Part of what hurt drag racing

[Jimi B]

When I first read the original post I thought it was silly. But I do agree that it was and still is cool to see race cars out on the road. I also have memories of my dad and his ramp truck, and the late 60s ramp school bus we had in the 80s. We still have an open trailer, despite having fairly newer motorhome. We still do get the thumbs up and questions at the gas stations.

If anything has killed our sport, I do not think that killed our sport. At least not that aspect of it. Like most communities, the people that had money, still have it. And it sure shows in our sport. From what I recall in the 90s, you were doing alright if you had a nice dually and an enclosed trailer. You could go to a divisionals even and see many open trailers. Now its all stackers and toters. Drag racers have done the same thing that our entire nation has done. Financed themselves to death, and spent money they didnt have or at least should not have, on things that weren't needed. Don't get me wrong. I get out of bed every morning and chase a dream in hopes ill be pulling in to the track with a toter and stacker some day. But we definitely have spent a lot of money on keeping up with the jones's that wasn't needed.

Bigger than that probably. GAS PRICES. Not the economy as a whole.

As far as the the younger generation. I'm in between in my mid 30's. I have a lot of friends and engine customers in their early and mid 20's some even in their teens. I grew up at the drag strip in the 80's and 90's. I got in to imports in the late 90's right after high school. I love drag racing. Fuel cars, Pro Stock, Alcohol cars, class racing, super classes, and bracket. I love all of it. I love my sport compact racing too. In my opinion... I don't know about the 50's-70's but there are a lot more young guys in to drag racing in the last decade then when I was a kid. My high School was directly in the middle of 2 drag strips within in 5-15 minutes. One of which literally on the same road. I never saw random kids from my school at the track aside from a cpl with parents that raced I knew. Today it seems like all the teenagers and early 20 somethings have, want, or know something about "tuner cars" and have been to the track. And most them did not come from families that raced. Even in the older generation I have always found those people interesting. The people that got in to racing completely on their own. Now I have said that a lot of it is the Fast&Furious fad and most of them are not true gear heads that will stick with it. But some of them are. And those are people that may not of got in to racing if it wasn't for the tuner cars. Some of them have crossed over and are now in to class racing and other drag racing with domestic engines. And to them it never was import vs domestic. It was new technology. And guess what, the domestic cars now are using that technology. Even in class racing. Like it or not those folks bumped up the bar for the old school/domestic guys. So I disagree about the young ones not being in to racing. They just aren't in to the racing you are in to.

That is not their fault though. I have always said we need to unify rather than alienate no matter what side you are on. Most of the sport compact guys would think that Comp, Super Stock, and Stock is amazing with the different engine sizes, configurations, and forced induction with at least some heads up racing would be pretty cool. But they do not know about it. That stuff is not marketed. And the pro cars aren't marketed correctly. On top of the cost of racing being too high for pro and sportsman. Cheaper racing=more racers=more spectators=more sponsorship=cheaper racing=MORE RACING. Pretty simple cycle on paper.

Someone said you can not go back... But I disagree. Even in my short life their have been things that I have looked back on a few years later that I wished I would of tried that at the time seemed unorthodox. What ever it takes to make more of our racing. Make it more affordable. Id be all for rules that make it affordable across the classes even if it all the classes slowed down.

Unified... Bring the small tire/doorslammer, sport compact crowds, and conventional nhra closer together instead of competing against each other. Make sportsman racers part of the show and maybe make some of the sport compact classes and door slammer cars fit in comp/sstk.stk. All good on paper.

I've lurked and sometimes been active on this forum for years and everyone talks about Compton and company. But who holds them accountable. Who has gotten them to verbally or at least virtually acknowledge our complaints? Every now again I see an online article talking about NHRA knowing there is a problem but its just not that simple. If you do this to that class then they are not far et wise then the next slower class etc. If you do this, then what about that. Well they ask the questions hypothetically to their inner circle, but about asking all NHRA members? What about asking the family at home watching on tv that has never even seen a drag strip in person? What about asking all the other drag racers from other series that do not race NHRA fora reason? Why not truly ask everyone that has a stake in it? Why don't we the people complaining make them ask all of our opinions? With out protesting that is... What can we do to make Glendora accountable? What can we do to figure out if it is their fault or not? If it is all about greed.. Salaries, kickbacks, etc. What can we do as members to fix it?

[randy wilson]

Everyone here has good points, But truly the fact no one knows what a bracket car even does in the real world today, and no one cares. Also, if you went and randomly asked 100 people what Competition Eliminator is, I doubt you'd find even one who could answer. Even though it's the premier class of sportsman racing. When I was in school, right after the civil war 9 out of ten guys could tell you who won modified eliminator at the U.S. Nationals.

