What would you do?

[Jim Wahl]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! If I was King For The Day I would make the Pro categories pay $10,000 for entry T/F & F/C....$5,000 entry for Pro Stock and Pro Cycle. They can afford it! Then lower Sportsman entry to $50 per event. $50 is about all it's worth to run for the current payout. Take the Sportsman insurance fee out of the Pro entry and raise the Sportsman payouts to 32 places. They could pay for all the Sportsman payouts and insurance and have plenty left over. Jim

[CycloneFE]

I think Force did mean sportsman, he has 1 1/2 daughters still racing in alcohol dragster.

He He.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by CycloneFE

I think Force did mean sportsman, he has 1 1/2 daughters still racing in alcohol dragster.

He He.

Oh come on.....Just because NHRA calls them sportsmen how can you even consider the alky classes as a sportsman venture ?

[CycloneFE]

technicality Terry, that is all it is.

[Chris1529]

I don't think any of them are talking about sportsman. I think they could remove "sportsman" from the national events and these pros and most average "joe's" out there wouldn't know the difference.

I don't always agree with Paul Page either, but he is right about speeding up the show.


as far as the 4 wide, why don't they still just run two lanes at a time. While one pair is running, the second pair could be getting ready to run. That way the crews, drivers, and fans could see the action better.

as far as the real sportsman goes, I think if you win one round you should get your entry fee back and the purse should build from there. Tracks need to get sponsors to step up to help pay the purses instead of making the racers pay it themselves. Dirt tracks already do that for the most part.

[SStockDart]

I certainly don't have the answers. But until we (Sportsman racers) fill the stands, it isn't going to change for us. And, I don't know why we don't fill the stands. Huge wheel stands, and cars that spectators can relate to. I know time does not go backwards, however, in the early days of Pro Stock, if a track had a match race between "The Grump" and Ronnie Sox, the stands would be full. It didn't matter who was running Top Fuel. Not that way anymore. The spectators go to see the fuel cars. Watch the stands clear out when we run after them. When we are not the ones bringing in the spectators, we are in a terrible negotiating position for larger payouts. At National Events, we are the fill in so something is going down the track while the pros get ready to run again.

As much as some grumble about the new CJ's and Drag Packs, they might be our salvation. This generation can relate to them and perhaps buy a new car based on the performance they saw at the drag strip. Just like I did in the late 60's. In that regard, I would like to see a special class for these cars...........ie: FX

Until then, in my opinion, we will have to pay our own way plus a portion of the insurance premiums that are largely a function of the dangers of fuel cars.

With than said. Yes, I am going to keep racing. When the day comes that I get frustrated and angry with the situation.............I'll quit and go fishing..

[Ed Fernandez]

For the one millionth time,WE ARE NOT A CAR CULTURE LIKE BACK IN THE 1960s
ANYMORE.Excuse me for raising my voice.

[Bob Bender]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

For the one millionth time,WE ARE NOT A CAR CULTURE LIKE BACK IN THE 1960s
ANYMORE.Excuse me for raising my voice.

x2

[goinbroke2]

I would buy/start a sportman only series which would include;
1) Bracket racing classes 14.90-7.90 in one second increments
2) Stock/SuperStock classes
3) Junior dragsters

I would ensure lots of in-veh camera's were available and have a tv program/show coverage. Have 4-6 camera's along the track for continuous panning and showing/promoting the side by side racing and also high camera's to show a car catching another.
Part of the tv program would be coverage of "tech time" or something like that where successful racers could give tips/explain the intricacies of the various classes. In fact, have a large tent at each track where the filming could take place. That way people could come in the tent and learn something they could immediately use/try. Covering it for TV means those at home could learn too.

Scope would be;
1) Juniors would get the same coverage and hype as a SS/AH or 7.90 dragster.
2) Promote the family values angle and show how easy it would be to start out.
3) Do profiles of racers and have equal time for the 14.90 six cyl fairmont and the $50,000 rail. Both won their respective classes and both are equal of coverage.
4) Very tight with tech, if a car doesn't qualify for pure stock, then he can run Stock or brackets. Weights/fuel always and teardowns if records are set.
5) The winner of each class (S/SS/7.90/8.90/9.90/etc) would run off for a "king of the hill" and be crowned "top Eliminator" each race. (7.90 against a 16sec fwd stocker might be bad but that would be sorted out.)

This is off the top of my head, but there would be more. "Passtime" and "Pinks" both show that slow cars can be as exciting as fast cars if put in the right light. Hell people watch lawnmower racing and belt sander racing for crying out loud!
You don't think people would watch a wheelstanding "A" car chase down a slower car with the camera switching from inside the faster one to inside the slower and then watching the cars converge, then back again? And the announcer would of set it all up commenting on how the slow car gets a head start and then commenting as he is chased down.....

Oh yeah...if I was king...the pro's could go do what they want, I'd be the one making sportsman the one people could identify with. The one with a solid entry program and progression plan. Bring kids in, whet their appitite, give a strong positive influence and as they grow they move up/faster.


If I was King......