my opinion

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Steve Williams

This thread is still going? This is going to be a long rough winter....

Maybe so.

So ,we're settled . The number is 14 . That's still quite a few . I don't think I ever went to 14 back in the 70's when I was racing a lot . I figure that would take about 30 + days vacation time, (not counting long distance travel to make that many).

So would those guys be Pro or Sportsman ? I don't think NHRA gives a cr*p, one way or the other.
That's just the high number they think they can suck people into ,whether they can really afford it or not.

I DO think points should be given for qualifying and records . Enough so it would actually help affect Top 10 finishes at the end of the year.
Don't you think so ,Tobe ? LOL

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

In fact, NHRA allows "professional" racers (think Pro-Stock multi-time national champion Jeg Caughlin and others) to compete against "Sportsman" racers. Does that practice seem equitable to you? [/U]

I think you mean Jeg Coughlin.

Secondly,if John Force (Full -time Professional Funny Car racer) were to drive a new Mustang in AA/SA,I would have no problem racing him,as long as its not Heads-Up!
LOL!
I think I could give him a good race.

[RULER]

Lets see if i get this right!!! I'm going to play a sport,(any sport) but i'm not good at it so lets change the rules so I can Qualify first, I get all the singles, I get all the red lights, My win light always turns on in my lane, I can just sign up when ever I what too, I should be the WORLD CHAMP IF I WIN THAT RACE!!! Well that was easy now what do i do?

[Evan Smith]

I would venture to guess that 95 percent of the Pro racers wouldn't know where to start with a sportsman Class car and have only heard the term "bracket" racing in the pits. I would also venture to guess that most touring-pro sportsman racers started out on the divisional level, raced a lot and realized they had a knack or talent at this game we play and since we race for money, decided they could have a go trying it for a living since there is enough opportunity to make a living at it.

Guys like Mark sacrifice and risk a lot but the payback is more seat time and more opportunity to win. If you are racing and just getting by, what type of outlook is there for the future? What about things like health insurance? It is risky to put yourself in that position (unless you have serious backing, which some do) and if you have a bad year or two it can be a financial disaster. Most of us would never take that chance no matter how many races we won in a year.

But still, since we live in a free country, ANYONE can quit their job and take that chance, just like Fletcher did. This is America so don't complain and bitch about the rules, if the water is so nice then jump in. Hey, I don't like getting beat by these guys or anyone, but I realize that I can try to do what they do if I want to reach that level. I'll ask this to Jeff, would you feel any better if you got beat by a guy who is an unknown because he races, say, Heavy Eliminator, every week, or twice a week, or three times week, at local track, as some do, then jumps in a Stocker and cleans up? Most of the successful Stock drivers I know came from the bracket ranks, where they raced often and honed their skills in street bracket cars.

But how many are living the good life on S/SS winnings alone? There is lots of stress involved, if you don't make the final the pay is nil. If you break and engine or major part your profit just dropped in the toilet. If you're rig breaks you can't be out there earning. Plus, the extended time on the road has to be tough, because I'm sure they miss important family things like kid's birthdays and such.

I give those guys credit because that is no easy way to make a living.

[art leong]

Evan is 100% right.
To all the whiners out there. This is a free country You can decide to go race for a living anytime you choose.
Instead of trying to belittle successful racers. Try to learn from them.
That is becoming a big problem in all aspects of our lives. It is easier the try to bring down
those who achieve success to our level, than to pick up our pace.

[Bob Don]

Let's differentiate between "successful" and "better". An earlier poster alluded to the fact that someone who races in the sportsman ranks full time is a "better" driver. I've got a big issue with that. As long as you can cut a light and run the number, you can beat anyone, whether they run every race on the circuit or just one.

[Mark Faul]

Great post Evan!

There are lots of sacrifices. Family and loved ones being the biggest. The pressure can be ridiculous when you're in a slump and can't get out of it. And the only way to get out is to keep walking to the plate and keep swinging. But when you hit one out of the park, there's no feeling like it.
Sure, the pro touring racers race a lot and some win a lot-maybe people feel more than their fair share. (wish I was one of them lol). But pro racers lose a lot more than part time racers too! Fletchburger gave me great advice once. He said "if you go to 25 races with 2 cars and win 4 races, you've had a great year. But you've lost 46 times!!!!"

It's not champagne wishes and caviar dreams all the time, that's for sure. But I know I wouldn't trade it for anything. (Today I say that. Tomorrow who knows!)

But come on in, the water's fine! I could use a travel partner sometimes.

[Michael Beard]

Gee, I wonder what "they" are going to do for "me" to "level the playing field", since I only have a 1500 pickup and an open trailer. It's so unfair!

[Mark Faul]

Originally Posted by Ed OBrien

I don't really care if it's a touring pro or not if you choose to race more than 1 class you should still be in the staging lanes on time and parking should be done by who shows up first and it's not . We all pay the same entry and should all be treated the same . If the first 5 pairs to go down the track were a random choice ( for real ) it would solve a lot of this waiting on someone just because they can . Have a nice day Ed

If a 2 car guy's opponent arrives late to the lanes, he/she doesn't have much choice on when they run either. Then, it's almost impossible to be early for the second class. As long as they allow 2 car contestants, there will always be a few problems getting there quickly. I know-eliminate 2 car racers... Let's not go there for now. I'm sure nhra likes the 2nd entry fee and that they only give us 1.5 spots at best. At some tracks they designate 2 car areas based on space or areas based on size of rig.

[bubski]

Originally Posted by Evan Smith

Tom,

Since you are speaking for Ed, I will explain it. The difference is that valves can be legally cut, port volumes are not supposed to be manipulated. So if the volume is too big, either the spec is wrong, you have a magically oversized casting, or you have modified the head. Period. As we have seen, it is certainly possible to make a head pass with one inspector and then it fails with another.

My cylinder head guy installed valves from the manufacturer (1.85-inch) and the spec calls for 1.84. Neither the spec or the valves were checked. It was an honest mistake, albeit a huge and very stupid one. At Indy, I was checked by a D1 tech inspector who is a friend of mine and he did his job properly. It would have been very easy to look the other way and "let me off." I didn't expect him to do this and did not get any special treatment.

In the 15 years I've run Stock, I have been to the barn numerous times and have never had a problem—never in fuel check, or on the scale. Perhaps a clean record goes a long way.

I did not race at the race where I returned with the engine apart. Because of rain-shortened qualifying, I did not get the car back together in time to qualify. If Ed would like to protest me, I will gladly take the engine apart and collect his money. The car sat in the trailer and I raced a week later.

As for my idea on the points, it would be easy to make the points awarded for qualifying a very low count and you could limit the amount of races where you could earn them, just as it is with races claimed. Also, you could set a max on the times you could get points from setting a record, say twice a year or something like that. My idea is not that you can win a championship if you qualify first and lose first round wherever you go.

These points could enhance your points total from round wins. But make it so you can't win a championship based only on points earned from records, qualifying and Class wins. Maybe it would allow a hard-working racer who can't make a ton of races sneak into the top 10 in his/her division? It would be cool and performance really would matter.

Evan

11:34AM 3rd round stock qualifying sat. 2:22PM rain halts racing sat. Dont you normally get 3 hits at e-town points race if youre lucky then 1st round?