The State Of Sportsman Racing - Interesting Read

[BRINK]

Originally Posted by Jim Wahl

Nothing in that article related to Stock and Super Stock racing except for Mike Beard talking about how he pretty much quit racing NHRA and IHRA in order to go bracket racing. Didn't whet my interest at all. Jim

.

I couldn't agree with you more, Jim.

[cutta]

My questions:

Is there really any way to drive the cost of class racing(Stock, Super Stock, Comp) down?

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.

How do entry level cost compare to what we had ten years ago?

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 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?
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.

What can we as a group(racers, fans, and fut racers) that care about the future of class racing do to make things better?

[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 .. ;-)
!

[nhramnl]

I've always felt that for the majority of Class racers, National Events are a waste of time and especially, money. We are treated (as someone above said) like amateurs (I might even say bracket racers) and our actual participation in the event is so limited that it's like we aren't even there. I personally don't enjoy them as much as a Divisional Event, because we are nothing but "filler" that appears to do little more than annoy NHRA. I would honestly like a more organized and extensive Divisional and National Open schedule and just be eliminated from participation in National Events. Also continue the recent practice of having multiple races within a given weekend, encourage the setting of National Records again, by awarding Divisional points for setting them and ban cheaters for life when they are caught. We have to accept that we just don't mean anything to NHRA and they are slowly doing what they can to eliminate Class legal cars from competition. When Super Street gets better parking spots at an event than Stock and Super Stock, you don't have to be a genius to see that our time is past.

[MR DERBY CITY]

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 .. ;-)
!

You guys crack me up. Michael Beard put his nuts on the line for a Big$$$ Stk/SS race and gets hardly no participation, he busts his butt getting sponsors to support his race but the racers stay home....What can we do ? Absolutely NOTHING. ...Too many agendas .....

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

You guys crack me up. Michael Beard put his nuts on the line for a Big$$$ Stk/SS race and gets hardly no participation, he busts his butt getting sponsors to support his race but the racers stay home....What can we do ? Absolutely NOTHING. ...Too many agendas .....

I really enjoyed the Class Nationals last year.
The C.I.C. race was fun.

Too bad the low attendance will probably kill any future chances of another event.

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

You guys crack me up. Michael Beard put his nuts on the line for a Big$$$ Stk/SS race and gets hardly no participation, he busts his butt getting sponsors to support his race but the racers stay home....What can we do ? Absolutely NOTHING. ...Too many agendas .....

If I remember right Michaels 2nd annual class national race had some scheduling conflicts with other races and was right in the meat of the schedule in the northern divisions. All events are subject to low car counts when they have several scheduling conflicts. I would bet that if Mike had another race and it was during the time of the year that there were no other races then the car count would be back where they were at the inaugural event. A big thanks to Michael for putting on those 2 events even though they were to far away for me to attend.

[Terry Knott]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

You guys crack me up. Michael Beard put his nuts on the line for a Big$$$ Stk/SS race and gets hardly no participation, he busts his butt getting sponsors to support his race but the racers stay home....What can we do ? Absolutely NOTHING. ...Too many agendas .....

Michael isn't the only one who has tried a S/SS race and didn't get any support. Back in 2011(?) they had a $10,000 to win S/SS race right in the middle of Div. 1 and hardly anyone showed up. I think most NHRA S/SS racers would rather run for a wally and picture in drag review then win any real money.
JIm Wahl is correct in saying people should better support their local S/SS associations.................oh wait...you can't win a wally......oh well.

[Dwight Southerland]

If you read the entire article, I think it lays out a pretty good description of the state of sportsman racing. If you don't like it because you think it doesn't address Stock and Super Stock, you haven't read it. You can snub your nose at bracket racing all you want, but there was a time when "real racers" snubbed their noses at Stockers.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by MR DERBY CITY

You guys crack me up. Michael Beard put his nuts on the line for a Big$$$ Stk/SS race and gets hardly no participation, he busts his butt getting sponsors to support his race but the racers stay home....What can we do ? Absolutely NOTHING. ...Too many agendas .....

Thanks, MJ. I quit banging my head against the wall about it. I did my job, and you did yours (the racers and sponsors that supported it). Thank you!

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

If I remember right Michaels 2nd annual class national race had some scheduling conflicts with other races and was right in the meat of the schedule in the northern divisions. All events are subject to low car counts when they have several scheduling conflicts. I would bet that if Mike had another race and it was during the time of the year that there were no other races then the car count would be back where they were at the inaugural event. A big thanks to Michael for putting on those 2 events even though they were to far away for me to attend.

There are always conflicts. Everyone liked the *idea* of the race, as long as it was convenient for them. It wasn't important enough for people to make a *priority*. The car count at the inaugural event barely put us at break even, despite two years worth of work and massive support from sponsors. So no, never again. I appreciate all of the fans, racers, and sponsors who supported us. We sure tried.


The article is most certainly relevant to S/SS racers. Expenses, time, travel, participation, exposure, and contingency/sponsorship are all extraordinarily important to all kinds of racing. The words Stock or Super Stock do not have to be explicitly used. But if people don't want to read it or take anything away from it, that's perfectly fine, too.