and the traditional SS cars that will do that are horribly expensive to build.
** The class guide is filled with competitive Stock cars that could be built for less than $10-15K, but they will not be 10 sec cars. (Or 11 sec mostly)

4. Will we ever be able to shorten our divisional races into one or two day events to make it easier for people to enter these events?
** When I started racing, all divisional races were Sat-Sun events. It could be done again.

5. When was the last big money class race(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) that we've seen and where are the sponsors to make something like that happen now?
** Class Nationals.

6. I'm assuming if the location was right, you could get lots of Stockers and Super Stockers in the same place for a big money purse like some of these bracket races.
** Not until they really want to race and not be treated like prima donas.

7. What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?
** Quit the squabbling and realize that somebody needs to do something and be willing to participate.