Open trailers, a great way to advertise the sport

[Wade Mahaffey]

Aside from the great exposure with open trailers for the Culture, and/or Sport of Auto or Drag Racing, there is a huge financial hit on racers to roll in the big motorcoach and stacker trailers 70-80 foot rigs. Plain and simple, the bigger it is (in most cases) the more it cost. And the more it cost, and the harder it is to manage, the faster the scale gets tipped from "fun" to "aggravation". As you get older, it becomes easier for the scale of aggravation to "red line" from navigating traffic, finding a truck stop for fuel, rig maintenance $$$, parking, wondering "if I go down there, am I gonna be able to get this thing turned around"? etc. All the time thinking I will only maybe get half of what I paid for it if I sell out. We all know that as you get older, it becomes easier to talk yourself out of doing something. And when doing that something...it will cost more money too! Well...now you really don't want to do it! Now we can see why the car counts are constantly declining. The cost (blood pressure & $$$) of the fun scale is overloaded by the racers support vehicles, and enhancements. Now add to that, the NHRA sometimes throwing more weight on the aggravation side, and soon the ole "racing depression" starts to creep in on your program. And of course, and probably the part I would like to see most is "SMALLER RIGS" = "MORE RIGS" Let's grow, share, and thrive in the sport that we all love. The way to make it thrive is the old acronym K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid)

Wade Mahaffey

[SSDiv6]

In simple words...

[RonTheAnnouncer]

I got to see the power of the open trailer last fall. While promoting the last Loose Rocker race of the year at Piedmont in North Carolina, Michael Beard had to pick up his Volare from the engine builder. After the race was over, Michael, Jill, and I hopped in Clifford the Big Red Dodge and towed back to Columbus. After an overnight stay in Virginia, we were gassing up at a truck stop before hitting the road. A family came out of the store and the 5ish year old boy saw the Super Stocker on the open trailer, stopped in his tracks, his jaw to the floor! "Oh man, that's so cool!" The young man's enthusiasm, along with the literally dozens of smiles and thumbs up I saw on the way back, made me see the true power of the open trailer.

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

Aside from the great exposure with open trailers for the Culture, and/or Sport of Auto or Drag Racing, there is a huge financial hit on racers to roll in the big motorcoach and stacker trailers 70-80 foot rigs. Plain and simple, the bigger it is (in most cases) the more it cost. And the more it cost, and the harder it is to manage, the faster the scale gets tipped from "fun" to "aggravation". As you get older, it becomes easier for the scale of aggravation to "red line" from navigating traffic, finding a truck stop for fuel, rig maintenance $$$, parking, wondering "if I go down there, am I gonna be able to get this thing turned around"? etc. All the time thinking I will only maybe get half of what I paid for it if I sell out. We all know that as you get older, it becomes easier to talk yourself out of doing something. And when doing that something...it will cost more money too! Well...now you really don't want to do it! Now we can see why the car counts are constantly declining. The cost (blood pressure & $$$) of the fun scale is overloaded by the racers support vehicles, and enhancements. Now add to that, the NHRA sometimes throwing more weight on the aggravation side, and soon the ole "racing depression" starts to creep in on your program. And of course, and probably the part I would like to see most is "SMALLER RIGS" = "MORE RIGS" Let's grow, share, and thrive in the sport that we all love. The way to make it thrive is the old acronym K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid)

Wade Mahaffey

Good points Wade.
I have reached the point where I no longer want to "up-size" my tow rig anymore for many of the reasons you stated.
I suppose if I was hauling a family to the races then I would consider a motor home.
But my slide in truck camper works great and simplifies things.

[Carguy49]

I totally get the need for enclosed trailers with today's society. There are numerous thefts of personal property at many races today and the enclosed trailers can prevent that. Just so you know, many of my friends still use an open trailer.


Now, getting to the real subject, I, too, miss the days of open trailers and ramp trucks. When an event was in town, the show of all the ramp trucks and open trailers going down the road was very exciting. I never have owned an enclosed trailer and very much enjoyed the thumbs up while driving and the questions when stopped for gas and/or food was very much worth the effort. I always hoped that the questions would bring another spectator to the track to watch.


As a side note - How many rigs do the pros need anyway?????? With space at a premium at many tracks shouldn't the pros be limited to say 3 rigs??? That way more racers could park within a reasonable distance of the staging lanes, or am I way off base here????? I have heard that the John Force show has 8 rigs now.

[Michael Beard]

Search Facebook for the group "OPEN TRAILERS RULE"

[Stocker Buick GS]

So I've been using a small enclosed trailer for years 22ft race trailer for longer trips but close to home open trailer works great, it nice to have a big trailer but parking more fuel the cost of the big trailer and truck set up will offset nice motor home and small in enclosed or open and nice Pick up and make the wife happy and stay at best westerns or some other nicer hotel pool hot tubs some will even drive you place so the tow rig doesn't have to come out again my 2 cents

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Search Facebook for the group "OPEN TRAILERS RULE"

[HandOverFist]

I still use a open trailer mainly because I'm cheap and still own one. Used to tow an enclosed with a dually, but overall this is much easier. When I travel and leave the car at the track overnight the trailer tongue is locked and the car is not on it. Seems every time I hear of a rig being stolen it is an enclosed trailer with car and contents loaded...quick and easy to hook and go. At most tracks when I leave my junk there are usually plenty of folks in RV's staying overnight nearby. It would be a major ordeal for someone to load a car onto the trailer without being noticed. I believe most enclosed trailers are purchased primarily for storage when not in use really.

[Nitro Joe Jackson]

I know its a hauler but I did it for 8 years and my parents hauled even the Monza's on open rigs, but what really floors me these day is to see these Jr dragster kids coming in with rigs that cost more then my house cause either mommy and daddy or grandpa and grandma is supporting the bill (I'm talking about the ones that the parents don't even race). Any they will never know how to really "earn" . I worked hard till I got my first enclosed rig. I know before anybody pipes up, times have changed, just my 2 cents.



and now still on a open trailer.............