[joespanova]

I still open trailer mine....and it gets plenty of attention on the highway LOL

[Ron Middleton]

Interesting thread and my take on it is pretty broad but to me I see society as a whole hurting the sport. Now days with all the environmental issues and the soaring costs of fuel over the last 30 years has driven the interest away for a lot of people. Instead of a steady stream of muscle cars cruising down the highway we have economy cars and suv's with little distinction between every model. When I was in high school Vocational education and programs like Auto body repair and Auto mechanics thrived now days all the counselors are trying to steer all the good students to a college education and less physical work. Kids are sitting inside playing XBox, etc. instead of getting out and riding the bikes, go karts and mini bikes like I did when I was young. Noise issues, zoning and residence restrictions all add to the lessening of interest in cars as a whole. And until recently the factory's didn't really advertise performance vehicles such as the new performance cars by Chevy, Ford and Mopar. Very few local dealerships sponsor or promote racing like they did in the 60's and early
Auto racing as a whole has changed and weekly programs don't feature a lot of what they did 30-40 years ago. No pro's at points meets, NASCAR drivers with contracts that prevent them from running non Cup series races, etc. all diminish the allure of it. And as a whole, I think most racers do a less than stellar job of introducing new people into the racing scene. Enclosed trailers are probably a small part of it but as a whole I think the racing community hasn't adapted well to the overall changing lanscape of today's society. JMT.

[Dick Butler]

Very interesting Thread. Open trailers kept the "Image" out there. Working on the cars in the motels too. Guys drove around Indy to see the show during the Nationals. All part of this image.
Self service gas hurt too. Guys always hung out at gas stations with their working buddies on Sat or Sunday. Played with the cars for fun as it was about nuts and bolts.
Today it is all about Computers....
I honestly believe the very thing many like about drag racing as a competitor in Stk and SS is killing it. Too many combinations, too many costs, too few SINGLE , identifiable Classes to be fired up about as a spectator.
The outside world watches for FASTEST, Loudest, Most publiczed racers and cars..
Hate to say it again but without a starting class to race as hero if you win near home NO new racers will attempt 100K Stockers or SS cars.
We all know a cheap starter class would be abused and cheating could result BUT get them in the door and they will come with friends to watch them be a winner or others will build to beat them...

[goinbroke2]

You know, I went to a mudbog race in the spring, all the trucks were open trailered but there was only about a dozen. There was about 1-1500 people who all paid $25 per carload to go and sit on a grassy hill and watch the trucks go 50ft in the mud, get stuck and then wait 10-15 minutes for the truck to be pulled out. Another truck, 50ft, 15 minutes, repeat...this went on for 4hr's or so and everybody was buying fries/hamburg's etc having a great time. I thought it was a load of crap.
So..what was the difference?

Well, carload of people for X dollars?
Make it more of a carnival atmosphere?
All the action is directly in front of the people (100ft total?)

These same crowds were at the Exibition as well watching the demo derby. Personally I view them as "mouthbreathers" who watch with their mouths hanging open and yell "lookit that!" when there is some kind of destruction of damage.

Society isn't about cars anymore as was mentioned. Add to that the "reality tv" mentality and everybody wants to be entertained from their couch/seat/etc while stuffing crap down their yap. "hey lookit, bubba caught a fish...hey lookit, he built a birdhouse" whatever...dumbasses.

At the track this weekend a couple things I noticed were;
1) Lots of motorhomes/toterhomes/tractor trailers all enclosed trailers.
2) Even street cars are running in the 12's (or 11's, 10's, 9's)
3) Those who are racing are dedicated dragracers and they brought family with them, that's the only spectators.

I think people have X amount of money, some decide to spend it all on dragracing, others buy planes/boats/cottages. Dragracers are dragracing, there are just less people interested in watching automotive things in a world of instant gratification. Those that do want to watch it, are out watching what they want to watch.

So how do we make it more appealing to watch?

Everybody has already said lots of idea's from better promoting to hyping grudge matches and everything else.

1988, had one track to go to and it was stuffed with people/cars/fans. There was beer sponsorship (and they handed out beer sat night)
2014 there is 4 tracks in the same vicinity, all are quarter full and require the group of racers to travel to all four tracks for points. No beer or cig advertising allowed (which was huge money) so everything is a little tighter.

I've got 1 of my 2 kids into it and he will be for life, but he only replaces me. At least the cycle will continue...

[randy wilson]

Good post Dick.

[goinbroke2]

You calling me a Dick?

Ohh, Dick Butler, got it...LOL!